{SPAM} Highlights

 

COLUMBUS CITY COUNCIL MEETING HIGHLIGHTS   For Immediate Release: February 11, 2013   For More Information: John Ivanic, (614) 645-6798 Web – Facebook – Twitter

 

 

ROBERTS ROAD IMPROVEMENTS:  Roberts Road is a major east-west connector that helps move thousands of people every day from east of I-270 past Rome-Hilliard Road on the west side of Columbus.  Ordinance 0260-2013, sponsored by Public Service and Transportation Committee chair Eileen Y. Paley, will allow the Director of Public Service to enter into a contract with HDR Engineering, Inc. worth up to $450,000 for an engineering study for possible intersection improvements at Roberts and Spindler Roads.   Improvements could include the installation of a traffic signal and west bound turn lane at the intersection as well as the widening of Roberts Road near the intersection.

 

BUILDING A BETTER LAND BANK:  The Central Ohio Community Improvement Corporation (COCIC) is Franklin County’s effort to assist in the economic development of blighted properties.   Ordinance 0277-2013, sponsored by Development Committee chair Zach M. Klein, will allow the City of Columbus to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with COCIC to create a framework under which the Columbus Land Reutilization Program can cooperate to improve neighborhoods in the fastest possible manner.   The agreement will establish a process for the City to exercise its priority interest in tax foreclosures and other acquisitions of property.    In addition to this ordinance, Councilmember Klein is sponsoring two companion pieces, 0310-2013 and 0316-2013, that will allow the City of Columbus to properly maintain parcels in the land bank by paying for grass cutting, roof repairs, and other needed services. 

 

CARING FOR THE COMMUNITY:  Columbus Neighborhood Health Centers (CNHC) provide a crucial level of care and protection for our community’s most vulnerable residents.   Health and Human Services Committee chair Priscilla R. Tyson is sponsoring ordinance 0124-2013 to allow Columbus Public Health to enter into a $4,529,260 contract with CNHC to offer primary care services to patients at CNHC’s six area facilities.

 

FIGHTING ANIMAL CURELTY:  The mission of the Capital Area Humane Society (CAHS) is to fight cruelty and neglect of animals while providing shelter services to the community.   Ordinance 0232-2013, sponsored by Public Safety and Judiciary Committee chair Michelle M. Mills, authorizes the Director of the Department of Public Safety to enter into a contract with the CAHS so that the organization can investigate allegations of animal cruelty in the City of Columbus.  Consistent with the city’s public safety efforts, CAHS shall notify the appropriate legal authorities of confirmed animal abuse and neglect and suspected abuse toward humans.

  

 

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JOHN IVANIC

COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR

_____________________________________________________

 

 

 

 

90 W. Broad Street
Columbus, OH 43215

Direct: 614-645-6798

Cell:     614-701-1411

www.columbus.gov

    

 

    

 

City Council Highlights February 4, 2013

			COLUMBUS CITY COUNCIL MEETING HIGHLIGHTS   For Immediate Release: February 4, 2013   For More Information: John Ivanic, (614) 645-6798 Web – Facebook – Twitter

 

2013 BUDGET:  Columbus City Councilmembers will tonight consider final passage of the 2013 General Fund Budget.   Finance Committee Chair Priscilla R. Tyson is sponsoring a series of ordinances, 2630-2012, 2631-2012, 2633-2012, and 2644-2012, that Councilmembers will vote on in order to approve the budget.   Amendments made to Mayor Coleman’s proposed budget reflect City Council’s priority of strengthening Columbus neighborhoods through economic development and job creation.   Council President Ginther and Councilmember Tyson announced last month that Councilmembers have agreed to set aside $3 million of the $7.5 million carryover from 2012 for Columbus’ Economic Stabilization Fund, or rainy day fund.

 

REC CENTER IMPROVEMENTS:  The Blackburn Recreation Center provides a wide range of activities for children and adults.   Serving the Near East Side, Blackburn is in line for upgrades to the facility that include work on the electrical system, HVAC, plumbing, floors and other work to ensure that the building serves the community for many years to come. Recreation and Parks Committee chair Zach M. Klein is sponsoring ordinance 0145-2013 to approve an $853,000 contract with Builderscape, Inc. to perform the work.  

 

PROTECTING THE WATER SUPPLY:  The Dublin Road Water Plant processes some 80 million gallons of water a day, providing safe, clean drinking water to many Columbus residents and businesses. The plant has not seen a significant renovation in 30 years.  Ordinance 0052-2013, sponsored by Public Utilities Committee chair Eileen Y. Paley, allows for the City to enter into a $22,001,320 contract with Kokosing Construction Company for the construction of a new electrical substation, sludge pump station, and other modifications to the Dublin Road facility.   The project will improve the reliability and capacity of the plant.

 

FIGHTING BAD CHECKS:  When someone passes a bad check, it does not just affect the business involved in the transaction, but all consumers who end up paying more for products to offset the loss for the merchant.   Ordinance 0136x-2013, sponsored by Public Safety and Judiciary Committee chair Michelle M. Mills, authorizes the appropriation of $40,000 from the Bad Checks Fund to pay for this program in 2013.   The Bad Checks Program is designed to reduce the number of bad check cases that backlog the court and to help local merchants recover the money they are owed.  Staff works directly with the merchant and the check writer to resolve the matter and therefore keep the case out of the court system.   In 2012 approximately 17,465 criminal complaints were diverted from the court system and approximately $364,571 was recovered for the merchants.  The Bad Checks Diversion Program is funded from collected fees.

 

 

-30-

 

 

JOHN IVANIC

COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR

_____________________________________________________

 

 

 

 

90 W. Broad Street
Columbus, OH 43215

Direct: 614-645-6798

Cell:     614-701-1411

www.columbus.gov

    

 

    

 

E-News Bulletin - Stories and News About Columbus City Schools

February 1, 2013   2013 Columbus Board of Education Front, l-r: Hanifah Kambon; Carol L. Perkins, Pres.; and Ramona Reyes. Second Row, l-r: Mike Wiles; Gary L. Baker II; W. Shawna Gibbs, Vice Pres.; and Bryan O. Steward. Click here for scheduled meeting dates, podcasts and how to contact CCS Board of Education members.   Mark Your Calendar!  KEY UPCOMING CCS DATES · Feb. 1 – ES/MS School Choice/Lottery applications available · Feb. 2 – City League Swimming Championships at Columbus Swim Center · Feb. 5 & 19 – Board of Education meetings, 5:30 p.m. · Feb. 6 – ES/MS Fair at Arts Impact Middle School · Feb. 7 – Neighborhood School Development Partnership (NSDP) Committee meeting, 7:30 a.m. · Feb. 7 – Elementary School Spelling Bee at Ohio Dominican University · Feb. 8 – Middle School Spelling Bee at Ohio Dominican University · Feb. 9 – City League Girls Basketball Championship at South 7-12 School; City League Wresting Championship at Centennial HS · Feb. 13 – Professional Development Day - No Classes · Feb. 16 – City League Boys Basketball Championship at East HS · Feb. 18 – Parent/Teacher Conference Day - No Classes · Feb. 19 – City League Bowling Championship at Eastland Lanes · Feb. 23 & 24 – Special Olympics Basketball tournament at Northland HS · Feb. 26 – District Elementary School Chess Tournament at Northgate Center   For a full list of upcoming public meetings - click HERE    We want to hear from you. Please send your feedback and story ideas to: e-News@columbus.k12.oh.us Are you receiving a pass-along copy of CCS eNews? To subscribe to our FREE newsletter  Click here     or here to opt out. Previous editions of the CCS E-News Are you on Social Media? Be sure to follow us on Twitter (ColsCitySchools) and Like us on Facebook (ColumbusCitySchools) Printable Version

Community Focus  Groups for New Superintendent The Columbus City Schools Board of Education extends an invitation to district community members, students, parents, and staff to participate in any one of five regional focus groups to identify the qualities and skills expected of the next district superintendent.  The meetings are taking place as follows: Monday, February 4, at 7 p.m. – Binns ES, 1080 Binns Blvd. Tuesday, February 5, at 7 p.m. – Ohio Avenue ES, 505 S. Ohio Avenue Wednesday, February 6, at 7 p.m. – East Columbus ES, 3100 E. 7th Avenue Monday, February 11, at 7 p.m. – Colerain ES, 499 E. Weisheimer Road Tuesday, February 12, at 7 p.m. – Oakland Park ES, 3392 Atwood Terrace   The feedback gathered from the focus groups, as well as an on-line survey, will assist the search firm to target specific individuals to recruit, as well as to assist in communicating the community's desires and expectations to prospective superintendent candidates seeking information on their own. Visit the Superintendent Search Website for more information and to take the on-line survey. Whetstone Student Earns Math Honor Whetstone High School Senior, Culver McWhirter, is among the recipients of the 2013 Honda OSU Math Medal Award. Developed through a partnership between Honda of America Manufacturing and The Ohio State University, the award recognizes and honors superior math students who also have an interest in engineering. Award recipients receive a $100 gift card and a $3,000 scholarship for the at Ohio State University College of Engineering. Elementary and Middle School Choice/Lottery Process Opens Applications for the 2013 - 2014 Columbus City Schools Elementary and Middle School Choice/Lottery are now available on-line and in schools. Students and families interested in participating in the School Choice/Lottery process for elementary and middle schools will need to fill out the two-page application and return it to the School Choice/Lottery Office, 61 S. Sixth St., via U.S. mail, in person, or by fax (365-6794), by February 28, 2013. Information about all CCS schools can be found on the District's Website, or by attending the Elementary/Middle School Fair on February 6, at Arts Impact Middle School, 680 Jack Gibbs Blvd., from 6 - 7:30 p.m. Northland Boys' Basketball Team Sets Milestone The Northland High School Vikings achieved a rare feat recently when they won their 100th straight boys basketball Columbus City League game. The streak began more than six seasons ago. The Vikings are currently the top-ranked Division 1 school in the Associated Press state poll. You can read more about the streak and the winning game in this Columbus Dispatch article. Mifflin High School Scholars Fundraising for Wagons The Mifflin High School National Honor Society (NHS) is in the final stages of raising funds and awareness for Nationwide Children's Hospital Little Tikes Wagon Drive. To date, the group has raised $1,400, enough to purchase 14 Little Tikes Wagons for children staying at the hospital. Their goal is to raise enough to purchase 16 wagons. The Mifflin NHS picked this project because one of their members was severely burned as a child and spent four months at the hospital. He remembers playing in the wagons was one of the few positive experiences during his difficult stay. Student Service Project Wins Statewide Award The student service learning project "Stories Behind Their Eyes" won the Liberator Award in the group category at the recent Ohio Liberator Awards. The Liberator Awards recognize individual and group efforts to raise awareness about human trafficking. The "Stories Behind Their Eyes" project involves students at several CCS middle and high schools. Among the activities are collecting items to be donated to a Columbus-area home for women in transition. West HS Alumni Mentor and Tutor Current Students The West High School Alumni Association recently launched a new partnership between the association and a select group of West High School students. Led by West High grads Shirley Nyhan and Dorance Hornsby, the alumni association volunteers will be mentoring and tutoring junior and senior students still in need of passing the reading and/or math portions of the Ohio Graduation Test. Many of the alumni volunteers are retired educators who served in Columbus City Schools. The West High School Alumni Association is a large and active organization that holds events throughout the year, including raising funds for college scholarships for graduating seniors. A big THANK YOU! to the West HS Alumni Association. Check out the volunteers on the District's Facebook page. CCS Students Can Earn College Credits While in High School Columbus City Schools offers a variety of programs to help high school students earn college credits, and even their degree, while still in high school. Many of these programs are free and the credits count toward a college diploma. If you want to learn more, plan to attend one of our Dual Enrollment Seminars: Feb. 12, at Northgate Center, 6655 Sharon Woods Blvd.; Feb. 28, at Walnut Ridge HS, 4841 E. Livingston Ave.; Feb. 28, Columbus Downtown HS, 364 S. Fourth; and March 5, at Briggs HS, 2555 Briggs Rd. All the seminars take place from 6 - 8:30 p.m. Learn about the many opportunities available to Columbus City School students to gain valuable college experience and credit before graduating from high school.

Disclaimer: This message and any attachments are for the intended recipient's use only. It may contain confidential, proprietary or legally privileged information or otherwise be protected from disclosure by other legal rules. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify the sender immediately by reply e-mail and destroy all copies. If you are not the intended recipient, you may not use, disclose or reproduce this message, its attachment or any part thereof, or take any action in reliance thereon. Emails are not secure and cannot be guaranteed to be error free as they can be intercepted, amended, or contain viruses. Anyone who communicates with us by email is deemed to have accepted these risks.

E-News Bulletin - Stories and News About Columbus City Schools

February 1, 2013   2013 Columbus Board of Education Front, l-r: Hanifah Kambon; Carol L. Perkins, Pres.; and Ramona Reyes. Second Row, l-r: Mike Wiles; Gary L. Baker II; W. Shawna Gibbs, Vice Pres.; and Bryan O. Steward. Click here for scheduled meeting dates, podcasts and how to contact CCS Board of Education members.   Mark Your Calendar!  KEY UPCOMING CCS DATES · Feb. 1 – ES/MS School Choice/Lottery applications available · Feb. 2 – City League Swimming Championships at Columbus Swim Center · Feb. 5 & 19 – Board of Education meetings, 5:30 p.m. · Feb. 6 – ES/MS Fair at Arts Impact Middle School · Feb. 7 – Neighborhood School Development Partnership (NSDP) Committee meeting, 7:30 a.m. · Feb. 7 – Elementary School Spelling Bee at Ohio Dominican University · Feb. 8 – Middle School Spelling Bee at Ohio Dominican University · Feb. 9 – City League Girls Basketball Championship at South 7-12 School; City League Wresting Championship at Centennial HS · Feb. 13 – Professional Development Day - No Classes · Feb. 16 – City League Boys Basketball Championship at East HS · Feb. 18 – Parent/Teacher Conference Day - No Classes · Feb. 19 – City League Bowling Championship at Eastland Lanes · Feb. 23 & 24 – Special Olympics Basketball tournament at Northland HS · Feb. 26 – District Elementary School Chess Tournament at Northgate Center   For a full list of upcoming public meetings - click HERE    We want to hear from you. Please send your feedback and story ideas to: e-News@columbus.k12.oh.us Are you receiving a pass-along copy of CCS eNews? To subscribe to our FREE newsletter  Click here     or here to opt out. Previous editions of the CCS E-News Are you on Social Media? Be sure to follow us on Twitter (ColsCitySchools) and Like us on Facebook (ColumbusCitySchools) Printable Version

Community Focus  Groups for New Superintendent The Columbus City Schools Board of Education extends an invitation to district community members, students, parents, and staff to participate in any one of five regional focus groups to identify the qualities and skills expected of the next district superintendent.  The meetings are taking place as follows: Monday, February 4, at 7 p.m. – Binns ES, 1080 Binns Blvd. Tuesday, February 5, at 7 p.m. – Ohio Avenue ES, 505 S. Ohio Avenue Wednesday, February 6, at 7 p.m. – East Columbus ES, 3100 E. 7th Avenue Monday, February 11, at 7 p.m. – Colerain ES, 499 E. Weisheimer Road Tuesday, February 12, at 7 p.m. – Oakland Park ES, 3392 Atwood Terrace   The feedback gathered from the focus groups, as well as an on-line survey, will assist the search firm to target specific individuals to recruit, as well as to assist in communicating the community's desires and expectations to prospective superintendent candidates seeking information on their own. Visit the Superintendent Search Website for more information and to take the on-line survey. Whetstone Student Earns Math Honor Whetstone High School Senior, Culver McWhirter, is among the recipients of the 2013 Honda OSU Math Medal Award. Developed through a partnership between Honda of America Manufacturing and The Ohio State University, the award recognizes and honors superior math students who also have an interest in engineering. Award recipients receive a $100 gift card and a $3,000 scholarship for the at Ohio State University College of Engineering. Elementary and Middle School Choice/Lottery Process Opens Applications for the 2013 - 2014 Columbus City Schools Elementary and Middle School Choice/Lottery are now available on-line and in schools. Students and families interested in participating in the School Choice/Lottery process for elementary and middle schools will need to fill out the two-page application and return it to the School Choice/Lottery Office, 61 S. Sixth St., via U.S. mail, in person, or by fax (365-6794), by February 28, 2013. Information about all CCS schools can be found on the District's Website, or by attending the Elementary/Middle School Fair on February 6, at Arts Impact Middle School, 680 Jack Gibbs Blvd., from 6 - 7:30 p.m. Northland Boys' Basketball Team Sets Milestone The Northland High School Vikings achieved a rare feat recently when they won their 100th straight boys basketball Columbus City League game. The streak began more than six seasons ago. The Vikings are currently the top-ranked Division 1 school in the Associated Press state poll. You can read more about the streak and the winning game in this Columbus Dispatch article. Mifflin High School Scholars Fundraising for Wagons The Mifflin High School National Honor Society (NHS) is in the final stages of raising funds and awareness for Nationwide Children's Hospital Little Tikes Wagon Drive. To date, the group has raised $1,400, enough to purchase 14 Little Tikes Wagons for children staying at the hospital. Their goal is to raise enough to purchase 16 wagons. The Mifflin NHS picked this project because one of their members was severely burned as a child and spent four months at the hospital. He remembers playing in the wagons was one of the few positive experiences during his difficult stay. Student Service Project Wins Statewide Award The student service learning project "Stories Behind Their Eyes" won the Liberator Award in the group category at the recent Ohio Liberator Awards. The Liberator Awards recognize individual and group efforts to raise awareness about human trafficking. The "Stories Behind Their Eyes" project involves students at several CCS middle and high schools. Among the activities are collecting items to be donated to a Columbus-area home for women in transition. West HS Alumni Mentor and Tutor Current Students The West High School Alumni Association recently launched a new partnership between the association and a select group of West High School students. Led by West High grads Shirley Nyhan and Dorance Hornsby, the alumni association volunteers will be mentoring and tutoring junior and senior students still in need of passing the reading and/or math portions of the Ohio Graduation Test. Many of the alumni volunteers are retired educators who served in Columbus City Schools. The West High School Alumni Association is a large and active organization that holds events throughout the year, including raising funds for college scholarships for graduating seniors. A big THANK YOU! to the West HS Alumni Association. Check out the volunteers on the District's Facebook page. CCS Students Can Earn College Credits While in High School Columbus City Schools offers a variety of programs to help high school students earn college credits, and even their degree, while still in high school. Many of these programs are free and the credits count toward a college diploma. If you want to learn more, plan to attend one of our Dual Enrollment Seminars: Feb. 12, at Northgate Center, 6655 Sharon Woods Blvd.; Feb. 28, at Walnut Ridge HS, 4841 E. Livingston Ave.; Feb. 28, Columbus Downtown HS, 364 S. Fourth; and March 5, at Briggs HS, 2555 Briggs Rd. All the seminars take place from 6 - 8:30 p.m. Learn about the many opportunities available to Columbus City School students to gain valuable college experience and credit before graduating from high school.

Disclaimer: This message and any attachments are for the intended recipient's use only. It may contain confidential, proprietary or legally privileged information or otherwise be protected from disclosure by other legal rules. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify the sender immediately by reply e-mail and destroy all copies. If you are not the intended recipient, you may not use, disclose or reproduce this message, its attachment or any part thereof, or take any action in reliance thereon. Emails are not secure and cannot be guaranteed to be error free as they can be intercepted, amended, or contain viruses. Anyone who communicates with us by email is deemed to have accepted these risks.