No, all right.

Um so I'll call the um Columbus Board of Works meeting to order.

And we'll start with roll call, Melanie Henderson present.

John Beckett.

I'm here.

Brenda Sullivan here.

Eric Fry present.

So next item on the agenda is approval of the April 21st meeting minutes.

I'll move to approve the April 21st meeting minutes as presented.

I'll say all right.

We have a motion and a second to approve the meeting minutes.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Those opposed.

All right.

And our I guess next official business is proclamation, which I think it's very convenient that the mayor decided to be out for proclamation reading.

So I get to read the proclamation.

Do we need pictures?

I think yeah, so I so again, this is Fair Housing Month, April, and I believe we do this every year, or have been doing this every year for the last few years.

So whereas the City of Columbus recognizes that access to safe, decent and affordable housing is fundamental to the well-being, stability, prosperity of individuals, families, and neighborhoods, and whereas the Columbus Municipal Code provides that denying these civil rights to persons a reasonable religion, color, sex, pregnancy, disability, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, gender, identity, age, and status as a veteran is contrary to the principles of equal opportunity and shall be considered discriminatory practices.

And whereas during Fair Housing Bond 2026, we join communities across the nation, recognizing the theme, civil rights at America's 2050, restoring fair housing within constitutional limitations, which reflects our nation's continuing commitment to equality, civil rights, foundational principles that are people are created the foundational principle that people are created equal.

And whereas the City of Columbus fosters economic stability, community help, human relations as part of a stable, integrated and balanced community development plan.

And whereas the city of Columbus remains committed to expanding housing opportunities, strengthening neighborhoods through meaningful local investment and action.

And we're as over the past year, the city invested more than 11 million to support serving and creating housing and neighborhood stability and investing in the Columbus Housing Authority properties to preserve affordable housing for local residents, support for housing development homes for 17 of the community's most affordable residents, uh residents repair repairs to 28 homes for modern income homeowners, support the new construction of 10 single-family income homes for moderate income home buyers and roadground on 174 attainable workforce housing units, and whereas the city of Columbus affirms that strong that strong communities are built when every resident has a fair chance to obtain housing, free from unlawful discrimination and unnecessary barriers.

Now therefore I Mary Kay Ferdon, mayor of the City of Columbus, to hear by acclaim the month of April 2026 is fair housing.

Next up, we have um a variety of general general orders from the police department, deputy chief Matt Martindale.

Good morning, Mr.

Good morning, good morning.

I believe the first one is general order 17, the fiscal management and agency property.

Yes, this general order really covers um the fees that we're authorized to collect and then what we're authorized to spend money on.

Um so the the first update to this one is to add a quartermaster definition, uh, which pretty much just makes it read and flow better later on.

Um the language is much less clumsy just using a single word rather than the person authorized with the chief of police to make purchases.

Um the the next change we're requesting is to increase the uh fees we're allowed to collect for voluntary classes such as team driving and citizen firearms safety uh from $25 up to $100.

Uh we don't intend to collect $100 per person for these classes yet, but just as part of our review of these programs, some of them aren't quite breaking even, and we'd like to just be able to um to adjust accordingly as the you know prices tend to increase.

And then finally, um just a few other updates, the statutes that authorize us to uh collect some of the fees, for instance, the uh under the continuing education fund.

Um the state updated the statutes.

We didn't, so um had to cross-reference and update those in there.

I appreciated uh you've given us the red line versions too.

Thank you.

Um I'll move for approval of general orders 17 fiscal management and agency properties.

I'll second.

We have a motion and a second to uh approve general order 17.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye, those opposed.

Is that too quick?

I was I'll slow down.

Uh general, I think general order 26 is next.

Disciplinary procedures.

Yes, and we recently updated this one at the end of 2024.

Uh, but a new accreditation standard came out that really reading it, it prepares us for the the worst case scenario.

Um establishes uh procedures for dismissal procedures.

So um it lists out the the considerations we need to make for uh safety if we're sitting down with the police officer and we're telling them they're gonna be fired.

Um, you know, we should collect their badge and their gun from them ahead of time.

Um and then the the other side of that from the the safety procedures is um written notice to the officer, uh which we do anyways, but uh provide them written notice of the reason for termination, uh the effective date of the termination, and then the status of their benefits on that effective date.

Um I spoke with HR earlier today, and um they're fine with these changes as written as well.

Go ahead.

When a police officer is about to be terminated, it's not a it's there's a process involved.

It's like long process, right?

We'll just like we'll come and see you they know it's coming.

Yes, so for for an actual termination rather than a resignation, um, it's a it's a full hearing ahead of in front of you all.