OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Columbus City Council Meeting Summary - February 17, 2026

City Council — Tuesday, February 17, 2026
BodyColumbus, Ohio
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, February 17, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 2:23:27

Transcript — Verbatim
1:11

Councilman Rose de Padilla, would you please lead us in the pledge?

1:14

I pledge allegiance to the flight of the United States of America through the Republic for which it stands one nation under our individual liberty and justice proud.

1:28

Thank you.

1:28

Council is grateful to have Imam Al Haji Bari from Masjid Baini Bainai here to pray with us this evening.

1:38

Thank you so much for being with us during this holy time of Ramadan.

1:46

Thank you.

1:48

Asalaamu Aleykum WhatsApp Matullah Ta'ala Barakatu.

1:56

I say peace be all to you all.

2:01

So I would start by um saying Al Fatia, which is what we consider to be the mother of all prayers in Islam.

2:09

And all you need to do is just say Amin.

2:14

Oh Jibilah Him in a Shaitan Irojin.

2:17

Bishman Law Hirahma Nirohim, Alhamdulillah, Hira Bilalamid, Arahman Erahim.

2:36

Hairi Mahadu.

3:04

Alhamdulillah Bilalamin.

3:06

Thank you all for having me.

3:08

And a salamu alaikum to you all.

3:14

Clerk, please call the role.

3:21

Any person who takes any action to obstruct or interfere with the conduct of tonight's meeting may be charged with disturbing a lawful meeting pursuant to Columbus City Code 2317.12.

3:31

Any person who enters those areas of City Council Chambers reserved for city officials or invited guests may be charged with criminal trespass pursuant to Columbus City Code 2311.

3:50

Are there any additions or corrections to be read into the journal?

3:54

Hearing none, the journal is approved.

3:57

This week's communications received by the city clerk's office are listed on the agenda and will be published in the city bulletin.

4:03

Are there any other communications to be read into the record?

4:05

Yes, but they will be read shortly.

5:00

That doesn't just enhance the response of our community members get when they're in crisis, but it also frees up our police officers, our firefighters, and our EMS to respond to commute emergency, acute emergencies, so they are not just first responders to all of our social problems.

5:15

I want to be clear that City Council shares these this vision as well.

5:19

In fact, when we commissioned the independent consultant, Mission Critical Partners to complete a review of our programs three months ago, their recommendations largely aligned with what the safety collective have been fighting for for years.

5:32

And even as council takes this step tonight, I know conversations are ongoing with the safety collective and with our partners about how we might be able to update their proposed language to add more flexibility and implementation or incorporate new research findings and to add city council to their growing list of diverse and diverse coalition.

5:55

Those conversations are ongoing, but I want you to know that one way or another, voters are going to have their say.

6:03

Are there any comments from my colleagues on this collective?

6:10

Councilmember.

6:12

Thank you.

6:12

Uh Council President.

6:14

I certainly would like to concur with your comments and congratulate the Safety Collective on what I know has been very hard work in organizing and getting to this point.

6:24

I recall in April of 2018 when I started at the City Attorney's Office, there was a safety, community safety advisory commission that was seated by the mayor, and that commission issued some 80 recommendations, of which, if I recall, one of them was to ensure that we had an alternative crisis response that was fully integrated with our public safety department.

6:50

And it is February the 23rd of 2026.

6:54

And I cannot say that we have a fully integrated alternative crisis response that is fully integrated with our public safety department.

7:02

And so it is because of your work that I know that we will take this next very significant step toward ensuring that there is a specialized unit that has specialized competency to deal with the issues that our community is dealing with in a way that does not perpetuate harm in our community, but in a way that promotes real public safety.

7:23

So again, congratulations to all of you.

7:25

I look forward to supporting you in this effort and certainly uh have an open door policy if you have questions, want to talk, want to further this conversation.

7:34

Thank you, Chair.

7:37

There are a lot of folks who work really hard to get us to today.

7:41

One of those folks that I saw just about every place I went to was uh my friend Chan O'Ley who was out getting signatures.

7:50

Uh, I think Chana is here, and you're welcome to come and say a few words if you'd like to welcome to council.

8:10

Welcome back to council.

8:11

Thank you.

8:12

Thank you, everyone.

8:14

Good evening, council members.

8:16

My name is Chana Wiley.

8:18

I am the co-chair of the executive committee for Columbus Safety Collective campaign.

8:22

And tonight's affirmation of the legal sufficiency of our signatures and formal request for a roll call vote puts us one step closer to putting this issue before Columbus voters.

8:34

In May, nearly 30,000 people signed our petition, demonstrating the overwhelming grassroots support for our proposal that prioritizes community care and reimagines public safety.

9:04

We look forward to the next Monday's meeting with the community crisis response amendment will officially be voted on and referred to the May 2026 ballot.

9:15

Our campaign is excited and engaged in a wide-scale get out the vote campaign to ensure all Columbus residents can engage in the democratic process and transform Columbus for the better.

9:26

I thank you guys for all your support.

9:28

Thank you so much.

9:29

And again, um congratulations on this uh important milestone.

9:32

Thank you.

9:33

With that, I'm going to turn it over to our city clerk to read into the record what she has received from the Board of Elections.

9:39

Letter addressed to the City Clerk from the Board of Elections dated February 13th, 2026, stating the following.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Immigration Policy████████████████████20%
Public Safety███████████████████19%
Procedural█████████████13%
Community Engagement██████████10%
Affordable Housing████████8%
Water And Wastewater Management███████7%
Zoning And Land Use█████5%
Arts And Culture███3%
Engineering And Infrastructure███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Columbus City Council Meeting Summary - February 17, 2026

The Columbus City Council met on February 17, 2026, to address a wide range of items including the certification of the Community Crisis Response Amendment petition for the May 2026 ballot, the adoption of a comprehensive immigration enforcement legislative package, recognition of the Merrymakers Club centennial, and approval of numerous infrastructure and budget ordinances. Public comments featured strong support for the immigration measures and advocacy for limiting institutional investor home purchases.

Consent Calendar

  • The council approved the journal and accepted communications from the city clerk.
  • A large consent agenda was adopted unanimously, including numerous resolutions of expression and routine ordinances across multiple committees (finance, economic development, public service, neighborhoods, health, public safety, housing, public utilities, and appointments).

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Chana Wiley (Co-chair, Columbus Safety Collective) thanked the council for certifying the Community Crisis Response Amendment petitions, noting nearly 30,000 signatures and grassroots support for reimagining public safety.
  • Claudia Cortez Reinhardt (Central Ohio Workers Center) expressed strong support for the immigration enforcement package, arguing that 287G agreements erode trust and that protecting schools and workers is essential.
  • Ted Walsh supported the package, urging the council to use all available tools to slow ICE enforcement and protect immigrant rights.
  • Angie Plummer (Executive Director, CRIS) supported the ordinances, noting that fear of ICE undermines public safety and that local protections are critical.
  • Ella Moody opposed the immigration measures, expressing support for ICE and anti-immigrant views, and called for enforcement against undocumented residents.
  • Wayne Diaz spoke about the Jeffrey Epstein/Leslie Wexner connection, criticizing Mayor Suburbs, City Attorney Zach Klein, and Commissioner Kevin Boyce for not pursuing accountability.
  • Jordan McLaughlin (Evict Private Equity Columbus) urged the council to consider an ordinance limiting institutional investor ownership of single-family homes, presenting data on vacancy rates and affordability impacts.

Discussion Items

  • Community Crisis Response Amendment: Council President Harden reviewed the petition effort, noting that the Board of Elections verified 15,428 valid signatures (56.2% of 27,458) against a threshold of 12,533 (10% of 125,329 voters). Councilmember Bankston highlighted the long history of advocacy for alternative crisis response. The council voted to find the petitions legally sufficient and directed the legislative research office to prepare an ordinance for the May 2026 ballot.
  • Immigration Enforcement Legislative Package: Councilmember Rosa de Padilla introduced Resolution 0047x-2026 (ICE transparency standards) and five ordinances: ban on 287G agreements (0515-2026), prohibition of city employees working for ICE/CBP (0518-2026), protections for schools and daycares from harassment (0519-2026), zoning special permit for detention facilities (0520-2026), and restriction of city property for ICE staging (0566-2026). After public comments and discussion, all six items passed unanimously. Councilmember Remy emphasized trust between community and police, and Councilmember Bankston framed the package as defending all residents against federal overreach.
  • Merrymakers Club Centennial: Councilmember Bankston presented Resolution 0040x-2026 recognizing the club’s 100-year history and its $1 million scholarship endowment campaign. The resolution was adopted unanimously.
  • Home Road Water Plant: Director of Public Utilities announced that the $1.6 billion project will advertise for construction in February 2026, with bids opening June 3, 2026. The plant is expected to come online in 2032, providing 48 million gallons per day (expandable to 80 MGD).
  • Private Equity Housing: Councilmember Ross invited Jordan McLaughlin to address the council. McLaughlin described his work with Evict Private Equity Columbus and presented a sample ordinance to limit corporate ownership of single-family homes. Council members expressed support for further study and committed to consulting the city attorney on jurisdiction.
  • Other Announcements: Councilmember Bankston announced a final budget hearing for the 2026 operating budget on February 25. Councilmember Rosa de Padilla urged residents to report potholes via 311. Councilmember Day October highlighted deer management community input, a Black History Month screening, and summer camp registration. Councilmember Weiss noted the water plant milestone.

Key Outcomes

  • The council declared the Community Crisis Response Amendment petitions legally sufficient and directed the preparation of an ordinance for the May 2026 special election ballot.
  • Adopted Resolution 0047x-2026 urging federal ICE agents to follow transparency standards (visible ID, marked vehicles, no tactical face coverings, proper training, and civil conduct).
  • Adopted ordinances 0515-2026 (ban on 287G agreements), 0518-2026 (prohibiting secondary city employment with ICE/CBP), 0519-2026 (protecting schools and daycares from harassment), 0520-2026 (requiring special permit for detention facilities), and 0566-2026 (restricting use of city property for ICE operations).
  • Adopted Resolution 0040x-2026 recognizing the Merrymakers Club Inc. on its centennial anniversary.
  • Approved numerous routine ordinances: fuel contracts, $10.048 million for the Greater Columbus Arts Council, waiver of bid time issues due to Microsoft platform error, purchase of a property at 84-92 North Front Street for $1.43 million, contract for Leads Online database ($161,296), amendments to affordable housing grants ($3.5 million and $2.652 million), and 13 public utilities ordinances for water, sewer, and power infrastructure projects (totaling tens of millions of dollars).
  • The council committed to reviewing legal options regarding institutional investor ownership of single-family homes and will work with advocates.

Meeting Transcript

Councilman Rose de Padilla, would you please lead us in the pledge? I pledge allegiance to the flight of the United States of America through the Republic for which it stands one nation under our individual liberty and justice proud. Thank you. Council is grateful to have Imam Al Haji Bari from Masjid Baini Bainai here to pray with us this evening. Thank you so much for being with us during this holy time of Ramadan. Thank you. Asalaamu Aleykum WhatsApp Matullah Ta'ala Barakatu. I say peace be all to you all. So I would start by um saying Al Fatia, which is what we consider to be the mother of all prayers in Islam. And all you need to do is just say Amin. Oh Jibilah Him in a Shaitan Irojin. Bishman Law Hirahma Nirohim, Alhamdulillah, Hira Bilalamid, Arahman Erahim. Hairi Mahadu. Alhamdulillah Bilalamin. Thank you all for having me. And a salamu alaikum to you all. Clerk, please call the role. Any person who takes any action to obstruct or interfere with the conduct of tonight's meeting may be charged with disturbing a lawful meeting pursuant to Columbus City Code 2317.12. Any person who enters those areas of City Council Chambers reserved for city officials or invited guests may be charged with criminal trespass pursuant to Columbus City Code 2311. Are there any additions or corrections to be read into the journal? Hearing none, the journal is approved. This week's communications received by the city clerk's office are listed on the agenda and will be published in the city bulletin. Are there any other communications to be read into the record? Yes, but they will be read shortly. That doesn't just enhance the response of our community members get when they're in crisis, but it also frees up our police officers, our firefighters, and our EMS to respond to commute emergency, acute emergencies, so they are not just first responders to all of our social problems. I want to be clear that City Council shares these this vision as well. In fact, when we commissioned the independent consultant, Mission Critical Partners to complete a review of our programs three months ago, their recommendations largely aligned with what the safety collective have been fighting for for years. And even as council takes this step tonight, I know conversations are ongoing with the safety collective and with our partners about how we might be able to update their proposed language to add more flexibility and implementation or incorporate new research findings and to add city council to their growing list of diverse and diverse coalition. Those conversations are ongoing, but I want you to know that one way or another, voters are going to have their say. Are there any comments from my colleagues on this collective? Councilmember. Thank you. Uh Council President. I certainly would like to concur with your comments and congratulate the Safety Collective on what I know has been very hard work in organizing and getting to this point. I recall in April of 2018 when I started at the City Attorney's Office, there was a safety, community safety advisory commission that was seated by the mayor, and that commission issued some 80 recommendations, of which, if I recall, one of them was to ensure that we had an alternative crisis response that was fully integrated with our public safety department. And it is February the 23rd of 2026. And I cannot say that we have a fully integrated alternative crisis response that is fully integrated with our public safety department. And so it is because of your work that I know that we will take this next very significant step toward ensuring that there is a specialized unit that has specialized competency to deal with the issues that our community is dealing with in a way that does not perpetuate harm in our community, but in a way that promotes real public safety. So again, congratulations to all of you. I look forward to supporting you in this effort and certainly uh have an open door policy if you have questions, want to talk, want to further this conversation. Thank you, Chair. There are a lot of folks who work really hard to get us to today. One of those folks that I saw just about every place I went to was uh my friend Chan O'Ley who was out getting signatures. Uh, I think Chana is here, and you're welcome to come and say a few words if you'd like to welcome to council. Welcome back to council. Thank you. Thank you, everyone. Good evening, council members. My name is Chana Wiley. I am the co-chair of the executive committee for Columbus Safety Collective campaign.

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