Eleven will now come to order.

Please stand for the playing of the national anthem.

Press 10, would you leave this in the pledge?

Indivisible with liberty and justice.

This evening council is grateful to have uh Bishop Hezekiah Martin of Southfield Missionary Baptist Church to pray with us.

Uh, we were able to celebrate him lat yesterday for his 20th pastoral anniversary serving Southfield in our community.

Pastor, welcome to council.

Good evening, President Harden.

Good evening to all councilmen and councilwomen.

Let us go before God and pray.

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most high shallow bottom of the shadow of the Almighty.

Heavenly Father, we thank you tonight that you allowed us to be able to assemble together in the midst of trials and tribulations.

You've been good.

In the midst of going through valleys and mountains, you've been good.

And even though our world is in a place of uncertainty, tonight we place all our cares in your hands.

Because things may be out of our control, but they're still in God's hands.

And so, God, we're thankful that through it all that you've been so good.

But we pray for all these council women and council men that you put continue to protect them from hurt, harm, and danger, that you will give them the wisdom and guidance to lead our city to great places of destiny and healing.

God and you is love and in God and Jewish peace.

So tonight, in the time of war, we ask God that you'll be a God of peace.

Yeah, and that you'll continue to cover our troops and those who are serving overseas to protect us from hurt, harm, and danger.

But we give you the praise because last night wasn't our last night.

In Jesus' name.

Amen.

Amen.

Thank you so much, Bishop.

Clerk, please call the road.

Bangston, Barosa de Padilla, de Aka or Dorns Green, Remy Ross, Weiss President Harden.

Any person who takes any action to obstruct or interfere with the conduct of tonight's meeting may be charged with serving 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 2311.21.

Clerk please call the row.

Bankston, Barosa de Podilla, de Achoward Dorns Green, Remy Ross Weich, President Harden.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

Are there any um additional corrections to the journal?

Hearing none, the journal is approved.

This week's communications received by the city clerks also are listed on the agenda and will be published in the city bullets.

Are there any other communications we ran into the record?

Not at this time.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

We will go around the dais for announcements and resolutions by our colleagues, by my colleagues, starting with Council Member Bankston.

Thank you, sir.

Councilmember Brosa de Padilla.

Thank you, Council President.

I do have one announcement.

First, I would like to officially say Happy Women's History Month and a belated happy International Women's Day since 1995 through the efforts of historians, activists, and women's organizations across the country and through presidential proclamation.

March has been designated as a time to honor, acknowledge, and study women's accomplishments throughout history.

This year we'll focus on entrepreneurs in our community.

Women are and have been the fastest growing segment of entrepreneurs throughout the country.

At the event, you will hear stories from entrepreneurs, have an opportunity to network, listen from about resources for turning your side hustle into your main hustle, and shop local women-owned businesses.

It'll be the very best girls' night out.

So tell a friend, bring a friend.

Space is limited, tickets are free, open to all.

We currently have 150 RSVPs.

So please, please, please get those RSVPs in.

I hope to see you there as we celebrate and uplift women and uh the incredible women in our community.

And as I say, with all of these months, women's history, black history, Latino Heritage happens every day.

But this is the month that for 30 days we ask people to join the party.

So happy Blue Women's History Month to everyone, and I hope to see you on the 26th.

Thank you, Councilmember.

Councilmember De Ocar.

Thank you, Council President.

Well, my women's history month event will be on March 19th at the National Veterans Memorial and Museum.

This is our second annual saluting women who serve.

It is an opportunity for us to celebrate our female veterans.

And this year we're very excited about our guest speaker.

It is Dr.

Catherine Sullivan, US Navy veteran, former astronaut, and past president CEO of KOSI.

So she will be sharing her experiences as a veteran and an astronaut.

There will also be QA time.

So come on down.

It's at the Memorial Museum at 5 p.m.

The doors open for refreshments and networking.

The program begins at 5 30.

So we hope to see you there.

The event is free, but you do need to get a ticket, which is available at the National Veterans Memorial Museum website.

That's all for me.

Thank you, Councilmember.

Presspoint.

Councilmember Green.

Yes, thank you so much, Council President.

Tonight I do have one resolution for presentation this evening.

It's resolution 0052x-2026 to recognize Emily R as the 2026 Youth of the Year of the Boys and Girls Club of Central Ohio.

And while I read this resolution, I'd like to invite Emily and uh Dr.

Jermaine Kennedy, Chief Advocacy Officer from the Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Ohio to the podium as I speak.

Tonight we are so incredibly excited to recognize the Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Ohio, Youth of the Year, a program that celebrates and honors the leadership, character, and resilience of our young people right here in Central Ohio.

They have been running this program for decades and have helped young uh young people grow up into confident leaders and engaged uh part members of our community.

And so this recognition really is a reminder of that of the ways in which when we support our young people, um, we're not just having a lasting or we're not just having an impact today, we're having a lasting impact that's going to strengthen the future of our entire city.

Umily, I we we all just want to congratulate you on um being selected of uh as youth of the year here, and so we're absolutely um thrilled for you to be here with us tonight, and um would love to welcome you to share a few words that I know um that I know are part of your application process and getting you here today and and tell us um what brought you here.

Um I just want to start out by thank you for giving me this opportunity to speak today.

It's such a um it's a really big moment for me.

You know, I've never done anything like this, you know, I've never really accomplished anything like this, so you know it's very nerve-wrecking, very nervous.

Um, you know, the reason I wanted to do this, I'm gonna be honest, was for the money.

And throughout my application process, you know, we had to do essays and you know, we had to describe, you know, our relationship with the club and you know what mattered to us.

And in the process of me doing that, um, I kind of like lost thought of the money, and it was it soon became a reason for me to, you know, just speak.

You know, I never really realized that I really wanted to speak, you know, I really wanted to make sure my people are heard, you know, based off like everything that's going on around, you know.

Feels like we're being belittled, so this gave me a reason to speak.

When I was younger, color was simple.

Blue is just the sky, yellow meant happiness, purple was just another crayon the box.

Back then, color didn't decide how people were treated.

It didn't come with expectations or limitations, nor did it determine who felt safe, seen or who belonged.

But growing up showed me that color doesn't always remain innocent.

My name is Emily Ramirez.

I'm 17 years old, proud to represent the Boys and Girls Club of Central Ohio.

I joined the Boys and Girls Club as a quiet, nervous and anxious freshman, terrified of not being able to fit in.

I was silently battling depression and always had this feeling that I had to figure everything out on my own.

I carried more than just a backpack.

I carried self-doubt, responsibility, and the constant pressure to be strong, even when I didn't feel strong at all.

Joining the Boys and Girls Club was scary at first.

But staff members like Miss T and Mr.

Zay didn't try to change me.

They didn't ask me to be louder or stronger than what I was, nor did they judge me.

They simply showed up.

They checked in on me and listened to me, making the club a place where I feel like I could grow.

For the first time, I feel safe enough to be myself and safe enough to breathe.

As I grew more confident, I became more aware of the world around me.

As a Hispanic girl attending a predominantly black school, I began to see how color could shape opportunity.

I saw injustice, racism, and fear play out in real life, not just on the news.

Watching families torn apart because of immigration issues had shown me how many people are forced to stay silent simply because they don't have the resources to speak up.

That's why I want to become an immigration lawyer.

I want to be a voice for people who don't have one.

I want to stand in rooms where people like me are often missing and make sure we're seen and heard.

I want to turn my pain into purpose.

Becoming Keystone president was one of my proudest moments.

Not because of the title, but because it showed me what opportunity can do.

I went from being the quiet freshman to someone younger kids can look up to.

Color may not be simple anymore, but it shouldn't have to divide us.

It should be a reminder of how powerful our voices can be when we're given the chance to use them.

Youth of the year is more than just a title to me.

It showed me what opportunity can do when we're given the chance, support, and platform.

I'm taking this opportunity not just to share my story, but to show others that their stories matter too.

Thank you.

But we would welcome you too.

Yes, yes.

So good evening, Council.

So just thank you, President Council Harding.

Thank you, Councilwoman McGreen, as well as thank you, Councilwoman Day Cower, for all of your support and for this resolution.

On behalf of the Boys and Girls Club of Central Ohio, we're incredibly grateful for your support and for taking the time to honor Emily today.

It represents the potential that exists in every young person in our city when they have access to opportunity, mentorship, and a place that believes in them.

So thank you for standing with our young people.

Thank you for your continued partnership.

Wonderful.

Thank you both so much for being here today.

You know, Emily, I have full confidence that this is just the beginning of the way that you are gonna be changing the world, whether it is as an immigration attorney or someday sitting up here in a seat like this, uh your voice matters.

We have definitely heard it tonight.

Um and there's just something so powerful about um about the way that young people have the opportunity to lead.

Um, and I think sometimes, you know, if every decision we made, if every dollar we spent, if every policy we wrote was just funneled through the lens of is this taking care of our kids somehow?

Um is this taking care of our families, is this taking care of our aging neighbors?

If every decision we made was just rooted in that core mission, I think we'd all we would live in a much better world.

Um, and so just so endlessly grateful to you and then Dr.

Kennedy for all the work that you do, both at the Boys and Girls Club, and now I know on the Columbus City Schools board for helping to shape um and guide our young people and uh to develop um into their full potential and beyond.

And so before I move to pass this resolution, um, would any of my colleagues like to make any comments?

Yes, um, Councilmember Bruce David.

Yeah.

I mean, you're not gonna bring a young Latina leader on women's history month, and I'm just gonna sit here.

Um, so any I know.

Umly, congratulations.

Um, I hope that you continue to use your voice.

This is your house, mama.

This is your house, and this is a place where you can come to always advocate to make your voice heard.

Um, when I we come from very similar backgrounds, and when I was your age, I couldn't have imagined that I would be sitting here.

Um, but you know, I deeply believe that our kids need to see us to be us, right?

And so you are acting like a role model.

You are a role model right now for even younger Latinas who see you.

It doesn't matter the thing that inspired you that set you on your journey.

It just matters that you're on that journey and on that path now.

And so it's so important at a time like this for us to use our voices because it's the most powerful thing that we have.

It is the most powerful thing that we have, and it is always but for the people that change happens.

And so you can see nine of us are here, but there's so many more people out there that are advocating for the things that our communities need.

And especially when it's young people, it just adds more power.

It adds more fuel to whatever it is that you're trying to accomplish.

And so I just want to say congratulations.

I can't wait to see what you will do next.

This is only you are just getting started.

You are just getting started, and I'm honored to see you get started.

And if there's ever a way that we can be helpful, know that you have nine people that are standing beside you, behind you, helping you in your next.

So don't ever don't leave that offer on the table.

Come back.

Come back and cash that ship in when you need to.

So thank you and felicidades.

Emily, one more one more uh one more comment.

First of all, I'm very proud of you as well.

And I think there are two lawyers up here that would love to host you if you want to come in shadow.

If you would like more opportunities to connect with more attorneys, I think that's where we put our village to work, and we don't just put it on you, but we say that we are here and we are open.

I would love if you would just reach out.

My my aide is here somewhere.

It doesn't matter.

You can reach out to me directly.

Reach out to me directly, be glad to have you, take you over to the city attorney's office.

I know Mel would be glad to take you around the courthouse and do some other things that give you some hands-on experience.

We sure could use you right now.

We sure could use you right now, but in the interim, um, whatever you need from a preparation perspective, know that we are here.

Yeah, go ahead, Emily.

Oh, I just want to say that I appreciate you know all the kind words and information, you know, and encouragement.

It's it's really helpful.

I want to uh so it was the coolest experience that I've had all year, for sure, all year uh to be able to judge this competition.

Um and Emily's amazing.

She is a senior at Columbus Epicentric.

She is going to be a Columbus Promise Scholar.

She is then going on to OU.

Uh and we say it like she won a scholarship, a $10,000 scholarship is what Emily won uh last week.

And so we are so so so proud of you.

And this doesn't take away at all from Emily, but I want to tell you it was one of the hardest decisions that we've had to make because all ten of the young people um are just amazing.

And uh I spent six hours there meeting these young people, and um it was heavy, truthfully, because these these young people are caring a lot.

They're caring a lot and they're leading in in real ways, but they also are just thriving and shining, and uh we should put all of our hopes in them.

Um one young lady, uh Director Bashadi wants to be a firefighter, she's a senior, and she is uh trying to get into the an academy and just um one young lady um and this is where it got really emotional, is thriving at school, but going to school from a homeless shelter.

From Van Burr.

Living in Van Buren, going to school uh and yet thriving still in that in those circumstances.

And so um being youth of the year, Emily, you represent the very best of us.

You represent so much, and so uh you're you make us so proud.

Uh continue to do so, and we will continue to be right behind you.

Congratulations.

Thank you so much.

Well, seeing no uh further comments and questions um from my colleagues again.

Um we just want to congratulate you and let you know that we are literally we mean it when we say it, we are all behind you to support you no matter what you want to do next in whatever ways we can.

Bangs Den Barossa de Padilla de Aka or Dorns Green, Remy Ross, Weiss President Hart.

Thank you, Councilmember.

Councilman Remy.

Thank you very much, Council President.

This week we're announcing the Save the Date for the fifth annual Cleaner Columbus Citywide Cleanup.

This is an initiative that we have started several years ago in our city to pick up litter and make this as free, uh litter-free and as beautiful as possible.

Last year we had over 400 folks sign up to help clean all corners of our city.

So help us on May 9th at Wolf Park to reach our goal of 500 sign-ups.

More information will be available on our council page and council social media in the coming weeks.

And that's all I have this evening.

Thank you, Councilmember.

Councilmember Ross.

Yeah, just one announcement this evening.

Um I announced at the last meeting that we were kicking off community working hours.

We had a really good time at Femergy, had some folks show up to do remote work with us.

We are getting ready to have our first listening session in District 7 on the Near East Side on Tuesday, March the 17th from 5 30 to 7 30 p.m.

where I'll be hosting part one of my first listening session at Ground and Grind, focusing on the Near East Side.

Listening sessions allow me the opportunity to hear from our community and inform our work moving forward.

RSVPs for this discussion can be made through Instagram and also sent to my office at M as in Mom D as in Dog Wiley at Columbus.gov.

And then on Friday, March 20th, we'll have our second community working hours from 12 30 to 2 30 at Bottoms Up Cafe.

Please stay tuned.

You can visit social media and any of our uh communication outlets for further updates.

Thank you.

Councilmember.

Council Murrawage.

Thank you, Council President.

One quick announcement.

Uh this Wednesday, March 11th, Council President and I are hosting an informational hearing to discuss the environmental, economic, and community impacts of data centers.

The hearing will begin at 5 30 p.m.

and will take place here in Council Chambers.

Um if you are interested in providing testimony at the hearing, please reach out to my aide, Chelsea Goldsman at C L G O L T E R M-A-N at Columbus.gov by noon tomorrow, March 10th, and specify if you will be in person or providing written testimony with a copy of your remarks.

Uh the hearing will be streamed live on the City of Columbus's YouTube channel as well as the Columbus City Council Facebook page.

So looking forward to having some really great discussion.

We have a number of really great industry experts to provide uh information on the impacts of data centers and really looking for an opportunity for us to learn and engage uh from them as we look forward to future policy decisions.

So that's it for me.

Thank you so much, Councilmember.

Uh it's my honor to uh it's very rare that council has um superheroes in our midst.

Uh and uh today we do.

I want to invite Coach Mike Bale of East High School to come forward.

I know we have Principal Watson, Dr.

Watson, who is here as well, uh, and the entire the coaching team at East.

Um we all know the important role that coaches play in community.

Um they show up, they are their parents, they are mentors, they are um first responders, they see things, they they um lean in.

Uh what Coach Bell did though uh we got before last uh in literally saving the lives of the life of one of his uh players, one of his students, uh has to be recognized in the community.

I spent the day with uh Dr.

Chapman, and uh we talked for about a half an hour about what you did.

Um you didn't show up to a one a shooting after it happened and and support it.

It was still going on, and you jumped out of your car and ran towards it.

Um after your student was shot and he laid there, you put your hand on his wound and held it there until the EMS got there, would not take your hand off uh when the police got there.

Uh you kept your hand on his stomach to keep him safe.

You you and your teammates did your school chant to keep him awake and keep him focused on surviving.

You stepped in the middle between the shooter and and him.

You did all of this.

You are a superhero.

You are our city's superhero.

And so we wanted to make sure that at council, we continue to tell this story of you going above and beyond and literally saving the lives of our young people.

You do it every day in other ways, but on that day you did it in a very, very literal and specific way.

So uh on behalf of a grateful council, but on behalf of a grateful city, uh on behalf of grateful parents, we say thank you for what you have done and what you are doing in our community.

Uh, before uh I pass it on uh to Coach Bell, do any of my colleagues have any say anything?

Councilmember.

Well, Coach, uh good to see you.

Wish it was on better circumstances.

We want to say echo everything that the council president said uh and to say uh thank you.

Uh and I think what um some folks don't even know in that context is that uh you're able to step in that moment because unfortunately the one that uh caused the harm was also a former student.

And I think that shows that even in that type of moment what you have built in this community and with those students, uh goes further than just uh respect, goes further than just a title.

Right, it's trust and a deep relationship that you have built with both of them.

And it could have been much worse if someone else has stepped in.

Uh, but thank God that you were there.

Uh and just want to say uh thank you for not only what you do on the field, but I think what you do in the community as well.

It extends far beyond just uh the players as our principal knows.

That's a pride that runs through that building that then trickles into that community.

And we're in a moment now where our young folks need to see that, feel feel heard, feel seen, uh, and feel valued.

Uh and so I just want to thank you, but also highlight I think the moment that we find ourselves in.

That those are two young people that got into this situation.

And I think it shows the fragile mental health state uh that our young professional, uh, our young uh people are in, and it's professionals like yourselves that aren't seemingly the day-to-day task of education, if they task of the uh weightlifting program and getting ready for the game, that's the easy part.

The hard part is showing up for these young people, uh, knowing that there are circumstances like them living in Van Buren, or circumstances of them going to uh homes that don't reflect what we are instilling in them at the places that they come to be safe.

Uh and so I want my hat is off to you and to the entire team over at East High School and to every other educator around here that is stepping in the gap.

It it matters.

Uh so today, uh, don't take it lightly, um, but I appreciate you and appreciate uh as a fellow tiger how tiger nation stands up for each other.

Uh and we will continue to do that.

So, congratulations and um uh just appreciative uh to have folks like you on the front lines.

I think too often when we think about uh our schools, particularly Columbus City Schools and inner city schools, folks want to highlight the negatives.

Folks may even seemingly see this as a negative, but I think that this is a positive because it shows uh that our students have some of the best individuals and human beings rooting for them, supporting them, protecting them, and preparing them for the future.

Uh and you represent, sir, the best of all of us and the best of your profession.

Uh so thank you again.

Thank you again uh to our principal, to our athletic director uh for supporting um uh you because uh without you, we don't know what the situation could have been.

So again, congratulations on this honor, but again, more importantly, thank you for what you did uh for our community.

Appreciate that.

Coach Bell.

Well, you know, uh first off, I'll just you know giving giving God all the praise man for allowing me to even be in that situation.

Uh it's a tragic situation, like he said, for both families involved, two two families impacted tremendously on both sides, two families that uh I have relationships with.

So, you know, to be in that situation, to be there, to be able to help, you know, uh the young gentleman, you know, that the victim that was involved in it uh is a blessing uh for me to just to be there.

Um I just uh think that we we have a lot more work to do, you know, as good as and it's wonderful as y'all make me sound.

You know, it's as good as and it's wonderful as y'all make me sound.

Um it's still work to be done.

Um we're not where we need to be.

Uh and uh, you know, I think honestly, you know, I've been uh preaching uh resilience, uh developing resilience in our youth since I started the day stars, probably back in 2000.

And it's more even relevant now after that, I think that people went through is that these kids learn characteristics of being resilient, what it takes and what does it look like, I'm sorry, and what does it look like?

Um so you know, we we we put in that, you know, that was one of the things I told him, you know, like you're resilient, you know, think positive and keep fighting, keep fighting and see things through.

So, you know, I I think if we like I mentioned to you earlier, I think if we if we change the perception, then we can change some of the behaviors.

Uh I just feel like we need to start, you know, instilling what that looks like and changing the way they perceive things because if it's real to them, it's gonna be real to them.

This is my reality that I'm living in.

And it's up to us to change the reality that they see and kind of change their perception.

And we just need to make sure that we are putting our resources towards that and developing the young, you know, in that neighborhood.

Uh like I said, the pride.

Uh I played little league for my verna.

I grew up right there with Treving, so it's full circle for me to be back as a head coach, uh coming from the neighborhood that I came from that taught me.

And uh, you know, we just wanna keep continuing to pour in that neighborhood and every other neighborhood around Columbus or our youth are and uh putting it, getting the right people in and on the front line and the right people in there making the difference.

And I appreciate your time.

You know, I don't tell you I've been trying to duck duck interviews and stuff like that, but that's just who I am.

Uh and uh I think anybody would have reacted the same way uh because uh we're protectors.

You know, we're always gonna be protectors, we're protectors in our family.

I was raised that way.

My grandma, my uncles, everybody taught me to protect and love, and that's what we're gonna continue to do.

So, you know, I just thank you for the honor.

And uh like I said, giving God the praise to be here to represent East in a light, you know, just to share, you know, out of those, you know, uh we had 17, 18 kids with a 3.0 or higher out of 24 on my football team.

So we worked on some mental stuff in the summer just because I thought they needed to have that.

Uh wasn't a program, it was just something we needed to do mental wellness check-ins with our kids.

At 3 o'clock, we meet and what's up, how your day going, you know, and uh so I think those things need to happen daily with our kids before we can even get them to understand how important education is, they have to see and understand why and why this will help and why this would get me in a better position.

So I think, like I said, my grandson came up to me and my grandson was out there with me, and he said, Papa, how you gonna leave me out the store?

I was right there with you.

You know, you all on TV.

And I said, Man, I don't want to be on TV.

But but uh understanding he he was like he he said uh Pa Pa I'm not uh I'm not not where I need to be on the basketball team yet.

I said, well, you're not doing enough, do more.

If you're not where you want to be, do more.

Do more, it's not enough.

So we gotta keep doing more.

And we gotta keep doing more and more and more and keep doing more and more.

That's it.

Uh that's all I have to say.

Thank you for having me.

And I appreciate you guys.

Thank you, Coach Bell.

And to that point, uh my team.

I don't want to get beat up when I go back in my athletic director, Anthony Brown, and I really got a great administrative team.

So thank them.

Thank you so much.

And um the truth is that uh we owe you more than just this recognition and this resolution.

We owe you continued partnership and investment and support.

Uh uh, and we will be there, and we will do that.

And you have this council's word um that we will be engaged in that way.

So thank you so so much.

Thank you, AD, and thank you, uh Principal Watson, Dr.

Watson.

Well, if you that's it, then uh I move to adopt their second.

Dr.

Please Carler.

Thanks, Timberosa De Padilla, De Achar Dorns Green, Remy Ross, Vice President Harden.

Councilman Banks said he's second bed.

Um next, I want to bring up um, and I've known about this program uh for several years, but yesterday when we were at uh Southfield, um I got to go down and tour um the closet or the space um that this program is inhabiting.

Um so I want to bring up Bishop Martin and Miss Marlene Drayton uh to speak on uh dress to dream, which is a uh giveaway uh program for prom dresses for for students here in Columbus, and um it's a huge program.

It's almost coming up.

They're still taking collecting uh donations, uh, but they're also inviting uh young women to come be a part of it.

And so I wanted to make sure uh that we did our part to help tell this story and get the word out.

So welcome back to council.

Good evening, everyone.

Um, my name is Marlene Drayton, and I am the founder of Dress to Dream.

It is a nonprofit that provides free prom attire to all high school students.

Um this year we are blessed with having over 700 dresses.

So we just need the help to actually get the word out because we want to help as many students as possible.

Good evening again.

We are uh committed to helping as many kids as possible.

Last year, there was a young lady who um unfortunately she had got pregnant, and she said, There's no way I can go to prom.

And some kind of way they got in contact with us through the church.

She came to worship, she shouted council.

Next thing you know, while they took her in the back with the baby to get a prom dress.

The tears are flowing down her face because she said there was no way I could have been able to afford going to promise donated and given us a free dress.

But not only with the dresses, but also makeup was provided, shoes was provided, and so we are committed to making that one night one of the best nights of their lives.

Yeah.

And if we can use that one night to change their life.

Then we are committed to be able to do that through dress the dream to the Southfield Community Baptist Church.

Now, Pastor and Ms.

Darling, how do folks find out about this?

How do how do we get the word out to them?

So you can RSVP on our webpage.

It's dressed, the number two, dream dot com, or you can call the uh church as well.

Okay, and also these are brand new dresses.

Yes.

And it's free.

Yeah.

They just have to just come and just pick out the dress and uh have several sizes.

I didn't realize there was a difference between homecoming dresses and prom dresses.

There's a big difference between there's a big difference.

There's a big difference.

As a mom of two high school girls, I know there's a big difference.

Um do they need it to bring anything when they come, they can just show up, no questions asked.

No, yep.

Um social economical background, uh, no background checks, uh, financial status.

We just want to help them.

Okay.

So we just committed to just being a family cares.

So we have the dresses, the shoes, um, and the purses as well, and then the day of the event, we do a raffle where we pick um five girls and we sponsor their looks, so their makeup, hair.

That's amazing.

Yeah.

We will council will uh also do some social media on this.

We do want to get the word out.

That's such a huge resource in a time when so many folks are struggling right now, and uh to take that uh concern away from a parent and a young and uh person, it's huge.

Thank you for doing this work.

Absolutely.

Before you leave, can you let us know how you do you take donations?

Do you take checks?

What does that look like?

Um you can find all of that on our website.

So the dress to dream.

Dress to dream.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Yeah, we can clap for that.

That's a good one.

Are there any comments from the city attorney's office or treasure's office?

No.

Uh there any requests by members of council for the removal of an ordinance or resolution by the consent from the consent portion of the agenda.

Hearing none, may we now have a motion to weigh reading of titles of 38 legislation.

Clerk, please call the role.

Thanks, Tim.

Barosa de Padilla, De Akawa Dorns Green, Remy Ross, White's President Harding.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

Uh will the clerk now read into the record their ordinance number of 30 day legislation on tonight's agenda.

Finance and governance committee, we have ordinances 564 and 565-2026.

Economic Development and Small and Minority Business Committee.

We have ordinance 586-2026.

Public Service and Transportation Committee.

We have ordinance 561-2026.

Neighborhoods recreation and parks committee ordinance 393-2026.

Public Safety and Criminal Justice Committee ordinances 497 and 584-2026.

And Housing, Homelessness, and Building Committee ordinances 524, 545, 547, and 552-2026.

Public Utilities and Sustainability Committee ordinances 437, 463, 514, 595, and 597-2026.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

Do we have a speaker on oh that's first reading?

The following orders appear on our agenda as consent uh uh actions.

Will the clerk now read those into the record?

Resolutions of expression 54x and 55x dash 2026 in finance and governance committee.

We have ordinance ordinances 316, 465, 589, and 590-2026.

In economic development and small and minority business committee, we have ordinance 551-2026.

Neighborhoods, recreation and parks committee ordinances 396 and 502-2026.

Workforce Education and Labor Committee Ordinance 390-2026.

Health Housing, I'm sorry, Health Human Services and Equity Committee.

We have ordinances 2097-2025 and ordinances 489 and 556 and 598-2026.

Public Safety and Criminal Justice Committee Ordinance 477-2026.

Housing Homelessness and Building Committee ordinances 434, 498, 529, and 544-2026.

Public Utilities and Sustainability Committee, we have ordinance 278 and 354, 509, 588-2026.

Rules and Policy Committee, we have appointments A25, A26, A27, A28, A29, A30, A31, A33, A34, A35, A 37, and 838-2026.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

We have one speaker on the consent portion of the agenda.

Jordan, welcome to council.

Good evening, Council President Harden, Chair Ross, and other members of the council.

I'm the CFO for the refuge.

And I'm here today grateful to submit testimony in support of the amendments.

The funding that would go towards the funding of a construction of a clinical services building that will directly serve the residents of the refuge.

The refuge is a faith-based long-term recovery program based in the Hilltop area.

The amendments under consideration will go a long way in aiding our efforts to provide the best care we can for those that we serve.

Currently, we rent space from a local church that we're partnered with.

It's where we provide those services, and we are grateful for that space, but we do not own it.

It is limited in the space that it provides and it does not entirely fit our needs.

Securing this funding would ensure that we are able to construct this building and it would better suit the needs of our organization and our residents.

Using data from alumni that graduated during the three-year period of 2018 to 2020, as well as secondary data regarding community costs of addiction.

In real dollar terms, this equated to the refuge helping save the community and taxpayers over 2.5 million dollars.

While you may not know me, I'm hopeful that my testimony speaks to how much I believe in the refuge and the work that we're doing.

Uh at this time, nine years ago, I myself found myself in a long battle of opioid and methamphetamine addiction.

I came to the refuge uh seeking a hot meal and a warm bed, uh, and yet I found so much more.

Uh, when I completed the program in 2019, I accepted an entry-level administrative position.

And in seven years since that time, I've married the love of my life.

Welcome to beautiful children into the world.

And I now am promoted to overseeing the financial operations of this organization.

That is the impact of the refuge.

While the refuge has changed over the years and how we approach recovery and constantly seeking to best treat holistically a person, our core values remain the same of unconditional love, safety, intentionality, and God at work.

Uh we respectfully ask that you support these amendments.

Thank you for your time and uh I'll be happy to answer any questions you may have.

Thank you.

Thank you so much, Jordan.

Um it's just so cool when when we can hear the impact of a piece of legislation on consent, but just understand that kind of that is having that kind of impact.

And so just thank you for the work that you're doing.

Uh we really appreciate the refuge and the partnership.

Chair, do you have anything else?

Hi, Jordan.

Um, I just want to say we're so grateful for the work that you do in the community.

Not I know you serve residents from everywhere, but especially your presence on Columbus's West Side.

Uh for those of you that are unfamiliar with the refuge, which I didn't, I I used to not believe in faith-based um treatment and recovery programs, and it's my own bias.

I think it's like you know, started of how the recovery community used not believe in medication assisted treatment, right?

And um, I have learned so much from partnering with the refuge through your programs and the ways that you know we're really looking at whole people, right?

And it's not just about um, it's not just about healing, you know, the individual person, it's about healing family relationships, it's about healing your connection to community, and that I think is one of the most beautiful things about what the refuge does is the focus that um that you have also built on service and uh of being a part of uh something bigger than all of us, uh which is you know what religion teaches, but it's also really the way that you live and exist in our community is then give back so much.

Um, and so we are grateful for you and for the work that you have done on your journey and continue to do to give back to so many other people.

Um, and um and you know, I will obviously be um you know grateful to be supporting this um this initiative.

Thank you so much.

Thank you all.

Are there any other questions or uh uh common concerns with the um consent portion of the agenda?

Hearing none may have a motion of approval clerk, please call the role.

Thanks, Tim Barbosa de Padilla, de Akaur Dorans by voice.

I'm sorry, that's right.

You're correct.

Thank you.

Thanks, Tin.

Verbosa de Padilla.

The Ach Howard.

Yes, Dorns.

Yes, green.

Uh yes, with the um exception of ordinance zero five eight eight-2026 from which I abstain.

Remy.

Yes.

Ross White.

Yes.

President Hart.

Yes, consent portion of agenda passes.

Uh we'll now proceed with the second reading of 30-day postponed emergency legislation.

The first committee to come before council is the finance and governance committee chair by Councilman Bangston.

Councilman Forge first.

Uh, thank you, President Harden.

First up tonight in the finance and governance committee for second read, we have ordinance 0086-2026 to establish a new authorized strength ordinance for various divisions in the city of Columbus to be consistent with the adopted 2026 budget to appeal ordinance 28 20.

I'm sorry, 1283-2025, and to declare an emergency.

This ordinance is uh pretty straightforward uh ordinance that we do at the top of each year.

This ordinance establishes authorized strength levels for uh city departments in alignment with the 2026 operating budget.

Authorized strength represents the maximum number of personnel that city departments are authorized to maintain.

Changes to authorized strength are necessary to adjust staffing levels in accordance with budgetary appropriations.

Are there any questions or comments from my colleagues?

Seeing none, I first move to amend as submitted to the clerk.

Bangston, Barosa de Podia, de Akaward Dorrance Green, Remy Ross, Weiss President Harden.

Thank you.

And now I move forward passage as amended.

Bangstamp Barbosa de Padilla, de Akaur Dorrance Green, Remy Ross, Weiss President Harden.

Thank you.

Next we have ordinance 0318-2026 to authorize the director of the Department of Finance and Management to establish various purchase orders and associate associate all general budget reservations resulting from this ordinance with previously established universal term contract for fuel and fueling services on behalf of the fleet management division for the terms and conditions of various previously established universal term contracts to authorize the expenditure of two million dollars from the fleet management operating fund and to declare an emergency.

This uh ordinance authorizes the establishment of purchase orders with Wex Bank to for purchase of vehicle fuels and fueling services.

For the 2026 uh budget, the fleet management division is budgeted a total of nine million dollars for unleaded and diesel fuels and fueling services across different vendors.

Uh there any questions or comments from my colleagues?

Seeing none of them for passage.

Bangston Barbosa de Bodia, de Aka or Dorans Green, Remy Ross, Vice President Harden.

Thank you.

Next we have ordinance 0587-2026 to authorize the director of the Department of Finance and Management to enter into contract with Greater Columbus Arts Council, Inc.

for the purpose of distributing 2026 admission tax proceeds to providing funding for grants to artists and arts organizations that serve as the foundation for the city's profile as a vibrant inclusive city to authorize the appropriation and expenditure of proceeds from the creation innovation and inclusion funded to be 11 million uh fifty thousand dollars and to declare an emergency.

This ordinance authorizes this year's district disbursement of the anticipated proceeds for the non-arena admissions tax for the Greater Columbus Arts Council.

These funds support grants to local artists and arts organizations.

And with us tonight in chamber, we do have uh our new president and CEO, uh Mitch Manchaka, who is uh here with us.

I'm gonna ask him to come at this time to provide some remarks.

Uh and just a clarification for this folks, this is an estimate.

So uh as proceeds come in monthly, those are distributed uh by our auditor to uh GCAC.

Uh and with that, Mitch, welcome to Columbus and welcome to council.

I'll turn the floor over to you.

Well, thank you, and good evening, Councilmember Bangston, Council President Harden, and members of council.

As mentioned, I'm Mitch Minchaka, the new president and CEO of the Greater Columbus Arts Council.

The arts heal, inspire, and bring joy to residents and visitors.

They strengthen our economy, help our young people succeed, create a sense of place, instill neighborhood pride, and help with social and civic issues facing our communities.

GCAC is grateful to the Columbus City Council for your continued support and investment in the arts in our community.

Public investment for the cultural sector is crucial, and I thank you not only for today's vote on the admissions tax, a user fee to help sustain the sector, but for last month's vote on the allocation of the hotel motel tax, which adds to the quality of life for our residents without a burden to their pocketbook.

Funding to GCAC into the arts and cultural sector drives a thriving art scene which motivates people to visit, move here, 97 days here uh in Columbus, and stay in central Ohio.

Funding provides access and education programs to more than 1.2 million Franklin County kids and families each year and generates about $13 return for every dollar of public investment that supports our workforce here in Columbus in the cultural sector.

Because of our partnership with the City of Columbus, we've supported 11 nonprofit arts and cultural organizations, funded nearly 1,300 artists with grants and awards, and hosted nearly four dozen capacity building workshops that reached 2,000 artists and cultural workers last year.

But it's not just about the numbers, it's the impact the arts have on people.

Like this past weekend, the contemporary theaters opening of Jaja's African hair braiding, where I saw the community come together to celebrate the relevance of seeing themselves on stage and bringing to light important issues facing our community like immigration and cultural democracy.

I also had the opportunity to talk with onlookers as I filmed public art tour with our artist Adam Hernandez on the streets of Columbus on the importance and the need for art and creating a sense of place for community.

We are committed to the fundamental principles that the art should be accessible to all.

As we begin 2026, we acknowledge the many challenges that are facing our city and nation, and we strive to demonstrate how the arts make us more resilient, drive positive change and economic success, and bring unity.

Thank you again.

We are grateful to the Columbus City Council, Mayor Ginther, our other funders, the Ohio Arts Council, the Ohio State University, our board members, individuals, and community partners who help us build that thriving community through arts and culture.

Thank you, and I'm happy to answer any questions.

Uh I could tell you another I've had a chance to sit with you and uh hear your vision and uh see your background experience.

So really excited about what you're gonna bring uh to Columbus and to our arts community.

Or any questions or comments from my colleagues?

I know you have two board members up here, so oh, really?

Okay, all right.

There we go.

Um, but again, I do I do just want to underscore uh those numbers that you hit on, right?

$13 return for every dollar that's invested.

Uh that's why uh things like this are so critical uh to our community.

Uh when we talk about economic development, I know sometimes it feels like this nebulous thing, uh, but it is how we generate more income so we can do more things like investing back in our community.

So we have to continue to do both in this moment, and I think that you all are doing that.

And I think I want to underscore the folks out there uh that when you go and buy, I know there's this thing about junk fees out there.

This is not a junk fee, but this is a fee that goes right back into investing uh in our community.

It's a way for us to invest in the art ecosystem as well as us as a community.

So continue to go out there, purchase your tickets.

Uh hopefully you get them before the uh uh pre-sale, not on the resale market like me.

Uh, thank you again, Mitch.

Thank you.

Uh with that, I move for passage.

Thanks, Tim Barosa de Podia, de Aka or Dorans Green, Remy Ross, Vice President Harden.

Uh, thank you.

Next, we have ordinance 0591-2026 to authorize the director of the Department of Finance and Management to enter into contract with the Franklin County Convention Facility Authority for the purpose of distributing 2026 admission tax proceeds for the facility stabilization fund for the purpose of infrastructure investment in nationwide arena to authorize the appropriation and expenditure of an estimated three million four hundred and seventy-five thousand dollars from the facility stabilization fund and to declare an emergency.

This ordinance authorizes this year's disbursement of the anticipated arena admissions tax proceeds for the Frekland County Convention Facility Authority, and these funds will support ongoing maintenance of the arena.

So, similar to the last ordinance, this one is just specific to uh nationwide arena because that formula is a little different.

Some of those proceeds go back uh to fund ongoing maintenance at the arena.

Any questions or comments from my colleagues?

Seeing none, I move for passage.

Thanks, Tim Provosa de Padilla, de Aka or Dorans Green, Remy Ross, Vice President Hartin.

Thank you.

And lastly, we have ordinance 0731-2026 to amend ordinance 2938-2025 to establish appropriations within the cannabis host community special revenue fund to transfer appropriations between the Department of Neighborhoods, recreation and parks, and the Office of Education and Violence Prevention to transfer cash within subfunds of the general fund and to declare an emergency.

This ordinance can be described as uh part two to the final finalizing of uh the council amended amendments we approved last week as well as making a minor correction to the available budgetary resources uh uh estimated by the auditor.

Uh this ordinance does all of the following.

First, it amends uh ordinance number 2938-2025 to align with the auditor's full year general fund revenue estimate.

It transfers $850,000 in appropriations within recreation and parks between object classes in order to in source a portion of summer youth programming.

It it also establishes three six point three million in appropriations within the adult use cannabis excise tax fund to support the 2026 Elevate Grants Program.

It also transfers appropriations from neighborhoods, the Office of Violence and Prevention and Education to the Recreation and Parks uh Department to administer summer youth programming and also consolidates cash within subfunds of the general fund.

Uh, we do have one speaker uh on this ordinance before our move for passage of this kind of call, Mr.

Nate Wilkins.

And Mr.

Wilkins is speaking in favor of ordinance zero five nine one-I'm sorry, uh, of 0731-2026.

Mr.

Wilkins, welcome back to council.

And you have three minutes.

1612 other tonight, Mr.

Los Angeles Wilkins.

First of all, let me just say this money that took up for summer use.

Um, what I don't see is I I needed some history here, and going way back from 2005.

Um to recreation of knowledge here, since we have all this value of young kids and things.

I I just want to know how come there's not any summer jobs where people can go to work and make an honest living, you know, or either some type of uh trade skill or a construction skill or label skills working on houses and things and stuff like this.

And so I believe to my knowledge here that you're gonna have to have more money, and we gotta start thinking outside the box here.

You know, when we talk about summer youth, is that this dealing with some youth programs, or is that not dealing with jobs, construction jobs, some some type of jobs where they can make an honest living to help their families?

When when you have all this violence, people don't have job to jobs to go to or some type of skill trade in this community.

You know, we we we we see all this, and we want to know how people can get access, bring the jobs for these young folks out here.

You know, if it's not nothing an eight-hour or two to three hours on a work site, you know, people can educate their mind by occupying doing something with their hands or instead of picking up guns or in street display or lile gag in industry.

That's what my mother always called it.

And so again, I would love to see a track record.

Where's this money going?

How is it being used?

Is it just for the summer months?

Why did this money can't be used 12 months out of the year doing different entities and things uh thinking feature?

Uh thank you, Mr.

Wilkins.

And we'll make sure that someone gets with you.

Oh, actually, uh, Councilmember De Akawa.

I've got good news for you, Mr.

Wilkins.

It includes workforce development and jobs.

Um thank you, uh, Councilmember Bankston for your work on this appropriation.

Um, because of the budget cuts, our summer programs, our job programs took a big hit.

We were not going to be able to provide the same level of programming we had done in the past.

And so I advocated over several months with the administration that um a small portion of the money that was going to be line item for summer youth for nonprofits, that a small amount be given to our recreation and parks department to make it whole.

$850,000 we determined would enable us to bring our programming back to the 2025 levels.

Our recreation and parks department provides quality program and it's fiscally responsible.

Our price per participant is significantly lower than that of other organizations.

It's a great way to use our taxpayer money to make sure that our department is made whole before giving money to other organizations to fill gaps.

We should not create gaps in our own programming.

And with this funding, we are now going to be able to fully fund a full summer pool season so your kids can go to the pool and cool off this whole summer.

It wasn't gonna be that way, but now with this funding, we can.

Our various summer camp programs, our camps within our recreation centers will now be able to be fully staffed so we can offer the robust programming that we did the prior year.

And our job readiness program, um, we were gonna have to cut 100 positions from that, but now we're being able to have the same number.

We're looking to fill 350 summer positions with our youth.

It's not just sending them to a job, but they also get a lot of wraparound um programming on that for workforce development and all those other skills that you need to be a functioning um worker.

And so it's really exciting that we receive this.

Thank you, Director Long for your for your help on this, and Councilmember Bankston.

We are really excited that we will be able to provide full funding for in our centers on and our various um parks and whatnot, so that our kids get the programming that they need, and our taxpayer money will be used in a fiscally responsible way.

So thank you.

Uh thank you for belling me out there, Councilmember Day Acker.

I know that you know the recreation parks probably better than any of us, and so uh I think, and as you pointed out there, I just want to point reiterate that uh there have been historic levels of investment in our young people uh through the last couple budget cycles that the administration has put before us, and I think we see those dividends when we look at uh the lowest homicide rate uh in our city since 2007.

We see violent crime rates continuing to trend downward.

All of that works together, both because of the great work uh of our men and women over in the Columbus Division of Police and what under the direction of our chief are doing, uh, but also because of these investments that we're making uh in our youth uh during the summer to make sure that they uh have something productive to do and that there are folks investing in them.

Uh so again wanted to point that out and thank you again for your leadership, Councilmember Day Akaur.

Uh before I move for passage, any other questions or comments from my colleagues?

Seeing that I'll move to passage.

Bangston, Barossa Depodia, de Aka or Dorns Green, Remy Ross, Weiss President Hart.

Thank you, Council President.

That's all I have in my committees this evening.

That committee is chaired by Councilmember Ross Depot.

Council members, the floor is yours.

Thank you, Council President.

And I believe that we had a um miscommunication with a speaker from last week.

So if I could start before absolutely.

So Sunny Fan.

Uh welcome to council.

You have uh three minutes.

If you could introduce yourself and any organizations that you represent, hello everyone.

My name is Sunny.

I go to Ohio State.

I'm an Ohio State student, so that's the organization I'm representing.

And I do have something to say.

All right.

Hundreds of Ohio State students walk across the crosswalks of North High Street every day.

These crosswalks are poorly lit and they pose as a public safety threat for my fellow peers.

I'm not here today to argue the dangers that crosswalks possess.

Otherwise, we would not tell our children to look both ways.

I'm here today to represent my fellow OSU students and demand that we install more precautionary signs and warning lights on our most populated crosswalks, so that our drivers can see our children walk across our streets.

There is a crosswalk that intersects East Framby's Avenue and North High Street, like many of the other crosswalks on High Street.

This road only has two crosswalk signs on the left and on this right side of the road.

Now, although this may pass regulation, these crosswalk signs are so old that they are not illuminated correctly in the snow and the rain and not in the dark.

Only the best and most undistracted drivers will be able to make a full stop before these crosswalks.

And as we know, that is certainly not the case in Columbus, Ohio, and especially not on High Street.

I love playing video games.

Shout out to Fortnite Minecraft, but I do not enjoy playing cross road in real life on my way to class.

In 2025 alone, 14 of my fellow peers have been struck by moving vehicle within one mile of the Ohio State University.

Although those numbers are not fatal, what it really cost a fatal number for action to be taken.

My peers, they're smart and they have a bright future ahead of them.

The people that walk across these streets, they're our future doctors, our future leaders, and most importantly, they're future mothers and fathers.

We must do our best to protect our future.

Installing warning lights on our most populated crosswalks would cost $50,000.

That was less than one percent of the City of Columbus's annual budget.

Now I know I have the privilege of speaking to parents and future parents of our children today.

What it really costs the life of your son and daughter for $50,000 to be justified.

We need lights and we need them now.

I'm more than happy to work with the city to escalate the situation.

Because in today's world, my fellow peers, my friends, we should not need to walk across another crosswalk, fearing for our lives.

Thank you.

Can I Sunny?

Can I call you Sunny?

Yeah.

So this is the best timing because on Friday, we actually met with a group of your peers from OSU to talk about this exact issue.

And so two things.

First, um, we have your phone number, so I'm gonna have my staff reach out to you to connect you with the folks that we met with from OSU.

Uh, because essentially right now we we are working on um both a street resurfacing, but then also looking at all of those crosswalks along the North High Street corridor.

So that includes not just resurfacing projects, we've also done an evaluation of the crosswalks where we will um be repainting some of them.

There's some there's some other adjustments that we need to make, but exactly what you were talking about was the conversation that we had.

Deputy Director Born Treger, who's right here from our Department of Public Service was also in that meeting, along with myself.

We had one of our uh data analysts from the Department of Public Service, uh, two of our engineers, one of them that works with OSU because OSU was unique in that we work with engineers that actually specifically focus on campus since it is a unique um area of the city that's within the city.

And so um there are there is more to come on some of the improvements that we're making there.

Uh director, deputy director Bourne Trekker, do you want to add to that?

Um thank you for for uh um excuse me.

Uh calling on me, we did meet last Friday where we laid out some of the short-term and then medium-term solutions.

We're very excited about it.

Some of that work gets done uh at any point on the notice to proceed on the resurfacing, which will then allow us to update a lot of the those markings at sharp sharp bite, um, kind of like the sharp teeth that's around that helps provide um people to see them and all sorts of other signage improvements.

We also have written work orders to immediately take a look at some of those areas where we can update um some of the faded uh lines and those type of things.

So um medium term, we are working with uh the university on a longer term plan to take a look at the entire quarter that is part of the higher injury network for our vision zero initiative and is the densest area of the city uh by far.

And so it is on our radar.

We're more than happy to brief you on those as well.

Uh, but uh we recognize the same thing.

Safety is our number one priority at the department.

Um we have over 3,000 crosswalks within the city, and so we do invest uh in a uh those high injury networks, um, which is high street along the Ohio State University area.

Absolutely.

And so we're happy to, like I said, we'll follow up and then I can connect you with the group of OSU students that we had the meeting with because they took a ton of notes that they were gonna take back to the group that that essentially they had come together to talk to us about this same area, and then also we're happy to share other updates of what we have going along the corridor.

Okay, thank you.

Can I add something?

Please, yeah.

So I'm a fourth year at Ohio State, so I've been at this college.

I've been walking across the same crosswalks for like four years, but like nothing has been done.

So I just hope that we can work together to escalate the situation so it can go.

Absolutely.

Absolutely.

And we recognize, you know, especially some of the crosswalks that we were talking about.

That's exactly where we have some of our scooter corrals, that's where uh Uber pickups are for games.

That's where we we recognize that there's improvements that need to come.

And again, for some of the longer term solutions, that's what we're working with the university on is that parts of the parts of that area are owned by the university, parts of it are the responsibility of the city of Columbus.

So it's really about us coming together to make those general improvements all along that corridor, and that's part of what we're working on.

So more to come.

Thank you so much for coming.

Um are you from Columbus?

No, I'm from Cleveland.

Are you staying in Columbus?

Yes.

Yay!

Well, I'm glad you're staying in Columbus.

Um, thank you for choosing us, and thank you for coming down here because I think it's really important that you know OSU can feel like its own city, and there's an entire city that surrounds it.

And so having folks that can come down and ensure that they're, you know, advocating for the things that they want, um, especially when you're gonna make this your home, is really important.

So thank you for coming down here today.

Thank you guys.

Um okay, Council President, I have three items um in public service and transportation today.

The first is 0431 2026 to amend the 2025 capital improvement budget to authorize the transfer of funds within the recreation and parks voted bond fund to authorize the director of public service to enter into contract with Kokosing Construction Company Incorporated for the resurfacing 2025 project to project to authorize the expenditure of up to 8 million seventy-four thousand two hundred and thirty-five cents from the streets and highways bond fund and the recreation parks voted bond fund for the project and to declare an emergency.

This project authorizes the resurfacing of 36 city streets and the creation of ADA curb ramps along those streets.

So, Deputy Director, I'm gonna go back to you for just a second.

Street resurfacing is something that everyone is highly interested in, especially right now.

I know y'all have heard me talk about potholes, but for real now, I'm crossing my fingers now that we've had all this good sunny weather that we are uncovering those um streets that really took a beating because of the way that we treated not just both the treatments of the the roadways, but also because of the snow that eats away and corrodes um our roadway.

So please use 311.

But uh Deputy Director, can you let folks know where they can find out if their street is part of this package of the 36?

Uh yes, President of Hard and Chair Bursa DePedia and other members of council.

Uh this lets the legislation recommend the reservacing contract for a package of 36th streets citywide by be awarded to Cocosing Construction.

Before any discussions about the city's resurfacing program, the department the Department of Public Service wants to extend our heartfelt sympathy to cousin, the family and co-workers of Jordan Thomas, their employee who was struck and killed by a hit skip driver in a construction work zone on I-70 near state right, state Route 315 on February 28th.

This is a senseless and devastating loss and is completely preventable with driver slowdown.

Pay close attention and don't drive distracted or repaired.

Along with our partners at ODOT, public service emphasizes and prioritizes the safety of crews and contractors who work in roadway construction zones.

Drivers must do the same.

Lives are irreplaceable.

Kokosin is working with Central Ohio Crime Stoppers to identify the susp the suspected vehicle and driver.

If anyone has any information about the crash, please talk uh contact crime stoppers at 614-461 tips or at uh stopcrime.org and please slow down uh in work sounds this summer as our crews get started to find out more about this particular resurfacing package and all the other packages that are currently getting ready to launch.

Um, you can go to Columbus.gov and simply search resurfacing.

That'll bring you to that entire page.

If passed tonight, that new information will be up tomorrow morning.

Um thank you, Deputy Director, and thank you for sharing that.

I I think um, you know, as we continue to work on our built environment in order for us to make our streets safer, that means people work on those streets.

And so that's why it's critically important that as folks are driving that they're watching their speeds, that they are focused on the roads.

And so um I think you know, many times we have advocates that ask us to uh to add those preventative measures to um circumvent human error.

But there's certainly things that all of us can do to ensure that we're locked in when we're driving to make sure that folks are staying safe, especially the folks who are making our streets safer for everyone.

So thank you for that.

Um and then also I want to just thank folks for their patience as we are getting to um uh the repairs on our roadways, especially now.

Usually it's a 48 to 72 hour window when you do call 311.

Please make sure to call those because we know that those potholes can be detrimental to folks, both for uh the safety of potential accidents, but then certainly that one pop tire can you know be detrimental to a family or to a person.

Um I want to ensure also before I move for passage for this.

I did state the the incorrect number.

So I want to uh correct myself.

It's eight million seventy-four thousand two dollars and thirty-five cents.

Um do my colleagues have additional questions or comments?

Seeing none, I move for passage.

Thanks.

Tim Barosa de Padilla, de accourdoors green, reamy Ross, Weiss President Hard.

Thank you.

Next, I have ordinance zero four eight seven twenty twenty-six to authorize the finance and management director to associate all general budget reservations resulting from this ordinance and to establish purchase orders and contracts with multiple vendors for the purchase of various traffic management and control commodities for the Department of Public Service to authorize the expenditure of a hundred thousand dollars or more in a fiscal year against universal term contracts to authorize the expenditure of up to one million nine hundred thousand dollars from the street construction maintenance and repair fund for the purchase of various traffic management and control commodities to authorize the expenditure of up to three hundred thousand dollars from the municipal motor vehicle tax fund for the purchase of various traffic management and control commodities to waive the competing bidding provisions of the Columbus City Code Chapter 329 with respect to the usage of certain cooperative purchasing contracts for the per purpose of purchasing various traffic management and control commodities and to declare an emergency.

Uh this authorizes the purchase of a variety of traffic management control commodities, such as paved marking materials, sign manufacturing materials, school flashers, traffic signal commodities utilized by the Department of Public Service.

These supplies and materials are necessary to ensure traffic safety throughout the city of Columbus.

Do my colleagues have any questions or comments?

Seeing none, I move for passage.

Thank you.

And lastly, we have ordinance zero five seven two twenty twenty-six to authorize the city attorney to file complaints in order to immediately appropriate and accept the remaining fee, simple and lesser real estate necessary to timely complete the fourth street signals phase one project to authorize the expenditure of $910 and to declare an emergency.

The project consists of the replacement of traffic signals at the intersections of North Fourth Street with First Avenue, Second Avenue, Fifth Avenue, Seventh Avenue, and 17th Avenue.

This will include traffic signal improvements and other improvements such as sidewalks, curb ramps, street lighting, traffic control, and maintenance of traffic.

The city must acquire a certain fee, simple title, and lesser real estate located in the vicinity of North Fourth Street in order for DPS to timely complete the public project.

The city's acquisition of the real estate will help make improve or repair certain portions of the public right-of-way of North 4th Street, which will be open to the public without charge.

Do my colleagues have any questions or comments?

Seeing none, I move for passage.

Banks Tim Barosa DePodia, De Aka or Dorans Green, Remy Ross, Weiss President Hardin.

Thank you.

That's all from me this evening, Council President.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Uh sorry, we'll just get a motion to recess for a zoning.

Clerk please call the row.

Bangs Timber Rosa de Padilla, De Aka or Dorans Green, Remy Ross, Weiss President Hardin.

We have recess will uh begin zoning in five minutes.

Please call the row.

Bangs Timber Rosa de Pudia, De Aka or Dorans Green, Remy Ross, Weiss President Hardin.

Can I get a motion since we're the reading of the journal?

Clerk, please call the row.

Bangs Temperosa De Padilla, De Aka or Dorans Green, Remy, Ross, Weiss President Harden.

Are there any additions or corrections to the journal?

Hearing none of the journal is approved.

We'll now go to the zoning committee.

Uh Councilmember Dorrance, Chair Second Middle, all members are one.

Uh thank you, President Harden.

As always, before we get into night's zoning agenda, I'll explain our rules pertaining to speaker for council on rezoning some variances.

We'll only hear a staff presentation for ordinance to have a disapproval from a recommending body, or if you have a public speaker signed up to speak against an ordinance.

We permit three speakers on each side, three proponents, three opponents.

We ask those speakers to limit their marks of three minutes for the standard rules of city council.

All speakers in the council variants, including city staff, air commissioners' applicants, members of the public, uh, will be sworn in before they give testimony.

Representatives of an area commission are always able to speak in an ordinance and do not need to fill out a speaker slip, but we do ask the alert city staff of your intentions to speak at this committee hearing.

This evening we do not have any public speakers signed up to speak on our agenda.

On the advice is the city attorney's office, and we'll now swear in the city staff.

Please stand and raise your right hand to be sworn in.

Do you swear or affirm the testimony about give shall be the truth, nothing but the truth?

The issue I answer in a pain's penalty perjury.

If so, please say I do.

Uh thank you.

Please let the record reflect the list of salesmen for the Department of Building Zoning Services that have been sworn in.

First, we have ordinance number 0537-2026 to rezone 1854 Celta Road, being 18.60 plus acres local in the east side of Selta Road at the terminus of City Gate Drive, L AR1 Limited Department Residential, and R Rural District to L A R 1 Limited Department Residential District.

Five of the six parcels were recently rezoned back in September 2025, allowing 264 dwelling units on 14 acres.

The applicant recently acquired a six parcel to allow a maximum of 384 dwelling units on 18 acres.

Develop in accordance with the submitted site plan and building elevations.

Proposal uh represents an expansion of the already approved multi-unit uh residential development.

A current council variance will be considered next in our agenda.

Proposal is proposed from City Staff Development Commission and the Northeast Area Commission.

Any questions or comments from my colleagues?

Seeing none I move for passage.

Clerk, please call the role.

Bangs Timberosa de Padilla, De Aka or Dorans Green, Remy Ross, Weiss President Hardin.

Pass.

Thank you.

Next, we have ordinance 0538-2026, the granite variance provisions of section 3312.27, parking setback line, 3333.18 building lines of the Columbus City goes for prior look at it.

1854 Selta Road to allow reduced development standards for the department complex and LAR1 limited department residential district.

Again, this is the concurrent variance for the rezoning we just considered for an apartment complex of up to 384 units.

Proposal approves from the city staff of the Northeast Dairy Commission.

Our first move to accept the entire staff report in new evidence that is an exhibit.

Banks Temperosa de Padilla de Aka or Dorans Green, Remy Ross, Weiss President Hardin.

Thank you.

Next move to adopt the final staff, the finance council.

Bangs temperosa de pudia, de acarrance green, remi Ross, Weiss President Hardin.

Thank you.

Finally move for passage.

Bangs Temperosa de Podia, De Akaur Dorrance Green, Remy Ross, Weiss President Hardin.

Thank you.

And finally we have ordinance 0562-2026 random variance provisions, section 3332.

Resident District of the Clum City Ghost are properly located at 2734 Fairwood Avenue to allow manufactured home in the R2 residential district.

My first move is to accept the entire staff reporting into Evans as an exhibit.

Banks Timberosa de Podia, De Aka or Dorans Green, Remy Ross, Weiss President Harden.

Banks Temperosa De Pudilla, De Akaur Dorans Green, Remy Ross, Weiss President Harden.

Thank you if I move for passage.

Banks Temperosa De Padilla, De Akaur Dorans Green, Remy Ross, Weich President Harden.

Banks Tim Barosa DePadilla de Akaur Dorans Green, Remy Ross, Weich President Harden.

Banks Tim, Barossa De Padilla, De Aka or Dorans Green, Remy Ross, Weich President Harden.

The next committee to come before council is the public safety and criminal justice committee.

That committee is chair by Councilman Riemann.

Councilman McClor is yours.

Thank you very much, Council President.

Tonight I have uh two ordinances on for public safety and criminal justice.

The first is 446, 446, 2026 to authorize the city auditor to appropriate unappropriated funds from the G342000 in the amount of $6617 or $661,724 and transfer one million four hundred and twenty-one.

Oh I'm I'm having some troubles.

$1,421,000 and 87 and 55 cents from the general government grant fund, project G342000 to the general fund and to declare an emergency.

This ordinance appropriates funds from the cash on hand and transfers all remaining funds from the um the um Franklin County Public Health CDC overdose data to action.

React grant project to the general fund.

Emergency legislation is necessary to complete the appropriation and transfer required to finalize grant closeout.

Enacting this legislation on an emergency basis will allow the grant fund grant closeout to be finalized and the general fund to be reimbursed.

Are there any questions or comments from my colleagues?

Seeing that I move for passage.

Bangs Timber Rosa de Padilla, De Aka or Don Screen, Remy Ross, Weitz President Hard.

Next, uh 447, 2026 to authorize and direct the city auditor to transfer 1 million five hundred and eighteen thousand four hundred and forty-five dollars within various projects of the safety voted bond fund to amend the twenty twenty-five capital improvement budget to waive the competitive bidding provisions of the Columbus City Codes, chapter three twenty-nine to authorize the finance and management director to enter into a contract with and issue purchase orders to FARBR Special Aid Vehicles for the purchase of a an explosive ordinance disposal emergency response vehicle to authorize the expenditure of one million five hundred and eighteen thousand four hundred and forty-five dollars from the safety voted bond fund and to declare an emergency.

This ordinance authorizes the purchase of a new explosive ordinance disposal emergency response vehicle for the division of fire bomb squad, replacing the current EOD vehicle, which is nearly 20 years old.

The new vehicle will serve 33 Ohio counties and support EOD emergency response at model multiple special events.

The request requires a bid waiver because the division of fire reached out to three vendors and only Farber Specialty Vehicles responded with a quote.

The two other vendors declined in this build.

Emergency action is re necessary due to extended build times for custom fire apparatus.

Immediate encumbrance of funds upon passage of this ordinance is required to ensure production can begin without delay.

Are there any questions or comments from my colleagues?

Seeing none, I move for passage.

Bangs temperosa depodia, de aquel dorance green, reamy Ross, Weiss President Hardin.

Thank you, Council President.

That is all I have this evening.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

The next committee to come before council is the housing homelessness and building committee chaired by Councilman Ross.

Councilmember the floor is yours.

Thank you, Council President.

We have just one ordinance on second read 0534-2026 to authorize the director of the Department of Development to enter into a sub-award, not-for-profit service contract with Equitas Health Incorporated in an amount up to $1,054,650 to authorize the expenditure in an amount up to $1,000,650, utilizing the 2023, 2024, and 2025 housing opportunities for people with AIDS.

Hop what?

Entitlement grants from the U.S.

Department of Housing and Urban Development to authorize the payment of eligible expenditures prior to the issue of the purchase order beginning January 1st, 2026 through January through December 31st, 2026, and to declare an emergency.

HopLEF funds nonprofit organizations to assist with meeting the housing and supportive service needs of low and moderate income persons with AIDS or HIV related diseases.

The program provides tenant-based rental assistance as well as short-term rent mortgage and utility assistance to HIV positive individuals and families to ensure stability and safe, decent, affordable, and sanitary housing.

If there are no questions or comments from my colleagues, I will move for passage.

Banks Temperosa De Padilla, De A Kaur Dorns Green, Remy Ross Weitch, President Hardin.

That is all.

Next committee coming before Council is the public utilities and sustainability committee.

That committee is chaired by Councilmember Weiss, Council Member Floor Resorts.

Thank you, Council President.

As always, we're doing the heavy lifting and public utilities and sustainability with six ordinances.

First, I have ordinance uh 172-2026 to authorize the director of the Department of Finance and Management to associate all general budget reservations resulting from this ordinance with the appropriate universal term contract purchase agreements for the purchase of parts, materials, supplies, and services for the division of water reclamation, Southernly water reclamation plant, and to authorize the expenditure of three million two hundred and five thousand five hundred dollars from the sanitary sewer operating fund.

These purchase contracts are used to monitor, maintain repair equipment throughout the subleaf water reclamation plant.

Let me stop there.

See if any questions or comments from my colleagues.

Seeing none, I move for passage.

Clerk, please call the row.

Banks Temperosa DePodia, De A Coward Dorns Green, Remy Ross Weiss President Hart.

Passed.

Thank you.

Next I have 30 uh 391-2026 to authorize the director of public utilities to enter into a service contract with Senegro Central LLC for the Hap Grammy Water Plant Residuals Removal Lagoon 2 Project and to authorize the expenditure of up to $2,905,749 from the water operating fund.

This project involves the removal of residual material and grit from the Hap Cramine Lagoon number two, as well as other necessary lagoon vegetation maintenance.

This work will restore storage capacity needed for emergency situations, extend the useful life of the lagoon, and enable proper maintenance to be performed on relevant equipment.

Seeing none, I move for passage.

Banks Denver Rosa De Padilla, De Aka or Norris Green, Remy Ross, Weitz President Harding.

Thank you.

Next I have ordinance 422-2026 to authorize the director of public utilities to enter into a construction contract with BLD Services LLC for the 2025 annual lining contract project to authorize an amendment to the 2025 capital improvement budget to appropriate funds within the water pollution control loan fund to authorize a transfer of cash and appropriation between projects within the sanitary bond fund to make this ordinance contingent upon the Ohio Water Development Authority approving a loan for this project and to authorize an expenditure of up to 11,111,848 dollars and forty-five cents from the water pollution control loan fund and the sanitary bond fund to pay for the project.

This project consists of the rehabilitation and repair of aging sanitary sewers that are prone to leaks and unexpected failures.

This work will mitigate uh drainage issues and reduce sewer overflows into waterways and basements.

Let me stop there, see if any questions are comments for my colleagues.

Seeing that I move for passage.

Banks and Barbosa DePodia, De Achar, Norris, Green, Remy Ross Weitz, President Hardin.

Thank you.

Next I have ordinance uh 429-2026 to authorize the director of public utilities to enter into a contract modification for professional engineering services for the home road water plant with Hazen and Sawyer to appropriate funds within the water supply revolving loan account fund to make this ordinance contingent upon the Ohio Water Development Authority approving a loan for this project to make uh I'm sorry, and to authorize the expenditure of up to 57 million five hundred thousand from the water supply revolving loan account fund.

This ordinance supports the construction of the home road water plant, which will serve as the city's PORF water plant facility.

Uh the home water plant will improve the reliability and resiliency of our water supply system.

Deputy Director, can you just discuss some of the work that has been done during previous modifications and what is anticipated for this modification?

Certainly, thank you, President Harden, uh uh Chairman Weish and members of council.

Um Hazen Sawyer um has been with us from the beginning with detailed design of this project.

Um we are now moving into construction.

Phase one of construction is already started with site work at the site.

And last week we actually actually advertised for bids the the construction of the plant, the one point six billion dollar estimate.

Um the authorization tonight um will allow us to continue on with contracting with Hazen on services during construction.

Uh Hazen will be doing our inspection, cost control, uh scheduling the uh monitoring the schedule, and a host of other activities, including shop drawing review and approval.

Um these activities are needed to protect our 1.6 billion dollar investment.

Um construction should begin in the fourth quarter of this year and should last 60 to 72 months.

I can take any questions.

Thank you, Deputy Director.

Any questions for my colleagues?

Seeing none, I move for passage.

Um Banks Temperosa De Padilla, De Akaur Norris, Green, Remy Ross, White President Hardin.

Thank you.

Next I have ordinance 441-2026 to authorize the director of public utilities to enter into a contract modification with Evans Meckwort Hambleton in Tilton, incorporated for the Construction Administration Construction Inspection Services 2023 2025 contract to authorize an amendment to the 2025 capital improvement budget to authorize the appropriation of funds in the water pollution control loan fund to make this ordinance contingent upon the approval of a loan from Ohio Water Development Authority and to expend up to 1,483,646.4 cents from the water pollution control loan fund.

This ordinance supports the procurement of construction administration inspection services for the 2025 annual lining contract project, which rehabilitates aging sanitary sewers throughout the city.

See if any questions or comments from my colleagues.

Seeing none, I move for passage.

Banks Tempravosa de Padilla, De Aka or North's Green, Remy Ross, Weiss President Hardin.

Thank you.

And last I have ordinance 471-2026 to authorize the director of the Department of Public Utilities to modify the contract with RCC Global OLC for the Customer Information Systems and Integrated Systems Upgrade Project and to authorize the expenditure of $5,945,675.50 split between the electricity water sanitary sewer and storm operating funds.

The integration of the software will reduce system complexity, improve data, and billing accuracy, and enable Columbus Water Empower to continue to serve our city's growing population.

See if any questions or comments from my colleagues.

Seeing none, I move for passage.

Banks Tim Burroso DePodilla, De Akawa Norris Green, Remy Ross, Weiss President Harden.

Thank you.

That is all I have for my committee this evening.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

See enough for the business to come for council is there motion to adjourn?

Please call the row.

Banks Tim Rebosa De Padilla, De Akaur Norris Green, Remy Ross Weich, President Harden.

Meeting is adjourned.