Council Legilius in the pledge.

I pledge allegiance to the life of the United States of America.

This evening, Council is grateful to have Reverend Landon Adams, Director of New Membership at New Salem Baptist Church to pray with us.

Welcome back, brother.

Good evening.

Let us pray.

My Lord, the earth is yours and the fullness thereof.

So this evening we come grateful for and to answer the call of service of governance and administration of city government.

Cause this meeting agenda to ease well in the doing for the city of Columbus and disrupt anything that would bring harm to her people.

To those who sit in service before us, may they know your love and affection that they may govern from a place of compassion and conviction.

May the work of this council feed those who are hungry, clothe those who are naked, and develop policies that cause those who live, work, and come to this city to be free from bondage, debt, and oppression.

Now, my God, as many across our community begin the observance of Holy Week headed toward Easter.

Let us remember that resurrection does not negate the atrocities of this week to come.

Rather, it brings us power to govern and create a reality where justice is administered rightly.

Thank you.

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.

Can I get a motion to the reading of the journal?

Clerk, please call the row.

To refresh everyone's memory, participatory budgeting is a democratic process where community members directly decide how to spend part of a public budget, typically through brainstorming, proposal development, and voting.

Uh the participatory budget steering committee supported by Melissa played a vital leadership role in designing our proposed PB process, conceiving uh convincing to establish the goals, uh rules, procedures, and outreach strategy that will shape a fair, inclusive and community driven cycle.

Through this, uh uh through though this is uh phase one of a five phase process.

I believe that this group of residents deserve to be acknowledged and celebrated for their leadership service and commitment to this novel process.

Additionally, Melissa Bila, who has been a vital part of this this process since the start, has concluded her temporary position here at City Council, and we'll be starting graduate school this fall.

So we also want to double celebrate her.

Um, and so uh as I'm gonna have uh Miss uh Melissa come up come over up to the front and we'll start there and then have everyone introduce themselves.

And just I think as as a reminder, because this seems like so long ago, you know what spurred this was the 2025 capital budget uh where uh this body uh was able and we were able to secure nine million dollars for each one million dollars for each of the districts to go with forward with this participatory budgeting process.

Something that is historic uh for our city, something that is I think one of the most progressive things we done from a budgeting standpoint uh as a city, but also as these folks will probably tell you to have a sidebar with them, one of the messiest processes that we have done.

But we really wanted to be authentic.

When you think about the spirit of participatory budgeting, it is really truly resident driven.

Uh and these folks here know uh I didn't want to abandon them, but I came to their first kickoff meeting.

I said this will be the last time you actually see me because I wanted them to understand that they were safe in that room, to have conversations, to have dialogue, to truly shape a process that will help shape uh our community.

Uh and so with that, uh before I pass for the resolution, I'm gonna turn it over to our fearless leader in this work, uh, Miss Melissa Bila, who's gonna go off to do great things.

Want to introduce yourself, give some remarks, and then we'll have all of the committee uh members uh introduce themselves as well.

Thank you, Councilmember Bangston.

Um, good afternoon, good evening, council members.

Great to see you all and being here.

Um I want to start by saying thank you to Councilmember Bengston for choosing me and to Matt and JP for choosing me as an AmeriCorps member to lead this process.

This was at my first big girl job.

So it was exciting and scary, but I'm grateful the opportunity.

I'm also grateful to the steering committee.

Um, they were a great group, community members leading this process.

They were there with me, being patient and supportive, leading these processes, and they worked well together.

Um, they had passion and they were driven to create a PB process that is meant for the community members that will bring in equality and education, not only about participatory budgeting, but also about the city council and the budget.

So I'm just grateful for the opportunity.

Um, that's all I have to say.

Uh I'll pass it on to the steering committee members.

They'll just introduce themselves and just tell us what uh district that they represent.

Start with Leah.

Thank you.

Good evening, everyone, council members.

Uh, my name is Leo Rodriguez.

I currently live in district three.

And super excited to be a part of this committee.

Thank you.

Good afternoon, everyone.

My name is Smith Francois.

I represent District One.

Um Linden specifically.

Yes.

Good afternoon, Council members.

My name is Sendico Mopitomas, and I'm in District 8.

I am so honored to be here and appreciate everything that you did for us, Melissa.

Hello, everybody.

I am Ronald Murray, and I am in District 9.

Good evening, everyone.

Kristen Hasnight, District 2, and it's been a pleasure.

Thank you.

Good evening, everyone.

I am Nicole E.

Harris, and I represent District 7.

Thank you.

Hello, I'm Sandra Harris, and I represent District 8.

Good evening, everyone.

I'm Jabika Sapkota, and I'm so happy to be a part of this, as especially the youth, and I represent District One.

And wait, come back, come back.

Tell us one, how old you are, and what school you go to.

I am 16 years old, and I go to Columbus Alternative High School.

And this was definitely the biggest thing I've done in my high school career.

And I'm so grateful for this because I got to grow a lot for my peers who I'm very thankful for because they haven't just helped me obtain more knowledge, but they've also helped me be more secure and more confident in myself and in my youth committee as well, and make sure I represent the youth as well.

Thank you.

All right, go ahead and follow that one up.

All right.

Good evening, everybody.

My name is Lawrence or Lal Jackson.

I represent District 6, and uh pleasure to be here.

We thank you for the opportunity.

Good evening, everybody.

My name is Cheyenne Hinkle Moore, representing District 9.

Um, very thankful to be here.

Very thankful that we have Melissa guiding us through this.

Good evening, council members.

My name is Ifan Lisha Akonzala, it's not my name, it's a paragraph.

Um, and I'm representing District 3.

Thank you for having me here.

Good evening, everyone.

My name is Cynthia Engman, originally from Ghana in West Africa, and it's been a privilege to work with this STU's leaders and uh privileged to be a part of this uh PB Stirring Committee.

Thank you.

Well, thank you again to you all uh for all the work that you put in.

I know we have some folks that couldn't be here with us today.

Um, but what I can just say is what you have uh provided for us is invaluable.

Um they have produced recommendations and a guidebook that will guide us through the rest of the participatory budgeting process.

Uh and I'm just thankful for them.

I told them that they are the guinea pig uh in all of this and have allowed us uh to work together in this experiment.

So thank you, thank you, thank you uh so much for the work that you do.

Uh this is a great reflection uh of the beauty of our city uh from all across uh corners of our city, from all across corners of our globe, uh, from all age ranges.

This is what Columbus is, and when we talk about how do we invest in our neighborhoods and invest in our future, it has to include everyone's voice and a process.

And Miss Comfort just got here, so I'm letting Ms.

Comfort come on up.

Come on up, Miss Comfort.

Come on.

You see No, I'm serious.

You you you you popped in, you can't say everybody else said where they from name and district.

I'm sorry, your name and and your and what district you live in.

So right here, right here.

Oh you said come up.

I thought there was steps.

Yes, sir.

So your name and what district you you live in, Miss Comfort.

My name is Comfort Cole Kenna.

I'm in District 5, and pleased to be here in participating in this wonderful program.

I hope we put some real good things down so the next group will say they did well.

Thank you, Miss Comfort.

You didn't ask for all that.

I know.

And you know, Miss Comfort is trying to get me to uh switch over and say that Liberian gel off rice is the best gel off rice.

But we all know that it's from Ghana.

So before I move for uh passage or bring it for all of you to try and make that decision yourself.

I love that.

We're gonna have the jelly, we're gonna have the gel off rice roars, okay?

Yes.

Uh, before I move for adoption, I'm gonna open it up to my colleagues for any uh comments.

Councilmember uh Brussels deputy.

Yes, so um first uh first I want to start off by thanking Melissa.

I also am an Americorlum, and I just want to highlight this is the amazing work that Ameriquarlums of all ages do.

Um, you know, AmeriCorps members do all types of different service, and this was a very different service uh period for you, but thank you for all of your contributions.

I think it was my first big girl job too, which led to this real big girl job.

So you're on the right track.

Um, I also just want to say thank you to all of you.

Um I don't I don't want to say a special thank you to my district eight people, but special thank you to my district eight people.

Um, but I do want to say uh, you know, I think um thank you for your leadership, Councilmember Bangson.

I think the more that we can have, we can bring and open up government to the people, right?

So it's not just your coming to vote, but that you actually your voices are being heard, not just at times when it's a zoning issue or something that's happening in your neighborhood that you may not like or you may like, but you can also talk about how we spend our dollars because all of you are investors in this city, and so by being an investor, sometimes it feels like you're a silent investor, right?

Like things are just happening.

But for you to be able to say, even if it's just a portion of the budget, this is what we think it should go to, right?

This is how we think we should spend it.

This is where we should make these investments collectively and to sit down, people from all parts of the city to be proximate to each other in a way that people are not doing today.

To say that we love our city, we love our neighborhoods, and this is how we want to invest it is something extremely special.

So I'm so excited about this process and how it will continue to unfold.

Thank you for your service.

Thank you for being part of this.

Also, I just want to also mention that none of these folks, I mean, some of you, this might be your first time, but I know we'll see you back here.

Um, but I know that many of you are already involved in your communities, whether it's your specific community, whether you're serving um the community through your organization.

So thank you for your continued leadership.

And for those of you who this is the first time you raise your hand, let it not be your last.

So thank you.

All right.

And with that, again, uh looking forward to the work that you all are going to inspire uh in our community.

And thank you again for everything you've done to this point.

Uh with that, I'll move for adoption.

Oh council member Ross.

Oh, okay.

There you go.

I move for adoption.

Clerk, please call a row.

Bangs Tim Barosa DePodia, De Aka or Dorans Green, Remy Ross, President Hart.

Adopted.

Thank you, thank you.

And again, uh, we will have more announcements.

But the first uh uh public uh hearing that we'll have on this is April 29th uh to discuss more of the details of the work that the committee did.

Uh then one final announcement, um, council member, as we uh have to say goodbye to Melissa Bila.

Uh, we are also saying uh goodbye to another dedicated public servant, my partner uh in good, who has been our fearless leader of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, uh Jason Jenkins, as we give him a round of applause.

Uh very bittersweet moment for me uh as someone who I consider uh a friend, uh a peer, a mentor, really in this uh work, uh someone who has driven, I think uh uh the vision that I have been able to try to capture around our small business.

He's been someone that's been taking a true spirit of collaboration, working across departments, working in community, uh, and now someone who's taking that skill set uh to my alma mater, the best university in all of the global planet, the Ohio State University.

And it's so great we had to put the D in front of it just so you knew.

Um but really I just want to say it to you, Jason.

Thank you for your service.

Thank you for uh doing uh the behind the scenes and the hard work as well as the heart work.

Uh and I know that you those skills would be uh vitally um used at the Ohio State University and will continue to serve this community, but just in a different capacity.

Uh but wanted to not let this moment go by without saying thank you, thank you, thank you.

When I think about how we have moved, uh how this city uh has invests its money uh under your leadership, moving uh to a place where we spend, uh I think it's what four times more than when you started in minority uh spend in our community.

And that's not simply a handout that's really in uh hand up because your team works directly with those folks to get them to be prepared and ready to do business uh with the city and so many other innovative things that you have put in the pipeline that we will finish.

Um but I just wanted to say to you, uh, thank you, my brother, for your partnership, thank you for your leadership and wishing you well in your next endeavor.

Uh before I open it up to uh Director Jenkins, he doesn't know that I was going to do this, so I'm actually putting him on the spot in embarrassing.

Uh any uh any other comments from my colleagues, Madam Vice Chair.

Yes, so um, Director Jenkins, I just want to thank you.

Even before, as a new council member, you were in the mayor's office, and I think you made the transition and building kind of bridges between the administration and council certainly easy for me.

I think being on this uh committee, the work that we've done done together around, you know, also engaging um our Latino population, also engaging our new Americans, engaging immigrants and refugees in the process and ensuring, you know, there they're some of the highest entrepreneurial rates are in those communities and ensuring that they knew their city stood with them.

Um you are such a uh caring loving leader, and I think that has shown in everything that you have done since you've been at the city, um, both with your personal relationships, but certainly your love for community and how you have invested in people.

Um, and that's I I can say this with um lots of confidence that you're everyone's favorite.

So thank you for being everyone's favorite.

You will be sorely sorely missed.

Um, but you have left a lasting impression on the city that I know that you love so much and on all the people that you have worked with.

I was talking to your staff the other day, and they were talking about how devastated they were as the rest of us are.

But this is what we always say with good people that we we have good people here that then we put out into the world to continue to do good work.

And so I'm excited about our partnership together with the Ohio State University and the work that we'll continue to do together.

So thank you.

Congratulations.

Catherine, uh sorry, President Pro Tendor.

Thank you, Chair.

Um, I'm gonna be brief.

Um, but so much of local government is solving problems, small, medium, and large, depending on what the day is.

And you know I've said this to you many times.

You're like Mr.

Fix It when it comes to all those things.

And residents have no idea how much you have shaped this city by solving small, medium, and large problems, sometimes dozens of them in the same week.

And uh it has been an absolute pleasure to work with you and be have an opportunity to become friends and uh local governments and government generally needs more Jason Jenkins in them.

Um and I am uh deeply grateful that you chose to spend a lot of years solving problems with me and other members of this council, and are just deeply grateful for that.

So good luck, but we know you're not going far.

Are you saying something?

Council Ross?

Okay, first of all, you need to make an announcement because now I'm all choked up and I didn't plan to be choked up.

Um I too want to say thank you to Jason.

I think Councilmember Dorrance hit the nail on the head.

He is one of the great fixers of this city, has always been on the other side of a call, has always been boots on the ground in crisis.

There's not a crisis that I haven't been involved in, that you also have not been involved in.

And so thank you.

Also, thank you for keeping yourself safe.

There's some of the most violent neighborhoods I've dealt with.

I would call Jason, you'd be like, Oh, yeah, I'm over here on the stoop.

Why?

Why are you over there?

Please leave there now.

Um, but thank you just for being a man of the people.

Thank you for bringing people perspective to your work.

Thank you for always being a real one.

Thank you for being who you are, showing up as you are in your full authenticity.

We will deeply, deeply miss you here at the city, but I can't wait to see all the great things that you will do.

This city owes you a debt of gratitude for what you've been able to accomplish.

Um I remember you and Elon coming to visit me before I ever got on the council as president of the Northland Community Council, and just the work that you do.

Um I I think the biggest thing that I recognize about you is it's real talk.

And the community knows to go to you because you give them real talk.

We know to go to you because you give us real talk.

So we appreciate um all that you've done and the contributions that you've made.

Um the Ohio State University is getting a um great asset uh and we will sorely miss you.

But thankfully, you're right around the corner.

So I'll see you so I'll see you around.

Um, in addition to a yes to everything everyone has said is um, you know, I talk about how policy moves at the speed of trust.

Um I know people will find this hard to believe, but you can't always trust everybody in this business.

Um, but I could always trust you.

I could always trust that you were um coming to the table with um with a real sincerity to address issues, to solve problems, to be truthful and transparent about uh challenges that we were overcoming.

Um to be honest, uh, you know, when you disagree and why.

Um and that's important too.

And um, man, I'm gonna miss you so much in this role and um here across the city.

But um, I'm just so grateful to have had the opportunity to work with you for so many, many years.

I guess the final thanks comes from the Columbus Kid Caucus uh City Council.

Um Tierra was was hitting on it best in terms of of my feelings for you, Jason.

Um a lot of people uh get titles uh and get positions and forget where they came from.

Uh you got titles and positions, and you made sure you no one for uh uh had to doubt where you came from.

Uh the way that you have represented your people and your community, um, our people and our community um is unparalleled.

Uh and so uh just thank you.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

There is a gap now here at the city uh because you are uh moving on.

Do well, brother.

And with that, Director Jenkins, if there's any remarks you want to give.

And that final last uh baritone, very white voice that you do inside the microphone.

Thank you.

It's an honor and a pleasure to serve.

Um I appreciate the time that y'all have given me to support my community and uh I'm not gonna stop.

So thank you very much.

Thank you.

All right, I think that's the shortest I've seen.

Well, anyway.

Congratulations, Director Jenkins, and uh looking forward to continue to partner with you.

With that, Council President, that's all I have.

Thank you.

Councilmember Russia Depadilla Councilmember Ross, I have handed down the uh the uh illustrious title of being the Michael Jordan crying meme of council to you.

Uh, you carry it well.

Um you mean the go?

Okay.

Um I so last week, sorry, going back.

Last week on Thursday, uh March 26th was women's equal pay day.

It is the day that symbolizes how far into the calendar year that women need to work to earn as much as their white non-Hispanic male counterparts.

And on that same day, I hosted a woman's work, which is my annual event, the fourth annual a woman's work event where we celebrated entrepreneurship.

Female entrepreneurs are some of the fastest growing entrepreneurs in the sector, and we had three of them who gave small TED talks.

We also had a host of uh of a uh resources for women entrepreneurs that were there.

We also hosted uh female entrepreneur businesses.

We had about 200 people that joined us for what I like to call the best girls' night out.

So I want to thank everyone who came out.

I wanted to acknowledge Equal Pay Day, and throughout this year, as we wind down Women's History Month, we will continue to acknowledge Equal Pay Day both for for black women, for moms, for Latinas, and for Native American women that essentially go in that order.

Um so I want to thank everyone for coming out.

I want to thank my colleagues for also supporting me.

Um and I want to in the last few days of Women's History Month.

I just want to encourage folks to go out and support women-owned businesses, continue to support women's causes and continue to support your favorite female leaders.

Um, because especially at a time like now, where it feels like uh we have overcome many things to get to this point.

It feels like some of those things are starting to move in the wrong direction.

Equal pay day for women is actually further into the year, marking the second year in a row that the pay gap is getting larger instead of smaller.

So that is just an acknowledgement of facts and also more fuel to continue to fight for women because when women succeed, everyone succeeds.

So thank you and happy women's history month.

Thank you.

Councilmember Day October.

Thank you, Council President.

Um, first, I will be hosting a public hearing on the proposed amendment to the Big Derby Accord on April 7th at 5:30 p.m.

here in council chambers.

Council, we're here a presentation from the Department of Development on the Accord Amendment process so far, a recap of community engagement efforts, and an overview of the enhanced environmental protections, robust water quality testing, and development districtions development restrictions in the proposed amendment and how it compares to the original 2006 accord.

Those interested can read the draft amendment ahead of the hearing on the Big Derby Accord website by scanning the QR code on the screen now.

And all who wish to submit written testimony or would like to sign up to provide public testimony at the hearing can email my aide, Jacob Dilly at JADilly at Columbus.gov by noon on the 7th.

Additionally, this evening we will be passing a resolution on consent honoring the life and sacrifice of Master Sergeant Tyler Simmons.

We will not be presenting it to the family this evening.

We have arranged for that to be presented at the funeral.

For residents of Columbus who would like to pay their respects, we will be honoring the Master Sergeant at City Council's Memorial Day service that is on Memorial Day at 1 p.m.

at the Lyndon War Memorial, which is located in the park adjacent to the Linden Community Center.

There will be announcements about that event when that gets closer.

And that's all for me this evening.

Thank you so much for your leadership on this resolution for Tyler Simmons.

Councilmember Green.

Thank you so much, Council President.

One quick announcement before I um introduce our one resolution tonight is about the incredible work of Recreation and Parks and a collaboration with Columbus Public Health.

I'll be hosting a camp public health this summer.

So for those that are interested in learning all about the ever-evolving world of public health and all of the incredible work that we do that spans many diverse areas.

Please check that out at their website.

Finally, we do have one resolution on the agenda tonight.

And while I read this resolution, I would love to invite our distinguished guest, uh Sandy Stevenson and her family, and I know Bill, Governor Strickland, Wendy Williams up to the podium.

And while you make your way, I would um it is my honor to present resolution 0072x-2026, recognizing Sandra or Sandy Stevenson for a lifetime of distinguished service in honor of women's history month and National Social Work Month.

So March is uh both Women's History Month and National Social Work Month.

So it is by far my favorite month of the year.

Um, and every month we uh or every year we have worked to sort of highlight and feature um people or organizations that are kind of touching both of those areas.

Um, and it is real, real privilege for me tonight to be able to uh recognize somebody who has been such an inspiration to me and such a change maker across our community, someone whose leadership and mentorship has shaped not just the way that we support people across our community, but also has helped to guide the careers and the lives of so many people who I know are working to uplift it.

Um a few words about Sandy.

Um she has been doing this work across our community for more than four decades, um, and she's been a driving force in advancing behavioral health care access across Ohio and working to strengthen our community-based services and expand access for care for people across the state of Ohio.

Um, most notably, she's always just been guided by this belief that every single person in our community deserves dignity, compassion, and an opportunity to heal.

Um, her leadership has also extended to the highest levels of state government when she was appointed by Governor Ted Strickland, who's here with us tonight, uh, to serve as director of the Ohio Department of Mental Health and as a member of his cabinet.

And um, you know, I think that your work across ODMH and beyond has led to just such broad sweeping systems change across our community that has really transformed the landscape of the way that we're able to support individuals that are living with substance use uh challenges with mental health um hardships.

You've been an early pioneer in advancing coordinated care approaches across our state, and you know, so much so that now these things are just all widely accepted as the best practices of the way that we support people.

Um at the local level, uh you should know uh that Sandy's advocacy has been at the forefront of so many movements that have transformed our systems of care here in Central Ohio, things that uh many of us now take for granted.

You helped found choices uh for victims of domestic violence, um, an organization that we most certainly rely on every single day, um, helped grow the Columbus Coalition for the Homeless, and it was um in many ways your advocacy and commitment that led to the founding of Vista Village, um, a program that we have invested and partnered with you to help uh move forward.

Um, and I said this earlier today during our reception, you know, your impact, it reaches so far beyond just the policies and the programs uh that you have helped to establish.

Um I think that your leadership has demonstrated to people like me and so many others that social workers, that people in human services, that we have a place at the decision making tables too.

Uh, that we aren't just helpers, we're policymakers, we're system changers.

Um I think that's so so important.

And I think that's so so important.

And so I can I can definitely say I think without your example, I would not be sitting up here today.

And so at this point in time, you know, I would love to turn it over.

Actually, if Governor Strickland, could we have you say a few words about about Sandy and her time serving in your cabinet?

Yes.

Sorry for that.

Mr.

President and Council members, I'm pleased to be here to honor one of my favorite people on the face of God's earth.

I've known Sandy since 1981.

I've known her as a tenacious advocate for the least among us, for the most vulnerable among us, uh, for the homeless, for the mentally ill.

And um, so when I became governor, it was a no-brainer that I would ask her to be my director of the Department of Mental Mental Health.

I'm just pleased to be here with her tonight to share with her, her family and her many colleagues, and saying to you that there are people living today that I think would not have been living were it not for Sandy Stevenson.

And um I'm just proud to be her friend.

Thank you.

Thank you.

That's quite an endorsement.

Um so, Sandy, at this point in time, before we um open it up to the floor, I'd love to turn it over to you to say a few words.

And again, we're just so grateful to be able to honor you and recognize you for all of um the incredible work you've done across our community for so long.

Council President Harden, Council Member Green, another council members.

I made my comments earlier at a gathering.

So rather than repeat those comments, I want to thank all of you for the work you do.

Work isn't work when we're in service to people.

It's a privilege to be able to commit to efforts that help our community and help people, and that's what all of you do.

That's what you think about before you go to bed.

It's probably what mate wakes you up in the middle of the night sometime when you realize some other things you want to do.

And I just want to quickly comment on a couple of things you've recently done that said Columbus Ohio stands for something because of you and your work.

You stand up for what's right.

You provided funding, new funding for the core program recently that allows the organization I'm with, Southeast and Mary Haven, to do something really different with the folks on the streets of Columbus who are causing excessive use of police time and EMT time because nobody has been able to connect with them and make a difference.

So our challenge that we uh gratefully accept it is to connect and make a difference over the course of time and to work differently.

I also want to comment on your focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion.

As you know, across the country, there's there has to be a walking away from that because of different orders coming down from the federal government.

Not because people want to, but because they want to keep their money so they can keep on providing services, and you've stood firm on that.

That was evident tonight again.

Those are positive words, and those are things we should all cling to and do, and you're doing that.

And I also want to thank you for taking care of our sanctuary city by making it very clear that we have expectations in Columbus, Ohio about how people will be treated.

So thank you for what you do.

I I think that everything you just said represents the like true deep servant leadership of how you have lived your entire life of service when given a recognition and the opportunity to say a few words about all of the incredible work that you've been able to accomplish.

Um you point to us.

And also that is an encouragement as well to continue down this path, and I keep going forward.

And I just um you inspire me every day.

Um I'm just so grateful to you.

So at this point in time, I'd love to open up to my colleagues to say any words.

I just want to say um thank you.

I think, you know, whenever I see um women who were able to uh break down barriers, were willing were able to lead in their particular professions, especially as we talk about women's history month.

When I look at the women who were able to achieve the things that they were able to do, we wouldn't be the women's caucus wouldn't be here without women like you.

And without women who at different points in your career, you reach back to help another woman, that you were you set a gold standard, that you helped to bring people along.

And I think that is the true harmark of a woman leader, right?

That's what I think differentiates us.

And so I want to thank you for the intentionality of your work.

I want to thank you also for your words.

I think you know, it's challenging at a time like this to sometimes feel like you're you know you're doing the right thing, but sometimes the voices telling you you're not are sometimes louder than the people who are always standing with you.

And so to hear that reminder is always good.

So I want to thank you for that.

Um, and just you know, you've you continue to leave a life of leadership and and of giving and of servant leadership.

And I think the point that you made around this is not work, it is a privilege.

It is a privilege to be a voice for people.

It is a privilege to um it is a privilege to uh think about them and to think about the decisions and how to make their lives better every day.

And so thank you for setting that standard and um thank you for continuing to do that work.

Okay, well, um seeing no other uh comments or questioning questions with that, I move for adoption.

Okay.

Quick, please call the role.

Bangstin, Barosa de Podia, de Aka or Dorans Green, Rumi Ross, President Hard.

Adopt it, um, that's all for me tonight.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember.

Councilmember Remy.

Councilmember Ross.

Thank you, Council President.

Just one announcement and one resolution this evening.

Um, the announcement is we or my office will be having our second listening session in the community on April 7th.

We will be at the Fran Ryan Center from 12 p.m.

to 2 p.m.

This listening session will be focused on our seniors talking about barriers into housing, talking about barriers into meeting their basic needs, and so I'm really excited to bring together a group of seniors so really we can just hear and listen from the community.

So if you are a senior, a service provider or someone who just wants to be a part of this work, we welcome you to our listening session.

Again, it's April 7th from 12 o'clock to 2 p.m.

at the Fran Ryan Center.

And then we've got resolution number 0071 X-2026 to recognize and honor Paul Sauer on his retirement from the City of Columbus Department of Building and Zoning Services after 25 years of service and leadership.

And so if I could have Paul Sauer come up, our resident cowboy.

And if the army of code officers and building and zoning inspectors could stand up with him.

He is here with an army of supporters.

He is also here with his 95-year-old mother who is with us.

We are honored to have her today with his wife Laura.

All right.

Paul Sauer has dedicated 29 years of service to the betterment of our community, having begun his career as a code enforcement officer on March 31st, 1997.

He spent 21 years in the Franklinton area serving the community through inspections and enforcement of housing zoning, environmental health, and nuisance abatement city code sections.

On December 30th, 2018, he transitioned to the role of code enforcement specialist for the environmental blight abatement section, where he has continued to make significant contributions.

Paul Sauer has played a pivotal role in the abatement of environmental blight by overseeing the boarding up of thousands of vacant structures, drug houses, averaging 650 per year, ensuring the safety and security of our neighborhoods.

Paul coordinated hundreds of court-ordered cleanups, resulting in the restoration of community pride and improving public health.

And under his guidance, his team successfully clean and mold over 3,212 properties and removed and disposed of over 4,000 tires from both public and private properties and right-of-way areas, significantly contributing to a cleaner and safer environment.

Paul's unwavering commitment to environmental stewardship and community safety has set a standard for excellence and inspired countless individuals to act in preserving our environment.

Members of council want to recognize, commend, and celebrate Paul Sauer for his exemplary service and dedication.

I want to express my deepest gratitude for the positive impact Paul has made in our community and wish him a fulfilling retirement filled with joy and relaxation alongside his wife, Lara, and also welcome his 95-year-old mother to council.

You have an exceptional son.

I started my career.

Paul Sauer gave me a ride from the east side of Columbus to a place called Beachwood Market.

And it was my first ever nuisance property that we took care of.

And I thought I might, it might be my last.

That's how fast Paul was driving me to that border.

But Paul has always, always answered the call, always been a support to me and my work here at the City of Columbus.

And I am so proud and honored to be able to recognize you today.

Before we give you a moment to speak, and before I give my colleagues a moment to speak, Director Messer from the Department of Building and Zoning Services would like to say a few words.

Yes, uh, thanks, Councilmember Ross, President Hard, and other members of council on a night where we're um apparently celebrating a lot of public service.

Uh I think it's so fitting uh to acknowledge a whole lifetime uh that Paul has given.

Uh you had a great amount of statistics there, but it's almost impossible to really measure the impact um that a lifetime public servant has.

And I think it's um incredibly fitting that we're uh talking about someone who really has been on the front lines uh as a code enforcement officer, uh uh taking care of blight and other things around the city, driving the bobcat himself, doing everything that he can do, hands-on, uh, always been a hands-on leader.

I know, even on days off, calling in to check on his crew, making sure they're doing what they're supposed to do.

Really one of those true public servants who just can't stop, uh, who just wants to serve and is always uh has a servant heart uh and a leader that I uh look up to for all that he has accomplished during his entire lifetime.

So I really want to say thank you, Paul, to you and your family that's here.

Thank you for all you've done for the city.

Like I said, um, it's hard for us to capture in a list of accomplishments or statistics, which you've really accomplished and the impact you've had week after week after week after month after year after year.

So thank you.

Thank you, Director.

Paul, you got some words for us.

Uh thank you all for making a big deal of this.

I actually I really want to thank my course my mother, my wonderful wife Laura, and all my coworkers and co-enforcement.

It was a it was a it was a great experience.

Uh the last nine years with my co-workers in EBA, Dan Copley, Harry, and Twitch Dahl back here.

Uh we were a team.

People would say I was the supervisor.

I tell him I just take the attendance.

We're all part of the program here.

But I I appreciate everything from everyone.

Thank you.

Thank you, Paul.

I am honored to have co-sponsored this resolution with my colleague, Councilmember Melissa Green.

So I'll give you a few moments to make comment, and then we'll open it up to the rest of the D.

Oh, can you hear me?

Uh, for those of you sitting up here who might not know the legend who has Paul Sauer, that is by design.

He has been the best kept secret in Columbus, the person that when there is a problem.

You know, we talked about uh Director Jenkins.

You know, when you have a problem you need to solve like a policy problem, he's a he's your go-to guy to fix it.

But when there is a physical problem some somewhere across our city for which there is no solution, you better call Paul.

Uh, he's gonna, he's gonna take care of it for you.

Uh, you know, the and and for years, for years.

I like you know the how the cable companies they cut down.

I mean, I heard stories of, you know, back in the 90s or you know, however long it was, Paul Sauer and David Huey up on a ladder, cutting all the cable lines that they just cut and let dangle in our alleys.

I mean, like literally any problem that you could think of.

Um, Paul is a person that is there to solve solve it and has always been there to solve it.

And I don't know who's gonna solve our problems now, but y'all better figure that out pretty quick.

Um, or else we're gonna be in really tough shape.

Um, you know, Paul's also a guy that when your moped's broken down and you can't get it to move, you call him too, and he'll show up for that as well.

Just a person that emulates like the best of what Columbus is, a person that is fun and kind and always uh there to care for the people around them.

And I feel so grateful to have known you for so many years, to have uh gotten to go on so many fun adventures, drink lots of sippies, um, and uh I'm sure the team here is gonna miss that.

Um I'm thank you and congratulations on making it out of here.

Thank you, council member.

Any other comment for my colleagues?

Seeing that I move for passage.

Clerk, please call the row.

Thank you.

Thanks, simple banks.

Wait, Banks Simborosa de Padilla, de Aka or Dorans Green, Remy Ross, President Harden.

Adopted.

Thanks.

That is it for me.

Thank you, Councilmember.

Uh, I don't have any resolutions, but I do just have one hearing that I'm hosting a juvenile safety hearing alongside public safety chair and vice chair Remy and Ross this Thursday, April 2nd at 2 p.m.

here in council chambers.

We do we plan to discuss how to keep our young people safe at uh in and out of school.

We'll discuss tools and recommendations to make sure we address issues that might arise with crime in truancy.

So we want to invite folks out uh to that public hearing uh and to participate.

Um there any comments from our elected officials?

Uh are there instead?

Are there any uh requests by members of council for the removal of an ordinance or resolution on consent portion of the agenda?

Seeing them, may we now have a motion to waive the readings of titles of 30 legislation by the city clerk.

Is there a second?

Clerk please call the role.

Banks Timberosa de Pudia, de Akar Dorans Green, Remy Ross, President Harding.

Thank you.

Well, the clerk now reading to the record ordinance number 30 legislation on tonight's agenda for first reading.

And finance and governance committee, we have ordinance two uh 823 and 871-2026, economic development and small and minority business ordinances 845, 890, 892, and 894-2026.

Public Service and Transportation Committee Ordinance 825 and 830-2026, neighborhoods, recreation and parks committee, ordinance 672 and 675-2026.

Public Utilities and Sustainability Committee ordinances 516 521 535 592 613 648 703 781 840 844 and 866-20 uh 26.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

We don't have speakers on the uh first reading of the following uh ordinance appear on our agenda as consent.

Would the clerk now read those into the record?

Resolutions of expression.

We have um ordinary, I'm sorry, resolution 73x-2026, Finance and Governance Committee, ordinance 2575-2025, ordinance 506, 508, 517, 530, 620, 706, 755, 757, 778, 843, 869, 883, and 903-2026, economic development and smaller minority business committee, ordinance 637, 768, 776, 804, 810, 811, 812, and 879-2026.

Public Service and Transportation Committee Ordinance 639, 654, 692, 722, 747, 760, 761, 770, 9 and 918-2026, neighborhoods, recreation and parts committee, ordinance 671, 676, 678, 680, and 681-2026.

Workforce Education and Labor Committee ordinances 710, 783, and 886-2026.

I'm sorry, 877-2026.

House Housing Homeless and Building Committee Ordinances 837910-2026.

Public Utilities and Sustainability Committee Ordinances 1793 460 473 563 6067 719 720 765 816 and 870-2026.

We have A67, A68, A69, A70, A71, A72, A73, A74, A75, and A76-2026.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

Are there any questions or comments on the consent portion of the agenda?

Hearing none.

Clerk, please call the roll.

Bankston, Barossa De Padilla, Day Achar, Dorns Green, Remy Ross, President Hardin.

Consent agenda is passed.

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

Yes, there is one abstention.

We'll call it by voice.

May I have a motion to uh uh reconsider.

Clerk is called the roll.

Bankston, Barossa de Padilla, Day Akaur, Dorns Green, Remy Ross, President Hard.

We are reconsidering now.

Can I have a motion to for approval of these items and it is consent by voice?

Clerk, please call the role.

Bankstem.

Yes.

Barossa de Padilla.

Yes.

Day Achower.

Yes.

Dorns.

Yes.

Green.

Yes, with the exception of uh ordinance 065 0654-2026, from which I abstain.

Raimi.

Ross.

Yes.

President Hard.

Yes, consent agenda carries with a noted accession.

We'll now proceed with a second reading of 30 day postponed emergency legislation.

The first committee to come for council is the finance and governance committee.

Chaired by Councilmember Banks and Councilmember is yours.

Uh thank you, Council President Harden.

First, up tonight in the Finance and Governance Committee for second read.

We have ordinance 0652-2026 to authorize the city attorney to modify and extend the existing contract with Day Force U.S.

Inc.

for the renewal of the day four software subscription, software, hardware, and services to authorize expenditure of 2.2 million four hundred thousand dollars from the Department of Technology Operating Fund to authorize the expenditure of $80,000 from the Employee Benefit Fund.

This ordinance modifies and extends our existing three-year contract with Day Force U.S.

Inc.

for the continued use of the Day Force platform.

The current contract for these services was authorized in 2023 for a three-year period and is set to expire this September.

This modification will establish a three-year extended agreement with pricing and services subject to annual authorization and appropriation from council.

The pricing agreement would establish caps on any annual price increases of 0% for subscription fees in year one of the new term and no more than 2% in each of years two and three.

It includes licensing, hosting, maintenance, support fees, and professional services for the day force system and time clocks manufactured by D Day Force U.S.

Inc.

for the enterprise-wide benefits administration payroll personnel management and the employee self-service system.

The contract includes the renewal of software subscription services as well as ongoing support, hardware, and related services necessary for system functionality.

Continuity of this system is essential to ensure accurate payroll processing benefits, uh, pay pay sorry payroll processing benefits management and compliance with reporting requirements.

Are there any questions or comments from my colleagues?

Seeing none, I move for passage.

Please follow.

Banks Timberosa De Padilla, Day Akaur, Dorns Green, Remy Ross, President Hardin.

Thank you, Council President.

That is the first and last thing that I have in my committees this evening.

Next committee.

Next committee coming for council.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Next committee coming for Council of Public Service and Transportation Committee chair by Council Member Day Dia and Council McClor is yours.

Yes.

Thank you, Council President.

Um so this evening in public service and transportation, we have three pieces of legislation, and I'm very, very excited.

Um all pieces of legislation this evening directly connect with our vision zero plan, directly connect with um really combating some of those infrastructure issues that we have had along the high injury network.

And so for each of them, I'm going to give, share some highlights as we talk about what the legislation means, and then director, I'm probably gonna kick it over to you a couple times.

So uh first piece of legislation uh is 0448 2026 to amend the 2026 capital improvement budget to authorize the transfer of funds within the streets and highways bond fund to appropriate funds from the street and highway improvement fund to authorize the director of public service to enter into a contract modification with Orchard Hilts and McClimate Incorporated doing business as OHM advisors in connection with the roadway, Livingston Avenue, Alum Creek Trail to James Road Project, and to author authorize the expenditure of up to 1,043,003 from the streets and highways bond fund and the street and highway improvement fund to pay for the project.

This project is on the Vision Zero Columbus High Injury Network due to the number of serious or fatal crashes involving involving vulnerable roadway users like people walking, cycling, or scooting.

This project will bring important upgrades like shared use path, better signal um traffic signals, improved street lighting design to enhance safety for all roadway users along Livingston Avenue from Allen Creek Trail to James Road by improving visibility and physically separating pedestrians and cyclists from vehicle traffic.

This project is also in partnership with the city of Bexley.

So I have to say, as a lifelong Eastider, these are the streets that I drive quite literally every day.

James Road is the barrier of my or borders, not barrier, borders, my community.

And I know that we've made significant improvements on James Road and Livingston Avenue.

But director, can you talk a little bit more about what these roadway improvements will bring?

Good evening, uh, President Harden, Chair Barossa de Padilla, and other members of council.

This is a pretty exciting project.

This is um a project that we've this is the long-term phase of a project that we've had underway for several years now.

We did some short-term improvements because people were literally running into houses on Livingston Avenue, and something had to be done immediately.

So we did some road roadway modifications.

This improves the roadway modifications, puts some medians out there to beef up our re or lane reallocation project.

And as you said, it does add a shared use path to the south side and a wider sidewalk to the north side.

So that's very exciting, especially for folks who have lived along James Road as James Road used to be one way in each direction.

We've right widened it to four to two lanes in each direction.

We did a road guide on Livingston Avenue, added some barriers at the intersection of Rod and James.

See, I told you I know this area because this is my neighborhood.

So I'm very, very excited.

I also want to just again thank the folks in Bexley because they have been um this is the border of Bexley and Columbus, depending upon where you're talking about.

And so they've been a great partner in this project as well.

So I just want to thank um the department first and foremost as a resident, and secondly, as the chair of um this committee.

So do my colleagues have any additional questions or comments?

Seeing none, I move for passage.

Banks Tim Barosa de Podia, De Ach Howard, Dorans Green, Remy Ross, President Harden.

Thank you.

Next we have ordinance 0628 2026 to authorize the director of public service to enter into professional services contract with Burgess and NIPL Incorporated for the roadway improvements multimodal engagement and planning 2026 project and to authorize the expenditure of up to $300,000 from the mobility operating fund to pay for this project.

The goal of this project is provide the Department of Public Service with funds to carry out engineering, surveying and technical work for the multimodal engagement and planning 2026 project.

This effort focuses on evaluating select streets and corridors across the city and developing designs that better meet current mobility needs.

The work may include traffic and parking analysis, bikeway planning, transit considerations, and improvements to pedestrian pedestrian infrastructure.

It can also involve placemaking, public art, and even testing ideas through quick build or pilot projects before full implementation.

Ultimately, the goal is to improve how people move through our city and create safer, more connected, and more vibrant streets for everyone.

So this is around a lot of our planning that we do for infrastructure improvements, a lot of our analysis.

Um is there anything that you want to add to that, Director?

Good evening again, President Harden, Chair Person APDI, members of council.

Uh, this new version of the contract is intended to put an even greater emphasis on the earlier stages of planning and engagement with the public and our residents, as opposed to engineering and design services.

But I will say that this will include preliminary design services and traffic analysis as well.

But there's a lot of emphasis being put on the early planning and engagement.

That's great.

And this again is a lot of when we talk about roadway projects, that analysis and that data really helps us make those decisions.

So as we're looking at different corridors and different improvements, this is really the information that we take to help in that decision making process.

So do my colleagues have additional questions or comments?

Seeing none, I move for passage.

Bangs, Dem Barosa de Podia, De Aka or Dorans Green, Remy Ross, President Harden.

Thank you.

Next and last, we have ordinance 0712 2026 to authorize the director of public service to enter into a contract modification with Ribway Engineering Group Incorporated in connection with the Bikeway, McNaughton Road, Main Street to Broad Street project to authorize the expenditure of to $900,000 from the streets and highways bond fund to pay for the project and to declare an emergency.

This project is located in the Vision Zero community of interest.

This ordinance authorizes the director of public service to modify the contract to add additional funds for detailed design services and continue right-of-way design.

The project will improve connectivity, safety, and mobility for people walking and biking along McNaughton Road.

This project provides additional design resources to install a shared use path along McNaughton connecting to a separate city project extending to East Broad Street.

A sidewalk will be added on the opposite side to connect residents to bus stops along with some improved crosswalks.

The project may include roadway widening to turn for turn lanes, new street lighting, and new curbs.

So this is about this is only a portion of a 11.5 million dollar project.

And for my colleagues, I just want to remind us.

So in 2024, there was a McNaughton zoning that we looked at.

It was about 300 apartments that we had around 100 residents who came in who were redoing outreach to council.

And one of the things that we talk about, and we talk about this often in zoning, is that we were going to do roadway improvements.

And so we understood that this is first of all, at one time this was a rural road.

It has pieces of the road that are difficult, right?

There were some ditches, there were some other things that were happening that made it difficult for us to address those.

So I wanted to point this out because many times in zoning, we talk about with zoning comes different opportunities.

Either it's already something that's in the pipeline or additional resources will come.

So because of the project that's coming into McNaughton, we're already building sidewalks, and then because of a larger project that we already had, both at the intersection of Broad and McNaughton, at the intersection of Maiden McNaughton, we are also looking at improvements down McNaughton, including that shared use path and the turn lane.

So, director, is there anything that you want to add to what folk what else folks can expect?

Good evening again.

Um, one thing I will add is that uh this that one of the most compelling reasons for us to do this Vision Zero safety project is to is because there was a child killed.

Her name was Elizabeth Lizzie Robertson Rutland.

She was 11 years old, and she was killed on this roadway as she was getting ready to get onto a school bus one early morning several years ago.

And so that's a compelling reason for us to do these type of projects.

It's it's very unfortunate, but it is um it is one thing we wanted to mention that we you know we do this in honor of her.

No, and thank you.

Shady Lane Elementary School is right off of McNaughton, and this was one of the things that many residents were concerned with because, like many of our roads, I mean, I think about Barnett.

Barnett is a very similar road on the east side that has those ditches that um is difficult and tricky for us to understand or for us to think about that infrastructure improvement.

And as we're thinking about how the city grows and changes and how we're thinking about infrastructure to make things safer for everyone, this is just an example of that.

And so I want to I want to just discuss the timeline and check my work and make sure that I've got this right.

But so 11 million, 11.5 million dollars will be spent on the project.

We're looking at land acquisition in this year and leading into 27 with some work being done, but then groundwork being done in 28 and then leading up until 31 that we think the entirety of all pieces of this project will be done.

Is that correct, Director?

That is correct.

This is a part of a much larger project.

There's a phase two that is going to be done with the Link Us transit lab supportive infrastructure that will run from East Main Street south to Livingston.

So there will be eventually a proje or a shared use path continuously down McNaughton from Broad all the way to Livingston.

Thank you.

And um, I just again wanted to highlight this because as we're having conversations, it's easy to get lost in one conversation.

The timeline I know is one that I wish that we could all make move faster, but it's hard when you're moving infrastructure, especially ensuring that people can still move on a very busy corridor like McNaughton and on Broad and on James, or I mean broad in Maine.

Um, and so um I'm I just wanted to ensure that folks can we can connect the dots when we have the conversations that sometimes we have when people are really worried about what that infrastructure looks like, that this was coming, that we made a promise to the community that I wanted folks to see that this is a part of it.

This is again just the planning piece, but that more is yet to come, and we talked about what that timeline is.

So I just again want to thank the department because as we work on um continue to work on Vision Zero, it is not easy.

We do not always that those infrastructure infrastructure changes takes a lot of time, takes a lot of resources, and you wanted to add something.

I yeah, I mean, you're right.

This project is tough.

I mean, McNaughton Road is one of the most challenging roads for us to put this type of facility on.

That's why it's expensive.

That's why it's time consuming.

It's going to take us some time to get it out there.

But I mean, the work is needed.

These arterials that have so much traffic, yet pedestrians and vulnerable users on there, it's needed.

So I appreciate the support.

And as you said, construction in 28 on this piece.

And I think uh the last thing I'll say is that I just want to also hope that residents see that you know, while it takes time and it'll take us some time to figure it out.

It's almost no road is impossible, right?

We can look at these infrastructure changes because I know folks thought because of the ditches, because of those retainers, that a sidewalk was not possible here, and we're proving that it is.

And even though, again, the timeline is not what folks hope it would be.

I know that this road is going to be safer, and especially for those kids and those neighbors and those families who travel along this corridor.

It's gonna look and feel very, very different for them.

So I wanted to open up to my colleagues if they have any questions or comments.

Yes, Councilmember Green.

Um now I know why you're why your comments in our zoning committee meeting a couple weeks ago are so very specific related to these retainers.

Um Chair, I just want to thank you.

I feel like I, you know, we're I'm always as it relates to the West Side talking about like the infrastructure improvements that are needed, and I'm so excited.

You know, director, that also I really want to thank you and your team.

I got really really excited.

This is the stuff that is so important to our residents, it's so important for our kids and our families.

Um, and it's the stuff that people see and they feel it directly touches their lives every single day.

And I absolutely am so excited every time I get it.

You know, we get a project like this that where it's like really proactive planning um and and working to do these important, you know, sidewalks are not always like the most exciting thing, you know what I mean?

Like everyone wants.

Yeah, it's so important, it's so so so important.

And so I'm just I love to hear it.

I love to see it, and I'm excited to support this work, and thank you.

Thank you for your leadership.

Thank you.

And same to you, Director.

Any other comments?

So, again, I just want to thank the department because uh as we continue, you know, and I say this probably in every zoning hearing.

Uh Chair Dorns, you we talk about this often.

I think our infrastructure growth does not match our people growth.

People move a lot easier than roadways and construction and everything that we're trying to do.

And so as we are kind of catching up, we put in all these all of these different strategies that people can start to see feel and see in the immediate as the like longer term strategies come.

And so I do want to credit the department with the work that we're doing, and we have these opportunities.

I appreciate you all giving me the time to just demonstrate how we are showing up for community, how we are working on these like longer term problems as we are working on the short-term solutions as well.

So um, with that, I move for passage.

Please call the role.

Thanks, Denver, day a coward dorance green, Remy Ross, President Hardin.

Passed.

Thank you, Council President.

That's all for me.

Stay safe, everyone.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Next committee to come before council is the workforce education labor committee chaired by council member Dorrance.

Councilmember Floor is yours.

Thank you, Council President.

Uh, we have ordinance number 0346-2026 to authorize the interim director of the department of human resources to enter into a service contract with Harris Ashley, Jean uh DBA.

Fresh food perspective LLC for the dietitian service contract to authority expenditure of $70,000 for the employee benefits fund to pay for this contract and to authorize the expenditure of funds for reasonable food and non-alcoholic beverage expenses to waive competitive bidding provisions of Columbus City Codes and declared emergency.

Uh this ordinance supports a contract for fresh food uh prospectives LLC to provide employee health and wellness programming, including virtual and in-person individual consultations, live virtual talks, seminars, and classes across numerous city columns departments for evidence-based nutrition education.

Department of Human Resources contract with the dietitian service provider uh for over 12 years and has requested a waiver committee provisions given the providers' familiarity with the city.

Do I have my colleagues have your questions or comments?

See not a move for passage.

Clerk, please call the role.

Thanks.

Tim Barosa DePodia, De Aka or Dorns Green, Remy Ross, President Hard.

Passed.

Thank you, Council President.

I have my committees at this time, but I want to hand it back to you because we still have the neighborhoods of recreation and parks committees.

The next committee coming for council is the neighborhood recreation parks committee chair by Councilman De Akar.

Councilman Floor is yours.

I felt so rejected.

Thank you, Council President.

Um tonight in our committee, we have ordinance 0682-2026 to authorize the director of the recreation parks department to modify existing contracts with Rogers Cranak Arctic Architects Incorporated and Cecily Building Services LLC for the Beatty, the Beattie Community Center Renovations Project to authorize the appropriation of $2,581,112.20 within the Recreation and Parks Permanent Improvement Fund to authorize a transfer of $2,800,000 within the Recreation Parks Permanent Improvement Fund and Voted Bond Fund to authorize the amendment of the 2025 capital improvements budget to authorize the expenditure of 3,900,000 from the Recreation Parks Permanent Improvement Fund and Voted Bond Fund and to declare an emergency.

In August of 2024, an accidental fire broke out in the gymnasium of the BD Recreation Center, leading to fire and smoke damage throughout the building and forcing the department to temporarily close down this recreation center.

While this unfortunate incident has caused a lack of recreational access to those in the Near East community, the department has seized this moment as an opportunity to make much needed renovations to other areas of the center and also to evolve the center by converting it into a teen-oriented community center.

Funds for this project come from both voted bond dollars and insurance payouts.

The initial design contract included funds for pre-construction and long lead time equipment costs.

This ordinance authorizes a planned modification to continue the construction phase of the project as well as a planned modification to the design contract.

This project is now anticipated to be completed by October 31st, 2026.

Are there any questions or comments from my colleagues?

Seeing none, then I move for passage.

Thank you.

Clerk, please call the row.

Bangs, Tim Barosa De Padilla, De Aaka or Dorans Green, Remy Ross, President Hardin.

Best.

Thank you.

Next we have ordinance 0683-2026 to authorize and direct the Director of Recreation Parks Department to accept a grant from the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce in the amount of $2,500,000 for the 2026 Summer Food Service Program to authorize the appropriation of $2,500,000 to the Recreation Parks Grant Fund to enter into an agreement with Columbus City Schools in the amount of $2,300,000 for the preparation and delivery of meals for the Summer Food Service Program to authorize the expenditure of $2,300,000 from the Recreation Parks Grant Fund and to declare an emergency.

The Summer Food Service Program is an annual program administered by the U.S.

Department of Agriculture through the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce.

The program provides nutritionally balanced breakfasts, lunches, and snacks to qualified children in need during the summer months at no cost to the child or family.

The program expects to serve over 80,000 breakfast meals, 100,000 lunch meals, and 15,000 snacks.

Thousands of children will be served through this program at 100 to 130 sites throughout the Greater Columbus area.

This program is vital to in ensuring that those children who depend on school meals during the academic year do not become food insecure during the summer months.

Are there any questions or comments from my colleagues?

Seeing none, I move for passage.

Bangs, Tim Barosa DePadilla, De Akaur, Dorns Green, Remy Ross, President Hart.

Thank you.

Next we have ordinance 0748-2026 to authorize the director of the Recreation and Parks Department to enter into advanced pay grant agreements with 104 local registered 501c3 nonprofit organizations and support a summer youth programming to authorize an expenditure in the Recreation Parks Operating Fund and to declare an emergency.

Last week I had the privilege of joining the mayor in announcing the recipients of the city's 2026 summer youth program grants.

The summertime and any time out of the school year year-round is a pivotal time for our children's development.

It is vital that we invest in program that programming that meet youth where they are.

Today council is voting on nearly $7.5 million in grant awards to altogether 105 nonprofits who are boots on the ground in the community, showing up for kids in the summertime by offering enriching and safe opportunities for growth.

So congratulations to all the organizations being awarded funding this year.

Your investment in our youth is paving the way for a bright future in our city.

Are there any questions or comments for my colleagues?

Seeing none, I move for passage.

Second.

Thanks, Tim Barbosa de Padilla, de Aka or Dorns Green, Remy Ross, President Hart.

Thank you.

And finally, we have ordinance 0947-2026 to authorize the director of the recreation parks department to enter into an advanced pay grant agreement with Kingdom Image Arts, a 501c3 nonprofit organization in support of summer youth programming to authorize an expenditure in the Ricks Recreation Parks Operating Fund and to declare an emergency.

This ordinance authorizes another one of our summer youth program grants.

Are there any questions or comments for my colleagues?

Seeing none, I move for passage in request of voice vote.

Thanks, Tim.

Yes.

De Yak Hour.

Yes.

Dorans.

Yes.

Green.

Remy.

Yes.

Ross.

Same.

President Hard.

Yes, Orange is passed.

Thank you.

That's all in my committee this evening.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Next committee to come before council is the Health and Human Service and Equity Committee.

That committee is here by Councilmember Green.

Council move forward yours.

Thank you so much, Council President.

Tonight in our Health Human Services and Equity Committee, we have uh three ordinances on second reading.

Um, because they are all related, I'm just gonna uh do a description for all of them at the beg at the beginning here.

So um our first ordinance is ordinance zero eight nine sewing twenty six to authorize the director of the department of development to execute grant agreements with numerous not-for-profit social service agencies and an amount of up to $9,775,000 for the ELOVE program to authorize the expenditure of funds prior to the establishment of the purchase order beginning January 1st, 2026 through December 31st of 2026 to authorize food and or non-alcoholic beverage um beverage expenditures as part of the standard operating cost for some of these nonprofit organizations to authorize the advancement of funds on a predetermined schedule during the term of the agreement to authorize the transfer uh between object classes in an amount uh up to $3,701,000 and the expenditure in an amount of up to $3,475,000 within the hotel motel tax fund to authorize the expenditure in an amount up to $6,300,000 within the cannabis host community special revenue fund and to declare an emergency.

Um the Elevate uh program will provide $10 million in organizational level funding to support uh local tax exempt businesses with an annual operating budget of uh above $250,000.

These tax exempt organizations uh will be eligible to receive who are eligible to receive funding are those in which provide services and or support directly uh within Columbus and Franklin County, uh two households below the Alice Alish through Alice Threshold or asset limited income constrained and employed households uh in one or more of the following areas financial security, housing stability, homelessness, wealth building, and behavioral health and trauma.

Um this is not a surprise to anybody across our community right now.

There are more and more people that are struggling to get by, struggling to keep a roof over their head, struggling to keep food in the fridge, struggling to keep their utility bills paid.

Um, and we you know right-sized our investments uh temporarily uh, you know, when we uh uh received federal dollars during the COVID pandemic.

The and that right sizing our of our investments uh really showed us at that moment in time what was possible when our needs of our community uh were met with the adequate amount of resources to address them.

Unfortunately, as we all know, those resources are long gone now.

And we've talked about this pretty openly here at the city.

Um, much like nearly every other uh municipality across the United States right now, the loss of those federal dollars and economic hardships and policy decisions that are outside of our control are pushing our own city's budget to its breaking point right now.

Uh but unlike other municipalities across the United States that are rolling back their investments in their critical human infrastructure.

We are not.

We are maintaining our 10 million dollar investment over a three-year investment periods to support the people across our community that are supporting the people across our community.

Um, and that's more important than it ever has been before as we see historic disinvestment from every level of funding that supports our local uh our social safety nuts from the Fed all the way down to local philanthropy.

We're really excited this funding cycle is going to not just provide uh funding for this year, but also uh these are three-year funding cycles.

So for the next three years, uh you know, revenue that organizations can rely on uh during this period of instability.

Um I also think it's really important to note that you know I I couldn't be more grateful for the work that we did during the budget process to ensure that we had a fully funded Elevate program for this budget cycle, but um, we also have to acknowledge that the FRAC report released recently um just identified a more than 200 million dollar gap annually that is needed to shore up our social safety nets.

Um and so this doesn't um get us there by far.

Um, but it is an important step in maintaining our commitment to our most important asset, which is our people, um, along with the commitment to continue to look how to bridge those gaps.

One thing that's really exciting, and director uh Stevens, I would love if you could talk about this.

You know, your team really um did some incredible work to implement a new process for how to bring real equity um uh into the way that we're evaluating these applications this year.

Um and so I would love to see if you could talk about that briefly.

Thank you, President Harden, Chair Green, members of council.

This year, um applications for the Elevate grants were all peer reviewed and ranked.

So as part of the application process, each applicant nominated, designated reviewers, and those reviewers were assigned to evaluate sets of applications, excluding anywhere they had a conflict.

Um each reviewer is asked to identify and rank their top five applications within each set, they reviewed, and each application was reviewed approximately 20 times by different reviewers, so every application was evaluated multiple times.

Those rankings made up 100% of the input used to determine the funding decisions, and the city, while the city designed and managed the review process and ensured it was carried out as intended.

Uh it did not adjust or override any of the reviews that were completed or the recommendations.

Thank you.

I think that's really important because I think that um I think that they're rightfully across the sector has been a feeling of mistrust over years, you know, that the way that we have um not we as a city specifically, but across many different layers and many different levels of funding, but it hasn't always been equitable the same way that our city's bidding processes, for example, you know, where it's very clearly codified in the you know, lowest and most qualified bidder, right?

Like that's a that's a very fair and transparent process.

And so I think here one thing that is just really exciting is both um both being able to award uh these funds with better efficacy because we have experts that are reviewing the applications um to really use that expertise to decide, you know, what projects we should award, as well as in restoring that trust.

Um, that you know, no no one in the elected position or in a government role is putting their thumb on the scale that we're doing our um due diligence as we always have been, but we're always trying to continue to figure out how to improve public trust when we're making these investments.

And so I want to thank you for the work that you and your team have done around that.

Uh, we do have one um person here to speak tonight on this ordinance.

I'd like to invite um Sharome Hathaway, CEO from Epic Youth and Kendall Bell uh to the podium at this time.

Mr.

Hathaway, thank you so much for being here tonight.

Uh the floor is yours.

President Harden.

Councilmember Green, thank you.

Fellow council members, thank you all.

I've been fortunate to meet many of you and know you.

Um my name is Sharome Hathaway.

I'm the chief operating officer of Epic Youth, and I have with me today one of our students.

Hi, everyone, my name is Kendall Bell, and I'm 11th grader at Bishop Hartley High School, and I am the chair of the Epic Student Board.

Epic Youth, our vision is to create a dynamic and inclusive and transformative ecosystem where young people are equipped with the skills, competence, and support to thrive in school, career, and in life.

We serve youth across Columbus, many navigating economic hardships, exposure to violence, and limited access to opportunities.

Our work is not about an eruption, but a redirection, meeting young people early and guiding them towards purpose.

Council members, funding the health and human service industry and other organizations such as ours through opportunities such as Elevate is not just funding, it's capacity for impact.

It allows organizations like ours to strengthen so many things that feels like have been taken away.

And these work, the working families are doing everything right and still falling behind, as you all may know in some areas.

And so how we address these challenges here, you know, we at Epic Youth, you know, we're provided we're here to support youth through developing um leadership opportunities.

We're building disciplines, we're building character, we're making sure that they're ready for the workforce, providing those ways.

Number two, we do preventative programming for just involved youth.

We redirect paths, right, to make sure that they are ready for the next phase of life.

We also provide financial literacy and sometimes resources through programs such as our ballers conference and our other literacy education um opportunities that we provide.

But long story here, we are not just supporting youth, we are developing future workers.

We're developing our leaders, and we are developing the contributors to our society.

But the reality is, just as Councilmember Green has stated, just as well as our organization and other health and human service organizations, um, the need is greater than the current investment.

Our organizations and such as organizations in this room are doing everything on frontline.

We are the boots on ground.

Many of our corporate community, you know, they depend on us to touch and feel the community.

Many of you in the public sector are also um use us to do the same and distribute resources to community.

And one day I dream of being in the one to not only do what we do for the community, but you know, expand our help in doing that.

It's hard being the one who you know sometimes is jumping in front doing programming and being the one with the biggest smile and making sure that students like like Kendall are successful in all areas, but I go home at night and I'm doing bookkeeping and I'm processing payroll and you know, making sure that the accounting and everything is right just to make sure that the organization is thriving.

So when you think of increasing funding for human service sector, it's not an expense, it is a long-term investment in safety and stability and economic growth for Columbus.

When we fund prevention, mentorship, development, we reduce future costs and intervention.

Kindle, would you like to say anything?

Absolutely.

I think what he says about it being a long-term investment is what's so important.

I do not think I would be the person I am today, the person speaking in front of you, if I did not have the foundations from Epic Youth that is provided me.

Between leadership and networking and professional development, I have truly become a better person and a better worker and a better future for this country, for this city, especially.

And I think that is so important for Columbus area students.

You know, we see the education is important, the math, the social studies, the history, but the professional development, learning how to carry yourself when you walk into a room and learning about financial literacy is just as important, if not more.

So I think that this program is really important for the Columbus area students to become better people overall.

So thank you.

Kind of so thank you again for your leadership and continued support of the health and human service organizations in general and uh for Epic Youth.

Uh, we are grateful and we look forward to continuing this work together.

Thank you all.

Thank you so much.

Um, Mr.

Athaway and Ms.

Bell for being here tonight.

To your point.

Um the health care and human services sector is central Ohio's largest job sector.

It's a central Ohio's fastest growing job sector as well.

Um, investments in our human services sector are investments in economic development.

And let's also be very clear that last year, last calendar year, two out of every three of these tax-exempt businesses ended the calendar year in the red.

And it's not because two out of every three of them are bad at math.

This is a systems problem.

And in a city where the majority of our city's general fund budget is funded through income taxes.

And if our fastest growing job sector, our largest job sector in central Ohio is near the verge of collapse, and we're not investing to figure out how to stabilize it.

That has massive budgetary implications for our own city's uh budget, as well as for all of the people like Kendall in our community uh that benefit from these programs.

These are investments that make dollars and cents.

Um, and we're proud to be able to stand beside you right now to continue maintaining uh the promises that we've made to our community um as well as our committed to figuring out how we go further so that you can um maximize the possible impact for all the incredible work that you do.

Um if I could first of all I love Epic Youth.

I um as a youth worker, I think the work that you do with young people is amazing.

We partner with Epic Youth um during uh Octo the month of October during Day of the Girl.

We bring four to five hundred girls together from across CCS, well, from a different schools in CCS to do a um a one-day camp to really expose them to careers in STEM, and you and Aaron have done an amazing job of creating a fun learning atmosphere.

I mean, we brought girls from Spellman College, um, other students so that I mean girls who didn't even know what Spellman College was now saw a career path for them.

Um, and youth work, I know is it's like um youth work is like growing an oak tree, right?

Like it's going you are going to plant the seed today and you're gonna water it and it's gonna grow well past after you can take care of it.

And Kendall is an example of that.

Also, you got it in your DNA, Kendall.

I've known Kendall since she was a baby.

She went to daycare with my daughter now.

They go to high school together.

And um thank you for being here.

It's amazing that you're here, and thank you for speaking on behalf of your peers, because I think council member green.

Um, one thing I also want to share with folks, and this is something that we talked about at Women's History Month.

You know, all of our entrepreneurs said I got all these awards, people highlighted all the great work I did, but nobody ever invested in me.

Right.

And I think the same way that the city makes an investment.

I also want to say that each one of us here today can make an investment in the thing that we care about.

We can make investments in students like Kendall, we can make investments in Epic Youth, we can make investments in all of the amazing nonprofits that we have in the city, right?

Even forego your coffee for a week or you know, find that thing that you want to do, that little extra money that you make, because if all of us gave $10, all those $10 add up.

And so I want to I want to just talk about also the the opportunity that each one of us have.

We talk about being an investor in the city, you don't get to choose that, but you certainly get to choose where you where else you want to be an investor.

And so when I see all of these amazing programs that come in, and we will do our part, but I also want to remind folks that each one of us can do our part.

And so this is another amazing program that folks can invest in, that we can grow amazing oak trees and plant those seeds and continue to water them and give our young people this opportunity to discover themselves, try on different opportunities and find a pathway for themselves.

So I want to thank you for your work, but also give folks a reminder that we can all be investors in the things that we care about as well.

Absolutely.

Thank you so much, Councilmember.

Um do I see any other comments or questions for my colleagues?

Seeing that a move for passage.

Second.

Banks.

Tempo Rosa de Podia, de Aka or Dorans Green, Remy Ross, President Hard.

Thank you so much.

Um, and then very quickly we have ordinance um uh an additional ordinance related to uh this funding ordinance zero eight nine eight-2026 to authorize the director of development to execute a grant agreement with Alvis Inc., a not-for-profit social service agency in an amount of up to 75,000 for uh the elevate all program to authorize the expenditure of uh funds prior to the establishment of the purchase order beginning January 1st of 2026 through December 31st of 2026 to authorize the advancement of funds on a predetermined schedule during the terms of the agreement to authorize the expenditure and an amount of up to 75,000 within the hotel motel tax fund and to declare an emergency.

Um are there any other questions or comments for my colleagues?

Seeing none, I move for passage by voice.

Clark, please call the road by voice.

Bangs name Barbosa de Padilla.

Yes, Dayakaur, Dorand, Green, yes, Remy, yes, Ross, yes, President Hardin.

Um and finally, we have ordinance 0899-2026 uh to authorize the director of development to execute a grant agreement with a Columbus Early Learning Center and not for profit social service agency in an amount of up to 75,000 for the Elevate All program to authorize the expenditure of funds prior to the establishment of the purchase order beginning January 1st of 2026 through December 31st of 2026 to authorize the advancement of funds on a predetermined schedule during the term of the agreement to authorize the expenditure and up to 75,000 within the hotel motel tax fund and to declare an emergency.

Are there any questions or comments for my colleagues?

Seeing none, I move for passage by voice.

Clerk, please call the roll by voice.

Bangston.

Yes.

De Akaur?

Yes.

Dorrance.

Yes.

Grain.

Yes.

Remy.

Yes.

Ross.

Yes.

President Hardin.

Abstain.

Ordinance passed.

Uh thank you so much.

That is all for me tonight.

Is there a motion to recess for zoning?

The move.

Clerk, please call the row.

Bangstin, Burosa De Padilla, De Akawa Dorans Green, Remy, Ross, President Hard.

Clerk, please call the row.

Bangstin, Barosa De Padilla, De Akawa Dorans Green, Remy, Ross, President Hardin.

Can I get a motion to spend the reading of the journal?

Clark please call the row.

Bangstin, Barosa De Padilla, De Akawa, Dorans, Green, Remy, Ross, President Harden.

Are there any additions or corrections to the journal?

Hearing none, the journal is approved.

We'll now go to the zoning committee.

Councilmember Dorans chairs of that committee.

All mover started one.

Council member floor is yours.

Thank you, President Harden.

Before as always, we begin tonight's agenda.

Allow me a briefly explain our rules speaking on uh rezonings and variances.

We only have a staff presentation or ordinance so they have a disapproval from recommending body, or if we have a public speaker to sign up to speak against an ordinance.

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

We ask those speakers to limit their remarks to three minutes uh pro standard rules of this body.

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

Representative area commission are always able to speak in an ordinance and do not need to follow.

Speaker slip would you ask the alert city staff in your intent to speak at this committee hearing?

We do not have any public speakers signed up to speak on tonight's agenda.

On the advice city attorney's office will now swear in city staff.

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

Do you swear affirming the testament you're about to give shallow shall be the truth?

Nothing but the truth that usually answered a pace of penalty perjury.

If so, please say I do.

I do.

Thank you.

Please have the record reflect that Brandon Carpenter from the Department of Building and Soviet Services has been sworn in.

First, we have ordinance 0838-2026 to rezone 5311-5313, rent a road being 0.35 plus acres located in the south side of Runner Road, 275 plus feet west of Atlas Reef from ARLD apartment residential district to L1 limited institutional district.

Site consists of one undeveloped parcel, uh portion of a parcel in the request of rezoning for allow the expansion of an existing natural gas regulation station, locating the remainder of the parcel uh to the west.

The concurrent council variants will be considered later on in our agenda on this proposal as well.

Proposal has approved some city staff development commission and the far west side area commission.

Do my colleagues have questions or comments?

Seeing none and move for passage.

Right.

Bangston, Barosa De Padilla, Day A Kaur Dorans, Green, Remy, Ross, President Harding.

Passed.

Thank you.

Moving on the variance.

Uh, we have uh ordinance 0815-2026 granted variance provisions, section 333, 2.035, R3 resident district, 3312.49 C require parking Columbia City Coast property located 1107 East Mound Street to allow a daycare center, produced require parking in the R3 residential district.

Site is developed with a uh former religious facility, and the requested council variance will allow the existing building to be repurposed as a daycare center.

A council variance is required because the current zoning district only allows daycare centers when they are accessory to a school or religious facility use.

Uh proposals approved from the city staff and the Near East Area Commission.

Our first move to accept the entire step report into evidence as an exhibit.

Bangston, Barosa DePodia, De Akawa Dorrance, Green, Remy, Ross, uh, President Hardin.

Again, next move to adopt the finance staff, the finance council.

Bangston, Barosa De Padilla, De Akawa, Dorans, Green, Remy, Ross, President Harding.

Thank you.

Finally move for passage.

Second.

Bangston, Barosa De Padilla, De Akawa, Dorans, Green, Remy, Ross, President Hard.

Thank you.

Next we have ordinance 0818-2026 grant advanced provisions of section 333 2.02.

Rural District and 3321.05 B2 Vision Clearance and 3332.06, R Rural Area District Requirements of Columbus Codes for property located at 5751 Soburn Street to allow two unit dwelling reduced development standards of the R Rural District.

Request Council variance will allow a two-unit dwelling on a undeveloped parcel.

Council variance is required because the current zoning district does not allow two unit dwellings.

A variance to uh reduce vision clearance and lot area also including the request.

Proposal to approve as the city staff in the Northwest Civic Association.

Our first move to accept the entire staff report and do evidence as an exhibit.

Bangstin, Barosa De Padilla, De Akawa Dorrance Green, Remy, Ross, President Hard.

Thank you.

Next move to adopt the five staff, the finance of council.

Clark is called the row.

Bangstin, Barosa De Padilla, De Akawa Dorans Green, Remy, Ross, President Hard.

Finally move for passage.

Clark, please call the row.

Bangstin, Barosa De Padilla, De Akawa Dorans, Green, Remy, Ross, President Hard.

Thank you.

Uh 0.04 AC area height area yard regulation, Columbus City Coast for properly located 5311-5313, run a road to reduce uh required development standards in the L IM Limited Institutional District and Institutional District and revoke ordinance number 2712-92 passed July 11, 1993, and ordinance number 0063-2024 passed January 8th of 2024.

Um this is a concurrent variance of rezoning we heard earlier in tonight's agenda.

Banks Timber Rosa de Padilla, De A Cowards Green, Remy Ross, President Hardin.

Thank you.

Next move to adopt the five staff, the finance of council.

Second Risk Collarow.

Banks Timber Rosa de Padilla, De A Cowards, Green, Remy, Ross, President Harden.

Thank you.

Finally move for passage.

Banks Timber Rosa de Padilla, De A Cowards, Green, Remy, Ross, President Harden.

Thank you.

Uh finally, we have ordinance 0841-2026 organic variants and provisions of section 3353.03 permit to use the Columbus City Coast for property located at 2515 Lockburn Road to allow two to allow accessory storage in the C2 commercial district.

Site consists of one parcel developed with a charitable organization.

They requested council variants will allow uh three eight feet by 40 feet shipping containers to be used for accessory storage at the rear of the site.

Council variants to require because storage is not allowed in use in the in the that current zoning district.

Proposal approved and see staff in the Far South uh Columbus Area Commission.

I first move to accept the entire staff report into evidence as an exhibit.

Banks Timber Rosa de Padilla, De Akaur Dorrance Green, Remy Ross, President Harden.

Thank you.

Next time I move to adopt the five staff of the finance of council.

Bangs Timber Rosa de Padilla, De Akawa Dorans Green, Remy Ross, President Harden.

Thank you.

Next move to amend to emergency.

Banks Timber Rosa de Padilla, De Akawa Dorans Green, Remy Ross, President Harden.

Thank you.

Finally move for passage as amended.

Banks Timber Rosa de Padilla, De Akawa Dorrance Green, Remy Ross, President Hardin.

Council Presidents, all we have tonight's zoning agenda.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Banks Timber Rosa de Padilla, De Akawa Dorans Green, Remy Ross, President Hardin.

Uh we are in meeting number 15.

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

Councilmember Remy, Chair's committee.

Council Member Floor is yours.

Thank you very much, Council President.

Tonight in Public Safety and Criminal Justice.

I have eight ordinances on second read.

So first is 251, 2050 2026, to authorize the director of public safety on behalf of the division of support services to enter into a new contract for maintenance with Cincinnati Bell Inc.

doing business as agile network builders LLC for network connectivity between the city's communication towers and the dispatching centers to waive the competitive bidding provisions of the Columbus City Code and to authorize an expenditure of 141,360 from the general fund.

This ordinance authorized a maintenance contract with Cincinnati Bell, also known as J Agile Network Builders to maintain network connectivity between the city's communication towers and dispatch centers.

This leased circuit system links radio sites and dispatch centers to the state of Ohio's primary radio system.

A bid waiver is requested as Cincinnati Bell in Agile Network Builders is the established provider for the network connections required to interface with the state of Ohio marks system utilizing agile, who also provides service directly to marks, ensures the city operates on a shared compatible network.

Are there any questions or comments from my colleagues?

Seeing that I move for passage.

Please call the row.

Banks Timber Rosa de Padilla, De Aka or Dorns Green, Remy Ross, President Hardin.

Passed.

Next I have 366, 2026 to authorize the appropriation of 2,525,931 dollars and ninety cents from the unappropriated balance of the law enforcement contraband seizure fund to the division of police to fund travel and training needs and purchase equipment, supplies, and services, and to declare an emergency.

This ordinance appropriates funds from the unappropriated balance of the federal state law enforcement contraband seizure fund for the division of police funds are derived from seized and forfeited property and are restricted to law enforcement purposes as specified in ordinance 1850 85.

Emergency action is requested to ensure funds are immediately available for travel training license renewals and maintenance and compute computer services necessary to support the continued operation of the division of police.

Are there any questions or comments from my colleagues?

Seeing that I move for passage.

Second clerk, please call the row.

Passed.

Passed next is 751, 2026, to authorize the Director of Public Safety to enter into contract with Lexus Nexus Risk Solutions, FL Inc.

for access to the accurate investigative database to weigh the competitive bidding provisions of the Columbus City Code to authorize the expenditure for 171,500 from the law enforcement contraband seizure fund and to declare an emergency.

This author this ordinance authorized a contract between Lexus Nexus Risk Solutions FL for continued access to the accurate investigative database, which provides personnel with efficient access to criminal records across Ohio and nationwide.

A bid waiver is requested as ACURA and is the only database of its scope and also integrates with the city's Premier One system.

Emergency action is also requested to ensure uninterrupted access to this criminal investigative investigative tool for the division of police.

Are there any questions or comments?

Seeing none, I move for passage.

Banks excuse me.

Banks Tim Barosa de Podia, De A Coward Dorns, Green, Remy Ross, President Hard.

Passed.

Next, I have 766, 2026, to authorize the director of the Department of Public Safety on behalf of the Division of Fire to enter into preventative maintenance agreements with the Stryker Sales Corporation LLC to waive the competitive bidding provisions of the Columbus City Code to authorize the contract as multi-year and renewable to authorize the expenditure of $31,688 from the general fund for year one and to declare an emergency.

The ordinance authorizes a multi-year renewable preventative maintenance and repair contract with Stryker Sales Corporation LLC for Lucas compression devices and stair chairs used in emergency medical services.

A bid waiver is requested as striker is the sole distributor of the proprietary equipment.

The division of fire will be purchasing wholesale sale directly from Stryker for cost savings, whereas a bid would result in the division purchasing the same equipment through a distributor.

Emergency action is requested to keep equipment in proper working order and ensure EMS operations continue at peak levels without interruption.

Are there any questions or comments from my colleagues?

Seeing none, I move for passage.

Clerk please call the row.

Banks Tim Barosa de Podia, De Akaur Dorns, Green, Remy Ross, President Harton.

Next is 769, 2026, to authorize the Director of Finance and Management and Director of Public Safety on behalf of the Division of Fire to enter into contracts for the purchase of consumable supplies and preventative maintenance, respectively, with striker sales corporation for striker power load cots and bariatric cots for use in daily emergency services and emergency medical services.

To weigh the competitive bidding provisions of the Columbus City Code, Chapter 329 to authorize the expenditure of 208,473.

From the general fund and to declare an emergency.

This ordinance authorized contracts with striker sales corporation to cons for consumable supplies and preventative maintenance of the of striker load cots and bariatric cots used in EMS operations.

As bid waiver is requested as striker is a sole distributor of the proprietary equipment.

Emergency action is requested to keep supplies stocked at adequate levels, avoid potential supply chain issues, and ensure EMS equipment is maintained and operating at peak levels.

Are there any questions or comments from my colleagues?

Seeing none I move for passage.

Clerk please call the row.

Banks Tim Barosa de Podia, De Aqua Dorns, Green, Remy Ross, President Hardin.

Passed.

Next is 842, 2026, to authorize the Director of Public Safety on behalf of the Division of Fire to enter into a contract with issue and issue a purchase order to Phoenix Safety Outfitters LLC for the alteration and repair the division of fire's turnout gear gear to waive the competitive bidding provisions of the Columbus City Code to authorize expenditure of 100,000 for the general fund and to declare an emergency.

This ordinance authorized a contract with fire acquisition company doing business as Phoenix Safety Outfitters for the alteration repair of division of fire turnout gear.

Fire acquisition company also provides services to ensure compliance with NFPA standards for cleaning and repairs.

A bid waiver is necessary as timely repair and customization of the division's turnout gear is vital to the safety of division personnel.

Emergency action is requested to ensure uninterrupted service and protection for division of fire personnel.

Are there any questions or comments from my colleagues?

Seeing none, I move for passage.

Clerk please call the row.

Banks Tim Barosa DePodilla, Day A Coward Dorns Green, Remy Ross, President Hardin.

Passed next is 875, 2026 to authorize and direct direct the director of public department of public safety to pay the city's proportionate share of operational and administrative support activities of the Franklin County Emergency Management and Homeland Security Program, including the mass notification system and outdoor warning siren system fees to authorize the expenditure of $1,020, $237.44 cents from the general fund and to declare an emergency.

This ordinance authorized the City of Columbus's share of funding for the Franklin County Emergency Management and Homeland Security Program.

The program manages the county's outdoor warning sirens and mass notification system as well as supports disaster planning, public education, and emergency exercise.

Emergency action is requested to pay an outstanding invoice and avoid any disruption to these services.

Are there any questions or comments from my colleagues?

Seeing none, I move for passage.

Next is 908, 2026 to authorize and direct the director of the Department of Public Safety to modify and extend the contract with Change Healthcare Technology Enabled Services, LLC for EMS billing collections and reporting services from April 1st, 2026 to May 31st, 2026, to authorize the expenditure of 200,000 from the general fund and to declare an emergency.

The ordinance modifies and extends the current EMS billing collection and reporting contract with change health care technology enabled services, LLC, through May 31st, 2026.

The modification limits the scope of services to collection of outstanding receivables only, ensuring proper closeout of accounts during the transition to a new vendor.

A bid waiver is requested as change health care technology services.

Uh is the current provider in continuity of services necessary to complete collection of outstanding EMS receivables.

Emergency action is requested to ensure uninterrupted collection services through the transition period to a new vendor.

Are there any questions or comments from my colleagues?

Seeing that I move for passage.

Bangs Timberwolves deputy, day a coward dorms, green, reamy Ross, President Harding.

Based.

Thank you very much.

That's all I have this week.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Final committee coming for council is the housing uh the housing and homelessness committee.

Thank you, Council President.

We just have one ordinance on second read this evening.

It is ordinance number 077-2026 to authorize the director of development to enter into a grant agreement with National Church residencies for the new construction of Clover Glen 2 in an amount up to $2,300,000 with the total commitment to the project of $4,300,000 to authorize the expenditure of up to $2,300,000 from the Affordable Housing Bond Fund and to declare an emergency.

The new construction of Clovergan 2 is a 95-unit community for seniors aged 55 plus, located at 100 Galloway Road in Columbus, Ohio.

Clover Glen 2 serves a unique and growing aging low-income population in Ohio.

It is a senior housing community that will offer 95 one-bedroom units with all units affordable to residents at or below 60% AMI.

This project will have an on-site service coordinator, and residents will have access to services that promote health, wellness, and quality of life to prolong independent living for individuals with varying levels of health.

Of particular note, the property is within walking distance from the Prairie Township Community Center, which offers a pool of fitness center walking path and seasonal farmers market, in addition to hosting programming specifically for seniors, including adult education opportunities.

Residents will also have walking access to dental care, eye care, grocery shopping, park with walking trail, place of worship, pharmacy dining salon, bank and bus service.

The Clover Glen 2 property is planning to close, uh or National Church residencies is planning to close on the Glover Glen II uh construction and on the financing deal for Clover Glen II in April of 2026 and begin construction soon after construction is expected to last 18 months, finishing in the fall of 2027.

Only question I have for Director Stevens is uh why we are passing as an emergency.

Uh President Harden, Chair Ross, members of council, we are requesting emergency action to expedite the closing of the pre-con of the construction loan for the developer.

Thank you.

No questions or comments from my colleagues.

I move for passage.

Oh, we have a speaker.

Oh one speaker of Mr.

Wilkins is coming to speak, and I believe he is speaking in support of this ordinance.

Thank you for coming to council.

1612, other than two been in my house for 19 years.

First of all, let me just say again.

Um this thing here is a great idea, but I think it needs to be more money of 4.5 million dollars and 76 cents.

Um I know a lot of time we're leaving out the disability people, people in wheelchairs and stuff like that.

And also the uh uh here and pair.

And so to see this thing to come with elderly population, and also not affordable for here and here or the disability of blind folks.

So I just want to know when did this got started, if it's located on the bus line, or everything is is just in walking distance for people that's walking walkers or uh some type of cane accessibility and and things like that for wheelchair accessibility.

And so if we are looking at this, is these apartments or whatever that this is going to be, is it all on one level or uh based on their uh future needs.

So again, I'd just like to have more clarification.

What is the timeline of this?

What was phase one look like?

I don't know what was phase one look like.

I know we are passing this, but this is a great idea.

But I would like to see more of this in certain parts of the uh Columps, Ohio area.

If this isn't, I think this is in Perry Township or something like what you said.

I'm not for sure.

So I'll just like to have more clarification on this.

Thank you for your time.

Thank you, Mr.

Wilkins.

If you'd like to stay up, um Director Stevens will address some of your questions now.

Uh thank you, Chair Ross.

Uh I don't have all the details.

They will be breaking ground early summer, and we'll follow up.

Um team will follow up with you for some of the other questions, answer some of your other questions.

Thank you.

Now see no further questions are there.

Is there was there already a second?

Wasn't there we need a second for her?

Bangs Timberosa de Padilla, de a carns, green, reamy, ros, president Harden.

Passed.

See no further business coming for counsel.

Is there a motion to adjourn?

Bang's Temperosa De Padilla, De Akaur Dorns, Green, Remy Ross, President Harden.

Meeting is adjourned.

Mr.

Wilkins, you can come back up.