This evening, Council is grateful to have an old friend, Monsignor Cody here to pray with this.

My senior, welcome back to council.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

It's always a pleasure to be here.

Brothers and sisters, let us pray.

Oh, good and gracious God.

Members of our Columbus City Council have gathered to conduct the business of our city on behalf of the citizens of our city.

May your wisdom guide their deliberations tonight and always as we seek together to work for the common good of all of us in Columbus.

Our council members ask for your guidance.

We are concerned that our nation is engaged in yet another war.

We pray for peace and a renewed sense of mutual understanding and respect among the nations of our world.

Send a spirit of peace among us and special blessing on the members of our council and the citizens that they serve.

Amen.

Thank you so much for seeing Cody.

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.

Clerk please call the royal.gov as well.

Again, each speaker will be limited in the remarks lasting no longer than three minutes.

So again, really looking forward to uh really kicking off and getting the next phase of our petitionary budgeting process uh rolled out, as many may remember.

Uh, we're able to secure nine million dollars, a million dollars for each of our districts to go through a process by which uh residents will lead us through an exercise of collecting uh ideas for their neighborhoods and also voting directly on what they want to see uh in those capital projects.

So really excited about that process and want to thank all of the residents who have stepped up uh during the steering committee process and have put the guidebook together that will help uh guide us through that uh uh endeavor.

Uh so again, looking forward to having everyone out on April 29th.

That's all I have.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Uh Councilmember uh Dia.

Uh thank you, Council President.

Happy spring, everyone.

It's April, and uh as the city uh has begun street sweeping this month, so April through October, uh, the street maintenance section sweeps streets from early April, and then it goes all the way until the last week of October.

The street sweeping program is focused on mitigating environmental concerns to prevent pollution from entering into our waterways.

So please, please, please pay attention to the street cleaning signs in your neighborhood so that your car does not get towed, or if you're visiting one of the other beautiful areas of our city, just make sure that you pay attention to those signs since it is that season.

Um and unfortunately, I wish I had happier announcements, but it's a beautiful day, so thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember.

Councilmember Day of Gauer.

Thank you, Council President.

Um, I have one resolution this evening.

And as I read the title, I would like to invite Michael Rawl and invited guests of the Parkinson's Foundation up to the podium.

So resolution 0090X-2026 to recognize the month of April as Parkinson's Awareness Month and commend the efforts and increased education and research by the Parkinson's Foundation.

As the spouse of someone living with Parkinson's, I'm always proud to bring forward this resolution each year.

It is an opportunity to uplift a group educating and raising awareness and clearing up misconceptions around the second most common neurodegenerative disease in the country.

Parkinson's disease is a chronic progressive neurological disease affecting approximately one million people in the United States, diagnosing 90,000 new people each year.

There is no objective test or biomarker for Parkinson's disease, and there is no cure or drug to slow or halt the progression of the disease.

The symptoms are extremely wide-ranging beyond just tremors, and it is not a disease that exclusively affects older adults, like many presume.

The Parkinson's Foundation is an outstanding nonprofit that has been helping those living with Parkinson's and their families and caregivers for decades.

Whether it is through their fundraising for research, they're helping folks get up and move, which is the number one way to manage symptoms, or their education and advocacy work.

This organization shows up time and time again for those living with this disease.

So I'm happy to once again be sponsoring their annual Columbus Moving Day walk on Sunday, April 26th at 10 a.m.

at Wolf Park.

I would now like to hand the floor over to Michael Rawl from the foundation to talk more about the importance of reconcilizing Parkinson's Awareness Month.

Thank you very much, Councilwoman Nancy Day Awker and the Columbus City Council.

There are over a million people in the United States with Parkinson's disease.

And our foundation works very hard to work towards a cure and to make life every uh day a little bit better for people with Parkinson's and those who love them.

And uh thank you very much uh for supporting um moving day this year.

Um our invited guest.

Yes, long time volunteer.

Hi, Tom Graffio.

Hi thank you.

Thank you so much for for coming down.

Um thank you all for your dedication um to helping those living with Parkinsons.

Um, as I mentioned for everyone out there, if you're interested in participating in Moving Day, um you can go to my social media accounts, and there's uh flyer there with a QR code and also a link.

So you can go to the website.

Anybody can walk for free, or you can also participate in fundraising.

Are there any questions or comments for my colleagues?

Seeing none, then I move for adoption.

Clark, please call the role.

Thanks, Tim.

Barroso Depodia, de Achower Dorns Green, Remy Ross, Weich President Hart.

Adopt it.

Thank you very much.

Thank you, Councilmember Prespotan.

Thank you, Council President.

Uh, no resolutions, but I did have an announcement, as some folks in the community may have seen in the dispatch uh this past week.

I submitted an op-ed regarding recent criticisms of the structure of this body, Columbus City Council, and committed to uh this body hosting a public hearing on the topic in the coming weeks.

Uh tonight I'm announcing that we'd be holding that hearing on April 28th, uh, 530 here in these chambers as part of the rules and reference committee uh to consider uh a number of different issues.

But this hearing will focus on um both the current structure of council, uh the history of this body, uh, our history as a city, and how different council structures exist not only here in Ohio uh but across the country.

I'm hopeful that this will be a productive hearing for the community uh to weigh in about this topic that has uh certainly been brought up a number of times over the years.

If uh residents would like to sign up or submit public testimony, uh please email my aide, Annie McDonald, before 3 p.m.

on April 28th.

Um you can submit that testimony to AEB McDonald at Columbus.gov, either to submit written testimony or to request to be a speaker at that hearing.

Uh appreciate my colleagues for their willingness to hold that hearing and to do so quickly here before the end of the month.

Um that's all I have this evening.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Uh thank you, Proz Pro Tim.

Just um this is a big conversation to have.

Uh and you know, in 2018, we came together as a city and put together a compromise, I would say, from folks who didn't want to see any change, but uh but you know balance against folks who wanted to see some change towards district elected uh seats, and it's a big conversation, it's a tough conversation, and but it was one step, and it feels like the community is ready to talk about a next step.

And so just thank you for your leadership uh willingness to to host that conversation.

Councilmember Green.

Thank you so much, Council President.

Tonight we have one resolution on for presentation this evening, and as I introduce this resolution, I'd like to invite um Ava Um Greer up to the podium to speak.

It is resolution 0088X-2026, recognizing April 10th of 2026 as National Youth HIV and AIDS Awareness Day.

Uh, National Youth HIV Um AIDS Awareness Day is a nationwide observance calling on our um communities to invest in health and education and leadership of young people that are affected with HIV.

There's more than uh 1.2 million people in the United States who are living with HIV and young people between the ages of 13 and 24 make up about 20 percent of all new diagnoses.

Um yet they are the least likely group to be retained in care or achieve uh suppressed viral load.

And I think that's really important because there have been some really significant um you know uh progress that has been made in the treatment and diagnosis and um prevention of HIV care.

And um, so you know, the work that um people like Ava do and um as an ambassador for advocates for youth um is absolutely so important.

Um advocates for youth partners with young people and their adult allies to champion youth rights to bodily autonomy to build power um to transform policies and programs and systems um to make sure that we all have an equal opportunity to live happy, healthy um lives.

And so um Ava, we're really honored to have you here today, and I was hoping to turn the floor to you and say a few words about why you do this work and why it's so important and what we need to know.

Thank you, Councilmember Green, for the introduction.

Um I'm honored to be here to support um National Youth HIV AIDS and awareness day.

Um I think it's really important because it helps to bring awareness to the disparities that young people go through when getting care, as well as increasing education and awareness, um, advocating for testing and health centers, um, as well as affirming the city of Columbus's commitment to the health and well-being of young people.

Um so thank you, Council members, for your time and consideration.

Thank you so much.

We know that you know, knowledge and even understanding of um how to promote sexual health is becoming more and more challenging with our young people, just with all of the um stuff that's happening or not happening in our schools with um access to sexual health education.

Um, yeah, I mean the work that you just do is very important, and we are very happy to support it and honor and recognize it and join you also in that work every day.

I know our partners at public health do a lot of incredible work through our uh with sexual health promotion, um doing community-based testing and providing free testing services through the health department.

So it's certainly something that we are very committed to, and we are so grateful for your partnership and your leadership among the community, helping to bridge those gaps with our young people where they exist.

Journey, my colleagues have any comments or questions.

Seeing none, I move for adoption.

Clect Please Collar.

Thanks, Timper Wilson De Padilla, de Achoward North Green, Remy Ross Weiss President Hard.

Adapted.

Thank you, Councilmember.

Councilmember Remy.

Thank you very much, Council President.

Um, just want to let everybody know that I'm hosting a second hearing on short-term rental regulations on Tuesday, April 21st at 3 30 p.m.

here in council chambers.

Anyone wishing to submit written or public testimony should email Pedro Mejia.

That's PDMEA at Columbus.gov with the title STR hearing by 12 p.m.

on Tuesday, April 21st.

And I also want to share that we are just about a month away from the fifth annual Cleaner Columbus Citywide Cleanup.

We hope to see you or your organization.

Um sign up at CleanerColumbus.org, and we will be cleaning up the city on May 9th to ensure our city is as clean as possible.

Thank you very much.

That's all I have.

Thank you, Councilmember.

Councilmember Ross.

Thank you, Council President.

No resolution is just one announcement this evening, and that is to announce our fourth community working hours that we will have in the community.

It will be located at Parsons Library tomorrow, April 14th, from one o'clock to 3 o'clock p.m.

It is a very casual opportunity.

Me and my staff will be out in community.

You can come, ask a couple questions.

If you do remote work and need a new place to do remote work, you can come and do that with us as well.

Uh really just an opportunity to kind of increase our capacity to be in community and hear from you.

So we look forward to seeing you tomorrow, one to three p.m.

at Parsons Library.

Thank you.

That's all.

Thank you, Councilmember.

Councilmember Weich.

Thank you, Council President.

First and foremost, happy Earth Month, every uh everyone.

I know we're 13 days in.

Hopefully, we've taken some time to be outside and give back to our Earth.

Um I have one quick announcement uh and then one resolution.

I'd like to invite everyone to the upcoming public utilities and sustainability committee hearing this Wednesday, April 15th at 3 30 p.m.

The hearing will take place here in Council Chambers and will include discussions on the Columbus Green Fund, the Environmental Science Advisory Committee, and surveillance pricing.

If you'd like to provide testimony at the hearing, please email my aide, Chelsea Goltiman at C L G O L T E R M A N at Columbus.gov by noon tomorrow, April 14th, and specify in person or written testimony with a copy of your remarks.

The hearing will be streamed live on the City of Columbus YouTube channel in the Columbus City Council Facebook page.

Next, I'd like to invite up the local food action plan team to the podium to accept this next resolution.

As they come up, I'd like to introduce resolution 85X-2026 to recognize and celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the Columbus and Franklin County Local Food Action Plan.

The local food action plan outlines four main goals, which include enhancing coordination and communication among existing food resources and agencies, improving access to and education about healthy, affordable, and local food, increasing the role of food in economic development and preventing food waste.

It is important to acknowledge that our food system is a justice issue.

When we talk about sustainability, we must talk about who has access to fresh food, who has land to grow it, and whose cultural food traditions are honored and supported.

The local food action plan was adopted by Columbus City Council 10 years ago.

And in honor of this milestone anniversary, I want to thank my fellow council members for joining me today in reaffirming our commitment to addressing food and security and ensuring that all Columbus residents have access to fresh, healthy, and affordable food.

And with that, I will turn it over to the team to share some remarks.

Thank you so much, Councilmember Weish.

This is so my name is Jill Clark.

I'm a professor at the Glenn College of Public Affairs at OSU and a board member of the City of Columbus and Franklin County Local Food Board.

And with me is Yolanda Owens, executive director of local matters and the vice chair of the local food board.

I was on the working committee a decade ago for the local food action plan.

And now on the food board, and we get to oversee and prioritize and guide activities related to the plan.

And we just want to thank you and the rest of the council members for making investments in making sure that our local food system works for all of us.

And we're excited to see how these investments will go for the next 10 years.

Thank you.

No, I'm good.

I was like, I've spoken enough here at council, but I but I just I really appreciate the commitment that we have as a city and as a county to be able to make sure that folks have food to put on their plates.

Appreciate you.

Don't walk away just yet.

Let me stop and see if my council colleagues have questions, comments.

Seeing none, let me just again reiterate my appreciation for the work that the local uh food board does.

It is um the issue of food insecurity is not going away.

In fact, a lot of what we are seeing, the international issues will impact how our farmers are able to serve our community.

So the more we can commit and understand that this is an important issue for us as uh as a body and as a city, uh, the more we can kind of invest to ensure that our residents are supported in this way.

Um with that, I move for adoption.

Clerk please call the role.

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

Adopt it.

Thank you, Councilmember.

I actually have a couple uh resolutions as well.

The first one I'm really excited to invite up um the beautiful women of Delta Sigma Theta's alumni chapter, but specifically the Delta Deers.

Uh, and I want folks to explain what the Delta Deers are, but I have uh ordinance 0079 XAS 2026 is to honor and recognize and uh the sponsors of the senior community health fair for their dedication to serving the senior population of Franklin County.

This resolution really serves an opportunity for this council to take a moment to show some love and appreciation for the Delta Sigma Theta's Columbus Alumni Chapter.

This is a group that continues to show up and to provide amazing service to our community.

Uh, this event last year was amazing.

It was actually held at uh the Fran Ryan Center, and uh Councilmember Ryan is in the audience.

Uh, and it is specifically to serve uh uh our community and our aging community.

So we're just really grateful um uh to be a part of it and to I'm excited to go this year.

I'm gonna turn it over to Miss Allier to to you.

To whom that good evening to our esteemed council members.

The senior wellness health fair on April 22nd at Broad Street Presbyterian Church is open to the public.

We have done a mass mailing through our collaboration of over 700 seniors out here in the community.

It is sponsored and led by the Columbus Ohio Alumni Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority through the Delta Deers Committee, chaired by Karen Pettaford, in partnership with Economic Development Committee, chaired by Robin Perkinson.

We are grateful for the collaboration of our community partners, including for our second year, honorary chair President Shannon Harden, and joining him joining him as honorary chair is council member attorney Tiara Ross.

So we thank you so much.

The Adam Board of Franklin County, the Franklin County Office on Aging, Alvis, the Columbus State University, Wexner Medical Center, and Women to Women.

And many others committed to serving our communities' health and social service needs of our senior population, which is the fastest growing population in Columbus.

So you've got a head start, Council President.

It is now my pleasure to introduce Melissa Miller, our amazing second vice president of the Columbus Alumni Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta, who is joined with our amazing hard workers behind me.

And she will bring remarks on behalf of our chapter president, Dr.

Judy Austin.

Good evening, President Harden and the members of Columbus City Council.

I am honored to stand here before you this evening on behalf of our chapter president, Dr.

Judy A.

Austin, who sends her sincere regrets that she was unable to attend due to an obligation.

On behalf of our entire chapter, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to you for this recognition and for the continued partnership and service to the Columbus community.

We are especially thankful that you have chosen to honor our chapter, and particularly our Delta Deers, dedicated, energetic, active, respected source, whose work is a powerful reminder that service is not bound by age, but sustained by purpose, wisdom, and a deep love for our community.

As we prepare to host our senior wellness health fair on April 22nd, this moment of recognition affirms the importance of ensuring that our seniors have access to resources, support, and care they need to live healthy and dignified lives.

This work reflects our ongoing commitment to service and to uplifting one of our most treasured populations.

And we are truly honored that the city hall will be eliminated in red in recognition for this occasion.

Red represents not only Delta Sigma Theta, but also courage, sacrifice, and a steadfast commitment to service, values, values that guide our work each and every day.

We thank you for seeing us, for supporting us, for standing with us as we partner in building a stronger, healthier Columbus.

Thank you.

Well, like I said, the work that you do and the program specifically for our residents who are aging specifically to health is is really needed and it's appreciated.

And the folks that came out last year, uh you could see this that they were um taking the information uh and and using it.

They were there to get help.

Uh and so just thank you so much so much for the service that you're providing.

Uh Madam Vice Chair, our co-chair.

Listen, when when Sally asks you to do something, you do it.

That part.

Um, but it was an easy ask.

One because uh so many of my family members, my godmother, my aunt, my very best friend, our members of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, and your sisterhood and service in this community has played an integral role, not only in my life personally, but in so many lives.

And so anytime the Delta's asked for support, I'm probably uh going to say yes.

But it I feel like we're it's such a serendipitous evening having council member Fran Ryan here today, uh, legislation that's supporting our seniors today, this resolution that is also supporting our seniors and understanding that not only our seniors the fastest growing population in our community, but also they're the fastest growing into homelessness.

They are the fastest growing into some of our uh public health issues that we are having in this community.

So the work that you are doing is so important and necessary in our community, and I thank you for your continued service.

Uh, thank you for the opportunity to participate and support and build the capacity of the work that you are doing.

Uh, and thank you for being here tonight at council.

Sure, please.

You're not gonna get me caught up.

I have to go home to a Delta, and my mother-in-law is a Delta in New Orleans.

So I just want to say thank you for all the work that you're doing in the community.

The Delta is apparently shaping my life as well, so that is why I appreciate the work that you're doing.

So thank you.

Thank you, Council.

If there are no other questions or comments, I move for adoption.

Clark, please call the role.

Thanks, Denver, Rosa De Padilla, De Aka or Dors Green, Remy Ross, Weiss President Hardin.

Next, I have resolution zero zero eight for X-2026.

And I, as I'm speaking, I want to invite Swan Blakely, but all those, there's there's several folks here from Equitas Health Forward.

Uh, as I introduce this resolution is to commemorate the 2026 Dr.

Robert J.

Fast Memorial AIDS Walk of Central Ohio and to commend its organizers, sponsors, volunteers, and participants for their dedicated efforts to raise awareness of HIV and AIDS.

This this resolution, I think is also appropriate as we honor our recognized today, or April 10th as Youth AIDS Day, to um also highlight the work of the AIDS Walk of Central Ohio.

Um this resolution commemorates and celebrates uh their work, and it's an opportunity to recognize and thank the organizers, the volunteers who put this on.

In Ohio, more than 24,000 people are living with HIV or are presumed to be infected but undiagnosed.

About one in five of those people living with HIV do not know their status, and nearly 1,000 new cases are diagnosed each year.

These numbers remind us that it's not a distant issue, it's a present and ongoing public health challenge.

That's why events like the AIDS walk matter.

They bring visibility, they encourage testing, and they help with connections.

And also they help to, and this is really big for me, remove the stigma.

Remove the stigma.

Um the walk will take place this Saturday, April 18th at 9 a.m.

in Genoa Park, and I look forward to joining uh once again this year.

HIV and AIDS have long been um burdened by stigma.

Today we recommit uh ourselves to breaking down that and by supporting efforts to ensure that everyone uh is getting tested, but also feel supported uh in our community.

The AIDS Walk is a big part of that.

It is a larger community coming into this challenge uh and saying that we want to be a part of of uh getting our numbers to zero.

And so just thank you so much for the work that you do.

Swan, I'm gonna turn it over to you.

Sure.

Thank you, President Harden and Columbus City Council.

Um I just have something short.

So Equitaz Health isn't just a Columbus organization.

We are a statewide movement showing up in communities all across Ohio.

We are a community-driven health care organization that specializes and provides medical care, HIV services, LGBTQ plus support, mental health care, and public health programs, all focused on people who are often un underserved.

AIDS Walk Ohio has been taking place 30 plus years and becoming a major statewide event.

This event is also known as the Dr.

Robert J.

Fast Memorial AIDS Walk, honoring a physician who played a key role in HIV AIDS care in Ohio.

Funds support services like medical care, HIV testing, including PrEP, behavioral health, and other essential programs across Ohio.

It is important to raise awareness for HIV and AIDS because every day people are still being diagnosed with HIV, and every day people are still dying from AIDS.

Stigma still exists, and many people still need access to care and prevent your resources.

So I ask you all to join us on Saturday, April 18th at 9 a.m.

at Genoa Park for a community 5K walk run and a one-mouth stroll that brings together thousands of people to raise money for HIV AIDS treatment and prevention care services.

It is not just a walk, it is also a community gathering, a memorial space, honoring those living with HIV and remembering those lost to AIDS complications.

Program starts at 9.30 a.m.

I will be your MC host for the day along with another special guest.

We will have health screenings, resources, food vendors, entertainment, and more.

And you can still register, donate, create a team, or join a team, and even volunteer by going to AcewalkOhio.com.

And I'll turn it over to our CEO, David.

Thank you, President Harden and Council members for recognizing AIDSWALK Ohio.

We appreciate your support.

This is uh really a difficult year.

It marks the 45th year since AIDS was first identified by the CDC.

And since 1981, uh AIDS has claimed the lives of 45 million uh across the globe.

And even though we, even though there's not a vaccine or cure, we we today have, thanks to research, really powerful tools to make a difference in the lives of people living with HIV, to live near normal lives if they get diagnosed and if they receive access to care.

Uh sadly, we're battling a proposal by the White House to eliminate or to reduce funding for HIV prevention by more than a billion dollars.

That would have a direct impact on Columbus and Ohio and significantly stem access to HIV testing, HIV awareness, services like PrEP.

Uh, there's also a proposal to eliminate the housing opportunities for people with AIDS program, which also supports people living with HIV stay uh stably housed and avoid homelessness.

So we are really on the precipice of seeing the epidemic continue to flourish unless we can mobilize support.

So your recognition for uh AIDS Walk Ohio and this resolution and the event that we'll be putting on Saturday is one way for us to stay committed to the fight.

We appreciate your support and hope to see you Saturday morning.

David, thank you so much for bringing up why this is important right now in this policy moment that we're in.

And I think we bump into people all the time to say, I wish I could just do something.

Going to this race or walk on Saturday or donating is a way to do something in this moment.

So could you or someone remind us again how folks can sign up uh still for uh the walk Saturday?

Agree with you.

So you can so you can sign up by attending AIDSwalkohio.com where you can register, donate, join a team.

I have a team, Shades of Red, if you want to donate or join my team.

I see you, Ross.

Um, but yeah, AIDSwalkohio.com, all the details will be on there.

Saturday, 9 a.m.

at Genoa Park.

Please, please, please um come out, support.

Um again the challenges that you you raised are are real, and I think we will be grappling with those uh and impacts uh if those things were happening for our residents.

So this is a way that we can come together as a community uh and support each other.

Are there any questions or comments for my colleagues?

I think I'd I just I just want to give a shout out to you, Sawan, because you continue to be um so bold, so transparent, and we have lost very close friends to this disease.

Um, and your continued advocacy is so necessary, not only to the community, but folks that look like you and me.

Um and I know that it's not easy to stand out here and and be an example, but your discipline, your strength, your continued advocacy, you living your life boldly in this space, and the way that you have increased awareness about the issue and about the supports in our community truly is something to be recognized.

So thank you for your continued service to our community.

You know, I'm walking on your team.

Um, and I just appreciate you all of you for all of the work that you continue to do, and and however we can continue to uplift um whatever it is that you need, you certainly have.

Um, I think you have a full council uh that would be uh of support.

So thank you so much.

Thank you.

I should have gone first.

Um I was just gonna say uh I was gonna say David, thank you for talking about um policy because I think that um sometimes when we do things annually and people expect it.

Um I think that we forget not just the cause behind it, but all of the impacts and when you talked about research, if it was not for research, it was not for but for research, we would have lost many more people.

And so this is why it's so important when we talk about whether it's a walk or gala or whatever it is that our different uh organizations are doing and how they're advocating, it is another way that we're educating people because at a time when we are pulling back um research, not just for HIV and AIDS, but for so many other diseases, so many other illnesses that impact people every day and disproportionately impact certain communities.

I think it's important to make that correlation for folks.

So as we're looking at um how we're continuing to advocate for what's in front of us, there's so much behind that, and there's so much more effort behind that in Equitas is um you were at the the forefront of that in continuing to advocate for communities and continuing.

I mean, I remember even during COVID as a person who has asthma, you are the only place in the first place that I could get a COVID chat, right?

And so I think that's how you show it for community.

And so I just want to thank you for that.

Thank you for the work that you do, and then and again, thank you for reminding us again how policy is so connected to our everyday lives, and with everything that's going on in the world, it's so overwhelming, and it's these little things that pass us by that will affect the people that we love, will affect our community, um, and which it inevitably affects all of us, right?

No matter how proximate or not you are to an issue.

So thank you.

Thank you so much.

Thank you again.

Um again for creating that space for for us all to be a part uh of a solution and and and um again continue to to kill this stigma, the stigma of this.

Uh if there are no uh further questions or comments, uh move to a doc.

Thanks, Tim Barbosa DePodia, de Aka or Dorans Green, Remy Ross Weiss, President Harden.

Are there any questions from our elected officials?

City attorney's office, the treasurer's office.

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

Hearing now, may we now have a motion to waive the reading of titles of 38 legislation on tonight.

Today clerk please call the role.

Banks Timberwolves deputy, deaca or dorms green, reamy Ross Weiss President Harden.

Will the clerk uh read now reading to the record ordinances uh numbered of 30-day legislation on tonight's agenda for first reading?

In finance and governance committee, we have ordinance 634 and 746-2026, economic development and small and minority business business ordinances 636, 952, 961, and 1112-2026.

Public Service and Transportation Committee ordinances 820 and 937-2026.

Neighborhoods, recreation and parts committee ordinances 679, 684-2026.

Public Safety and Criminal Justice Committee ordinance 901-2026.

Housing, homelessness, and building committee, ordinances 926, 990, and 993-2026.

Public Utilities and Sustainability Committee ordinances 596, 868, 873, 874, 878, 887, 893, 920, 922, 936, 942, and 992-2026.

Rules and Policy Committee Ordinance 923-2026.

Zoning Committee, we have variances 1006, 1033, and 1034-2026.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

As part of the first reading uh portion of the agenda, we have ordinance 1112-2026.

It is uh the effort to bring the National Women's Soccer League to Columbus.

Um, and there are a lot of speakers on uh this ordinance uh uh for the first reading.

We have a policy that uh we take three for and three against, and we will stick with that.

We have eight speakers signed up to uh speak against uh in and but we will take the top the first three that came in.

They will be Derek Bergman, Rachel Winning, and Liz Reed.

Um, and then uh four will be uh Alara Rollins, Dawn Stewart, and Eric uh Ratoski.

Uh and they'll come in that order.

I expect that there will be some dialogue.

We'll we'll ask for um council members to let the uh for and against speakers speak, and then we'll go into questions uh maybe for the administration, so we're just not uh tripping over ourselves uh in between speakers.

Yes, please.

I just wanted to also uh give a reminder that I think the majority of folks who signed up to speak but couldn't did send in written testimony that we all received.

So I just wanted folks to know that we did receive your written testimony and have reviewed that.

And just a reminder the reason we do this is that there is a a next week we uh uh we'll have a second bite at by the apple and second reading, or whenever this comes back up, would be for second reading, so there's more opportunity for folks to speak.

So with that, I want to invite uh Derek Bergman up to speak uh on ordinance one one one two-2026.

Derek, welcome to council.

Just a reminder that you have three minutes, and if you represent any organization, you can let us know.

Good evening, council members.

Uh my name is Derek Bergman.

I serve on the Franklin Tenary Commission, but I'm here representing myself in my personal capacity this evening.

So thank you so much for the opportunity to speak this evening.

Uh I'm here to speak on the pending legislation today around bringing an NWSL expansion to Columbus.

So I am excited by the enthusiasm for investing in women's sports and bringing this team to Columbus.

But supporting women's sports does not require this council to hand over $25 million of taxpayer money and to quietly give up McCoy Park, a public asset for a private training facility, and it does not require you to reward a bad process.

For nearly a decade, children and families have been told this park would become a therapeutic recreation space, the first in the city, designed specifically to serve differently abled children.

That was the promise.

That was the public vision.

It's part of the recreation and parks master plan funded and approved by this body.

And now, because the Department of Development failed to do sufficient due diligence and identify a better site before bringing this to you.

You have been asked to rip that promise away from the very children it was meant to serve.

I know you all and the supporters in the chamber here with me today are here to advocate for youth in Columbus, and I have to assume that there's a lack of knowledge that this legislation does the actual opposite of that by actively ripping away soccer and sports opportunities for those children that they claim to want to serve, leading to a variety of crucial questions.

How will the neighborhood and its residents be made whole by this loss?

What happened to the plans that CRPD and the community have been working on for years and the fund city council already approved to redevelop this park?

Why is there no guaranteed community access, shared use, or transparency into the new facility written into the legislation?

And where are the hundreds of kids actively using this park today supposed to go?

None of these questions have been answered.

And if you are frustrated by that, you should be.

You should be frustrated that this was brought to you before the hard questions were answered.

You should be frustrated that a public park is being treated as the easiest land to sacrifice.

But that frustration does not obligate you to approve a bad plan.

In fact, it should push you to stop it.

Because this is not an emergency.

The ordinance is at first reading.

It authorizes leases of McCoy Park Land, waives chapter 328 of city code to evaluate sale of city property, which is concerning in and of itself.

And explicitly says that other steps still require future legislation.

So if more legislation is still needed, then there's time to do this right.

Tell the administration to come back with a proposal that does not ask neighborhood children to pay the price for their lack of sufficient due diligence.

You do not have to choose between women's sports and doing what's right by our city's kids.

You can support the team, reject this site, and demand a better plan.

Support girls in women's sports, but do it honestly, transparently, and without giving away public land and public money without proper due diligence.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Bergman.

And I took down your questions either tonight or through this process, we will make sure that these questions are answered.

Thank you.

Thank you, Ms.

Breigner.

Next speaker to come before council is Rachel Winnie.

Rachel, welcome back to council.

Thank you.

My name is Rachel Wenning.

I am not representing any official organization.

I am a former Hilltop Area Commissioner.

So obviously I did sign up to speak against this, but I was thinking about it during kind of a long drive this afternoon, and I think we should really support this.

We should really put ourselves in the Bill of Earl's shoes for a minute.

Because just in the last five years, I think Jimmy Haslam and his wife Susan have given $20,000 to Council President Hardin's campaign fund, a thousand dollars to Councilmember Barossa de Padillaz, a thousand dollars to Councilmember Bankston, $6,000 to City Auditor Megan Kilgore, $50,000 to the Opportunity City PAC, which was the PAC that was used for the bond issues in the fall.

And then last but not least, just over 136,000 to Mayor Ginther's campaigns, and an additional 10,000 from their son-in-law and daughter to Mayor Ginther's campaigns.

And then for Dr.

Pete Edwards in the last five years, a few hundred dollars for Mr.

Dorrans and Mr.

Reemy, a little over 4,000 for President Hardin, $1,000 to Auditor Kilgore, and $64,580 for Mayor Ginther's campaigns, 50,000 of that being given in the last three years.

So given that the major investors in this project, you know, not even including nationwide have given uh at least 295,000 in campaign donations in the last five years.

I think it would be really unfair to not give them whatever they want.

And they paid a lot of money for you to do what they want, and so I think that you should vote for this.

Unfortunately, for the people, um, especially the disabled people living near McCoy Park in the poorest census tract in Columbus, uh, they were not able to pull together 295,000 to convince their city council to give them the park, uh, the adaptive and accessible park improvements that were promised to them.

Uh so I think, you know, maybe 50 years from now when we're doing a new presentation about historical discrimination in this city, we could probably put this project on top of redlining uh and use it as a modern example.

Thank you.

Next speaker to come before council is Liz Reed.

Mr.

Welcome back to council.

Councilmember Harden, esteemed members of council, in addition to the 25 million of Columbus taxpayer dollars, the proposal to win a soccer team carelessly gives away a city park.

Mayor Ginther and Director Stevens chose McCoy Park without discussions with Columbus Recreations and Parks, without public comment, and without real consideration for this council.

City Council approved funding for major improvements at McCoy Park to begin this year and completed by 2027.

That fact was masked until council's public comment hearing a week ago.

This administration is recklessly pitting the chances of a team against a community living in one of the most resource-deprived neighborhoods in Columbus.

A few days ago, the mayor, we weren't invited to this press conference, um, stated that he wanted Southsiders to know that he hears us.

But how can he hear us when he's not talking with us?

He is not listening.

I want to commend this council for last week's public hearing and the conversations we've had with council members since the hearing.

Through those discussions, we learned there is not a timely way to repair the damage should the city receive or should the city give away McCoy Park as provided in the proposal.

As council member Nancy Day Aukartively stated, a whole generation of children would be without a park.

This is not a done deal.

The city cannot give away a park without your approval.

Good corporate citizens and good civic leaders do not take public parks away from the poorest neighborhoods.

The average resident in these in these neighborhoods won't reach the age to benefit from the work of the Delta Deers.

Saturday was a beautiful weather day in Columbus.

I visited McCoy Park, and hundreds of people were there.

I spoke to coaches, parents, and grandparents of children playing flag football.

They didn't know that city leaders were giving away McCoy Park.

They were upset by the news.

Unprompted, they asked one question again and again.

Who's getting kickbacks?

I think the previous spoker may have answered that question.

It's unfortunate that the administration's haste to put the administration's haste put this council in this position.

The decision is simple.

Do you value the needs of the community over the wants of a billionaire?

You have the power to save McCoy Park with your no vote on ordinance 112-2026.

Should this or any similar ordinance be brought to a vote, vote no, save our parks.

Thank you, Miss Liz.

And again, there are things brought up from Ms.

Liz too that we wrote down to get some questions answered that we'll we'll get into, but if if so, I'll bring you back up.

Uh not yet, not now.

Um, the next three are four speakers are for this ordinance one one one two.

And the first is Alara Rawlings.

Welcome to council.

Good evening, Council President Harden, Chair Bankston, and City Council members.

Thank you for the opportunity to speak today.

My name is Alaria Rollins, and I'm the CEO of Fortuna Bank, a newly launched women-owned bank right here in Columbus.

In fact, Fortuna is one of only two banks in the nation out of more than 4300 that was intentionally created to be women-owned.

We chose Columbus very intentionally as the place to build our bank, not just for business opportunity, but because this is a city that believes in growth, community, and importantly in the power of female leadership.

Columbus is a community defined by leadership and possibility.

We see it in the number of women leading organizations, shaping industries, and driving impact across our region.

This is a city that doesn't just talk about inclusion, it demonstrates it.

And that's exactly why bringing a National Women's Soccer League team here matters.

This is more than this is about more than sports.

It's about aligning one of the fastest growing professional leagues in the country with a city that is uniquely positioned to lead.

It's about giving young girls and young women visible proof that there is a place for them at the highest level of competition, leadership, and success.

The data is clear.

Female athletes grow up to be leaders.

Participation in sports builds confidence, resilience, teamwork, and the ability to navigate challenges.

These are skills that directly translate into career success and leadership roles later in life.

And when girls see a professional pathway, when they're inspired to stay in the game longer, it doesn't just impact the game, it impacts their trajectory.

At Fortuna Bank, we talk a lot about access, access to capital, access to education, and access to opportunity.

And what we've learned is this is you cannot become what you cannot see.

An NWSL team changes that.

Beyond inspiration, there is also real economic impact.

Women's sports are not a niche, they're a growth engine.

Investment in women's sports is smart, forward-looking, and aligned with where audiences and brands and communities are going.

Columbus should be on the front end of that momentum, not catching up, but leading.

From business perspective, from a communities perspective, and from a values perspective, this makes sense.

And I'll say this from the lens of a CEO building a bank from the ground up, where we choose to invest reflects who we are.

If we believe in opportunity, if we believe in equity, if we build believe in building a city where everyone can thrive, then this is the kind of investment we should be making.

Columbus has already proven it can support professional sports at the highest level.

Now we have the opportunity to do the same for women and to do it in a way that reflects the strength and the vision of the city.

This is not just about bringing a team here, it's about making a statement that Columbus continues to be a place where opportunity lives, where leadership is diverse, and where we invest in the future, we want to see.

Thank you for your time today.

Thank you.

Again, if we have any questions or comments, we'll hold those to the four speakers.

Thank you, Ms.

Rollins, for being here.

Next speaker to come before uh council is Don Stewart.

Don, welcome to Councilman.

Thank you, Councilmember President Harden and Columbus City Council members for this opportunity this evening.

My name is Don Stewart, and I'm the director of strategic partnerships for the Greater Columbus Sports Commission.

I'd like to share a little bit of my personal story in terms of how Columbus and Franklin County have impacted my journey here.

I've proudly served in the role at the Greater Columbus Sports Commission for just under four years.

Prior joining the sports commission, I previously spent the first 25 years of my career working in college athletics, with 14 of those taking place here in Franklin County.

As I served as director of athletics for Capital University from 2008 to 2012, and then my alma mater, Otterbine University from 2012 to 2022.

I am still the only female to have served as AD at each institution over their men's and women's athletics programs.

My career has always been in sports, and my passion and respect for athletics began way before my professional career.

I grew up in a small town in Ohio in the 80s, where there were not many opportunities for young girls to compete in youth sports, nor did I see women competing on professional sports teams.

As I entered middle school and high school, I was able to thrive as a three-sport athlete and ultimately had the opportunity to continue playing tennis, my first love, at Otterbine.

My experiences as a young athlete propelled me to a great college career academically and athletically.

And my experiences as a college athlete furthered my love and respect for the teaching tool and life resource that athletics is for many individuals, including me.

Because of my wonderful experiences in athletics, I wanted to pursue an opportunity to serve others in this space and hopefully pay forward what many coaches and administrators did for me.

I was provided that opportunity immediately following graduation from Otterbine, beginning work there full-time in athletics, before I then moved on to the University of Dayton, where I spent eight years growing through their college athletic administrative ranks, then taking on the athletic director position at Capitol, and four years later, the AD position at Otterbein.

I share my story purely in the spirit of illustrating the power of sports.

It took me, a young girl from New Philadelphia and helped me to shape my identity, further my drive, and develop my leadership skills, while also giving me a platform to serve others.

And now I get to do this alongside of our CEO and president Linda Logan and my teammates at the Greater Columbus Sports Commission every day, where we look to bring sporting events, especially women's athletic events to Columbus.

Women's sports were once seen as secondary, but today they're growing significantly faster than their men's counterparts and continue to be a key part of our strategy.

These events help make Columbus a top-tier sports city, especially when you consider the permanent teams based here.

And someday we will hopefully, or that will hopefully include an NWSL team.

For years as an administrator, I personally witness how sports changes lives.

It teaches, it motivates, and it allows one to reflect and grow.

As the community's discussion of a new NWSL team continues, I see this addition to our sports landscape as incredibly positive.

It allows our young athletes to look up to these professional women athletes as role models, competing in their hometown and doing great things in the community.

Thank you, City Council, and to all of our friends here tonight for this opportunity and the interest in this situation.

Thank you.

Thank you, Don.

And the last speaker to come before council is Eric Toski.

Eric, welcome to council.

Thank you, Council members and uh Council President Harden.

Um my name is Eric Rkowski, and I'm the program director with a Columbus nonprofit called Leveling the Playing Field.

Uh nonprofit that helps youth get access to free sports equipment through the collection and distribution of gently used sports goods here in Columbus.

Since LPF launched in Columbus in 2023, the Columbus crew have been incredibly supportive of our efforts.

When starting in a fresh market, buy-in from the professional sports teams is very important for visibility and credibility.

The Columbus crew and Blue Jackets shared in providing this early support.

In my role, I immediately began seeing the crew's community efforts everywhere I went.

Their commitment to the youth, especially the underserved in our community was very apparent.

Having worked in Columbus nonprofits for 10 years, I saw this support going to the places I knew firsthand very much needed it.

This in this is particularly highlighted by a $60,000 investment to four local nonprofits, Columbus Early Learning Center, Final Third Foundation, our helpers, and student success stores during the Hometown Heroes showcase last summer, the majority of whom I have seen doing amazing things with this support firsthand.

One community event sticks out to me, the Columbus Cruise Community Day during our All-Star Weekend last summer, which hosted over 700 kids.

Along with backpack giveaways, clinics, and tons of community partners, the crew had set up a mini pitch, and I noticed a team that I had recognized.

It was a group of boys I had had in my after school program a few years earlier.

I had worked in seven different after school sites across Columbus in my previous organization, and this was the most challenging group I had had by Miles.

As I watched them, I couldn't believe what I was seeing.

Their behavior was unrecognizable.

They were focused, happy, and competing hard with great sportsmanship.

This was incredibly powerful to witness.

It was so moving to see how the opportunity and access to compete in this way with full support and structure from the crew and the programs they support completely transformed these kids.

A potent display of what sports and access to sports can do.

The crew has continued to support LPF every step of the way, immediately providing tons of extra gear and clothing that wasn't already part of their robust in-school initiatives.

Their staff has made sure anything that they weren't using came to us to go right back into the hands of kids in Columbus.

When the Children's Hospital, Healthy Schools, Healthy Neighborhoods Group started the Real League, a co-ed league to support Region 3's schools here in Columbus.

I was able to help multiple teams who had no means of buying equipment or uniforms show up to their first games and practice in full brand new crew jerseys, crew shorts, shin guards, cleats, and more.

Multiple cult coaches called me and expressed how confident and excited their players were.

Thank you so much.

Well, I want to thank uh all the speakers who have signed up on the first reading portion of the agenda.

First reading portion speaking is um something we added maybe 10 or so years ago to add another opportunity for folks to speak.

But even as we have this conversation tonight uh and throughout the week, this is just first reading.

Uh moving this to the next stage does not mean that everything is done.

Uh and so we we are still in conversation, both with the administration, both with the ownership, but most importantly at this stage, with the public uh and with the neighborhood that is impacted around McCoy Park.

So I want to thank uh the speakers who spoke both in support and also the speakers who spoke against.

Um I thought that Derek and Liz had some really good points uh and questions, and I think that it is important that we get those questions answered.

Um I think it's also important to talk about how we got here.

So I we on council were briefed about this plan to bring a team in around February.

Uh, in those conversations, we asked about the park, and we were told that they were they were there were no plans to develop the park at that time.

But there we were told there was no plans to develop the park.

And for that to be the first time that we learned that not only were there plans for the park, they were well down the road.

And that they were actual commitments made to the Area Commission.

And I mean, again, I I I'm trying to explain the role that council has been in.

We believe I I'll speak for myself.

When there are these type of opportunities to have Columbus shine and do something that is good for girls and for our community, and that I believe will be an economic benefit.

We should shoot for the stars and we should go for them.

And we should bend over backwards to try to make that happen to bring into expanding and keep Columbus growing.

And the first part before Monday, the big part problem I had with the deal was financial.

I thought it was a sucky plan.

I want to make sure that we were not having taxpayer dollars backing this project, that the folks that would go to the stadium and that would enjoy the teams would be the ones that would back it.

And so that's where Council Member Bankston spent months, a lot of time, a lot of time working to see if we could get something that made sense with the auditor.

We got there on the financial, in my opinion, enough for me to support it on the financial.

And I'm I'm really proud of that.

Uh that we that we were able to take what I thought was a bad financial deal and make it better.

The issue is I didn't know that there was another part of the bad deal.

That the city had promised a park for young people who have disabilities to be built and to break ground this year.

I did not know that.

And I think that that's absurd.

And so I I do want to understand how we got here and if there is a pathway, how we can get to a pathway to see what can be rectified.

Um even in my conversations with Liz uh today, Liz Reed.

She told me that no one from the administration has reached out to her yet.

Again, I think that that's pretty absurd.

She's the area commission chair, is that right, Ms.

Reed?

And no one has reached out.

That's absurd.

And so, Director Stevens, I'm sorry, you're the one in the chair tonight.

I and I want to, I mean, I'm being open and honest because I'm frustrated.

Um, and I'm trying to see be if we can still work to see how we can figure this thing out.

Um so I I want to ask you Council President, could I interject there?

Being recommended, I knew what was going on at McCoy Park.

And I did speak to the Haslem Sports Group to try to get at least some portion of that park for the community.

And I was absolutely shot down.

Absolutely shot down on that.

I tried to at least get something.

Thank you, Professor Ron.

All right, I'm gonna I'm gonna pick up from there.

When did the administration know uh decide to offer McQuay Park for this opportunity, Director?

Uh thank you, President Hard and members of council.

We engaged, we have conversations with the ownership group uh end of October, early November about the opportunity to um put a bid in for a NWSL sports expansion team.

As part of that opportunity, the discussion was the urgency around identifying uh potential sites where we could do a performance center.

So we talked through what would be required to um secure a new franchise, and a significant component of that would be a performance training center for the team.

Uh fortunately we already have in Scotch Miracle Grove Field and an existing facility to host the games, but the training performance center was the key point.

So we worked through and you know I'm going off my record collect my recollection on you know what was what type of site selection criteria.

So one of them was proximity to downtown and the existing facility.

Um it was important that we found a site that was within the same distance to the stadium as um the Ohio Health Performance Center.

It was really important to the league that uh if we were going to identify a site for the women's team, we weren't asking them to drive two, three times the distance as the men's team.

So the proximity was a component of that.

Um the acreage I want to um best of my recollection was eight to ten acres is kind of the the site.

Um it needed to be a site that was clean, so a site that could be easily uh redeveloped into this use.

Um and it also needed to be a site where the you know the transaction could move pretty quickly.

So that is when we we started that discussion, uh identified a number of sites.

The McCoy Park site was the one that we the uh ownership group focused in on as we talked further about.

Um at this time in conversations when it was like, well, that is a priority site.

We started to do the due diligence around the purchase that we did, I believe, and the 23 and to 24.

Um recently where we expanded the um acreage on the site, and that's when recreation parks and utilities work together to help uh get more land on the site for stormwater mitigation.

Um so you know, that's when we we worked through that and understood that.

We also understood the sales transaction as part of that was the uh owners were looking to sell us that as part of the the the contract.

There were some naming rights around some of the facility, and then there was a commitment around doing some type of adaptive sports.

It was important to the ownership group uh that was selling us the additional land.

So work through kind of how can we accommodate that, went back to and now I'm using ownership, two different ownership groups, so to be clear.

So the landowner who sold us the land had a desire around uh access and adaptive sports.

We went back to the ownership group that was pursuing the uh franchise, discussed that need and and you know, with their willingness to not only um provide it for programming and and partnership with recreation and parks, but have some adaptive sports component to that, which they were committed to.

Um and council president, uh, you know, my recollection from our discussion uh when we we did the initial briefing at the end of February, we talked some about kind of the um the the early youth soccer that was being programmed there.

So it was more of a I remember it more as a programming discussion as so that was that is fair because that that really was the focus.

It was well, where do young where were these people, where are the young people supposed to go play?

And that that was the conversation.

Did were you aware at that moment though, or even October that there were active plans for the park though?

I I in the fall I had conversations with representatives from recreation parks who shared that they did some uh design work with the community on what what the what the build out of McCoy Park looks like.

Um since then, you know, there's two things that we were really focused on once it became clear that McCoy Park was going to be the area, and if we are awarded a franchise would be the the site, one is the stormwater mitigation.

What are we you know, how do we solve that issue because that is important to uh water Department of Water and Power, and you know, we're working through identifying other locations for stormwater mitigation in the same time.

Our real estate office has been come in conversations with recreation park representatives like how do we find an area another parcel or parcels that's quite um frankly in a better location to serve the residents down there that is closer to homes and um not but has anybody from the administration reached out to anyone in the area, like on the area commission to to have that conversation?

It's my understanding, Council President, that recreation parks has an ongoing conversation with the the leadership and the and the neighbors and and so that's my understanding.

Okay.

So uh then that's how we you know we got to the design.

Okay.

Um so a lot so we are getting the funny the the great part about Columbus is even with this um hiccup.

Um people are still calling people in the neighborhood are trying to like send us suggestions of where the park where the new training facility could be built instead.

Could you explain, because it is my understanding that we that the proposal that is submitted cannot be altered.

Could you explain that portion of why it council cannot just amend to say, well, we'll just find them other land.

It's thank you, Council President.

It's my understanding based on the proposal that has been submitted for the expansion franchise, they needed to have a site certain.

And that is why this location has been picked, as opposed to just a commitment that we'd work with the team just based on timeline of execution.

I think the goal is if we are awarded a team that they would start playing in 28, so uh work around any type of training facility would need to uh construction of that would need to begin in fourth quarter of this year.

So uh it they had to have a uh site specific um as part of for the training center as part of their bid process.

Specifically, and and we cannot alter that.

That that is what I was told that we cannot alter the plan that was already submitted to NWSL.

That's why council cannot change that piece.

Is that correct?

So, Council President, I'm assuming you heard that from the group that's put the bid into NWSL.

I I I then I assume that's correct.

I have not had those conversations with the league.

Okay.

Yeah, Council President.

Please, I just do want to give some some clarity here, uh, Director, because it is captured in this piece of legislation and the economic development agreement, that there is a phase two to the development of that site.

Uh it is my understanding that the phase two of that will be academy fields, which are akin to the academy fields that the crew have, uh, that focus on youth programming and youth sports.

Is it the understanding that as the deal reads that the the uh ownership group is to have conversations with recreation and parks on how to program that and that there's still a commitment to adaptive sports at those fields?

Uh thank you, Council President Hardin, Chairbanks to members of council.

That is correct.

There is, as part of this commitment, as we go to finalize the lease deal and the development of the performance training center, the ownership group is committing to having access and programming for the community, and including in that is adaptive a component of adaptive sports.

That is a part that will be um finalized by recreation and parks.

I it's very akin to um the partnership through Kilborne Run when we saved the crew back in 2019.

Was that announced?

There was an the the concept of a a community park that was going to be over by the Ohio Expo Center and the the old crew historic cruise stadium.

Unfortunately, we weren't able to work out an agreement with the Ohio Expo Center, but our commitment to the community stood strong, and that's where we pivoted and and made the investment to that community park at Kilburn Run, and that's where that you know the the ongoing relationship there on programming um will continue, and and we we envisioned something very similar uh with the NWSL franchise and down at the this site.

Yeah, and to and to just go a step further, because the conversation that I had with you, director, and I think the ownership group, uh, when my colleagues tell me they have concerns, I'm I'm going to bring that back in earnest.

Uh it was talked about having some other amenities at the site.

My understanding was that that the ownership group is committed to that, but was not committed to locking themselves into a particular site plan because of all of the unknowns uh that were there.

I think there's some security issues around perimetering and all that the NWSL have and some other things.

So there is still, in my opinion, uh a a clear commitment to work with recreation and parks on phase two of this to see what could be there at that site as well.

Is that correct?

Uh Chair Bankston, that is correct.

And I'd also say there's a clear commitment to working on finding additional land down in the in that area to actually pro to implement the programming and the design work that has been done today.

Thank you.

And I and I just want to say this.

I know I said it uh at the hearing, and it is still uh my commitment uh that I am going to continue to apply pressure that we move with the same speed that we do with business that we do for our residents, that we find uh an alternate location, that we deliver on this promise may not be this specific site.

Uh and unfortunately, when these types of opportunities come up for sports franchises and all this stuff, it is very complicated, it moves really fast.

Uh but I wanted to see and make sure that we do that.

And I also want to call on the ownership group to do everything that they can to be working with recreational parks, not just the program those fields, but if they can put, in fact, public amenities on there, that we get that done.

I I need to add to this.

Not every kid plays soccer.

Not every kid wants to play soccer.

Very small number of kids actually play soccer in every neighborhood.

We should not be telling kids, well, if you want soccer, we got you.

But if you want anything else, if you need anything else, then you're out of luck.

And this is what I keep hearing, specifically in my meeting with the Hasslem group.

It was, well, we only do soccer.

There was to be a playground, splash pad.

There were to be all these other things, things that regular kids want to do in a park.

And now they're not getting that.

And the promise of, well, let's go find some property somewhere else.

It takes years to develop a park.

And we would have to then buy land.

We would have to remediate that land.

It's a lot of brown sites there.

Then we're gonna have to pay for another another person to come in and design this.

Millions of dollars that are now down the hole because we're giving this park away.

And the kids who are living there now get nothing.

They get nothing.

And people we just start actually caring about that.

I grew up in a town where there was only one park, and it was on the opposite side of town.

So I know what it's like when your community doesn't care.

And so empty promises about we're gonna find something, we're gonna do something later.

That's not good enough.

If we can move fast for this franchise, then why can't we move fast for kids living in underserved communities?

What's your thing?

Two two things.

The great thing about first reading, like I said at the beginning of this conversation, is we have another bite of the apple to to have the to extend this conversation.

But secondly, the points that both Councilman Banks and Councilmember Dayaka are made in in ways are important.

That there if there was a commitment, Director, right?

There was I was told today that there was a commitment to break ground on a park for these young people this year.

Is that true?

So uh President Harden, Council passed legislation that authorized construction at this park and at Agenda Road Park.

So there is funding available.

I I'd say to Councilmember Dayaka, I I appreciate um what you're saying.

Um the commitment is there to build a park beyond soccer.

Um in talking to the mayor and talking to my colleagues at recreation parks, we have the programming, we haven't wasted that money.

We can we can move, we can pivot, and we could pivot quickly on that.

There are lots of sites and sites where you would be comfortable asking your child or your niece or nephew or or to get on a bike and ride to and access those amenities because those are important amenities.

We're committed to those amenities and they will be built.

I think that that is the conversation that one I know Councilman Banks and has been a part of this week, trying to figure out how we can make this right.

Because I don't know how I would take a vote, uh a positive vote on this next week if I did not have the firm commitment that Councilmember uh Day Alcar is talking about that we would move at warp speed to solve this problem that we actually created, that the administration created, that we would move at an equal pace with the residents with the neighbors because again, I still the fact that we have not talked to the air commission.

I I and West Sider here, it took me a decade to get Flatwood Park.

So I know that things didn't move.

I think that we should stay at this, though.

I think that we should try to see if we can pull together an amendment that would allow us to try to solve for this issue.

When we saw the financial issue with this plan, we tried to fix it and we made it better.

I think that uh this is first reading, and I'm going to call for that vote for all of first reading, but I think that that we have a lot of conversation to have over the week around uh to see if there if there is a way to um bring the community in, uh keep our commitment and write language enough and an amendment that would give everybody or give this council this body um the faith that we would we the city would honor our promises to our neighbors.

That that is the work that that I want this body to have over the this week with the administration.

Council President, I I also I I guess I also want to talk to Wreck and Parks because I think in the conversation that we had had, I mean, I reached out to Councilmember Day Akauer to say, Chair Day Aka were to say, can we reach out to the community?

Which we can absolutely do.

I think where I'm challenged by that is that this was not a decision that we made, and so we're going back to fix it.

So my question is is there a timeline?

Is there a plan to go back to the community and have that conversation with them?

Um, Jason, I'm looking at you.

Um, just from uh wreck and parks perspective, uh, just because I know we had a press conference, and I mean, to be fair, we didn't know about the press conference until that morning either.

So just so everyone knows.

So we weren't invited either.

So um, but I think that that onus being put on us is a challenge, and not having the community at least someone go and have that conversation with them, to listen to them to say this is what, even if we don't have a plan.

So I'm just wondering what is what is that this timeline look like now.

Uh good evening, Council President Harden and Council members.

Um, as it relates to recreation and parks position on this, uh, we remain committed to working with the administration, our our co- in uh in Department of Development in order to try to make sure you come a little closer to the mics everyone.

Sorry, in order to kind of come to an understanding on how we can continue to provide the amenities that were originally discussed with the community, as well as how we can accommodate you know additional park space and anything it takes to try to uh work collaboratively.

So we have intentionally been waiting until we had more information to reach out to the community because we don't want it there to be any more confusion.

We really need a developed plan and in order to be able to determine where we're going and also collect information from them so that we can make sure we meet their needs.

Uh Pressbo Tim.

Thank you, Council President.

Um George Stevens, I just want to be very uh to the point when I think Council President asked about conversations with folks at the Air Commission, the folks there locally.

You had deferred and said that those conversations had happened through recreation parks.

I just want to be very clear that chair uh from that area commission is in the gallery right now, and she shook her head and said no.

So I just want to be very, very clear.

So the expectation of council is that those discussions need to happen because you know, I'm I like to think I can read body language enough to read a shaking of the head even from the gallery.

So let me make sure I'm um thank you.

I I hear you, I understand that that wasn't wasn't most my intent, wasn't that those conversations that happened in the past week?

My what I was trying to convey is that my colleagues at recreation parks have continuously have an ongoing discussion with them and other leaders throughout the community about programming and park design.

So if I gave the impression that it happened in the last week, that was not my intent.

Okay, we're gonna move more because I I do I would actually want to invite uh Miss Chair Reed back up.

Uh Liz if you'd like to come back up because I I do want to be very specific about the role that council wants to play this that I'm asking council to play this week.

Um we have an issue, another issue with this plan.

Um I think that there's still there is I would like us to keep continue to work at this.

Um the way that we work at this, would would work at this would be through an amendment to the legislation uh to see if we can make this right with the the neighborhood, and so uh I would like to um ask uh chair read but if you would be open and willing to to having those conversations with us this this week uh and engaging with the area commission in the city just uh to have more conversations to keep this we are absolutely open to conversation.

Um we are absolutely dedicated to this area.

We're specifically focused on these census tracks that are abutting this park.

That's fair.

It is very true that individuals, the average expectancy light.

I mean, they're they're not living to be 50 or 60 years old.

Um, because there are no community resources in this area, and the one resource that they do have, you're taking away.

So, yes, what I've heard so far in terms of a commitment, that's not enough.

I need a commitment with a timeline that is just as quick as we had originally planned.

If we can make that happen, that we'll have a park where we can start digging, and it is complete and accessible to our community, to that community by the time it was originally planned.

It's worth the conversation.

We can start that conversation.

I think that is fair.

And we we we appreciate that level of willingness to even be in conversation in partnership with this chair, and uh and we will we look forward to having those conversations with the administration and you uh this week.

Uh one more thing I would like to add.

Um this is an additional expense that the city is taking on beyond the 25 million dollars that we've already discussed.

I would encourage our stakeholders, our leadership here to also talk with the Haslib group to talk with the corporate sponsors of this soccer team to fund this new park.

I don't think it should stop with the taxpayers.

Thank you so much.

Sure.

All right, this will be our last, and then we're gonna move on.

Yeah, I'm so sorry.

I know you're trying to move us on.

I appreciate you.

I just would like I feel like I would like to urge all of my colleagues tonight to think about the disparities in the language that we've heard tonight when we're talking about site selection for this location when it comes to the Haslam Sports Group.

It sounds like there was a lot of engagement, a lot of back and forth with them to see if what site would be appropriate, what criteria needed to be met, whether or not it was close enough in proximity to downtown.

Then when it comes time to talk to the community, well, a there has been no conversation with the community thus far since this plan has been announced, but then we just heard recreation and parks day.

Well, they couldn't, they they needed to have a developed plan first before they could even go back to the community to talk about them.

When we talk about you know whether or not the ownership group ownership group can put together a firm plan for how the current site is going to be utilized by the community, they say, well, they're not trying to lock themselves into a site plan yet, and that for some reason is acceptable, but yet the site plan that we've locked ourselves into for this new park with the prominent promises community is totally up for negotiation.

We're talking about in the context of the financing mechanisms for this.

We set the ticket tax at council, but yet the language that was used while the Haslam Sports Group are willing to agree to a seven percent.

I just don't understand.

You know, we're here to talk about an initiative that is supposed to be centered around this idea of equity.

And yet there seems to be so much inequity in the way that I am hearing people talk about it, hearing it be described.

We're also, you know, supposed to be talking about the economic impact of this.

This is a smart, a wise city investment.

Yet every single investor attached to this process is trying to elect a governor that's trying to eliminate income taxes in our state of Ohio, which would not only bankrupt our city, that is the number they are pointing to as why this is a good idea, and have they have no intention of ever needing to pay it.

And I just think that this is a dangerous and and bad idea for us.

I think it is um not a good thing.

That's all I'm gonna say.

And this was only first reading.

The following ordinance appear on our agenda as consent action with the clerk now read those into the record.

Uh resolutions of expression uh 75 86 87 89 74 and 78x dash 2026, finance and governance committee.

We have uh resolution 76x-2026, ordinance 375, 823, 848, 914, 938, and 939-2026.

Economic development and small and minority business ordinances 753, 756, 845, 894, 912, 913, 915, 960, 974, and 984-2026.

Public Service and Transportation Committee ordinances 686, 715, 762, 814, 830, and 876-2026.

Neighborhoods recreation and parts committee, ordinance 672, 675, 685, 917, 955, and 973-2026, Health Human Services and Equity Committee, Ordinance 928-2026.

Public Service, I'm sorry, Public Safety and Criminal Justice Committee, Ordinance 254-2026, Public Utilities and Sustainability Committee, Ordinance 592, 648, 703, 840, 844, 866, 889, 896, and 902-2026.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

Uh are there any question or comments on the consent portion of the agenda?

Hearing them, may I have a motion of approval of these items as name is consent?

Clerk please call the row.

Thanks, Tim, Barosa DePadia, de Akaur Doors, Green, Remy, Ross, Weiss, President Harden.

The consent agenda is approved.

Uh, is there a motion to recess for zoning?

Clerk, please call the row.

Thanks, Tim.

We are in recess.

Please call the role.

Thanks, Dim, Barosa DePadilla, De Aka or Dorans, Green, Remy, Ross, Weiss, President Harden.

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

Clerk, please call the roll.

Thanks, Timberosa De Padilla, De Akaur Dorans, Green, Remy, Ross, Weiss President Harden.

Are there in additions or productions to the journal?

Here another journal is approved.

We'll now go to the zoning committee.

Councilmember Dorans chairs that committee, all members serve on it.

Councilmember the floor is yours.

Thank you, Council President.

A little bit of housekeeping before we get into our agenda.

Will the Kirk Clerk please read the numbers of legislation in this committee that require waiver of second reading?

Variances uh 967, 971, and 979-2026.

Thank you, Clerk.

I now move to waive second reading on those items.

Clerk please call the row.

Bank's Temperosa DePodia, De Achar Dorns Green, Remy Ross, Weich President Hardin.

Waived.

Thank you.

As always, I'll explain our rules speaking before council on rezoning and variances.

We only hear a staff presentation for ordinances that have a disapproval from a recommending body, or if we have a public speaker sign, speak against an ordinance.

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

We ask that speakers limit the remarks to three minutes for the standard rural city council.

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

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

Up to speak on our agenda tonight.

Do you swear affirm the testament but to give shall be the truth, nothing but the truth is usually answered under pains of penalty perjury?

If so, please say I do.

I do.

Thank you.

Please let the record reflect that Brandon Carpenter Brandon Carpenter from the Department of Building Zoning Services have been sworn in.

Uh moving into our agenda.

We only have council variances this evening.

And first we have ordinance number 0967-2026 to grant variance of provisions of section 34E-20-100A uses, use table 34 G 20.030 point D1, landscaping and parking and parking shade trees and 34 G.040.

Refuse picking up screening of the Columbus City Coast of property located at 5929-5975 East Main Street to allow for storage within shipping containers with reduced development standards in the CAC community activity district.

Site consists of one parcel developed with a shopping center and the requested council variance will allow accessory storage uses within the shopping center containers while facilitating an updated final site plan compliance in response to an active zoning code violation.

Council variance is required because the current zoning district does not allow storage uses.

Variances to dumpster pickup enclosure area between principal structure and adjacent side street to allow unscreened dumpsters between the building and to eliminate required parking lot.

Shade trees are also included in this request.

Proposal is approved some uh city staff and the Far East Area Commission.

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

Clerk please call the row.

Bangs temperature depudia, de acauer dorms, green, remi Ross, Weiss President Harden.

Accept it.

Thank you.

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

Clerk please call the row.

Bangs temperosa depodilla, de acauer dorms green, remi Ross, Weiss President Hardin.

Adopt it.

Thank you.

Finally move for passage.

Clerk please call the row.

Banks temper Rosa De Padilla, De Akaur Dorans Green, Remy Ross, Weiss President Harden.

Passed.

Thank you.

Next we have ordinance 0971-2026 to grant advance provisions, Section 34-E-20-100-A.

Use tables.

General Requirements Miscellaneous 34.E.20.080 C Community Activity Center Building Placement.

34.E.20.080.

Community Activity Center.

On site parking 34.40.0.

34.1.A.

Procedures for Large Sites.

Site Plan for large development sites.

34.

G point two zero point zero three four.

Point B1 Landscaping resident screening buffer and 34.20.030.

Point B2 Landscaping Residential Landscaping Buffer at the Columbus City Coast property located at 2295 South High Street to allow uh flex warehouse and storage uses with reduced development standards in the CAC community activity community activity center district.

Site consists of one parcel developed with a contractor's office building and the requested council variants will allow the construction of two buildings that will be used for warehouse flex uh office and contractor storage.

A uh council variance is required because of the storage and warehousing uses are not allowed in the current district.

A variance to a budding residential district setbacks, surface um parking setbacks, public entry, landscaping and buffer, and to increase fence height are also included in this request.

Proposal to approve some city staff and the far south area commission.

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

Second call the row.

Bangs temperature depadilla, de accour doors, green, remi, ross, weich president harden.

Accept it.

Thank you.

Next move to adopt the five staffs, the finance council.

Second.

Clark Please call the row.

Bangs then, Barosa de Padilla, de Akaur Doors, Green, Remy, Ross, Weiss President Harden.

Adopt it.

Finally move fast.

Clark, please call the row.

Bangs Tim, Barosa de Padilla de Akaur Doors Green, Remy Ross, Weiss President Harden.

Passed.

Thank you.

Next, and finally, we have ordinance 0979-226 to grant advanced provisions of Section 332.039 R for Residential District of the Columbus because the property located at 1828 East Hudson Street to allow an eating and drinking establishment in the R4 residential district and revoke ordinance number 853-73 passed on June 18th, 1973.

Um parcel develop a former ice cream shop as allowed by ordinance number 83-73.

Again, passed way back in 1973.

The new council grants require because the applicant uh proposes carry out eating and drinking uses at the location, which is neither allowed in the current district.

Proposal approved from city staff and the Northeast Area Commission.

And my colleagues question comments.

Seeing none, I'm uh move to accept the entire set point in New Evidence as an exhibit.

Clerk please call the row.

Bangs Tim, Rostepadia, de Akaur Dorans Green, Remy Ross, Weiss President Harden.

Accept it.

If you next move to the finding of staff is the finance of council.

Clerk is called the row.

Bangs Tim, Barosa de Padilla, de Akaur Dorans Green, Remy Ross, Weiss President Harding.

Adopted.

Thank you.

And finally move a passage.

Clerk, please call the row.

Bangs Tim, Barosa de Padilla, de Akaur Dorans, Green, Remy Ross, Weich President Hard.

Passed.

Thank you, Council President, all the way out in the zoning tonight.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Is there seeing no further business or motion to adjourn?

Clerk, please call the role.

Bangs, Barosa de Padilla, de Akaur Dorans, Green, Remy Ross, Weiss President Hard.

Meeting is adjourned.

You know, we have no non-agenda speakers.

Meeting number 17.

Clerk, please call the role.

Bangs temperosa depodia de acao ordo's green, remi, ross, wiche president Harden.

I'm going to take presidential uh prerogative and uh go out of order.

Uh, because we have a council member, uh, a former council member in the room, and I want to respect her time.

So the next committee to go, the first committee to come for council will be the neighborhoods recreation parts committee chair by Councilmember Day Accar.

Councilman Floor is yours.

Thank you so much.

For those of you who didn't notice, Fran Ryan is with us this evening.

So appreciate having you make it down here.

Um as I prepare for uh the reading of this ordinance, I call forward um age-friendly innovative center.

Tonight we have ordinance 0943-2026 to authorize the city clerk to enter a grant agreement with the Ohio State University in support of the age-friendly innovation centers program, age-friendly Columbus to conduct the 2026 Central Ohio Regional Assessment on Aging to reimburse the Ohio State University for expenses associated with the 2026 Central Ohio Regional Assessment on Aging on and after March 1st, 2026 to authorize an appropriation and expenditure from the neighborhood initiative subfund and to declare an emergency.

This uh past budget cycle, I advocated um for funding um for the age-friendly um, something that I've been engaged with for many, many years before I came to to council.

Um, senior services are one of my priorities, and I'm proud to fund aging in place villages every year that help keep our older adult residents in their homes, aging in place successfully.

And as our population ages, we continue to fight back system-wide issues like housing scarcity and food insecurity.

We're in need of high quality data on our aging residents to prepare for their future in our communities, and that's why age-friendly Columbus is proposing to administer and analyze the 2026 Central Ohio Regional Assessment on Aging.

Conducted in partnership with the Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging and the Franklin County Office on Aging.

This project aims to reduce community burden, promote cross-agency collaboration, and maximize the efficient use of shared resources.

While there are many community surveys that happen across the Central Ohio region, the CORAA is the only random sample survey specific to the evolving needs and concerns of older adults.

As a lead partner, the age-friendly innovation center will work with a research firm in the first quarter of 2026 to administer the survey to a random sample of adults aged 50 years and older living in central Ohio counties.

A separate generalized sample will also be completed for the City of Columbus, a key priority area for partner agencies due to its growing aging population.

Evolving service needs and the recognition that many older adults do not exist within the confines of the community in which they reside.

So here to talk more about this research and why it's needed and how it will help guide leaders in preparing for the future is Marissa Sheldon, age-friendly.

Um she's the director of the Age Friendly Innovation Center.

The floor is yours.

Thank you.

Good evening, Council President, Councilmember Temp, and all of our council members.

I appreciate the opportunity to be here as the council member stated.

My name is Marisa Sheldon, and I have the pleasure of being the director of Age Friendly Columbus, a center program, the H Friendly Innovation Center.

We're a program of the Ohio State University College of Social Work.

And I am joined by someone who we know needs no introduction, Fran Ryan, the original and enduring champion and example of supporting older residents here in Central Ohio, as well as our director of research, Dr.

Holly De Belco Shoney, who we could not do this work without.

Thank you for the opportunity to speak in recognition of the continued commitment by Columbus City Council to build an age-friendly Columbus.

Since 2016, when Columbus took the bold step to become only the 60th U.S.

community and only the second community in Ohio to join the World Health Organization's network of age friendly communities, the work in progress has been made possible through partnership with City Council.

Alongside our older adult resident council, many of our current and past council members served on the original H friendly committees at Morpsey, have supported age-friendly pilots and projects moving forward around transportation, housing, emergency preparedness, our immigrant and refugee population, and the community has directly benefited from many of our council members, specifically considering older adults as they craft their policy agenda.

The support being provided today is a reaffirmation that our elected leaders in Columbus are invested in the well-being of our current and future older residents.

Your support is making it possible as the council members shared to move forward the 2026 Central Ohio Regional Assessment on Aging, the only random sampled survey done of older adults in this region with a random sample here in Columbus.

The survey will capture older adults' resident or older residents' experiences across a broad range of factors that shape what it means to age in community, generating essential data that can inform each and every one of your policy agendas.

The CORA, as we affectionately call it, will provide information on housing cost burden for older adults and renters or older adult homeowners and renters about older residents' sense of safety within their own neighborhoods, their ability to get to the places they need and want to go, their knowledge and utilization of programs and services, their worry about future utility shutoffs, their preparedness for extreme weather emergencies, and more.

Alongside this survey data, your support is also making it possible to hold community conversations with our older residents to help understand unique perspectives on more nuanced topics.

While collecting the information is important, we also believe it is important to ensure that that data makes it to our local decision makers, our city leadership, and our human services organizations.

Through your support later this year, we will host a webinar and release a data dashboard that will democratize this data, providing free access to all community members interested in accessing the data.

As our older adult population grows and resources are more scarce than ever, the need for this data to inform our decision making is paramount.

Thank you again, investing in making Columbus a place that all of us, myself, each of you, our children, and our loved ones want and can grow old in.

Thank you.

Thank you, Marissa.

Um, do any of my colleagues have any questions or comments?

I just want to say, as always, thank you.

This is one of my favorite committees to chair.

I think the other thing that folks should know is that I mean, there are there we have partnerships around the world that are looking at the things that we're doing in Columbus around supporting our older adults, and that's something for us to be very proud of.

I remember one of the but first buttons that y'all gave me was um something about getting older every year.

Aging so cool, everyone's doing it.

Yeah.

You always know which one of us.

Because we've all gotten older during this meeting, right?

Yes.

Yeah.

Yes.

Uh, yes.

Um, but I I agree.

I think in all the conversations that we were having even earlier about having a park, having access to things, how we're taking care of people, etc.

I think this is just so key because we all will find it behooves us to take care of our folks because we hope to one day be those people to be the elders and the ancestors in our community.

And so I think um it's so important.

I feel like uh again, the the just the innovations that we're doing around thinking about um every aspect of the quality of life for folks as they get older.

I also want to just call out um uh the icon that is um Fran Ryan, just for always keeping this at the forefront of our conversations and what this looks like for everyone.

All of us love someone who is older.

We're many of us are at a point in our lives where we're taking care of people as they are in that portion of their life where now we're becoming the caretaker of the people who took care of us.

And so I just can't um you know, thank you, council member, for keeping this at the forefront.

I feel like this is always one of the things that we want to make sure that we have the dollars so that we can provide the innovation and the care for people.

So um I can't say enough.

It's one of my your work is one of my favorites.

So thank you for continuing this work and thank you for being here.

Um, and I can't wait to see what new projects we will launch.

Thank you.

Appreciate that.

I I will I will echo what my colleague just said, and I want to offer incredible thanks to you for leaning in.

We have already had several conversations about what it means to age in place in our community, what it means to have enough housing for our aging population, what does housing need to look like, what do tenant protections in the senior space need to look like?

So I appreciate you for already being a thought partner in that work.

I look forward to our continued work together.

And I'll make a shameful plug that we're sitting on a CMC panel uh on Wednesday uh talking about this very issue, and I think that it is so incumbent that we have folks like you, uh, but none of this work will be possible without former councilmember Fran Ryan.

So I also want to just say thank you to you for all of the work that you are doing.

Uh, we recently had a a seniors focused listening session where we talked about all of the different things that folks are fearing about aging in our community, but it also gave us hope that there are pathways to solutions to those things, and so look forward to working with you in our continued work together and thank you so much for being here.

Thank you.

Any other questions or comments?

No.

Seeing none, then I move for passage.

Bangs temper, Rosal DePodia, De Aka or Doors Green, Remy Ross, Weiss President Hardin.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Um, Council President, I would like now to go to page six for ordinance zero six eight four-2026.

Um, ordinance zero six eight four-2026 to authorize the director of recreation parks to enter into contract with dynamic agility sports LLC to provide instruction and management at the carriage place community centered dynamic agility sports camps to authorize expenditure of 110,000 dollars from the recreation parks operating fund and to waive competitive bidding provisions in of the Columbus City Code.

Due to a clerical error, this ordinance was mistakenly left off council agenda last week, which means it requires a vote this evening to ensure the department is able to stay on schedule.

This legislation authorizes a contract with dynamic agility sports to provide recreational equipment and programming via half day and full-day summer camps at Carriage Place Community Center.

A bid waiver is requested as dynamic has been the main vendor at carriage place for several years now.

Are there any questions for my colleagues?

Seeing none, um, I first move to waive second reading.

Bangs Timber will so depia de awkward door's green, Remy Ross, Vice President Harden.

And now I move for passage.

Dr.

Ross.

Bangs Timberwolves deputy, de a cowardors green, Remy Ross, Vice President Harden.

Thank you, Council President.

That's all I have this evening.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Now we'll go back to regular order.

The first committee to come to council is sorry.

Thank you, uh, President Harden.

Tonight we have ordinance 0871-2026 to authorize the city auditor to modify and extend the agreement with FAS LP for one year to maintain and support the Gen Text Revenue Management System for the division of income tax, including additional messaging and identity verification services and to authorize expenditure of $2,919,000 from the general fund.

This ordinance modifies and extends a contract with FAST LP for Gen Tax Software and Professional Servicel to our income tax revenue system.

Gentex is a comprehensive integrated tax proceeding processing, excuse me, software developed by FAST Enterprises for government revenue agencies to manage tax administration, including registration, filing, payments, compliance, and accounting.

The modification authorizes and funds the third renewal of the seven-year pricing schedule included in the initial RFP and resulting contract and includes funding to continue enhance simple message services, uh messaging and identify verif identity verification services offered by FAST LP.

The need for additional funds was known at the time of the initial contract.

And the legislation authorizes funding to cover a continuation of maintenance and supportive services.

Any questions or comments from my colleagues?

Seeing that I move for passage.

Banks Timberwolves deputy, de a coward door screen, Remy Ross, Weiss President Hard.

Passed.

Next is ordinance 0972-2026 to authorize the director of finance and management to enter into contract with Wells Fargo Financial Leasing Inc.

for the purchase of RISO printer to authorize the director to authorize and direct the city auditor to authorize payment to Wells Fargo Financial Leasing Inc.

for goods received in an amount not to exceed $85,000 from general permanent improvement fund to authorize the appropriation and transfer of expenditure of $85,000 within the general permanent improvement fund to amend the 2025 capital improvement budget to waive the competitive bidding provisions of Columbus City Codes Chapter 329 and all provisions of Section 329.18A and to declare an emergency.

An informal bid for a copier lease for a RISO printer was conducted on in October of 2025.

A vendor was awarded the lease from the various respondents and submitted contract documents as required.

It was discovered that the vendor was an intermediary for printer leasing after a finance financing lease with Wells Fargo, the actual owner of the printer was inherently executed.

This led to a situation where the maintenance and lease agreement were not aligned with the intended lease structure, putting the city in a position where it was unable to make payment to Wells Fargo for the lease.

To solve the this issue, the city is moving to purchase the printer outright and will keep the maintenance agreement with the vendor.

This requires a waiver of competitive bid and a then and now certificate to be complete.

Are there any questions or comments from my colleagues?

Seeing none, I move for passage.

Banks Timberwolves, David, Day Al Coward Dorans Green, Remy Ross, Vice President Harden.

Passed.

Thank you, Council President.

I move to the economic development and small minority business committee.

Please.

Copper Run Capital LLC is proposing to relocate and expand its head corporate headquarters by entering into a new lease agreement on a vacant office space consisting of approximately 21,000 square feet at 1165 Dublin Road.

The proposed project will allow Copper Run Capital LLC to expand into the Columbus region.

Create 30 net new full-time permanent positions with a cumulative associated estimated annual payroll of approximately six million dollars and retain 18 full-time permanent positions with an associated estimated annual payroll of approximately $2,952,000.

The Department of Development recommends a jobs growth incentive in an amount equal to 25% of the city income tax withheld on the Columbus payroll of new employees for a term up to five consecutive years.

All thirty net new full-time permanent positions are well above the city's $20 an hour wage threshold with full benefits.

Factoring in the incentive.

Are there any questions or comments from my colleagues?

Seeing that I move for passage.

Clerk, please call the role.

Bains Temperoso DePadilla, De Akaur Doors Green, Remy Ross, Vice President Harden.

Passed.

Thank you.

And last we have ordinance 0892-2026 to authorize the director of the department of development to enter into a jobs growth incentive agreement with AAA Cooper transportation for a term of up to five consecutive years in consideration of the company's proposed total capital investment of $3,300,000 and the creation of 55 net new full-time permanent positions with an estimated annual payroll of approximately $3,850,000.

Triple A Cooper Transportation is proposing to invest a total project cost of approximately $3,300,000, which includes $3,200,000 in acquisition costs and $100,000 in machinery and equipment to establish a new distribution facility.

With this investment, the company proposes to purchase and renovate an existing vacant industrial distribution facility consisting of approximately 23,000 square feet at 1720 Joyce Avenue.

So that I think we want to point out that this brings back online a property that is currently sitting vacant.

The proposed project will allow Triple A Cooper transportation to expand into the Columbus region by creating 55 net new full-time permanent positions with the cumulative associated estimated annual payroll of approximately $3,850,000.

The Department of Development recommends a jobs growth incentive in an amount equal to 25% of the City of Columbus income tax withheld on the Columbus payroll of new employees for a term up to five consecutive years.

All 55 net new full-time positions are above the city's $20 an hour wage threshold, with the average salary being $70,000.

It also includes benefits such as paid holidays, vacation days, medical and dental insurance, $401K retirement plans, paid vacation and personal days, training and education benefits, disability pay, severance policy, paid family and medical leave, and also paid paternity and maternity leave.

The city is set to receive $481,250 in new income tax revenue over a five-year period from this project with a net revenue of $365,937 and 50 cents, factoring in the incentive.

Are there any questions or comments from my colleagues?

Seeing none, I move for passage.

Clerk please call the roll.

Thanks.

Thank you, Council President.

So I have my committee to see.

Next committee to come before council is the public service and transportation committee.

That committee is chaired by Councilmember Barroso DePadilla.

Councilmember floor is yours.

Thank you, Council President.

I have three items on second read for public service and transportation.

First is 0459 2026 to authorize and direct the city auditor to appropriate funds within the federal transportation grant fund in connection with the quick build toolkit to authorize the director of public service to enter into contracts for to purchase paints, marking tape, temporary curbs, and bike counters for the division of mobility and parking services with Ferguson Enterprises PPG, Cranger, U-line, Terrabound Solutions, White Cap Supply, Echo Counter, and MEO Vision.

Uh to authorize the director of finance and management and to associate all general budget reservations resulting from this ordinance with the appropriate universal term contract purchase agreements for the purchase of paint marking tape to authorize a waiver of competitive business bidding provisions of Columbus City Code to authorize the expenditure of up to 224,989 from the federal transportation grant and to declare an emergency.

So I'm really excited about this project.

When I started in office, I wanted to support tactical urbanism or quick build projects.

These are short-term safety solutions.

Feel safer while these solutions are pending.

The quick build toolkit authorizes grant funds from the Ohio Department of Transportation to support the development of these quick build projects, which is which are designed to evaluate the effectiveness of potential infrastructure improvements.

This funding will allow the city to have these tools and equipment on hand to more rapidly adapt.

So Deputy Director Lossick, can you give some examples of some quick build projects that folks may have seen around the city when we talk about these semi-permanent kind of projects until the bigger term solutions come along?

Sure.

Good evening, President Harden, Chair Barossa de Pedilla, and members of council.

As you've mentioned, the funding allows us to have those materials on hand so that we can get those projects rolling more quickly.

One of the first ones that we did was a couple years ago on Mount Vernon Avenue at Champion Avenue, and this included adding an always stop sign and at the intersection and then striped parking lanes.

And we did this quick build projects while we were still in the design phase, so we can continue with community engagement to make sure that that project was aligning with what their needs were.

And actually, that project's going out to bid here soon, so that's kind of fun.

And then another one that we did here more recently was on East Broad Street for the bike lanes and their more protected bike lanes.

The quick build uh allowed for water barriers to block all travel lane for bike use, only allowed by our mobility and parking services team to invite those cyclists to ride the lane next to the vehicle traffic and provide feedback about their comfort level.

And we noticed a large increase of users of that area by using some of those uh pedestrian counters.

So that was um really nice to see how how well that pilot worked out.

And this is and this grant is just allowing us to have those tools on hand to do these quick builds more quickly as we prioritize and identify them.

And so when we talk about the high injury network, when we talk about vision zero, when we talk about bike plus and these plans, this will allow us to put some of those uh tools on the road more quickly, right?

Um, some of the tools that we've even used on the south side were more semi-permanent, so those thicker kind of um plastic barriers or creating islands in the street, the flex posts, etc., until those longer-term solutions come.

So I'm really excited because a lot of the dollars that we had previously spent and given to the department was for this purpose to think about one or two quick build projects that we could tackle.

This will now give us the ability to have all of the infrastructure to do multiple projects to ensure that we're we're more rapidly um addressing those concerns.

So I'm really excited about this what this looks like.

So do my colleagues have any questions or comments?

Great.

Seeing none, I move for passage.

Second.

Bang Stain Bros of Deputia, De Achowed Dorans Green, Remy Ross, Weiss President Harden.

Thank you.

Next we have ordinance zero zero eight zero five 2026 to approve an expenditure of up to of more than 100,000 on a universal term contract previously established by the city for the purchase of dump trucks to authorize the director of finance and management to associate all general budget reservations resulting from this ordinance with the appropriate universal term contract purchase agreement for the purchase of three tandem axle CNG dump trucks with snow equipment and six single axle C and Dump trucks with snow equipment from uh FIDA Freightliner Columbus to authorize the expenditure of up to three million four hundred forty-eight thousand two hundred twenty-four dollars from the municipal motor vehicle tax fund and to declare an emergency.

This authorizes the purchase of nine dev trucks to assist the city in plowing snow and spreading salt during the winter season, as well as for hauling materials and equipment, especially this last season did a doozy on our trucks.

So every every few years we have to replace them just because they do break down because of the materials.

So, Mike, do my colleagues have any questions or comments?

Great.

Seeing none, I move for passage.

Bangs Tim, Barroso Deputia, De Aka or Doors Green, Rumi Ross, White's President Hardin.

Thank you.

Um, and this next ordinance, Councilmember White, she'll be very excited.

This is in the Crown District.

Um, so as we I um we were having a conversation as a team.

So I want to try to uh show when we start to invest in some of these projects, the different areas of town that we're on, because I realize that as I'm saying names, you might be familiar if you're there, may not be familiar with all parts of the district.

So wanted to ensure that as we're talking about equity and how we're addressing some of the concerns in the city that I'm showing, especially my colleagues where these projects are happening, so you know they're happening in your district, and you can talk to your constituents about them.

So this is ordinance 0825 2026 to authorize the director of public service to execute grant agreements relative to the transportation housing and urban development and related agencies appropriations act for the bikeway Sancus Boulevard Shared Use Path, Worthington Galena Road to Worthington Woods Boulevard project to accept and expend uh awarded grant funds and to issue refunds if necessary for appropriate uh for approved projects.

This project is a Vision Zero safety improvement.

It is designed to slow driver speeds, increase visibility of people walking and biking and separate uh vulnerable road users from vehicle traffic.

This will add a new shared use path along the west side of Sankit's Boulevard, connected to a shared use path that will be added uh to the street from Worthington Woods Boulevard to Lazell Road.

The project fills a pedestrian and bike list facility gap and ties in with the City of Columbus recently completed shared use path project along Worthington Woods Boulevard.

This project includes improvements to Sanctus Boulevard to add a pedestrian and cyclist access in the form of the shared use path includes the transit stops on St.

Boulevard, Worthington Woods Boulevard.

The project also includes a mini-block crosswalk at Cayman Lane to add street lighting, curb ramps, drive aprons, and storm sewer.

The ordinance allows the city to execute grant agreements, but the total cost is approximately 2.4 million dollars.

So very excited that this side of town will now have a shared use path that will have added connectivity, and especially key to that is lighting as well.

Yes, Councilmember.

I was just gonna say thank you, Chair, for kind of highlighting that.

This is definitely in a stretch of row that is a problem for those who are walking or commuting via bike or anything in that area.

Um and I cannot wait to go back and tell them how hard I worked to make this happen.

So thank you so much.

And that we got a grant for it specifically.

Um I think uh folks will see shared use paths use more and more as a department is really using this as a we understand sidewalks are narrow.

This gives us the ability that whether you are in a mobility, if you're in a wheelchair, if you're on a scooter, if you're pushing a stroller, or it's just a busy area where there's multiple people coming and going, that you have a uh bigger path and it's secured and away from the street uh for those vulnerable users.

So any additional questions, comments?

You're welcome.

I'm just kidding.

Uh seeing that I'm in for passage.

Banks, Denver Wilson Depodia, de Aka or Dorns, Green Remy, Ross Weitch, President Hart.

That's all for me this evening.

Thank you.

Thank you, madam.

The next committee to come before council is the public safety and criminal justice committee chair by Councilman Reming.

Council Member Close yours.

Thank you very much, Council President.

Tonight in the public safety and criminal justice committee have three ordinances for second read.

First is 651, 2026 to authorize the direct director uh to authorize the director of public safety to enter into a brokerage contract with Air Flight Inc.

for the sale of the Bell MD 530 FFN557 C P SN 071 FF helicopter, no longer in use by the division of police to waive the provisions of Chapter 329 of the Columbus City Codes pertaining to the sale of city-owned pro personal property, competitive bidding, and to enter into service contracts and to declare an emergency.

Emergency action is requested to ensure the sale of the helicopter is made before council recess to allow for additional legislation to happen in a timely manner so the sale can be expedited, expediting the receipt of the associated revenue and savings in the city's aviation insurance costs.

A bid waiver is requested in order to obtain the highest possible revenue.

Air Flight Inc.

served as the broker of several past sales, and their experience with this unique equipment is expected to deliver the highest possible revenue.

Are there any questions or comments from my colleagues?

Seeing none, I move for passage.

Clerk, please call the role.

Next, I have ordinance 860 2026 to authorize and direct the director of the public department of public safety to enter into contract with the Franklin County Board of Commissioners and expend funds for use of the Franklin County Correction Centers for the housing of City of Columbus prisoners to authorize the expenditure of $2 million from the general fund and to declare an emergency.

Before I go any further, I want to announce that I am going to refer this ordinance back to committee.

At the end of the day, our responsibility is to the residents of this city, and that includes ensuring that every person feels safe interacting with our systems, regardless of where they are born.

There are still important questions we need answered regarding the Franklin County Sheriff's Office and its policies involving foreign-born residents and notifications to U.S.

immigration and customs enforcement.

Take an additional time now allows us to better understand the impact of this contract and ensure we are making the right decision for our community.

Do any of my colleagues have any comments?

Yes.

I just want to say thank you.

So I appreciate you.

Thank you very much, Councilmember.

All right.

We do have one public speaker on the agenda tonight.

And with that, um, I'd like to invite Isaiah St.

John here to speak on this ordinance.

Mr.

St.

John, welcome to council.

You have three minutes.

Please state your name or and any organization you may be affiliated with.

Thank you.

My name is Isaiah St.

John.

I, speaking for myself.

I'm happy to hear you're reconsidering this.

Um good evening, President Harden, uh, members of council.

I have a story for you this evening.

Jose comes home at 8 p.m.

after a 14-hour day laying down shingles.

As he approaches his door, he hears terrified screams coming from his neighbor's apartment.

Concerned, he knocks.

An enraged man opens the door.

Toro Bien, Jose asks.

The man redirects his anger towards Jose, charging him.

Jose and the man go to the ground, grappling when Columbus police arrive.

Jose is gonna spend the night in the Franklin County jail.

But fortunately for him, the entire incident was recorded by his landlord's security camera.

He will be bailed out in the morning, and all charges will be dropped by the end of the week.

It was an ordeal, but Jose would do it again.

He's not the kind of person to look the other way when someone needs help.

It's not the way he was raised.

Nice story, right?

Except that's not how this story goes.

Not in Columbus, not today.

As you know or should know, Council members, the Franklin County Sheriff has a policy of notifying ICE of any inmates that speak no or little English.

And if requested, the sheriff will notify ICE prior to release.

So Jose doesn't get to go home to his pregnant wife and three children.

He will be released from the Franklin County jail into ICE custody.

They will take him to Butler County jail and from there to an overcrowded facility in Louisiana.

Despite having a U.S.

work permit and pending application for a green card, Jose will flounder in immigration detention for months.

He will miss his son's birthday.

His daughter will drop out of school to help support the family.

Eventually, Jose will give in and sign his deportation papers.

Are we great yet?

In the month of February alone, 20 individuals were taken into ICE custody directly from the Franklin County jail.

Twelve of those individuals had never been convicted of any crime.

This is according to deportation data project data.

Donald Trump is on a mission to bring racial purity to this country, to this city, to rid our streets, schools, and workplaces of anyone born in a quote, shithole country.

It didn't stop after Operation Buckeye.

Look on ice out.org.

Day after day, federal agents are hunting our neighbors down like modern day slave catchers.

But just as often, Columbus police do the hunting for them, shipping our neighbors to Donald Trump in a tidy little box with a bow.

That box might be shipped by the Franklin County Sheriff's Office, but this body can't plead innocence when it is you, Council members, who are paying the Franklin County Sheriff for this perverse service.

I urge you not another dime of our tax dollars to Franklin County jails so long as they continue to work hand in glove with Donald Trump's secret police.

Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr.

St.

John.

I do want to point out that this also is something that should be discussed in front of the Franklin County Board of Commissioners, uh, as it is their their purview, um the sheriff's offices.

So are there any other comments from my colleagues?

Seeing none, I move to refer to committee.

Thanks, Timberwolves deputy, de acauer dorms green, Remy Ross, Vice President Harding.

We refer back to committee.

And finally, I have 940, 2026 to authorize the director of the Department of Public Safety on behalf of the Division of Police to modify the contract with Proto Inc.

for the continuation of towing management services to authorize an expenditure of 1,300,000 from the general fund and to declare an emergency.

This ordinance modifies the contract with Proto to allocate an additional 1.3 million for towing management services covering the first six months of the 2026 fiscal year.

The contract was originally awarded for three years with three one-year renewal options and is funded on a yearly basis.

Towing services are essential to the safety and welfare of the traveling public, addressing accidents and abandoned vehicles on public road roads.

Emergency action is requested to ensure the division of police can continue uninterrupted towing operations without disruption to public safety.

Are there any questions or comments from my colleagues?

Seeing none, I move for passage.

Bangs, Tim Barroso De Barbosa de Pudia, de Akaur Doors, Green, Remy Ross, Vice President Harden.

Green, Remy Ross, Weiss President Hardin.

Thank you very much.

That's all I have this evening.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Next committee coming before council is the Housing Homelessness and Building Committee chaired by Councilmember Ross.

Thank you.

Councilman, the floor is yours.

Sorry, thank you, Council President.

Just one ordinance this evening.

Uh ordinance number 0951-2026 to authorize the director of the Department of Development to enter into a service contract with Greenwood 360 LLC in an amount up to 250,000 to act as the application manager for resident recipients as part of the department's Columbus Resilient Housing Initiative to authorize the waiv of competitive bidding requirements of Columbus City Code Chapter 329 to authorize the transfer between object classes and an expenditure in the amount of up to $250,000 within the general fund to authorize the payment of expenses prior to the issuance of the purchase order beginning April 1st, 2026 through March 31st, 2027, and to declare an emergency.

The Resilient Housing Initiative is a housing crisis response program that lives within the City of Columbus Division of Housing Stability.

This resource provides housing problem solving, rent payment support, homeless and eviction diversion resources, and this application that serves as an intake and data input mechanism to support the initiative.

Competitive bidding is being waived as this particular vendor is already in use for the application by the department.

Are there any comments by my colleagues?

Seeing that a move for passage.

Second.

Clerk, please call the roll.

Bangs Timber also deputy, de awkward doors, green, reamy Ross, Weiss President Harden.

Pass.

Thank you, Council President.

That is it.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

And the final committee to come before council is the public utilities and sustainability committee, chaired by Councilmore Weiss.

Councilmember Floor is yours.

Thank you, Council President.

First, in public utilities and sustainability, I have ordinance 516-2026 to authorize the director of the Department of Public Utilities to enter into a construction contract with JLD Construction Services LLC for the 2026 fire hydrant replacement project to authorize an amendment to the 2025 capital improvement budget to authorize a transfer of cash and appropriation between projects within the water bond fund to authorize the expenditure of up to 1,851,206 and 50 cents for the project and to authorize an expenditure of up to $2,000 from the water bond fund to pay for prevailing wage services.

This project involves a replacement or repair of existing fire hydrogens throughout the city.

This work will improve water quality throughout the city's distribution system while ensuring that the city hydrants provide adequate water flows during emergency situations.

Let me stop there.

See if any questions or comments from my colleagues.

Seeing none, I move for passage.

Bangs Tim Baroso de Podia, de Aqua Doors Green, Remy Ross, Weiss President Harding.

Thank you.

Next I have ordinance uh 521-2026 to authorize the director of public utilities to enter into a construction contract with underground utilities incorporated for the uh Kennewick Road Area Water Line Improvements Project to amend the 2025 capital improvement budget to authorize the appropriation expenditure of up to 5 million 168,794 and 27 cents from the water supply revolving loan account fund for the contract to make this ordinance contingent upon the Ohio Water Development Authority approving a loan for the project and to authorize the expenditure of up to $2,000 from the water bond fund to pay for prevailing wage services.

This project consists of the installation of approximately $9,700 linear feet of new water mains as well as the repair of existing water lines that have a high break frequency in the Mideast community.

Uh this project will improve water service, reduce burden on water maintenance operations, and minimize water loss.

Let me stop there.

See if any questions are comments from my colleagues.

Seeing none, I move for passage.

Banks Tim Baroso de Pudilla, De Akaur Doors, Green, Remy Ross, Weiss President Harden.

Thank you.

Next I have uh 535-2026 to authorize the director of public utilities to enter into a contract for construction administration inspection services with uh Stanet Tech uh consulting services incorporated for the Kennewick Road Area Water Line Improvements to amend the 2025 capital improvement budget to authorize a transfer of cash and appropriation between projects within the water bond fund to authorize an expenditure of up to 75,000 from the water bond fund for the uh construction administration construction administration inspection services contract to authorize the appropriation and expenditure of up to 967,000, 24.74 cents from the water supply revolving loan account fund for the contract modification and to make this ordinance contingent upon the Ohio Water Development Authority approving a loan for the project.

Uh the services are procured under this contract.

We'll ensure that the Kennewick Road Area Water Line Improvements Project remains on track and adheres to expectations.

Let me stop there.

See if any questions are comments from my colleagues.

Seeing none, I move for passage.

Clerk, please call the road.

Banks Timberwolves deputy, de awkward doors, green, reamy Ross, Weich President Hard.

Thank you.

Next I have ordinance 613-2026 to authorize the director of public utilities to enter into a construction contract with driven excavation LLC for the Lexington Area Water Line Improvements Project to amend the 2025 capital improvement budget to authorize the appropriation expenditure of up to 5,229,633.

This project consists of the installation of approximately 9400 linear feet of new water mains as well as the replacement of privately owned lead and galvanized water service lines in the South London and North London communities.

This project will improve water service, reduce burning on water maintenance operations, and minimize water loss.

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

Seeing none, I move for passage.

Banks Timber Rosa de Padilla, De Akaur Doors, Green, Remy Ross, Weiss President Hardin.

Thank you.

Next I have ordinance 781-2026 to authorize the director of public utilities to modify the contract with As Balundi Tree Expert LLC for the tree trimming and vegetation management services and to authorize an expenditure of $1,045,000 split between the electricity and water operating funds.

These services will provide tree trimming and vegetation removal in and around power distribution lines, street light circuits, water treatment facilities, and sewer treatment facilities within the city.

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

Seeing that I move for passage.

Clerk please call the row.

Banks Timberwolves deputy, de awkward doors, green reamy Ross Weich President Hart.

Passed.

Thank you.

And last I have ordinance 976-2026 to authorize the director of public utilities to modify and increase the power supply agreement for the purchase of wholesale electric power and renewable energy credits with American Electric Power Energy Partners Incorporated for the Division of Power to authorize the expenditure of $75 million from the electricity operating fund and to declare an emergency.

This ordinance provides the funding necessary to purchase power renewable energy credits for the service months of March 2026 through the end of February 2027 in order to meet the energy demands of the Department of Public Utilities and its customers throughout uh Central Ohio.

Emergency designation is requested in order to ensure that the division of powers operations continue to run safely, efficiently, and without interruption.

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

Seeing none, I move for passage.

Clerk please call the row.

Banks temper also deputy, de awkward doors, green, remi Ross, Weiss President Harden.

Passed.

Thank you.

That is all I have in my committee this evening.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Seeing up uh see no further business coming for council.

Is there a motion to adjourn?

Clerk, please call the row.

Banks Timberwolves deputy de Aqua doors, green, reamy Ross, Weiss President Hard.

Meeting is adjourned.