The Columbus City Council met on April 28, 2026, at 6:30 PM for Meeting No. 21. The meeting included the appointment of a new city auditor, adoption of several resolutions, public comments, and votes on multiple legislative items. Key outcomes included the appointment of Jacqueline Lewis as City Auditor effective May 4, 2026, and passage of the jail contract after debate.
21 will now come to order. Please stand for the playing of the national anthem. Counselor Banks and we lead us in the pledge. This evening, Council is grateful to have Minister Ayanna Fulham from Hope City Church. Lead us in prayer. Mr. Welcome to Council. Good evening. Thank you guys so much for having me. Heavenly Father, God, we take the time to come before you, Lord, and we ask for your presence, God, to be in this meeting, God. We come um we come before you, God, with humility and gratitude, God acknowledging that all wisdom, authority, and all power, God belongs to you. And so, God, we ask God that you will have your way in this meeting, God, that you will guide the council members with your wisdom, God, with your peace and with clarity that only comes from above. In Jesus' name, amen. Thank you so much, Pastor. Clerk is called the role. Banks Timberosa de Padilla, De Aka or Dorns Green, Remy Ross Weiss President Harden. Any person who takes any action to obstruct or interfere with the conduct of tonight's meeting may be charged with 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. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Um I get a motion to swim to the reading of the journal. Clerk, please call the roll. Thank you, uh, Madam Clerk. Are there any additions or corrections to the uh journal? There's one. Please. Uh 2026. If there are no additions or corrections to the journal, the journal is approved. This week's communication received by the city clerk's office are listed on the agenda and we published in City Bulletin. Are there any other communications to be read for the record? Not at this time. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Um, before we move uh through the rest of the agenda, uh, we just had a very thoughtful um conversation for the last hour uh pre prior to this uh meeting around the appointment of uh uh repl uh auditor uh to replace Megan Kilgore, who will resign effective May 4th. Uh as stated at the hearing, um our charter says that we have to have an auditor in place in time for her uh resignation. Uh we do not have a council meeting next week, so that vote must come today. Um, this has been a truncated process, but it has been an open and transparent con uh uh process uh where we have had um five folks apply, uh three that met the um requirements. Uh they spoke uh uh before at the hearing, and um as we said, we're very grateful for each and every one of them. Um they they really uh showed us uh the best of Columbus. Uh and and uh we're we're grateful that we have um great people to pick from. Uh I want to open I'll say this too before we go any further. Um we will have to have Auditor Kilgore back for making Kilgore Day here in the city of Columbus as a true expression of gratitude that we have for her stewardship of that office. Uh I said last week, she inherited the about the largest shoes that you could inherit um in uh taking over after Mr. Hugh Dorian, and she walked in those shoes flawlessly uh without one misstep, and we're just grateful for you and thank you so much for your service, and we're so grateful. I also will acknowledge uh Miss Darlene Wilde, who I think retires this week. Um Meg, what are you gonna do flying solo for three or four days? Yes, um, but who has also served this city. Uh, and I say this often um folks see us uh and and and think that this is the city. The truth is it is you all who are the city, the folks who are really keeping this thing running. Uh and uh we're just so grateful for you, Ms. Darlene, and excited for your next uh as you go into retirement. So would you help me uh celebrate Ms.