Mayor Coleman, Councilmember Tyson Celebrate Opening of Largest Sustainable Fueling Station in Ohio

Mayor Michael B. Coleman was joined today by Councilmember Priscilla R. Tyson, representatives of Clean Fuels Ohio, the City of Dublin and the U.S. Department of Energy to mark the opening of the city’s first compressed natural gas station, the largest fast-fill station of its kind in Ohio and likely in the Midwest. The CNG station is located at 4211 Groves Road in Columbus and will be open to the public this summer.

“This is more than just a fueling station,” Mayor Coleman said. “This marks our transition to a diversified and cleaner fuel for our community.”

Columbus expects to save approximately $80,000 per year in fuel costs from this station. CNG is averaging $1.80 per gas gallon equivalent compared with $4.05 per gallon of diesel. In addition, CNG reduces carbon emissions by as much as 90 percent. The initial infusion of 24 CNG vehicles for the city will reduce emissions as much as if 96 cars were taken off the road annually.

“This fueling station positions Columbus to be at the forefront of the nation and our region for developing energy efficient transportation at a cost savings for our residents,” said Councilmember Priscilla R. Tyson, chair of the Finance Committee.  

The City of Columbus was supported through a grant Clean Fuels Ohio received from the U.S. Department of Energy in 2009. The total cost of the CNG station is $4.2 million, with $1.1 million coming from the Department of Energy.While the station is for use by the City of Columbus fleet, it will also be open to area fleets and the general public. Natural gas offers significant environmental, energy security, and economic benefits, producing lower tailpipe emissions and greenhouse gases than diesel or gasoline. Also, unlike gasoline, natural gas is non-toxic, non-corrosive, and non-carcinogenic and presents no threat to soil, surface water, or groundwater.

Columbus has been a long-time leader in greening its fleet, voted the No. 1 greenest fleet in North America by Government Fleet in 2011 and repeatedly recognized by many organizations for its efforts. As part of Mayor Coleman’s Get Green Columbus initiative, Columbus has a comprehensive Green Fleet Action Plan that lays out specific strategies to reduce petroleum use and increase use of cleaner fuels such as electric, E85, biodiesel and CNG.

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Completion of Six Single-Family Homes in American Addition Celebrated

Mayor Michael B. Coleman today joined Homeport President and CEO Amy Klaben and Senator Sherrod Brown together with Councilmember Priscilla R. Tyson, Franklin County Board of Commissioners President Paula Brooks and American Addition residents for a new home tour event celebrating the completion of six single-family homes. Thesix homes located on Lee Avenue in the American Addition neighborhood are being constructed with the strategic use of funds from the National Stabilization Program 2 by both the city and the county.

“In these new homes, we’re seeing how Columbus and its residents are using federal funding to attract businesses, families, and young people to the neighborhood,” Brown said. “By rebuilding neighborhoods devastated by the economic crisis, we will improve surrounding property values, create new jobs, and foster long-term economic growth.”

The homes constructed by KMM Builders and designed by Sullivan-Bruck Architects and Kaiser Design Group range from 1,488 to 1,641 square feet. Five of these homes have three bedrooms and two bathrooms in a range of models and one home has four bedrooms and three baths. All six meet the green AWARE standards and have detached two car garages. Prices range from $117,000 to $119,000 and are available to income-qualified buyers.  All new homebuyers will complete the HUD-certified home buyer education classes in Homeport’s Housing Advisory Center.

“With these new homes, the transformation of American Addition is truly underway,” Mayor Coleman said. “This neighborhood has a great history, and thanks to Homeport and all our partners, it will have a bright future.”

Through the revitalization of this neighborhood, Homeport—formerly Columbus Housing Partnership—will build a mixed-income community comprised of 100 energy-efficient, high quality homes. American Addition is located in North Central Columbus just 3.5 miles from downtown.

“We have been working to get revitalization efforts underway in American Addition. We can now walk down Lee Avenue and see another example of the impact that NSP2 funds are having,” Amy Klaben said. “We have received a steady stream of interest in these 6 new homes and already have two offers on the table. People are excited about new energy-efficient housing options so close to downtown.”

 “The American Addition is an important piece of the fabric of Columbus’ past,” said Councilmember Priscilla R. Tyson, chair of the Finance Committee.  “Generations of mostly African American families have called this area home and now this partnership between the City, the County, federal government and community are revitalizing this important neighborhood.”

“This shared investment by the County Commissioners and the City of Columbus shows true partnership in addressing the housing needs of our community,” added County Commissioner Brooks. “As these homes were built, our strategic investment also put people to work – laborers, contractors, carpenters and builders.”

Homeport anticipates future phases of single family homes will follow the planned infrastructure improvements.

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Councilmember Priscilla R. Tyson Celebrates HUD Grant Announcement

(Columbus)-- Columbus City Councilmember Priscilla R. Tyson, a member of the Partners Achieving Community Transformation (PACT) Advisory Committee, joined Department of Housing and Urban Development Assistant Secretary Sandra Henriquez, the Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA), and PACT’s community partners to announce HUD’s investment of a $300,000 Choice Neighborhood Initiative Planning Grant for the Poindexter Village community and surrounding neighborhood.

“This is a great day for Columbus, and especially the residents of the Near East Side,” said Councilmember Priscilla R. Tyson, chair of the Finance Committee. “The Choice Neighborhood Initiative Planning Grant is another milestone in the revitalization of this community.”

The Planning grant will fund a redevelopment plan for Poindexter Village and the surrounding neighborhood. Additionally, with its receipt of the Planning grant, CMHA will be eligible to compete for a Choice Neighborhood Implementation Grant that could be worth between $10-$20 million.

PACT is a partnership between the City of Columbus, The Ohio State University, CMHA, and Near East Side residents and stakeholders. Its vision is to create a healthy, financially and environmentally sustainable community where residents have access to safe and affordable housing, quality healthcare and education, and employment opportunities.

“Columbus City Council is proud to be a partner in an initiative that will do so much to improve the quality of life in our community,” said Tyson.

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Mayor Michael B. Coleman and Councilmember Michelle M. Mills inspected five of seven new engines for the Division of Fire and six new motorcycles for the Division of Police this morning.  The Division of Fire has 34 engine companies meaning this purchase represents the replacement of 21 percent of the frontline engines over the past 5 years.The Division of Police currently has a fleet of 24 motorcycles with 80 percent of the motorcycles being three years old or newer.

Mayor Coleman, City Councilmember Klein, OSU and Consider Biking Mark Completion of City’s First Bicycle Shelter

Mayor Michael B. Coleman, City Councilmember Zach M. Klein, The Ohio State University, Consider Biking and OSU area community groups today marked the completion of the City’s first bicycle shelter.  The new bicycle shelter, which will hold up to ten bicycles, is located in front of Charlie’s Grilled Subs and Salads at 1912 North High Street.  View full press release 

Councilmember Zachary M. Klein Attends Groundbreaking Event for Multi-Million Dollar CSX Intermodal Terminal Expansion.

(Columbus) Councilmember Zachary M. Klein joined Mayor Michael B. Coleman and CSX officials this morning for the groundbreaking of the $59 million CSX intermodal freight terminal expansion.  The terminal expansion is part of the National Gateway initiative, linking deep water east coast ports with Midwestern markets.  The overall project covers six states and the District of Columbia and includes rail capacity enhancements and intermodal terminal capacity improvements.  Earlier this year, CSX opened the cornerstone of the National Gateway, a new $175 million intermodal terminal in Northwest Ohio.

The Columbus terminal expansion will ready the region with the capacity needed for anticipated growth in business and continue to enhance the economical and environmentally-friendly rail intermodal service offered to customers. The expansion, which is part of the company’s previously stated capital investment plans, includes a redesign of the site footprint, installation and realignment of tracks, reconfiguration of inbound and outbound truck gates, additional onsite parking, and three, high tech, rail-mounted, electric wide-span cranes. 

This investment expects to create over 400 construction related jobs over the course of the project here in Columbus. The wide-span cranes will operate with zero emissions and regenerate power back to the terminal grid or to the electric utility. Railroads are the most environmentally-friendly and energy efficient way to move goods on land.  On average, railroads are three or more times more fuel efficient than the alternative. Trains can also move a ton of freight nearly 500 miles on a single gallon of fuel. A single train can carry the load of more than 280 trucks.

CSX Corporation, based in Jacksonville, Fla., is one of the nation’s leading transportation companies, providing rail, intermodal and rail-to-truck transload services. The company's transportation network spans approximately 21,000 miles, with service to 23 eastern states and the District of Columbia. CSX’s network connects more than 240 short line and regional railroads and more than 70 ocean, river, and lake ports.

Councilmember Craig Celebrates the Completion of a Healthy Neighborhoods, Healthy Families Home.

Columbus Mayor Michael B. Coleman alongside City Councilmember Hearcel Craig, United Way of Central Ohio President and CEO, Janet Jackson and Nationwide Children’s Hospital CEO, Steve Allen, MD, celebrated the completion of an in-fill residential property created to address the specific housing needs of a Nationwide Children’s patient family this morning.

Homebuyer LaQuita Long has two daughters, one of whom is wheelchair bound and makes frequent visits to the hospital. Due to the on-going treatment her daughter requires, Ms. Long was eager to find a home in the area. As she assessed her housing needs, it was determined there was a need for an ADA compliant home. With the support of Healthy Neighborhoods, Healthy Families (HNHF), United Way of Central Ohio and the City of Columbus, a once vacant and blighted lot was turned into a home that made Ms. Long’s dream a reality.

Funded partially by the United Way and Nationwide Children’s, with the lot donated by the City of Columbus, Ms. Long and her family will move into their new home that accommodates their needs with a wheel chair ramp, interior hand rails and larger turning radii throughout the home for accessibility. This is the first home where the homebuyer and builders worked hand-in-hand to address the specific needs of the family.

HNHF, first announced in September 2008, is a five-pronged, public-private collaborative focused on neighborhood revitalization in Columbus’ South Side, which creates tangible outcomes through a broad-based effort that is responsive to the needs and desires of the community.  In collaboration with area non-profit partner, Community Development for All People, renovating and selling homes in Columbus’ South Side is the goal of the Affordable Housing prong. By addressing vacant and abandoned properties, offering programs like home buyer education and homeowner grant repair, HNHF-Healthy Homes is revitalizing the neighborhood. To date, the program has impacted 70 homes through full rehab and home repair grants.

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Councilmember Michelle M. Mills discusses the moratorium on the opening of new adult gaming parlors in Columbus.

Columbus City Council Announces Graffiti Removal Program  

(Columbus)The Columbus City Council has unveiled a proposal to help residents and business owners fight graffiti, a plan that includes the option of removal at no cost to the property owner.   The graffiti abatement initiative was arrived at after multiple community meetings and public hearings to discuss the matter.  The plan will help clean graffiti as quickly as possible while holding property owners accountable if the vandalism is not removed in a timely manner. 

“This plan will help fight crime and improve economic development in our neighborhoods,” said Councilmember Zach M. Klein, chair of the Development Committee.  “By helping residents and businesses remove this blight in a reasonable, cost effective manner, we are helping to build a safer, more business friendly Columbus.”

The City Council proposal will do two things – add “failure to control graffiti” to the municipal code and require all property owners to remove graffiti within 30 days of receiving a notice from code enforcement.  The property owner will have the option of removing the vandalism themselves or signing a waiver to allow a city contractor to remove the graffiti at no cost to the property owner.  

“Our goal with this legislation is to provide a way to remove the graffiti quickly in a way that is not punitive to the property owner, who already has been a victim of crime,” said Councilmember Michelle M. Mills, chair of the Safety and Judiciary Committee.  “Numerous studies have shown the faster graffiti is removed, the less likely it is to reappear.”

Residents and business owners can report graffiti to the city’s 311 call center or by using the MyColumbus app for their mobile phone or tablet device.  The City of Columbus will competitively bid for removal services and require companies to photograph, geo-tag and share photos with the City Attorney’s office to add in prosecution efforts. 

Councilmember Mills supports Statewide Ban on Texting while Driving

Columbus Community,

Texting while driving is one of the most dangerous forms of distracted driving because it takes the driver’s hands off the wheel, eyes off the road and mind off the task at hand, safely operating a motor vehicle.   A National Highway Transportation Safety Administration Study conducted by Virginia Tech found 80% of all crashes and 65% of near crashes involve some form of distraction. 

That is why as Columbus City Council’s Safety Committee chair, I joined AAA, local law enforcement officers and other transportation advocates at a Statehouse rally urging the State Senate to pass a texting while driving ban.  The House of Representatives passed a bill earlier this year that will make Ohio roads safer, now it is the Senate’s turn to do the same. 

Knowing that the lives of our residents could be at risk, the Columbus City Council did not wait for the state to put a texting while driving ban in place.  Under the leadership of now City Council President Andrew  J. Ginther, Councilmembers voted unanimously in the spring of 2010 to make texting while driving a primary traffic offensive, punishable with a maximum fine of $150.00.  Although officers have issued a number of tickets, the primary goal of the ban was to raise aware of the dangers of texting while driving, making our roads safer for drivers, bicyclist and pedestrians alike.  

I urge the Ohio State Senate to say “yes” to H.B. 99 and help us save lives. 

Sincerely,

Michelle M. Mills, Chair Public Safety & Judiciary Committee

Columbus City Council

Mayor Coleman, City Councilmember Paley and Schools         Superintendent Harris Celebrate New Safety Signals at Gables Elementary School

Mayor Michael B. Coleman, City Councilmember Eileen Y. Paley, Columbus Public Schools CEO and Superintendent Gene T. Harris, Ph.D. and northwest side residents today flipped the switch to activate new school flasher safety signals at Gables Elementary School, 1680 Becket Avenue. The LED yellow flashing lights with LED 20 miles-per-hour speed limit displays over the roadway remind motorists to obey state law requiring the slower speed in front of schools when the signals are turned on during school hours. 

“We are investing in these safety signals to make areas around schools safer for our children,” Mayor Coleman said.  “Motorists must obey the law, slow down and be more alert when driving near schools.”

Gables Elementary School is one of four Columbus Public Schools get the new flashing safety signals this fall.  The other three schools are:

• Champion Middle, 284 North 22nd Street
• Oakland Park Elementary, 3392 Atwood Terrace
• Parsons Elementary, 3231 Lee Ellen Place

"The safety of our students is always our top priority—and it is obviously at the top of Mayor Coleman's priority list as well,” Dr. Harris said. “We sincerely appreciate the support we receive from the mayor, the Columbus Department of Public Service, and the Columbus Division of Police in working with us to keep our students safe as they walk to and from school each day."

In addition to the four Columbus Public Schools, the flashing safety signals will be installed at nine other schools within the city of Columbus this year.  None of the 13 schools previously had the flashing safety signals.

“These safety signals will serve as a clear reminder for motorists that children are close by and drivers need to pay special attention to their speed when they approach a school zone,” said Councilmember Eileen Y. Paley, chair of the Public Service & Transportation Committee.

The nine additional schools to get school flasher safety signals this fall are:

• Children’s Academy, 100 Obetz Road
• Davis Middle School, 2400 Sutter Parkway
• FCI Academy, 2177 Mock Road
• Olde Sawmill Elementary School, 2485 Olde Sawmill      Boulevard
• Olentangy Meadows Elementary School, 8950 Emerald Hill Drive
• Riverside Elementary School, 3260 Riverside Green
• Slate Hill Elementary School, 7625 Alta View Boulevard
• Tussing Elementary School, 7177 Tussing Road           
• Whitehall Prep and Fitness Elementary School, 3474 Livingston Avenue

The 13 sets of school flasher safety signals cost $133,000. Between 2000 and 2007, the Department of Public Service upgraded 245 existing school flasher safety signals at 108 schools in Columbus to LED flasher safety signals. No funding for school flasher safety signals was available between 2008 and 2010.

City Council Creates Veterans Affairs Committee

(Columbus)--In a continuing effort to better address the needs of Columbus veterans and their families, Columbus City Councilmember Hearcel F. Craig has worked with his colleagues to create a new standing committee that will focus solely on the needs of Columbus’ past and present servicemen and women. 

“Council works continuously to address the needs of our community, and this new committee will help raise awareness of the challenges veterans face and link veterans and their families with the services they need,” said Council President Andrew J. Ginther.  “And, when it comes to understanding the needs of veterans and their families, no one on Council is more qualified to address these concerns than President Pro Tem Craig.”

Councilmember Craig, a Vietnam-era veteran who served in the United States Army, says the Veterans Affairs Committee will highlight the many programs and services that assist this growing population.  

“There are a myriad of services offered by multiple levels of government aimed at veterans and navigating these waters can sometimes be a daunting task,” said Craig.  “My mission for this new committee will be to continue to protect the rights and benefits of Columbus veterans while promoting programming that improves the lives of military personnel and their families.”

There are an estimated 100,000 veterans living in Columbus.  The new committee will evaluate the needs of Columbus veterans and assist existing service related agencies while working in concert with Rick Isbell, Columbus’ Veterans Affairs and Americans with Disabilities Coordinator. 

“Anything we can do as a city to help veterans attain the benefits and services they have earned is a step in the right direction,” said Isbell, an Air Force veteran of the Gulf War.   “Having a dedicated City Council office with the firsthand understanding of the challenges veterans face will only improve in the overall responsiveness of City Hall to the needs and concerns local veterans.”

Councilmember Craig says the new committee will also work with Columbus Equal Business Opportunity Commission Office to incorporate disable-veteran status into current city standards and collaborate with the Office of Homeless Advocacy to move homeless veterans from the streets to stable housing situations. 

“Veterans deserve the strongest voice possible fighting for our rights and it is good to know that City Council will do all they can to help us in our times of need,” said Bill Adams, a Columbus resident and Korean War veteran who also serves on the Columbus Veterans Advisory Board. 

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Mayor Coleman and Councilmember Miller Demonstrate Free Mobile App 

MyColumbus App Will Allow Area Residents to Locate Columbus Sites, Find Events and Submit Service Requests

The City of Columbus has released a free iPhone Mobile App allowing area residents enhanced access to city and community resources. Mayor Michael B. Coleman and the Department of Technology will demonstrated the new service yesterday in City Council Chambers. The demonstration was hosted by Councilmember A. Troy Miller, chair of the Administration Committee.

“With smart phone use already at 50 percent for much of the United States, the MyColumbus Mobile App was the obvious next step in improving city-to-resident communication,” Mayor Coleman said. “This will make public services more accessible and engaging to residents.”

MyColumbus puts city services in the fingertips of residents and visitors, using integrated technologies, such as GPS for location services, RSS for City News Feeds, and has an entire social media center providing access to Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. 

“The MyColumbus App allows users to be connected to city services and programs wherever they may be,” said Councilmember Miller. “It is important for Columbus to offer this level of service, and I look forward to expanding the program in the near future.”   

MyColumbus encompasses four mayoral initiatives to help city residents: My Neighborhood, Get Active, Green Spot, and 311. The My Neighborhood campaign allows residents to easily select and map government buildings, local entertainment and retail venues, as well as other useful Columbus sites. The Get Active initiative enables residents to access an events calendar, park and trail guides and tips from prominent community members on healthy eating and exercise. The GreenSpot initiative encourages sustainable behavior with environmental facts and pointers. The app also includes a 311 submission section where residents can submit service requests from their mobile devices.

Currently the MyColumbus mobile application is available for iPhones, however; it will be available for Droid users by the end of the year. To get the iPhone Mobile App, search for the MyColumbus app in iTunes. For more information on the City of Columbus’ initiatives, visit http://columbus.gov/.

NASCAR Drivers Visit Summer

Education Program

(Columbus)--Before the future stars of NASCAR hit the track at the Columbus Motor Speedway, they hit the classroom at St. Stephen’s Community House where students there are spending their summer continuing their math and science based education by building small motorized cars.  The students are taking part in the Summer Engineering Experience for Kids program and are utilizing many of the same skills and thought processes NASCAR drivers and crews use to prepare their cars for race day.

“It is such an inspiration for the students to have positive role models who visit the Linden community and encourage our young people to continue their summer learning here at St. Stephen’s,” said Councilmember Michelle M. Mills, chair of the Public Safety and Judiciary Committee and President and C.E.O of St. Stephen’s.    “I really appreciate the fact these drivers took the time out of their busy schedule to energize and inspire our kids and wish them all the best of luck this weekend.”

The drivers, Michael Cherry, Ryan Gifford, Sergio Pena, and Darrell Wallace, Jr. represent Revolution Racing, a minority-owned NASCAR franchise whose mission is to develop minority and female drivers, pit-crew members and mechanics through an "academy-style" training model.  All of the drivers also take part in Drive for Diversity initiative, a program that works to increase the number of minority and female participates in all levels of the racing industry. 

The team from Revolution Racing and others are in town for the inaugural Jegs 150 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race to be held Saturday at Columbus Motor Speedway.  The K&N series is NASCAR’s top developmental series.   For more information visit the track’s website www.columbusspeedway.com.

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Mayor Coleman and Councilmember Mills Implement Operation Cool Down from 1-4 pm through Friday

Mayor Michael B. Coleman, Columbus City Councilmember Michelle M. Mills are urging residents to seek options for staying safe and healthy during this week’s oppressive heat wave. Because of the extraordinary heat, Mayor Coleman announced the city will implement Operation Cool Down, opening four city fire hydrants to offer residents an additional option for staying cool and having fun. The hydrants will be turned on at a controlled, safe level between 1 and 4 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of this week.

The locations are:

• Linden Park in front of 1254 Briarwood Ave.
• Beatty Recreation Center in front of 180 M. North Ohio Ave.
• Lincoln Park Elementary School at East Markison Ave. and Ann St.
• Westgate Park at Wicklow and S. Southampton Ave.

The areas will be blocked from traffic and supervised by Columbus city staff.

“During this oppressively hot week, we want to offer our residents some relief and some fun,” Mayor Coleman said. “I urge our residents to seek other options for staying cool throughout the day and to check on their neighbors to make sure they’re safe.”

Mayor Coleman urges all Columbus residents to take extra steps to stay cool and safe this week. In addition to today’s Operation Cool Down Centers, residents are invited to visit any of Columbus Recreation and Parks’ eight air-conditioned recreation centers:

Gillie 50+ Center, 2100 Morse Rd, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Martin Janis 50+ Center, 600 East 11^th, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Dodge Community  Center, 667 Sullivant Ave., Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. and Friday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday.

Marion Franklin Community Center, 2801 Lockbourne Rd. Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m.

Lazelle Woods Community Center, 8140 Sancus Blvd, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-8 p.m.

Beatty Community Center, 274 N. Ohio Ave., Monday - Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Brentnell Community Center, 1280 Brentnell, Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

Whetstone Community Center, 3923 North High Street, Monday-Friday, 8 am-8 pm

These hours will be effective until August 5.

Recreation and Parks also operates five Pools:

Tuttle Park, 240 Oakland Ave.

Windsor, 1300 Windsor Ave

Maryland, 3080 Atcheson Ave

Dodge, 545 Sullivant Ave

Marion Franklin, 2699 Lockbourne Rd

The sprayground at Barnett Recreation Center, 1184 Barnett Road, is open, and the new fountains at the Scioto Mile are available as well.

For information on cooling centers residents can call 311.

Columbus Public Health also offers residents tips to stay cool:

• Air-conditioning is the number one protective factor against heat-related illness and death.  During conditions of extreme heat, spend time in locations with air-conditioning such as shopping malls or public libraries.
• Drink cool, nonalcoholic beverages and increase your fluid intake, regardless of your activity level.  Water is your best option. Do not wait until you are thirsty.
• During heavy exercise in a hot environment, be sure to drink two to four glasses (16-32 ounces) of cool fluids each hour.
• Use your stove and oven less to maintain a cooler temperature in your home. Eat light meals.
• Electric fans may provide comfort, but when the temperature is in the high 90s fans will not prevent heat-related illness. Taking a cool shower or bath or moving to an air-conditioned place is a much better way to cool off.
• Never leave infants, children or pets in a parked car, even if the windows are cracked open.
• Choose lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing and a hat.
• If you must be outdoors, try to limit your outdoor activity to morning and evening hours. Rest often in shady areas so that your body's thermostat will have a chance to recover.

Also, in partnership with the Columbus Division of Fire, fan collection and distribution is occurring daily at LifeCare Alliance’s Meals Distribution Facility, 670 Harmon Avenue for individuals and families who need them most. 

Councilmember Hearcel F. Craig Tours South Side Settlement House  

(Columbus)--Councilmember Hearcel F. Craig toured the South Side Settlement House this morning to discuss the programs and services that will be continued following the passage of emergency legislation by City Council last evening. The emergency legislation provides financial assistance in the amount of $50,000 as one-time funding supplement to continue critical needs services at the facility.   

“The critical needs services offered by the South Side Settlement House are crucial to the residents of the South Side,” said Councilmember Hearcel F. Craig, chair of the Health, Housing and Human Services Committee.  “The emergency legislation passed last evening is designed to be a one-time funding to ensure that services continue to be provided for those most vulnerable.”  

Services provided by South Side Settlement House include serving hot meals, transportation for seniors, a food pantry for families, summer programs and productive activities for young children and teenagers, and clothing. 

For more than 100 years, the South Side Settlement House, a neighborhood-based, multi-service settlement house, has provided numerous social services including child care, social development for youths, counseling, adult groups, job-search and employment assistance, food pantry, and outreach to pregnant mothers and infants. Over 15,000 residents utilize the agency programs which run year-round, are open to all, and emphasize building community, conflict resolution, and civic action and social justice.

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Mayor Coleman, Councilmember Paley, South Side Residents   Break Ground On New Sidewalks On East Deshler Avenue

Mayor Michael B. Coleman, Council Member Eileen Y. Paley and South Side residents today broke ground on the construction of new sidewalks on both sides of East Deshler Avenue between Lockbourne Road and Fairwood Avenue.  The segment of East Deshler Avenue currently has no sidewalks.  Today’s groundbreaking was held in front of Deshler Park.

“These new sidewalks will allow families who play and relax in Deshler Park to walk safely to and from the park,” said Mayor Coleman.  “We continue to invest in sidewalks across Columbus to increase pedestrian safety near recreation centers, parks and schools.”

The one-half mile of new sidewalks will also give pedestrians a safer path to and from nearby Fairwood Park at the intersection of East Deshler and Fairwood Avenues; a sidewalk is on the east side of Fairwood Avenue in front of Fairwood Park.  The East Deshler Avenue sidewalks are part of $4 million in capital improvement funds the City is investing in pedestrian safety projects, including 9.2 miles of sidewalks.

“This investment in the Deshler Park area will improve the safety of all residents and lead to a stronger neighborhood for decades to come,” said Councilmember Paley, chair of the Public Service and Transportation Committee.  “Sidewalks help complete a neighborhood, adding value for homeowners while promoting a healthy lifestyle.” 

The Deshler Avenue sidewalks are scheduled to be completed by mid-September, weather permitting.   Other sidewalks to be built by the city in 2011 include:

• Cole Street, between Kelton Avenue and Berkeley Road (currently under construction)
• Cole Street, between Seymour Avenue and Fairwood Avenue (currently under construction)
• Hague Avenue, between Briggs Road and Mound Street
• Kenny Road, between Bricker Boulevard and Ackerman Road
• King Avenue, between city limits east of Andover Road and Westwood Avenue
• Lane Avenue, between Kenny Road and Fyffe Drive (currently under construction)
• Livingston Avenue, between Woodcrest and Lonsdale
• Mooberry Street, between Kelton Avenue and Berkeley Road (currently under construction)
• Mt. Vernon Avenue, between 5^th Street and 6^th Street
• Nelson Road, between Greenway South and railroad overpass
• Northwest Boulevard, between West 5^th Avenue and King Avenue
• Obetz Road, between South High Street and Beth Ann Drive
• Refugee Road, between Hamilton Road and Big Walnut Creek
• Valleyview Road, between Wilson Road and Westmoor Middle School
• East Weber Road, between I-71 and Cleveland Avenue
• West Mound Street, between Brinker Road and Binns Boulevard
• Wilson Road, between Fisher Road and Interchange Road
• Worthington Woods Boulevard, between Sancus Boulevard and Alta View Road

“Sidewalks are critical to our children's safety,” said Columbus Southside Area Commission Chair Jim Griffin. “The Columbus Southside Area Commission fully supports the installation of new sidewalks in the Deshler Park neighborhood.  Furthermore, the addition of sidewalks makes our South Columbus neighborhoods more attractive to families and individuals looking for a new place to live.”

Columbus has constructed 67.58 miles of sidewalks since 2000.

The city considers several factors when identifying locations where sidewalks will be constructed, including:

• Is there a school on, or adjacent to, the street
• Is there a recreation center or park on, or adjacent to, the street?
• Are there COTA bus stops on the street?
• Is there a concentration of senior citizen housing on the street?
• Is the street an arterial street, which has larger traffic volumes than residential street? 

Department of Public Service information is also available on the department’s Facebook site at www.facebook.com/ColumbusPublicService.

A statement from Columbus City Council President Andrew J. Ginther regarding the proposed rezoning and redevelopment of Cooper Stadium:

Cooper Stadium was once a vibrant and exciting place to catch a baseball game, one of Columbus’ greatest assets, and a source of pride for the Westside. It now sits empty and neglected, a shell of its former self. However, I believe this historic site can once again be an asset in our community – a focal point of entertainment, job creation and economic development.

Arshot Investment Corporation, a local developer, has invested more than 3 years of time, research and resources in an extraordinary effort to build community support and consensus for their proposal to redevelop Cooper Stadium. They have proposed a $40 million investment to breathe new life into this site; to build a half-mile racetrack, an automotive research and technology center, a hotel and restaurants. The development is expected to create at least 300 jobs at a time when they are desperately needed.

The proposal has met opposition, and there have been many questions posed to the Developer and to the City. I know that I and every member of Columbus City Council have heard the concerns, and we have listened to our constituents. We have pushed back on the developer, and worked to make sure that the community’s concerns were not just considered, but that they were addressed by the developer.

The Southwest Area Commission supports the development, and the Southwest Civic Association has signed good neighbor agreement with Arshot which clearly outlines community expectations. City Council has focused on strong, enforceable standards in the zoning legislation, adding additional language to hold the developer accountable.

What’s more, we expect that many of the terms of the good neighbor agreement and the Council zoning legislation will become part of the special permit the developer is required to obtain from the Bureau of Zoning Adjustment (BZA).

It’s through our zoning code and the terms of the special permit that we have the ability to truly hold Arshot to their word. The City will have the ability to enforce the terms of the special permit, to monitor for compliance and to take action to revoke the permit if necessary. That is, if you don’t follow through on your word, we’ll shut you down.

In the past few months, City Council has received hundreds of e-mails, letters and phone calls regarding Cooper Park. While some members of the community still express concern surrounding the development, there are just as many, if not more, who are supportive of the motor park concept.

I believe this development has tremendous potential to provide much needed jobs, educational opportunities and create a regional entertainment attraction that will help create the momentum needed to keep the Westside on the right track.

That is why Monday evening, I will be supporting the rezoning application and I urge my colleagues on Council to do the same.

I do want to acknowledge the leadership of our Mayor. Like Council, Mayor Coleman has taken a critical approach to this development, and has challenged the developer to do more to address community concerns. Because of the Mayor’s efforts, we have a much better proposal today.

Mayor, Councilmember Mills, Rep. Heard Call for an End to Illegal Gun Sales

Unlicensed Dealers Permitted to Sell Firearms with No Background Checks at This Weekend’s Westland Mall Gun Show

Joined by City Councilmember Michelle M. Mills and Ohio Representative Tracy Heard, Mayor Michael B. Coleman endorsed legislation that would prevent illegal firearms sales at gun shows such as C&E’s Westland Gun Show scheduled for this weekend. Private gun dealers are allowed to sell guns to customers without a background check at gun shows. An undercover investigation demonstrated that guns have been sold at the Westland Gun Show even to customers who admitted they could not pass a background check.

“The vast majority of the customers at the Westland Gun Show will be decent, law-abiding gun collectors, but not all of them will be,” Mayor Coleman said. “Unfortunately, gun shows have become magnets for criminal gun traffickers, gangsters and others who should not have access to firearms.”

Recent events that underscored the need for closing the gun show loophole include:

• Columbus resident Mark Nelson was convicted of illegally selling more than 500 guns, some at the Westland Mall Gun show. One of the illegal guns Nelson sold in Columbus ended up in the hands of a terrorist trying to cross the Canadian border. 
• Ronald Paramore, another Columbus resident, was arrested selling guns illegally at the Westland Gun Show and convicted of illegally selling more than 200 firearms, some of which were used in violent crimes in Chicago and Columbus.
• David Gadahn, an American-born senior al-Qaeda spokesman and operative, recently posted a video where he talked about gun shows as a “golden opportunity” for terrorists in America, adding, “You can go down to a gun show at the local convention center and come away with a fully automatic assault rifle without a background check most likely without having to show identification card. So what are you waiting for?”

“It is important that federal gun laws balance the freedoms granted by the Second Amendment with the need to keep guns out of the hands of those who would seek to harm our community,” said Councilmember Mills, chair of the Public Safety Committee.   “We need every tool at our disposal to eliminate gun violence in our city, and we ask our federal representatives to stand with us in keeping guns out of the hands of criminals and improve the safety and security our residents.”

Councilmember Mills plans to introduce a resolution at tonight’s City Council meeting calling on Congress to close the gun show loophole by requiring anyone who buys a gun to undergo a background check. Rep. Heard is introducing state legislation that would close the gun show loophole in Ohio.

Columbus Breaks Ground on New Sustainable Fueling Station

Mayor Michael B. Coleman was joined today by Councilmember Priscilla R. Tyson, representatives of Clean Fuels Ohio and Columbia Gas of Ohio to break ground on the city’s first compressed natural gas station, the largest fast-fill station of its kind in Ohio and likely in the Midwest. The station will be located at 4211 Groves Road in Columbus and is expected to be open this fall.

“This is more than just a fueling station,” Mayor Coleman said. “This marks a moment in history as we transition to a diversified and cleaner fuel for our fleet and our community.”

Columbus expects to eliminate about 40,000 gallons of diesel fuel per year, saving approximately $60,000 to $90,000 per year in fuel costs. CNG is averaging $1.50 per gas gallon equivalent compared with more than $4 per gallon of diesel. In addition, CNG reduces carbon emissions by as much as 90 percent. The initial infusion of 24 CNG vehicles for the city will reduce emissions as much as if 96 cars were taken off the road annually.

“Columbus is committed to being a regional and national leader in the clean fuel movement,” said Councilmember Priscilla R. Tyson, chair of the Finance Committee.   “This fueling station, along with our investment in CNG powered cars and trucks, positions Columbus to be at the forefront of developing energy efficient transportation at a cost savings for our residents.”

The City of Columbus was supported through a grant Clean Fuels Ohio received from the U.S. Department of Energy in 2009. The total cost of the CNG station is $4.2 million, with $1.1 million coming from the Department of Energy.While the station is for use by the City of Columbus fleet, it will also be open to area fleets and the general public.

“We’re excited for the station to open later this fall,” Clean Fuels Ohio Executive Director, Sam Spofforth said. “With the rise in diesel and gasoline prices we have seen an increased interest from fleets to convert to CNG. This station will offer businesses, governments and individual motorists in our area another option and help the City save thousands of dollars each year.”

Natural gas offers significant environmental, energy security, and economic benefits, producing lower tailpipe emissions and greenhouse gases than diesel or gasoline. Also, unlike gasoline, natural gas is non-toxic, non-corrosive, and non-carcinogenic and presents no threat to soil, surface water, or groundwater.

This green fleet initiative is part of the Ohio Advanced Transportation Partnership that includes 27 partners across Ohio led by Clean Fuels Ohio. In total, CFO received $11million in grant funding from the U.S. Department of Energy, Clean Cities Program for its partners.

Columbus has been a long-time leader in greening its fleet, voted 7^th greenest fleet in North America by Government Fleet in 2010 and repeatedly recognized by many organizations for its efforts. As part of Mayor Coleman’s Get Green Columbus initiative, Columbus has a comprehensive Green Fleet Action Plan that lays out specific strategies to reduce petroleum use and increase use of cleaner fuels such as electric, E85, biodiesel and CNG. Since the Action Plan was put into place in 2008, Columbus has seen a reduction of overall fuel consumption by almost 2 percent, a significant increase in the use of bio-fuels, retrofitting of all eligible diesel vehicles with emission reduction and anti-idling equipment and the procurement of green vehicles.

Clean Fuels Ohio is a state-wide non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the use of cleaner, domestic fuels and efficient vehicles to the transportation industry, government, and the general public. Through programs like Ohio Green Fleets, CFO provides technical support to transportation professionals, advocates for sustainable transportation energy policies, and serves as a resource clearinghouse for fleets, policy makers, and the public. Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, CFO works extensively around the state in collaboration with local partners. For more information on CFO or other projects that they are working on, please visit: www.CleanFuelsOhio.org.

(Columbus)--The summer driving season is about to begin and while motorists hit the road; Columbus City Councilmember Michelle M. Mills is working to make sure consumers are getting what they pay for at the pump.   Mills, the chair of the Public Safety Committee, has asked city leaders to craft legislation that will enable city workers who are already testing for the quantity of fuel purchased at the pump to also be able to test for the quality of fuel being placed into cars.

“We have already seen $4 a gallon gasoline this spring and we are just beginning the summer driving season,” said Mills.  “It is more important than ever to make sure that our residents are getting what they pay for when they fill up their tanks.  Every penny counts.”

Ohio is one of four states that does not have a law requiring statewide fuel quality testing.  Although the City of Columbus may test for fuel quality, it does not have any regulatory authority to hold stations accountable when lower than posted octane fuel is found.   The Division of Public Safety Weights and Measures is responsible for testing more than 6000 gas pumps at 280 Columbus stations for fuel quantity. 

“A car is an expensive investment, requiring hundreds of dollars of maintenance a year just to make sure it is in proper running condition,” said Mills.  “Consumers should not have to worry about the quality of the gas they buy on top of other car care issues.”

Summit County is the only county in Ohio that has the regulatory authority to test for fuel quality.  Media reports from Summit County  say rags, leaves, water, cigarette butts, even frogs have been found in underground storage tanks and could make their way into the fuel purchased, lowering the quality of the fuel and increasing the possibly of damaging a car’s engine, leading to expensive repair bills for the owner.

HUNTINGTON OPENS THIRD BRANCH IN DOWNTOWN COLUMBUS AS PART OF THE HIGH STREET COMMERCIAL REVITALIZATION

COLUMBUS, Ohio –  May 18, 2011 – Huntington Bank joined today with the City of Columbus and the Columbus Downtown Development Corporation for the grand opening of Huntington’s newest downtown branch at 139 South High Street in the iconic former Lazarus department store building.

The branch is part of the RiverSouth District, one of Columbus’ newly revitalized downtown neighborhoods, which includes more than 600 apartments and the Franklin County Courthouse. The branch is located at the street level entrance of the former Lazarus building next to the soon-to-open Cup O’Joe’s Coffee House/MoJo Lounge. The Lazarus building has 700,000 square feet of occupied office space and is at the heart of the High Street commercial revitalization district.

Huntington took a leadership role that resulted in the creation of the public-private partnership responsible for  RiverSouth. Additionally the bank financed a 300-unit apartment complex in the area along with the nine-acre Columbus Commons Park, scheduled to open on May 26.

“We are committed to downtown Columbus and to the people who work and live here," said Huntington CEO Steve Steinour, who is a member of the CDDC board. "We continue to invest in the heart of the city because we want to keep Columbus vibrant and help it to grow. We look forward to more successes with our partners at the city and the CDDC.”

“Huntington, Columbus and the Columbus Downtown Development Corporation have a successful partnership that is building a strong core and economic future for our city,” said Mayor Michael B. Coleman, who also attended today’s event. “These are the kinds of public-private partnerships that will continue to transform downtown.”

In addition to the branch, Huntington is placing an ATM kiosk in the Columbus Commons Park. The park will include a carousel and serve as the venue this summer for concerts, a farmers market and a series of Shakespearian plays.

"Job creation and retention are the keys to economic success not only in downtown Columbus, but throughout the city,” said Columbus City Council President Andrew J. Ginther.  "With the revitalization of the High Street corridor, Huntington, Columbus and the CDDC are generating additional job opportunities for the city.”

"RiverSouth is a great success story for Columbus, Huntington and the Columbus Downtown Development Corporation,” said Guy Worley, CEO of CDDC. “The real beneficiaries are the citizens of Columbus, who will now have more living, job and recreational opportunities.”

Franklinton Building Demolished to Make Way for Creative Community District

Mayor Michael B. Coleman today was joined by City Councilmember Zachary M. Klein, representatives of Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority and Urban Smart Growth, and Franklinton neighborhood leaders as the former B&T Metals site, 435 W. Town Street, was demolished to make way for future development efforts. Once completed, the District will catalyze and sustain neighborhood revitalization and provide a place for the creative community to live and work.

“The demolition of this blighted building allows us to create a new vision for this neighborhood,” Mayor Coleman said. “This begins our efforts to market, incentivize and build an affordable neighborhood tailored for our city’s creative sector.”

Plans for the area include affordable housing, including live/work space that will allow the creative class to invest, create and live in the neighborhood. Homeownership opportunities will be offered in an effort to stabilize the community. 

“There is an energy and excitement surrounding the partnership between the city, Urban Smart Growth and the Franklinton community that will we believe will transform this area into the next great Columbus neighborhood,” said Councilmember Klein, chair of the Development Committee. “The residential growth will lead to greater commercial development that will have a ripple effect throughout Franklinton.”

B&T Metals closed its doors in 1982, and once produced aluminum products, including carpet strips, door frames and weather stripping materials. It was also the first manufacturing plant owned by an African-American family in the U.S. and employed 500 people.  The site will be redeveloped by Lance J. Robbins of Urban Smart Growth.

“I am excited that the B&T Metals project is finally starting,” said Carol Stewart, chair of the Franklinton Area Commission. “I signed the demolition permit with great joy, having given up on saving the building and realizing the need to move forward.”

“This is the beginning of something really big,” said Jim Sweeney, President of the Franklinton Development Association. “Together we’re going to develop a whole new neighborhood in East Franklinton.  Thanks to the mayor and the city for having a great vision.”

Other large and small cities have experienced economic and neighborhood revitalization through catering to the creative sector including:

Miami Beach, FL Cultural Arts Neighborhood District Overlay Incentive

Boston, MA

Covington, KY The Covington Artist Residential District Homeowner Loan Program

Paducah, KY The Artist Relocation Program

Seattle, WA

Austin, TX

“Urban Smart Growth will be offering a unique community of studio spaces, performance and event venues, galleries and music, food and drink to the Columbus artistic and creative class and the community at large,” said Lance Robbins of Urban Smart Growth. “Franklinton is truly on the move after many years of quiet preparation.”

Columbus City Councilmember Zachary M. Klein Trains with Capital Kids in Preparation for Upcoming Capital City Half Marathon

Columbus City Councilmember Zachary M. Klein joined Mayor Michael B. Coleman, CapitalCity Half Marathon Race Director David Babner, & 50 of 335 “Capital City” kids yesterday as they began training to run in their first Capital City Half Marathon.

For the first time, in partnership with The Capital Kids and Columbus Recreation and Parks Department, M3S Sports and the Capital City Half Marathon is presenting the “Be a Champion – Youth Training program.”   M3S Sports, founder of the Capital City Half Marathon, developed and printed fitness guides, purchased pedometers and donated them to all kids in the Columbus Recreation Centers who wanted to participate. With the training program, the kids are encouraged to run or walk 13 miles before May 6th.  If they do, then they qualify to run the final .1 mile of the Capital City Half Marathon down Nationwide Blvd and cross the finish line with the Columbus Mayor Michael B. Coleman and Councilmember Klein on race morning, Saturday, May 7. The kids will receive the exact same champions medal that all the adults receive for running the 13.1 mile half marathon.

So far, 335 kids in the Capital Kids After School programs held at Columbus Recreation Centers are participating in the “Be a Champion – Youth Training Program” and have logged a total 3,522.1 miles !  At least 250 kids are expected to complete 13 miles and cross the finish line with Mayor Coleman and Councilmember Klein on race day. 

The 8^th Annual Capital City Half Marathon will be held May 7, 2011 with over 12,000 runners/walkersand feature four distinct races, including the namesake 13.1 mile half marathon that has been held annually in downtown Columbus since 2004. This year’s race will feature a new championship course that will take runners through a collection of neighborhoods along a five-mile stretch of High Street between the University District and German Village now known as High Five Columbus.

“We will Celebrate Columbus in 2011 by featuring a dynamic new race course that will guide our participants through the many unique neighborhoods that make up the character of our community,” race director David Babner said. “The High Five course includes the University District, South Campus Gateway, Short North, Arena District and the German Village neighborhoods that represent the qualities that make Columbus great.”

The 8th Annual Capital City Half Marathon will also feature the inaugural Capital City Quarter Marathon, which will take runners and walkers along a 6.55-mile course through downtown Columbus and the Short North Arts District; a 5k Fun Run/Walk; and the Capital Kids Mascot Chase, an annual fun run for children and mascots of all ages with all proceeds benefiting the Capital Kids Afterschool program.

“The Capital City Half Marathon’s four races provide runners and walkers of all ages and capabilities the opportunity to Celebrate Like A Champion,” Babner said. “The first-ever Capital City Quarter Marathon will give participants a challenging middle distance and will quickly become one of the  most popular distances.”

To encourage runners and walkers to spend a weekend, race organizers will debut the two-day Health & Fitness Expo Party at the newly-renovated Battelle Grand in 2011. The party will feature a one-of-a-kind pre-race experience including a VIP Lounge, the first-ever Panel of Champions and an appealing lineup of vendors that extends beyond the traditional shoe and apparel companies. “The Race Party will redefine the concepts of race expo and packet pick-up,” Babner said. “This won’t be your stand pipe-and-drape. We will provide an atmosphere that will allow us to properly Celebrate You.”

The Hyatt Regency Columbus, attached to Battelle Grand and a short walk from the Capital City Half Marathon’s start and finish lines, will serve as host hotel for the first time in 2011. A limited number of rooms have been reserved for Capital City Half Marathon participants. Call 1-614-463-1234 to book a room.

The Capital City Half Marathon has added additional charity partners and will unveil a charitable effort aimed at raising $1 million for all partner charities.

For more information or to register for the Capital City Half Marathon or related events, visit www.capitalcityhalfmarathon.com and www.m3ssports.com.

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Councilmember Michelle M. Mills, Mayor Coleman, Prosecutor O’Brien and the Scrap Metal Industry Join Fight Against Air Conditioner Thefts

Mayor Michael B. Coleman, joined by Columbus City Council Member Michelle Mills, County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien and representatives from the Columbus Division of Police, the Institute of Scrap Metal Recycling Industries, Nationwide Insurance, and Emmanuel Tabernacle Baptist Church Apostolic Faith recently announced a 30-day moratorium on the purchase of retail air conditioning units and parts at participating scrap yards. In addition, following the 30-day moratorium, scrap yards will begin looking for invisible ink markings on all air conditioner units and parts prior to purchasing the scrap metal. This will aid the Columbus Division of Police in their enforcement efforts and help put thieves behind bars.

“As prices of metals continue to rise so does the frequency of thefts,” Mayor Coleman said. “While these thefts are not unique to Columbus, there are steps we can and will take to address this epidemic by working with our police, the county prosecutor’s office, the scrap metal industry.” 

Prosecutor O’Brien also announced that the Franklin County Grand Jury recently returned several indictments against four individuals allegedly involved in the theft of air conditioner units valued at more than $42,000 throughout Franklin County. The charges range from Theft, Receiving Stolen Property, Vandalism, Breaking and Entering, and Possession of Criminal Tools.

“This partnership is allowing local police to coordinate law enforcement resources with the scrap industry to identify stolen items and return them to homeowners, churches, and businesses as fast as possible,” said Councilmember Michelle M. Mills, chair of the Safety Committee.  

The Institute of Scrap Metal Recycling Industries and Nationwide Insurance encouraged churches, businesses and the public to protect their air conditioner units by marking them with invisible ink markings and offered tips to keep from becoming the next victim. As part of a joint public outreach campaign, the Institute of Scrap Metal Recycling Industries purchased 2,000 invisible ink markers to distribute to local church and business owners.

Robert Patterson, First Deacon Emmanuel Tabernacle Baptist Church Apostolic Faith shared his support for the public outreach campaign and felony indictments. His church has had multiple air conditioner units stolen over the last year and have spent nearly $20,000 replacing the units.

For months, local churches, business and home owners have been plagued with thefts of air conditioners which are being cut up and sold as scrap metal. Thieves often target larger, exterior units because there is significant copper contained in the coils. On average, thieves may get $20 to $40 per coil but the cost to the owner and/or their insurer is thousands of dollars to replace the unit.

Since November of last year, the Columbus Division of Police has received more 400 reports of stolen air conditioner units or parts. As the weather warms up, police expect an increase in reports as home owners may not be aware that they have been victimized.

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Councilmember Zachary M. Klein discusses the upcoming Development Committee public hearing scheduled for Wednesday, April 27, 2011 at 5:00 p.m. in City Council Chambers to discuss graffiti and proposed legislation that will increase the penalty for those found guilty of graffiti and additional requirements for property owners to remove graffiti in a timely manner. 

City Council Invests in Economic Development, Job Creation  

(Columbus)— Columbus City Councilmember Zachary M. Klein, chair of the Development Committee, visited The Ohio State University campus to detail four exciting, new economic development projects that are part of the proposed 2011 Columbus Capital Budget.  City Councilmembers will consider the more than $800-million spending plan this evening during their scheduled Council meeting.  One project Councilmember Klein highlighted invests $1.5-million in support of the Cannon Drive relocation project.  

“This particular project represents another phase in the ongoing and growing economic and community development partnership between the City of Columbus and The Ohio State University”, said Councilmember Klein.  “Moving Cannon Drive to the west will allow Ohio State to continue expansion projects near the Medical Center and Battelle Memorial Institute, creating jobs and growing our economy along the way.”

In addition to the Cannon Drive project, Councilmember Klein also discussed road and sidewalk improvements in the area known as the Creative Campus.  The Creative Campus is near the Columbus College of Art and Design and Columbus Museum of Art.  The $1.5-million item in the Capital Budget, part of the Downtown Columbus Strategic Plan adopted by City Council in 2010 as a blueprint for downtown development, will lead to creating a more pedestrian friendly atmosphere and community campus feel to the downtown.

Councilmember Klein is also sponsoring an amendment to the Capital Budget that will lead to even more neighborhood improvements near Nationwide Children’s Hospital.   A $500,000 investment will allow for the design and engineering work to be completed on street improvements along 18^th Avenue on the eastern edge of the hospital’s campus.   This is the last major roadway project in the hospital’s $840-million expansion project that will create more than 2,000 new jobs and help support neighborhood improvements already underway with the Healthy Neighborhood/Healthy Families initiative. 

Finally, City Council is creating a new way of investing in capital projects that will help ensure funds are available when job creation efforts occur.  Council’s Economic Development and Job Creation Fund will allow Council to use capital dollars to invest in development opportunities that will bring jobs and growth to Columbus. 

“This first of its kind fund will give City Council the flexibility and responsiveness to support capital budget projects in our community that will continue the momentum of economic development we currently have in Columbus,” said Councilmember Klein.  

The initial deposit in the fund will be $250,000.  Council will vote on the proposed Capital Budget this evening at 5 pm in City Council Chambers.

COLUMBUS CITY COUNCIL

MEDIA ALERT

For Immediate Release: February 16, 2011

For More Information:

John Ivanic, (614) 645-6798

Web – Facebook – Twitter

Councilmember Zachary M. Klein Tours Columbus Recreation Center 

For decades, the Woodward Park Recreation Center in the Northland neighborhood has been a cool place for families to take part in numerous activities in a safe, fun filled environment.   Soon, with the investment of capital dollars by the City of Columbus, the recreation center will truly be a cool place.  That is because the building is about to receive something it has never had before, air conditioning.

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Mentel Sponsoring Emergency Funding forCommunity Shelter Board

$300,000 scheduled to help immediately address overflow at homeless shelters and provide additional resources for 2011

(Columbus)—As Columbus residents prepare for single-digit temperatures, Columbus City Council President Michael C. Mentel is planning to introduce emergency legislation on Monday that will immediately transfer $300,000 from the City’s general fund to the Community Shelter Board (CSB) to help protect homeless families and individuals from the severe weather.

“We are barely past the first week of December and our shelters are already facing a crisis that will impact their ability to provide quality of care for the rest of the winter,” said President Mentel.  “This demand is straining the Shelter Board’s resources and something needed to be done to make sure they can continue to deliver help to homeless men, women and children in the months to come.”

According to statistics provided by CSB, through November of this year, families seeking emergency housing beyond the capacity of existing shelters produced an alarming 3,757% increase in family overflow shelter nights as compared to the entire calendar year in 2009 (2160 shelter nights compared to 56).  Furthermore, single adult overflow in October and November of 2010 increased 41% compared to the same time period in 2009 (3344 shelter nights compared to 2366). 

“Columbus has always been known as a compassionate city willing to provide a helping hand to our fellow residents who are in distress.  I truly believe that all of us who assist the Shelter Board in accomplishing their mission, from volunteers to corporate donors, are helping make the difference between life and death for some on our streets,” said President Mentel.  “I would like to thank Auditor Hugh J. Dorrian for his vital help in identifying the emergency funding, as well as the Department of Development for modifying our existing contract with the Shelter Board to make this legislation possible.”

“Our vulnerable neighbors, pushed to the brink by a harsh economy, cannot wait out the recession before our community acts,” said CSB Executive Director Michelle Heritage Ward. “This response from President Mentel is a testament to the excellent leadership and support our City officials have always shown. We are very grateful that our government leaders are champions for basic needs, investing in ending homelessness and rebuilding lives.”

The Community Shelter Board, established in 1986, is a public-private partnership organization that creates collaborations, innovates solutions, and invests in quality programs in order to end homelessness in Columbus and Franklin County. CSB allocates over $13 million annually to support homeless programs and services. Last year, these programs served more than 8,000 individuals. CSB is funded by the City of Columbus, the Franklin County Board of Commissioners, the United Way of Central Ohio, The Columbus Foundation, Nationwide, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the State of Ohio, and other public and private donors.

For more information or to make a donation, visit www.csb.org.

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PRESIDENT MICHAEL C. MENTEL ANNOUNCES HIS RESIGNATION FROM COLUMBUS CITY COUNCIL

After more than a decade of service to the Columbus community, City Council President Michael C. Mentel announced his resignation from City Council.   Councilmember Mentel was elected President in January 2007 and served has served on City Council since January 1999.   He has chaired numerous committees, including Safety, Zoning, Judiciary and Court Administration, Recreation and Parks and Rules and Reference Committees.  

“After careful consultation with my wife and family, I have decided that now is the time to end my tenure on Columbus City Council,” said President Mentel.  “I have been humbled by the continual support of the public and consider myself extremely fortunate to have worked with so many talented and caring city workers and neighborhood leaders.”

President Mentel says he is most proud of his work with Columbus safety forces, making sure that the thousands of men and women who work for the Division of Police and the Division of Fire have the resources they need to be the best trained and equipped in the nation. 

“Every budget we have passed while I was on City Council reflects the importance of protecting our residents and visitors, that’s why the overwhelming majority of our spending goes toward public safety programs,” said President Mentel.  “These brave men and women, from the rank and file to the top brass and union leadership, deserve the highest amount of respect and praise from the Columbus community.”

In addition to funding those in uniform, President Mentel continually worked to care for the most vulnerable in our community. President Mentel created the position of Director of Advocacy for Homeless and Social Services.  This office, believed to be the first of its kind in the nation, provides a direct link between a wide variety of city services that deal with the homeless and agencies in the community that can help move men, women and sometimes entire families from the land to stable housing situations.  

President Mentel has worked tirelessly to raise Columbus’ profile on the national and international stage.   In addition to visiting with business and community leaders from across the country about the advantages Columbus has to offer companies, he also helped lead a trade mission to Israel that included representatives of Battelle, the Chamber of Commerce and TechColumbus which helped secure agreements that will lead to future high-tech investment opportunities for Columbus.   

He was also a strong voice for Columbus in the state house and the U.S. Capitol.   President Mentel worked in a bi-partisan fashion to craft legislation that helped lead to the move of the Columbus casino from the Arena District to its current West Broad Street location.   He also went to Washington, D.C. to highlight how unfunded federal mandates were forcing Columbus residents to pay higher utility rates to meet newly implemented guidelines.

This spring, President Mentel empanelled a Charter Review Committee to study the possibility of amending the city Charter to allow for the use of executive sessions.   After reviewing the findings of the committee and consulting with his Council colleagues, President Mentel sponsored the legislation that passed City Council unanimously to place the issue on the November ballot.  Columbus voters overwhelming supported the charter change and future Councils will have the ability to meet in executive session to discuss sensitive personnel and legal matters that could save taxpayer dollars.

President Mentel also worked to create a more open and transparent City government by creating a law that requires all City Hall lobbyists to register with the City Clerk’s office.   This ordinance provides greater accountability while protecting a citizen’s right to meet with City officials.

In 2007, President Mentel convened a working group of representatives of Columbus Area Commissions and select civic associations to study the role of neighborhood groups and their interaction with city government.   This was the first time City Council had implemented such an initiative, which resulted in many positive recommendations and helped improve relations between City Hall and Columbus neighborhoods.

President Mentel also helped protect Columbus neighborhoods enacting a law restricting the expansion of new strip clubs to residential areas.  Adult businesses must be at least 250 feet from residences, schools, day care, preschool or church.

Citing his strong leadership skills and unwavering support for Columbus residents, the St. Stephen’s Community House has named President Mentel the winner of the 2008 John Maloney Leadership Award.  The John Maloney Leadership Award was established in 1989 by the Board of Trustees of St. Stephen’s Community House and is given to a deserving member of the Columbus community who demonstrates a similar level of leadership Mr. Maloney provided the city in his personal and civic endeavors.  

His public service includes involvement with the boards of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, Columbus Coalition Against Family Violence, Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission, Charity Newsies, the Shamrock Club and the Ancient Order of Hibernians.

Mentel graduated from Bishop Ready High School, Capital University and Capital Law School and currently serves as General Counsel and Chief Legal Officer for a multi-state engineering company.

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Ohio State University, City of Columbus and CMHA AnnounceNext Steps of East Side Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative

Ohio State University President E. Gordon Gee and Mayor Michael B. Coleman today were joined community partners to announce the next steps of a comprehensive and collaborative neighborhood revitalization effort for the neighborhood surrounding University Hospital East. Joined by Ohio State University Medical Center CEO Steven G. Gabbe, Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority President and CEO Charles Hillman, Columbus City Councilmember Charleta B. Tavares, University Hospital East Executive Director Elizabeth O’Connor Seely, area resident and community leader Fred Ransier and East Side neighborhood leaders, Gee and Coleman announced a partnership consisting of the City of Columbus, Ohio State and CMHA.

“Apart, all of our efforts are worthy and would result in a lot of positive change for this neighborhood,” Mayor Coleman said. “But working together, I am confident the results will be transformational.”

The partners will lead a planning effort for OSU’s 10-year, $10 million investment in the neighborhood bound by I-71, East Broad Street, I-670 and Woodland Avenue. Before making its investment, Columbus, OSU and CMHA will work with community residents and stakeholders through an Advisory Committee chaired by Fred Ransier. The city, OSU and CMHA will invest $1.25 million over a five-year period to hire a firm to holistically plan the project area in consultation with the Advisory Committee.

“Our partnership in this project both underscores and reflects Ohio State’s enduring commitment to improving lives and enhancing our communities,” President Gee said. “In collaborating for the greater good, we are working to make a tangible difference for today and ensure a franchise of opportunity for tomorrow.”

Ohio State is making its neighborhood investment as part of ProjectONE, the $1 billion expansion of OSU Medical Center that will create 6,000 new jobs. OSU is committing to spending $10 million over the next decade to improve housing and quality of life in the neighborhood. Key components of the investment include targeted housing investments, down-payment assistance and a $1 million faith-based initiative with neighborhood clergy, designed to promote healthy lifestyles through education, diet and exercise.

“This partnership builds upon University Hospital East’s longstanding commitment to the community,” Dr. Gabbe said. “We look forward to engaging local residents and leveraging our collective resources to strengthen neighborhoods, improve health and wellness, and provide greater educational and economic opportunities.”

OSU Medical recently purchased the former VA Clinic on Taylor Avenue and will transform it into CarePoint East, a medical facility extension of the hospital. CMHA has committed to the redevelopment of Poindexter Village so that the 25-acre site will be available for mixed-use redevelopment.

“CMHA is pleased to be part of this partnership with the City of Columbus and Ohio State University and the revitalization efforts being initiated in these Near East Side neighborhoods,” Hillman said. “We will be working with the city, OSU and the community-based stakeholders represented on the Advisory Committee to prepare plans for the redevelopment of our 25-acre Poindexter Village site. We envision a mix of housing, retail and commercial uses that will support and complement the larger scale planning for the Near East Side."

Columbus City Council will soon consider legislation regarding the Project One jobs incentive, a 15-year 30 percent jobs growth income tax rebate, mirrored after the agreement City Council approved in 2008 for Children’s Hospital. The rebate will be capped at $35 million. The project is expected to yield $77 million to the City of Columbus over the 15-year span.

“This investment in the health and safety of our residents is just one building block to improve our entire Columbus community,” said Councilmember Tavares, chair of the Health and Human Development Committee.  “We need strong partners, like The Ohio State University, to not only be an academic resource for our residents, but also a resource for quality medical and nutritional services.”

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Mayor and City Council Inspect Snow Warriors And EquipmentFor Upcoming Winter

Mayor Michael B. Coleman, City Council President Pro-Tem Hearcel F. Craig and Department of Public Service Director Mark Kelsey today held the city’s annual inspection of the Snow Warriors in front of City Hall. The crews are ready to battle snow and ice during the upcoming winter.

“I am so proud of our Snow Warriors, especially after they met the challenge of last February’s record snowfall and then patched nearly 35,000 potholes in March,” said Mayor Coleman. “They are on the job when duty calls, day and night, weekends and holidays, no matter how much snow falls.”

Columbus’ 112 core Snow Warriors are responsible for 227 square miles, nearly three times more than the area covered by their counterparts in Cleveland, Cincinnati and Toledo. Columbus’ square mileage includes more than 6,300 lane miles of roadway, by far the most among Ohio cities. To help get the job done and save money, Columbus has joined an Ohio Department of Transportation-led consortium of Ohio cities, counties, villages and townships that leverages strength in numbers to get a lower price on road salt. Through the consortium, the City of Columbus is paying $59 per ton of salt this year compared to more than $63 one year ago.

“Our Snow Warriors are committed to providing the highest level of care and professionalism to maintain clean roads,” said Councilmember Hearcel F. Craig, chair of the Public Service and Transportation committee.  “These men and women make it possible for all of us to deal with even the harshest of winter weather as safely as possible.”

Every summer, the Department of Public Service reviews the responses to the past winter’s snowstorms and adjusts procedures and strategies as needed for the next winter. Each fall, the city’s Snow Warriors undergo extensive training to sharpen their skills and reacquaint themselves with equipment, routes and procedures. The city also cross-trains employees in several departments to help their Department of Public Service co-workers battle snow during the worst storms. 

“Fighting snow is a year-round job.  We keep getting more efficient and effective to get the most out of every dollar when the snow falls,” said Department of Public Service Director Mark Kelsey.  “Our Snow Warriors’ performance last winter showed how all the training pays off and why they are the best in the nation.”

Under the City’s Snow and Ice Control Plan, freeways, arterial streets and collector residential streets have the top three priorities for clearing snow.   Residential streets are plowed only after four inches of snow are on the ground from a storm and the top three priority roadways have been plowed and treated. Specific streets are not plowed upon requests from residents and media.   

Residents can view an informational video about the City’s Snow and Ice Control Plan on CTV-3, the City’s cable access channel, or online at http://assets.columbus.gov/GTC-3/SnowPlan-2010.wmv.

                                                  Snow Warriors Fact Sheet

                         With Updated Salt Supplies As Of October 21, 2010

• Tons of salt used/cost/per ton in past years
• 2010-11:  11,077 tons on hand as of 10/1/10($59 per ton since the City joined an ODOT-led consortium, which helps lower the price of salt)
• 2009-10: 31,455 tons ($1.9 million total/$63.34 per ton)
• 2008-09: 26,109 tons ($1.08 million total/$54 per ton)
• 2007-08: 37,957 tons ($2.24 million total/$47.58 per ton)
• 2006-07: 22,901 tons ($846,416 total/$41.71 per ton)
• 2005-06: 11,346 tons ($1.5 million/$40.95 per ton)

• Salt purchases 2010-11:  Saving taxpayer dollars
• Beginning with the 2010-11 winter season, the City of Columbus is a member of an Ohio Department of Transportation-led consortium of the state and Ohio municipalities, counties, townships and villages
• ODOT bids out salt purchases for the consortium
• The consortium’s size gives ODOT and participating local governments the leverage to buy salt at a lower price, saving taxpayers money
• Thanks to the consortium, the City of Columbus is paying $59 per ton of salt at the beginning of the 2010-11 winter season, compared to $63.34 one year ago

• Number of drivers, plus those cross-trained
• 2010-11: 112 Equipment Operators (plus 35 cross-trained)
• 2009-10: 112 Equipment Operators (plus 33 cross-trained)
• 2008-09: 118 Equipment Operators (plus 27 cross-trained)
• 2007-08: 122 Equipment Operators (plus 17 cross-trained)
• 2006-07: 121 Equipment Operators (plus 5 cross-trained)

• The City has 6 salt barns

• Snow routes priorities
• Priority 1:  Freeway system (Portions of State routes 315, 33 and 104.  ODOT is responsible for I-71, I-70, I-670 and I-270)
• Priority 2:  Arterial streets (Examples:  High Street, Broad Street, Morse Road)
• Priority 3:  Collector residential streets (Examples:  Oakland Park Avenue, Courtright Road, Hague Avenue, Weber Road)
• Priority 4:  Residential streets (Plowed only after four inches of snow are on the ground and after freeways, arterials and collector residential streets have been plowed and treated)

• When the City of Columbus does plow residential streets
• The goal is to make residential streets passable
• Plow trucks do not plow down to bare pavement on residential streets
• Residential streets typically are not plowed the entire curb-to-curb width
• On cul-de-sacs, plow trucks plow enough of the cul-de-sac “bulb” allow vehicles to turn around, rather than go right to the cul-de-sac bulb curb

• Columbus’ Snow Warriors are responsible for 227 square miles, much more than their counterparts in other Ohio cities:
• Cleveland:  82 square miles
• Toledo:  80 square miles
• Cincinnati:  79 square miles
• Dayton:  57 square miles

• Plow crews in Columbus’ suburban communities are able to plow their residential streets sooner than Columbus because their cities are much smaller
• Dublin:  26 square miles
• Grove City:  16.2 square miles
• Gahanna:  12 square miles
• Reynoldsburg:  12 square miles
• Hilliard:  11.5 square miles
• Pickerington:  9.58 square miles
• Worthington:  5 square miles

• Columbus’ Snow Warriors are responsible for more than 6,300 lane miles of roadway, more than any other Ohio city (or, 2,053 linear miles, approximately the distance between Columbus and Las Vegas)
• Cleveland:  3,000 lane miles
• Cincinnati:  2,986 lane miles
• Toledo:  2,700 lane miles
• Dayton:  1,600 lane miles
• Dublin:  502 lane miles
• Westerville:  409 lane miles
• Reynoldsburg:  270 lane miles
• Worthington:  176 lane miles
• Gahanna:  140 lane miles

• All Snow Warriors’ trucks are equipped with GPS systems known as COMBAT (Central Ohio Management Based Applied Technology)
• A joint project with Franklin County Engineer’s Office
• $4.1 million project (City share of total is $522,000)
• COMBAT is on snow plow trucks, anti-icers, tractor mowers and street sweepers
• Allows the City to track locations of trucks
• Can track work trucks are doing (plow is up or down; salting or not)
• Helps the City be more efficient and effective in plowing and treating streets

• COMBAT provides a record of streets that have been plowed
• City also can verify whether a street has been plowed by checking maps that have been completed by plow truck drivers.  The drivers check off streets on their maps as they plow the streets assigned to them.

• Addition of a swing shift (3:30 p.m. to 12 a.m. Midnight) in the winter of 2009-10 added eight to 10 plow trucks to the City snow fighting efforts during weekday evening rush hour
• Helped Snow Warriors get into residential streets faster during three back-to-back-to-back heavy snow storms in February 2010—they started plowing residential streets within 48 hours of the first snowflake falling, thanks in part to the swing shift’s work
• Day and night-long heavy snow storms in February 2010 forced Snow Warriors to plow and re-plow arterial and collector streets multiple times.  Without the swing shift working, plowing of residential streets during those unusually heavy storms would have been delayed at least one or two days.

• Every winter storm is different, so strategy in responding to a specific storm may vary from that of another storm

• Because every storm is different, there is no standard or set time span for the Snow Warriors to plow Columbus streets
• Long, uninterrupted snow falls require freeways, arterial and collector streets to be plowed and/or treated repeatedly until the snow stops.  These long, uninterrupted snowfalls that drop more than four inches of snow will affect how soon the Snow Warriors can begin to plow residential streets
• Colder temperatures, wind, and cloudy conditions after a storm can lengthen the time it takes to treat and plow streets
• Wet, heavy snow also often increases the time needed to plow and treat streets

• The City of Columbus/Department of Public Service does not plow and treat specific streets upon requests by residents or media.  The 311 Customer Service Center is unable to provide estimates as to when a specific street will be plowed and treated.

• Streets, including residential streets, are plowed in a systematic order
• At the beginning of each shift, each driver is given a stack of maps
• The driver plows and treats streets one map area at a time, then returns to the maintenance yard to get a fresh set of maps and works until his or her shift is completed

• As Columbus has more than 200,000 private driveways, moving plowed snow from private driveway aprons would add weeks to each plowing effort
• City would have to purchase dozens of tractors at $75,000 each, which would add millions to the City budget to purchase and maintain

• Columbus’ Snow Warriors use different treatments for streets depending on the conditions
• Salt, Calcium Chloride:  Melt snow and ice under most conditions.  Salt loses its effectiveness in extremely low temperatures, especially on lightly-traveled streets.
• Brine (a mix of salt and water):  Pavement is pre-treated with brine prior to a storm.  Brine helps prevent snow and ice from bonding to pavement.
• Rock Salt of Salt mixed with Calcium Chloride:  Applied to road with highest traffic volumes and highest speeds during and after snow falls

• Residents also have a role during and after snow storms
• Drive with extra care and leave additional distance between you and the vehicle in front of you
• Maintain a distance of no less than 100 feet behind a snow plow truck
• Avoid passing snow plow trucks because the drivers cannot always see a smaller car about to pass
• Follow snow emergency laws when a snow emergency is declared
• When possible, park vehicles in driveways or parking lots and off streets to give plow trucks room to plow
• Check on senior citizens, shut-ins and other neighbors with mobility impairments
• Whether a home or business, shovel your sidewalk, driveway apron and any wheelchair ramps in front of your home or business
• Pile snow in yards.  Never shovel snow into the street or sidewalks
• Apply salt, sand or cat litter to icy steps and paths
• When the snow begins to melt, clear snow from in front of catch basins by shoveling the snow into storm sewers.  The heat of the storm sewer will melt the snow and allow other melting snow and ice to flow freely into storms sewers

• Snow Warriors’ fleet:  Cost per vehicle to buy new
• Tandem-Axle Dump Truck, with 10-Cubic-Yard Dump Body and 11-Foot Snow Plow Blade:  $145,500
• Single-Axle Dump Truck, with 6-Cubic-Yard Dump Body and 10-Foot Snow Plow Blade:  $136,500 

·         Mid-Size Dump Truck, with 4-Cubic-Yard Dump Body and 9-Foot Snow Plow Blade:  $66,060 (Note:  This was the cost in 2000, the most recent purchase of this vehicle) 

• 1-Ton Pickup Truck with 500-pound capacity salt spreader and 8-Foot V-Blade Snow Plow:  $42,700  

·         Tractor, with 8-Foot Snow Plow blade:  $56,000   

·         Anti-Icer equipment:

§  Pump driven Anti-Icer truck, with 2,200 gallon capacity tank (Carries liquid calcium chloride or brine):  $123,800

§  Gravity Feed Anti-Icer dump truck attachments (Carry liquid calcium chloride or brine)

Ø  Five with 650 gallon capacity each:  $1,500 each

Ø  One with 2,000 gallon capacity:  $4,000 each

• Columbus Snow Warriors have other job responsibilities including, but not limited to
• Patching potholes
• Street cleaning
• Alley surfacing treatment
• Mowing
• Underpass cleaning
• Graffiti removal

Councilmember Andrew J. Ginther joins Mayor Coleman for the Launch of Two New Green Building Incentives

As part of the Get Green Columbus initiative, Mayor Michael B. Coleman opened two new incentive programs for applicants today: the Green Columbus Fund and the Green Switch Loan Fund.  For businesses and nonprofits, these funds will help both the environment and their bottom line.

“Each of these programs was planned with a focus on incentivizing redevelopment to protect the environment and create jobs,” Mayor Coleman said. “These investments will bear fruit for Columbus through job creation, environmental protection and a higher quality of life.” 

The $1 million Green Columbus Fund provides grants to acquire contaminated brownfield sites, complete environmental assessments or reimbursements for the cost to certify a building with the United States Green Building Council for LEED-NC status, the nationally accepted benchmark for evaluating sustainable buildings.

The $1 million Green Switch Load Fund provides low-interest loans to cover the cost of energy efficiency construction and renovation building improvements, including insulation, windows, lighting, heating and cooling systems, and even energy efficient equipment in industrial and commercial facilities.

"To this point, businesses have had to balance costs of making environmentally sound decisions against the costs of less expensive alternatives,” Councilmember Andrew J. Ginther, chair of the Finance and Economic Development Committee said. “These green initiatives will reward companies who make good choices, make the decision to go green easier, provide a better return on investment and help solidify Columbus as a leader in the green technology."

Both funds are capped at $200,000 per project. Funds will be offered on a first-come-first-served basis for eligible applicants.  Further details including funding limits are available online at www.GetGreenColumbus.org.

Alliance Anniversary: Huntington, Columbus Housing Partnership Reach 2,600 Families With Home Ownership Programs Columbus City Council President Michael C. Mentel praised for his support of affordable housing

At the one-year mark of a three-year venture between Huntington Bank (Nasdaq: HBAN; www.huntington.com) and the Columbus Housing Partnership, the Huntington Homeownership Alliance has assisted Columbus Housing Partnership in reaching approximately 2,600 families with home ownership counseling and foreclosure prevention assistance to strengthen the local housing market, Huntington and CHP will announce at a press conference and celebration today.

With investment support from Huntington, the Columbus Housing Partnership in year one of the Huntington Homeownership Alliance launched www.homeportohio.org to increase awareness and participation in local home owner education programs that support new home ownership and help keep families in their current homes.The improved site has increased Web traffic by nearly 50 percent.

In the first year of the Huntington Homeownership Alliance, more than 2,600 families attended the Homeport Housing Advisory Center. Of that, more than 1,200 families received foreclosure prevention assistance and more than 100 families participated in new online foreclosure prevention education. Since the inception of the Alliance, 17 out of 27 homes sold by Homeport Home Ownership, the home sales division of Columbus Housing Partnership, closed with new loans created specifically for the Alliance. These loans totaled more than $2 million.

"Huntington is committed to investing in our communities so that they remain vibrant and strong," said Steve Steinour, Huntington Bank chairman, president and CEO. "By partnering with organizations like Columbus Housing Partnership, we are helping more families to own homes and to be educated about all the facets of home ownership." Launched in 2009, the Huntington Homeownership Alliance provides a $10 million commitment from Huntington Bank to people purchasing approximately 100 homes from Columbus Housing Partnership over three years. The Alliance will also enable Columbus Housing Partnership to expand its programs to reach a total of 9,000 families through counseling over the three-year partnership.

"Simply put, our alliance with Huntington has enabled us to do more to serve the community," said Amy Klaben, Columbus Housing Partnership CEO. "With the increased resources Huntington has provided, we have been able to support more families in achieving and maintaining the dream of home ownership. We welcome more partners like Huntington to help us make an even bigger positive impact on Columbus neighborhoods. We also thank local leaders such as Columbus City Council President Michael C. Mentel for his unwavering leadership in providing affordable housing with resident programs, as well as foreclosure prevention and homebuyer education programs to our community."

"Huntington Bank is a hometown business that truly cares about Columbus," said President Mentel. "The Huntington Homeownership Alliance is a terrific example of a public-private partnership that is helping to strengthen our neighborhoods by giving families the tools they need to be responsible homeowners. This innovative relationship will continue to pay dividends for our community for years to come by supporting long-term homeownership throughout our city."

About Huntington Bancshares Incorporated is a $52 billion regional bank holding company headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. Through its affiliated companies, Huntington has been providing a full range of financial services for 144 years. Huntington offers checking, loans, savings, insurance and investment services. It has more than 600 branches and also offers retail and commercial financial services online at huntington.com; through its telephone bank; and through its network of over 1,300 ATMs. Huntington's Auto Finance and Dealer Services group offers automobile loans to consumers and commercial loans to automobile dealers within our six-state banking franchise area.

About CHP Columbus Housing Partnership (CHP) is a private, nonprofit organization founded in the belief that a decent and affordable home is the cornerstone of family life and a healthy community. Columbus Housing Partnership takes an innovative approach to addressing the housing needs of Central Ohio, through its Homeport Programs. CHP provides quality, affordable housing and related services to low and moderate income households through four programs: Homeport Rental Living, Homeport Community Life, Homeport Housing Advisory Center and Homeport Home Ownership.

Columbus City Council and Columbus City Schools Work To Make East Side Neighborhood Safer

Columbus City Schools Set To Demolish Homes Bought By the City of Columbus

(Columbus)---Demolition of a blighted property near an east side elementary school will begin today, the culmination of years of hard work and cooperation between the City of Columbus and Columbus City Schools (CCS).  The City of Columbus used its priority status as a local government entity to acquire the vacant and abandoned building near East Columbus Elementary School along East Sixth Avenue from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.    The building has stood vacant and abandoned for years.  Columbus City Council Finance & Economic Development Committee Chair Andrew J. Ginther began working on this project while a member of the school board more than seven years ago.

“This structure is a danger to the neighborhood and the safety of our children and needs to come down,” said Councilmember Ginther, who also chairs City Council’s Safety Committee.  “The property is a center of criminal activity and it is unacceptable to have the building so close to a new school.”

The City Council has passed two pieces of legislation to allow the transfer of land from the City to the CCS to become a reality.  In July 2007, Columbus bought the property at 3074-80 East Sixth Avenue on behalf of the district for $63,000, a 30% savings off the asking price for the site.  Then in 2009, the City transferred the property that was held in the Land Bank to district.  CCS, which purchased the adjacent 7 multi-family properties prior to the acquisition of this final piece, reimbursed the City for all expenses relating to the acquisition of the site. 

“The safety of our children is our number one priority," said Columbus City School Board PresidentCarol L. Perkins. "The demolition of these buildings, not only demonstrates our continued commitment to this community, but shows how collaboration and partnering can achieve positive outcomes.”

Neighborhood leaders who have fought criminal activity at the site applaud the partnership between the City and CCS. 

“We have been working for many years with Councilmember Ginther,  Superintendent Dr. Gene Harris and the school board to build a stronger neighborhood so our children can live and learn in a healthy environment,” said Bill Adams of the East Columbus Civic Association that includes the Krumm Park area of City.  “This demolition is a positive step for the community as we grow for the future.”

Hilton Columbus Downtown Breaks Ground,

$140M Convention Headquarters Hotel to Open in Fall 2012

COLUMBUS, Ohio (July 13, 2010) – The Franklin County Convention Facilities Authority, in partnership with Hilton Worldwide, broke ground today on the new Hilton Columbus Downtown located in Columbus, Ohio.  The convention headquarters hotel will be located at 401 N. High St., which is on the west side of High Street, across from the SMG-managed Greater Columbus Convention Center and near Nationwide Arena.  The project is a collaboration among the Franklin County Commissioners, Franklin County Convention Facilities Authority, City of Columbus and Nationwide Realty Investors, Inc.  The $140 million, full-service convention hotel is expected to open in fall 2012 and will feature 532 rooms, 48 suites and 22,800 square feet of meeting space, including a 12,000 square-foot ballroom. 

The property will be owned and developed by the Franklin County Convention Facilities Authority and operated by Hilton Worldwide.  The design group consists of architects HOK and Columbus-based Moody Nolan and interior designers, Simeone Deary Design Group. Turner Smoot is the project construction manager.

“The addition of the 532-room Hilton Columbus Downtown, combined with the existing amenities of the Greater Columbus Convention Center, will enable our city to compete as a convention destination for more than 900 national trade shows, conventions and meetings in our target convention market,” said Franklin County Convention Facilities Authority Board Chairman John S. Christie.  “We are in a great position to think long-term.  Columbus is looking beyond the short-term and preparing for the next ten years.” 

“Large regional and national groups require room blocks of 1,000 to 3,500 hotel rooms during peak nights of attendance,” said William C. Jennison, executive director of the Franklin County Convention Facilities Authority.  “The availability of this new hotel will augment the room inventory and lead to additional convention bookings that will also increase utilization of the Greater Columbus Convention Center.”  

“The Hilton Columbus Downtown will take us to the next level as a tourist destination,” said Columbus Mayor Michael B. Coleman. “Even more importantly, it will create jobs Downtown and throughout our city at a time when our residents are in need of new employment opportunities.”

“The new full-service Hilton Columbus Downtown supports Franklin County and the City of Columbus’ current investment in our convention facilities,” added John O'Grady, president of the Franklin County Board of Commissioners. “This project is a true testament to the collaborative efforts of Central Ohio’s leadership.”

“This exciting new hotel will serve as an underpinning for our already robust $7.2 billion tourism industry and stimulates additional private investment. This is the perfect time to get shovels in the ground and put people to work,” said Michael C. Mentel, Columbus City Council President.“This expansion creates jobs not only for those who build the hotel and eventually work at this hotel, but also for those working at our restaurants, our nightspots, our sports and entertainment venues and the hotels we already have.”

The hotel will include a 160-seat, full-service restaurant, a 100-seat lounge, a specialty coffee outlet, an executive lounge, and a lobby featuring a large atrium with skylights to give an indoor-outdoor feel and a combination brick and glass façade.  The Greater Columbus Convention Center’s 900-vehicle parking garage adjacent to the hotel will service the property. In continuing the city of Columbus’ commitment to sustainability, the Hilton Columbus Downtown will be LEED Certified as well as Green Seal Certified from an operating standpoint.

“We’re thrilled the Franklin County Convention Facilities Authority selected Hilton to operate Columbus’ new convention headquarters hotel in one of the city’s most vibrant neighborhoods,” said Dave Horton, Global Head, Hilton Hotels brand. “This $140 million project allows us to truly enhance the downtown hotel package for anyone considering Columbus as a future meeting destination.  The hotel’s grand opening in 2012 could not have come at a better time given the much-anticipated bicentennial celebration slated for the same year.” 

“With the addition of the Hilton Columbus Downtown to the Destination Columbus sell, we are able to offer multiple downtown-headquarter hotel opportunities to more than one convention or trade show at a time, as well as host larger national conventions and trade shows within the 1.7 million-square-foot Greater Columbus Convention Center,” said Paul Astleford, President and CEO, Experience Columbus.  “This new property significantly strengthens the Destination Columbus product offering in the global market.”

One of the first conventions to take advantage of the enhanced Destination Columbus package is the Southern Baptist Convention who announced at the groundbreaking that they have chosen Columbus to host their June 14-17, 2015 meeting.  The convention is anticipated to draw 16,000 attendees bringing in 19,530 room nights and an estimated $6.2 million in visitor spending to Central Ohio.

“The Southern Baptist Convention is excited to be holding its annual meeting in Columbus in 2015 in the beautiful Greater Columbus Convention Center,” said Don Magee, Associate Vice President of Finance for the Southern Baptist Convention.  “Without the additional rooms provided by the building of the Hilton Columbus Downtown, we would not have been able to consider meeting here.”

About the Franklin County Convention Facilities Authority

As the owner and developer of the Greater Columbus Convention Center, the Franklin County Convention Facilities Authority was responsible for overseeing the $85 million expansion, renovation and parking development of the facility completed in 2001 and the $40 million renovation and expansion of Battelle Grand completed in 2009.  For more information on the authority and the convention center, visit www.ColumbusConventions.com.

About Hilton Hotels

Hilton Hotels is the stylish, forward-thinking global leader of hospitality that welcomes guests in more countries than any other full-service hotel brand. The Hilton brand currently includes more than 530 hotels and resorts in 76 countries, and plans to serve travelers in 80 countries by the end of 2011. By offering innovative products, services and amenities, Hilton enables travelers to be at their best 24/7, whether traveling for business or leisure. Start your journey at www.Hilton.com.

About Hilton Worldwide

Hilton Worldwide is the leading global hospitality company, spanning the lodging sector from luxurious full-service hotels and resorts to extended-stay suites and mid-priced hotels.  For 91 years, Hilton Worldwide has been offering business and leisure travelers the finest in accommodations, service, amenities and value.  The company is dedicated to continuing its tradition of providing exceptional guest experiences across its global brands.  Its brands are comprised of more than 3,600 hotels and 592,000 rooms in 81 countries and include Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Hilton, Doubletree, Embassy Suites Hotels, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Hotels, Homewood Suites by Hilton, Home2 Suites by Hilton and Hilton Grand Vacations.  The company also manages the world-class guest reward program Hilton Honors®. For more information about the company, please visit www.HiltonWorldwide.com.

About Experience Columbus

Experience Columbus is the destination sales and marketing organization for the Greater Columbus community. Formerly the Greater Columbus Convention and Visitors Bureau, Experience Columbus works with the Columbus community to create a competitive distinction in the visitor marketplace, attracting leisure visitors, conventions and meetings.For more information on the organization, please visit www.ExperienceColumbus.com.

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Menards To Open First Columbus Store At Northland Village

When Northland Mall closed its doors in 2002, Mayor Michael B. Coleman pledged that the site would be redeveloped. Today, Mayor Coleman was joined by Councilmember Andrew Ginther, Franklin County Commissioner Marilyn Brown, Menards officials and Northland community leaders, as ground was broken for Menards home improvement store. The $11.5 million investment will bring 80 full-time jobs to the first Menards in the Columbus area.  

“This is a big step toward a vibrant Northland Village,” Mayor Coleman said. “Rather than leaving the empty shell of the former mall vacant and blighted, Menards is working with us to revitalize the Morse Road corridor.”

The City is offering Menards a 75-percent 10-year tax abatement on real estate improvements. Upon completion of the project the City of Columbus will have invested more than $38 million on redevelopment of the Northland Village site and infrastructure improvements on Morse Road. The investment includes $19.4 million on site redevelopment, including acquisition of land, utility improvements and new roads for the redevelopment plan and $18 million in improvements along Morse Road for the corridor from I-71 to Cleveland Avenue.

“The entire Northland area will benefit from the Menards development and the city’s substantial investment in roads, sidewalks, bike lanes and utilities,” said Councilmember Andrew J. Ginther, chair of the Finance and Economic Development Committee. “It is important to note, the city has not made these improvements alone.  Business owners in this region have created a Special Improvement District to reinvest their dollars in making this corridor an attractive place to do business.”

“We’re so happy to welcome Menards to the neighborhood,” said Commissioner Marilyn Brown. “Their presence is great news for the hundreds of businesses, including our new dog shelter, and the thousands of residents and visitors who travel the corridor each day. Investing in the development of our neighborhoods is paramount to a strong and healthy community for all of us.”

A family-owned company started in 1960, Menards currently has over 255 home improvement stores throughout Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wyoming and Wisconsin.  With home improvement at the forefront of today's do-it-yourself market, Menards provides a valuable resource to the community. Menards not only fulfills home improvement needs, but also provides employment opportunities and economic growth for the entire community.

“As we have steadily progressed into Ohio, we have constantly heard about what a wonderful place Columbus is to live and do business.  Today, we are proud to commence our presence here,” Scott Collette, Menard, Inc. Chief Operating Officer.

Other improvements on Morse Road from Karl Road to Cleveland Avenue include landscaped medians, new curbs and gutters, street trees, sidewalks, improved streetlights and traffic signals and pedestrian crossing upgrades at intersections.  The final build-out will result will include more than 550,000 square-feet of new development and generate more than 800 jobs onsite, in addition to the 1,000+ jobs already at the Ohio Department of Taxation.

"Northland residents are excited to welcome Menards to the Northland Village site, not only because it represents jobs for area residents and increased retail choice in a unique and appealing format, but because we believe that today's announcement is the first of many that will herald the rebirth of the site of the former mall as a hub of the Northland community."

Menards expects to complete the project by spring 2011.

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Mayor, City Council and Artists Unveil Decorative FlowerPlanter Pots That Will Be Included in Plant Pride On Parsons Cleanup This Saturday

Mayor Michael B. Coleman, City Council President Pro-Tem Hearcel F. Craig, the Heart of Ohio Tole Chapter painters, business and neighborhood leaders today unveiled some of the decorative flower planter pots that will be placed along Parsons Avenue during this Saturday’s Plant Pride On Parsons cleanup event.  The Heart of Ohio Tole Chapter painters decorated 28 flower pots and South Side elementary and high school students painted three pots.  Hundreds of volunteers will clean litter, remove graffiti and beautify Parsons Avenue between Livingston Avenue and State Route 104 this Saturday beginning at 9:30 a.m.

“Plant Pride on Parsons demonstrates that we are united around a clean and revitalized Parsons Avenue, the spine of the South Side,” said Mayor Coleman.  “The designs on these flower pots have captured the spirit of everyone who feels passionately about Parsons Avenue’s history and future.”

Mayor Coleman and South Side area businesses and neighborhood organizations are among the sponsors of the 31 decorated flower pots.  At least 25 South Side businesses and neighborhood groups will provide volunteers for the cleanup and some will donate materials or refreshments.

“Parsons Avenue is an important economic corridor in Columbus,” said Hearcel F. Craig, chair of the Public Service and Transportation Committee.  “This beautification effort will make the area more inviting to shoppers and help create a greater sense of identity for residents.”

The Heart of Ohio Tole Chapter has approximately 230 members and was founded in Columbus in 1975.  Tole is decorative painting that historically has been done on tin surfaces, but can also include other painting media.  In addition to Plant Pride On Parsons, HOOT’s philanthropic activities include their Memory Box program—hand-painted boxes donated to area hospitals for parents whose children have died—and the donation of painted caps and t-shirts to patients at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.

“One benefit of learning to paint has given our members the opportunity to share their time, talent and creativity to benefit our communities,” said Phyllis Gibbs, past president of the Heart of Ohio Tole Chapter.  “We have enjoyed our role in planting pride on Parsons Avenue.”

“Plant Pride on Parsons is just the spark the corridor needs to get the merchants and surrounding neighborhood organizations involved together to move forward in the revitalization of Parsons Avenue,” said Marc Borst, Parsons Avenue Merchants Association president.  

The City’s Keep Columbus Beautiful program, housed in the Department of Public Service, has worked closely with the Parsons Avenue Merchants Association, HOOT and other groups participating in Plant Pride On Parsons.  KCB will provide trash bags, gloves, litter grabbers and other cleanup equipment at this Saturday’s event.  In 2009, KCB worked with nearly 9,900 volunteers to clean 200.1 tons of litter from Columbus neighborhoods.

HUNTINGTON COMMITS TO COLUMBUS HEADQUARTERS THROUGH 2030

 Huntington Bank will add 500 jobs to Columbus by 2014 

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Huntington Bank name will continue to grace the Columbus skyline for at least another 20 years, Huntington’s Chairman, President and CEO Steve Steinour announced today at an afternoon press conference. The bank signed a lease extending its occupancy of the 38-story Huntington Center at 41 S. High Street to February 2030. The previous lease was scheduled to expire in 2015.

Steinour also announced that Huntington will add another 500 jobs to Columbus over the next five years. The jobs will be at all levels and in a variety of disciplines. Currently, the bank has approximately 3,600 colleagues in Columbus.

“We are committed to downtown Columbus and to the people who work and live here,” said Steinour. “The continued presence of Huntington’s headquarters at the heart of the city will help to keep Columbus vibrant, maintaining and growing jobs while attracting more businesses and development to downtown.”

“Huntington and Columbus both benefit from our continuing relationship,” said Columbus Mayor Michael B. Coleman. “We are both committed to a strong core and strong economic future for our city. Working in partnership, we will continue to transform downtown and retain and grow jobs throughout Columbus.”

Huntington has extended its lease for 200,000 square feet at the Huntington Center. It occupies floors three through 10 of the building. Huntington Center abuts Huntington’s main downtown branch, which has been at the corner of Broad and High streets for 144 years.

“This is a landmark day for downtown,” said Columbus City Council President Michael C. Mentel. “Few cities can boast such a longstanding relationship with a leading corporate citizen. Huntington’s commitment to downtown Columbus through the bank’s 164th anniversary is a huge vote of confidence in our mutual long-term success.”

Huntington has long invested in downtown Columbus, most recently acquiring the naming rights to Huntington Park in 2008 to support the expansion of Arena District revitalization. Over the past several years, Huntington has also been a major lender supporting Mayor Coleman’s downtown housing initiative to build and expand a thriving residential community in the city core.

“Job creation and retention are the keys to economic success not only in downtown Columbus, but throughout the city,” said Councilmember Andrew J. Ginther, chair of the Finance and Economic Development Committee.   “With today’s announcement, Huntington is reaffirming their long-term commitment to Columbus as a trusted business and community partner.”

In the Huntington Center lease extension transaction, Rich Machinski and Mark Thompson of Huntington received assistance from Terry Mathews and Chandler Converse of CB Richard Ellis, while Hines representatives Scott Linville and Greg Van Schaack represented the property.

Resurfacing, Bikeways, Sidewalks and Rec and Parks Improvements Highlight 2010 Capital Improvements Budget Proposal

Joined by Columbus neighborhood leaders, Mayor Michael B. Coleman, City Council President Michael C. Mentel and members of City Council announced the proposed 2010 Capital Improvements Budget on the North Side. Mayor Coleman and council members unveiled the $130 million proposal on Strawberry Farms Boulevard, which will be improved by an upcoming resurfacing project.

“Our greatness lies in our neighborhoods, and we must continue to invest in them,” Mayor Coleman said. “By investing in our streets, parks and bikeways, we will increase our quality of life and create jobs in the process.”

Highlights of the mayor’s proposal include

$20 million for street resurfacing

$8 million for recreation center renovations

$7.3 million for bikeways

$6 million for fire apparatus

$3.8 million for renovations for our swimming pools

$3.2 million for sidewalks and pedestrian safety

$2.6 million for playground improvements and for park acquisition

$1.25 million for housing and homelessness prevention and services

$1 million for increased broadband access 

$1 million for the Green Columbus Fund development grant program

$675,000 toward a South Side health center

“The commitment we are making today through our capital improvement priorities represents an investment in our city’s future,” said City Council President Michael C. Mentel. “The investments in public safety, broadband accessibility, infrastructure improvements, and enhanced livability will keep Columbus progressing and moving forward.”

City Council is expected to vote on the 2010 Capital Improvements Budget on Monday.

Mayor, Commissioners President and Councilmember Eileen Y. Paley Making Sure City and County Get Fair Share of Federal Funding with Support for 2010 Complete Count

US Census Begins Mailing to 130 million American homes

Columbus City Councilmember Eileen Y. Paley joined Mayor Michael B. Coleman, County Commission President John O’Grady, State Treasurer and Ohio Census Complete Count Committee Chair Kevin Boyce, MORPC Executive Director Chester Jourdan and others  this afternoon at Columbus’ Main Post Office as the USPS begins national delivery of 130 million 2010 Census Forms. The US Census is critical to local officials because the count affects some $400 billion in annual Federal funding to cities, counties, schools, health care and transportation projects.

The group was given a tour of the Twin Rivers Drive Sorting Facility, which was upgraded in 2009 with the most high-tech sorting equipment in the nation, processing 612,000 magazines, periodicals and large envelopes on an average day. The Twin Rivers Drive facility, along with the Postal Service's Processing and Distribution Center on Citygate Drive, handle about 6 million mail pieces daily and processes mail for about 1.26 million homes served by 322 Post Offices in their 48-county Columbus postal district. 

Census forms will be arriving at every American home between Monday, March 15 and Wednesday, March 17.

Neighborhood Leaders Celebrate Project to Reconnect Franklinton

Franklinton neighborhood leaders joined Mayor Michael B. Coleman, City Council members, Franklin County Engineer Dean Ringle, Ohio Department of Transportation Director Jolene M. Molitoris and MORPC Executive Director Chester R. Jourdan, Jr., to break ground on the new Rich Street Bridge today. The project will reconnect Franklinton with Downtown following demolition of the old Town Street Bridge in 2008. The bridge is scheduled for completion in August 2011.

“As we approach our city’s bicentennial, it is time to reconnect our very first neighborhood with our Downtown,” Mayor Coleman said. “The Rich Street Bridge project will create and retain jobs in Columbus while revitalizing Franklinton.”

The project will include improvements to West Bank Park and other areas on the west side of the Scioto River, making the area more pedestrian and bicycle friendly and better enable it to host festivals during the spring and summer.

“We’re thrilled to have this beautiful bridge in Franklinton,” said Franklinton Development Association Executive Director Jim Sweeney.  “Opening this new link to Downtown Columbus is another major step towards the rebirth of the peninsula and East Franklinton.  It will greatly enhance our revitalization efforts throughout the community.”

“We in Franklinton look forward to once again being able to cross the river without having to go to Broad Street or get on the freeway,” said Franklinton Area Commission Chair Carol Stewart.  “We are very happy about this.”

West Bank Park improvements will include new bike paths, lighting and landscaping.  Washington Boulevard between Rich and Town streets will be resurfaced and new sidewalks, curbs and street lighting will be added.

“The Rich Street Bridge project is just one part of an overall rebirth of the downtown Columbus,” said Councilmember Hearcel F. Craig, chair of the Public Service and Transportation committee.  “The West Bank Park is a focal point of pride and activity, a gathering place to celebrate a number of unique community events.”

The Rich Street Bridge project will be built with multiple funding sources, including $3.2 million in federal earmarks and nearly $2.1 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 dollars.   

“The partnership between ODOT and the City of Columbus has never been stronger, as we work together on revitalizing one of Ohio’s core urban centers,” said ODOT Director Molitoris, who noted that the Recovery Act has allowed investment in several projects in downtown Columbus, including improvements along Parsons and Livingston Avenues. “Our historic investments in transportation are putting Ohioans to work today building a safer, greener, more multi-modal transportation system for our future.”

“This single event demonstrates what collaboration can achieve,” said MORPC Executive Director Chester R. Jourdan, Jr. “MORPC is proud to have played a part in this collaboration of both public and private partnerships.” 

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Columbus City Councilmember Andrew J. Ginther, Chair of the Public Safety Committee, will conduct a public hearing to discuss proposed amendments to the Columbus City Code that will address the issue of distracted driving, specifically texting while driving. Councilmember Ginther intends to introduce a city ordinance to prohibit texting while driving in an effort to improve roadway safety for drivers, passengers, bicyclists, pedestrians and all other road users. The proposed ordinance aims to prevent crashes related to texting while driving, and to reduce the associated fatalities, injuries, and property damage that all too often result.  

Public testimony will be accepted. Those wishing to testify should fill out a speaker slip on the day of the hearing between the hours of 8:00 am - 5:00 pm in the lobby entrance located on the Front Street side of City Hall. Free parking is available in the Gay Street parking lot on the north side of City Hall after 5:00 pm.

Mayor Announces Intensified Pothole Repair Effort

The City of Columbus will conduct a month-long intensified pothole repair program in March in the wake of repeated winter storms that have battered city streets. Mayor Michael B. Coleman announced the plan to patch nearly double the 12,124 potholes repaired in March 2009 during his 11^th annual State of the City address Wednesday at the Lincoln Theatre.  The work will be done six days a week in March, weather permitting.

“Patching potholes is a priority to keep our roads safe.  For the next month, we will intensify our pothole patching efforts and repair nearly twice as many potholes than we fixed last March,” Mayor Coleman said.  “Our pothole repair crews have worked so hard between repeated snow storms, but this historically horrific winter has brought what we fear could become an historic number of potholes.”

The month-long pothole repair effort in March will use a two-pronged approach:

Filling two existing vacant Street Maintenance Investigator positions top, bringing the total number of investigators to a full contingent of six

City of Columbus crews will repair potholes at night and on all four Saturdays in March, using overtime to attack potholes.  Work will be done weather permitting.

“After such a particularly harsh winter, it is important for the city to double our efforts in repairing potholes in a proactive manner,” said Councilmember Hearcel F. Craig, chair of the Public Service and Transportation Committee.  “I especially would like to commend our crews who will continue to work diligently to protect our streets.”

The City is responsible for repairing potholes on 6,348 lane miles of roadway; a lane mile is one mile of roadway multiplied by the number of lanes on the roadway.   

“The goal in March will be to get ahead of the game on fighting potholes in the middle of a difficult winter,” said Department of Public Service Director Mark Kelsey.  “The faster we repair these potholes, the cheaper our costs will be in the long run.  This preventative maintenance will stop some potholes from getting worse and becoming more expensive street resurfacing projects.”

The month-long pothole repair effort will be funded through the Department of Public Service’s Street Construction Maintenance Fund.

City of Columbus Pothole Patching Fact Sheet

The City of Columbus patches potholes on City of Columbus streets and parts of state routes 315, 33 and 104 that are in the City of Columbus

ODOT is responsible for patching potholes on I-70, I-71, I-270 and I-670

Columbus’ Pothole Patching crews are responsible for 6,348 lane miles of roadway.  

This effort is measured in lane miles because potholes can occur in each lane of a roadway

A lane mile is defined as one mile of roadway multiplied by the number of lanes in the roadway.  For example:

1-mile stretch of roadway x 5 lanes in the roadway = 5 lane miles

Pothole Patching  policy and practice:

The process for patching potholes begins two different ways:

Residents contact 311 (call 311 or 645-3111) to notify the City of the location of a pothole.  The locations are then forwarded to the Department of Public Service to be scheduled for patching,  or

Separate from, and in addition to, 311 requests, Department of Public Service crews are routinely deployed to locate and patch potholes.  These deployments are proactive standard practice that works in tandem with 311 requests to find and patch potholes.

Patching potholes is a City of Columbus priority:

The City’s standard:  Potholes are typically patched within three (3) days after a service request is filed with 311 to do so

This standard may go beyond three days because of:

A very large volume of potholes being reported.  In these instances, the standard is to patch potholes as soon as possible

A snow, ice or rain storm prohibits pothole patching

Columbus’ Pothole Patching crews are responsible for 227 square miles, much more than their counterparts in other Ohio cities:

Cleveland:  82 square miles

Toledo:  80 square miles

Cincinnati:  79 square miles

Dayton:  57 square miles

Hot patching potholes

During winter, is most effective above freezing (32°).

However, hot patch, at 300 degrees, does not bond well with the dramatically colder pavement in cold winter weather, including cold temperatures above freezing

The hot patch shrinks away from, and does not conform to, the surrounding asphalt and the contours inside the pothole.

Because hot patch does not bond well with a cold pothole and pavement, it is like cold patch:  a temporary fix

Therefore, cold patch is typically used during winter months

Cold patch is less expensive ($75/ton) than hot patch purchased during the winter from a private vendor ($100/ton)

Cold patching potholes

Cold patch is a temporary fix designed to repair potholes until they can be hot patched during warmer weather in the spring and summer if the cold patched hole reopens

Lifespan of a cold patch varies and is affected by traffic volume and speed of the roadway where the cold patch is made

City does have a limited supply of hot patch that it produces in an asphalt recycling machine.  The recycled asphalt is the waste asphalt when a street is torn up for resurfacing or reconstruction.

Total potholes patched

2009:  114,475 potholes patched

2008:  115,390 potholes patched

2007:    70,183 potholes patched

2006:    70,618 potholes patched

Total cost for asphalt (hot mix and cold mix) purchased to patch potholes

2009:  $355,390.84 (5,044.51 tons)

2008:  $391,132.73 (6,946.61 tons)

2007:  $183,910.50 (5,170.24 tons)

2006:  $177,550.03 (4,685.89 tons)

Tons of hot patch used

2009: 3,100 tons

2008: 3,208 tons

2007: 2,636 tons

2006: 3,367 tons

Tons of cold patch used

2009:    793 tons

2008: 1,006 tons

2007:    558 tons

2006:    402 tons

Columbus Pothole Patchers have other job responsibilities including, but not limited to:

Snow removal

Street cleaning

Alley surfacing treatment

Mowing

Underpass cleaning

Graffiti removal

For immediate release

February 3, 2010

City, County and Stakeholders Announce Public Process to Plan Next Steps for Downtown Columbus New Apartments for Grant and Gay Also Announced

Mayor Michael B. Coleman today joined a group of downtown residents, business owners, developers, retailers and advocates to outline the progress of the Downtown Business Plan launched in 2002 and next steps for bringing new investment, people and activity to the central business district. The team announced a series of public town hall meetings to get citizen input on a long-term strategic plan for Downtown’s next 10 years of development.

“Downtown is the economic center of the region, home to more than 80,000 jobs, creating more than 20 percent of our local income taxes that pay for neighborhood services, and we need to keep it healthy,” said Mayor Coleman. “We’ve come a long way in the past few years, but more needs to be done as we build our way out of a tough recession. Downtown is everyone’s neighborhood. Many of us come here for dining, entertainment and recreation, and many of us work or live here.”

The Mayor was joined by Franklin County Board of Commissioners President John O’Grady; City Councilmember Andrew J. Ginther, Guy Worley of Capital South and the Columbus Downtown Development Corporation; Cleve Ricksecker, executive director of the Capital Crossroads and Discovery District SIDs; Michael DeAscentis of Lifestyle Communities; and Alex Shumate, CDDC board member.

“Job creation and growth in the Downtown are key to the long-term economic success of Columbus and the Central Ohio region,” said Councilmember Ginther, chair of the Finance and Economic Development Committee. “Last year Columbus voters supported a three-point plan to move Columbus forward, which included a commitment to do all that we can to create jobs and grow the Columbus economy. That effort begins Downtown, and the strategy we are developing now will carry us through the next stage of economic development in our city’s core.”

The Downtown Strategic Plan will come from a series of three town hall meetings, hosted by the City, CDDC and moderated by MSI Design, beginning February 16 at Columbus State Community College.

“The 2002 Business Plan was a success because it set out a clear agenda for priorities and investment in our Downtown,” said Worley, president and CEO of the Columbus Downtown Development Corporation. “The best ideas came from a gathering of the best minds and we hope to have the same energy and excitement as we set action steps for the next 10 years.”

Mayor Coleman described local success in housing, parks and other projects, and announced another new apartment building that will be built near the Columbus College for Art and Design for college students. The 68 unit building will be home to 136 residents at the corner of Gay Street and Grant, opening in the late summer of 2011.

“I’m encouraged to see the Downtown Business Plan continue to evolve as we begin a new decade of development and progress,” said Commissioner O’Grady. “The Franklin County commissioners have actively worked with the City of Columbus to make the dream of a revitalized Downtown a reality. We look forward to welcoming new neighbors as we near completion on the new Franklin County Courthouse and start the second season at Huntington Park.”

Attracting jobs to downtown will continue to be a major focus of the city’s agenda, and one way it is getting done is through a partnership with the Capital Crossroads and Discovery District SIDs to attract more retail outlets.

“The work of the past eight years has set the stage for another wave of private investment in downtown, particularly in the retail sector,” said Ricksecker. “Downtown is extremely well positioned for growth.”

Successes of the 2002 Downtown Business Plan:

  1. Building more Downtown housing:

Through city incentives, 2,542 units were built since 2002, another 2,468 units are under construction or in development, and the Downtown population has reversed its 50-year decline, increasing by more than 2,000 since 2003.

2. Concentrating development of new mixed use neighborhoods:

Development has continued along the Gay Street corridor, with restaurants, hotels and new residential housing. The RiverSouth neighborhood, once filled with 23 blighted, underutilized blocks, is now bustling with activity, anchored by the newly renovated Lazarus Building to the north and the new County Courthouse under construction on the south. Columbus Commons began with demolition of City Center Mall in October 2009 and the park is set to open in December 2010. The city and the Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District are working to bring retail back, from seasonal farmers markets, to the hiring of a full time retail ambassador to help fill empty storefronts, and working together on the Mile on High plan to attract retail back to High Street.

3. Bringing jobs Downtown to stabilize the office market:

In 2003, office vacancy rates peaked at 26 percent, but ended 2009 at 14.7 percent, while 1,000,000 square feet of office space was added. Two thousand incentivized jobs were added through city tax incentives to 25 companies.

4. Developing the riverfront as park and promenade:

The riverfront’s North Bank Park is open, as is the new Grange Audubon Center on the Whittier Peninsula, which was built through a partnership with Metro Parks. The Scioto Mile is set to open in June of 2011, funded through a historic partnership between the public and private sectors.

5. Improving parking and transportation:

Capitol South and the City of Columbus opened two new public parking garages, with 1,450 spaces. Two new bridges are connecting the east and west sides of the river at Main Street and at Town and Rich streets. New efforts are being made to add bike routes, trails and racks Downtown to make the area more rider-friendly. Columbus and the State of Ohio received a federal grant to start 3C Rail service with a new station to be built Downtown. In partnership with COTA and MORPC, the city will continue to work on solutions to create a multi-modal hub at the downtown station where 3C rail meets future light rail lines, bus lines and other transportation alternatives.

  6. Going beyond the Business Plan

The Columbus City Schools invested in a Downtown High School, on the corner of Mound and Fourth, which opened in January 2008. A new Downtown Convention Hotel will be a reality by the end of 2012. With 500 rooms, the new Hilton will help us be a national contender for travel, tourism and conventions.

Huntington Park, home of the Clippers, is an award-winning baseball stadium that opened in spring 2009 and has become the place to be. The County Courthouse is under construction.

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For immediate release

January 19, 2010

Contact: Dan Williamson, 645-5300

Penn National Gaming Chooses Former Delphi Plant For Columbus Location

Mayor Michael B. Coleman today joined representatives from Penn National Gaming, neighborhood leaders and other elected officials on the Far West Side to announce Penn’s decision to relocate a proposed casino to the former Delphi auto parts plant near I-270. The constitutional amendment approved by statewide voters in November specified the Arena District as the site for a casino development. However, after opposition from Mayor Coleman, City Council President Michael C. Mentel, Arena District residents and businesses, Penn agreed to consider additional sites. The Delphi site would have to be placed on the May 4 ballot by the Ohio General Assembly and approved by a statewide vote. If approved, the City of Columbus expects to work with Franklin Township to annex the Delphi site into Columbus.

“I am encouraged by the neighborhood support I’ve seen for a casino on the Far West Side of Columbus,” Mayor Coleman said. “I commend Penn National Gaming for working with us, and I appreciate all the input we’ve received on this issue from the Far West Side and all Columbus neighborhoods.”

A number of neighborhood and business groups have voted to support locating a Far West Side casino, including:

- The Greater Hilltop Area Commission

- The Hilltop Area Business Association

- The Highland West Civic Association

- The Westland Area Business Association

- The Westland Area Commission

- The Franklin Township Trustees

- The Prairie Township Trustees

“I would like to commend Penn National for listening to our concerns and working with our community to consider more viable alternatives for the casino location,” said City Council President Michael C. Mentel. “Penn’s decision to consider other sites, and ultimately choosing the former GM Delphi plant, showed their willingness to seek support from residents and business leaders who would welcome the economic redevelopment opportunities brought about by a casino in their area.”

In addition the City of Columbus has received letters of support from 47 different business owners located along the West Broad Corridor as well as thousands of petitions from residents supporting a Far West Side casino.

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Councilmember Hearcel F. Craig, chair of the Public Service and Transportation Committee, talks about $3.9 million in Ohio Public Works Commission for three major area road projects in 2010.

Councilmember Hearcel F. Craig discusses "Loan Modification Scam Alert" Campaign

City Council President Pro-Tem Hearcel F. Craig today held the city’s annual inspection of the Snow Warriors in front of City Hall. The crews are ready to battle snow and ice during the upcoming winter.

“Our Snow Warriors are working harder and they are working smarter,” said Hearcel F. Craig, Chair of the Public Service and Transportation Committee. “Global Positioning Systems on board our trucks allow for better coordination of road treatment and snow removal efforts before and during emergencies.”

Columbus’ 112 core Snow Warriors are responsible for 227 square miles, nearly three times more than the area covered by their counterparts in Cleveland, Cincinnati and Toledo. Columbus’ square mileage includes a total of 2,053 linear miles of roadway, the approximate distance between Columbus and Las Vegas. Each fall, they undergo extensive training to sharpen their skills and reacquaint themselves with equipment, routes and procedures. The city also cross-trains employees in several departments to help their Department of Public Service co-workers battle snow during the worst storms.

“I am so proud of our Snow Warriors. They have one of the most difficult jobs around and are the best in the nation when it comes to fighting snow and ice,” said Mayor Coleman. “They are on the job when duty calls, day and night, weekends and holidays, no matter how much snow falls.”

Every summer, the Department of Public Service reviews the responses to the past winter’s snow storms and adjust procedures and strategies as needed for the next winter.

“Fighting snow is a year-round job. We have tweaked our strategy to be more efficient and effective when the snow falls,” said Department of Public Service Director Mark Kelsey. “Our Snow Warriors are the best in the business because they are dedicated to always getting better.”

As in previous years, freeways, arterial streets and collector residential streets have the top three priorities for clearing snow. Residential streets are plowed after four inches of snow are on the ground and the top three priority roadways have been plowed and treated.

Columbus City Councilmember Andrew J. Ginther, Chair of the Public Safety Committee, will recognize members of the University Area Commission (UAC) and three liquor permit establishments on reaching Good Neighbor Agreements designed to improve the quality of life and safety in Columbus neighborhoods. The agreements will be signed during the UAC planning meeting and involve D & J Carryout, 1393 North Fourth Street, Kelleys Carryout, 1521 North Fourth Street, and Hamptons on King, 234-240 King Avenue.

Joined by neighborhood leaders and business owners, Mayor Michael B. Coleman and City Councilmembers Hearcel F. Craig and Eileen Y. Paley today heralded the completion of the North High Street revitalization project between Lane and Arcadia Avenues...

Councilmember Charleta B. Tavares, Chair of the Health, Housing & Human Services Committee, talks about the opening of the Columbus West Family Health and Wellness Center along West Broad Street. The facility is expected to serve some 7,200 patients a year, that number will triple the number of patients and patient visits currently being provided at the Hilltop Health Center. The new center is located in the former Fire Station 17 building in the Hilltop.

Columbus City Councilmember Priscilla R. Tyson, chair of the Recreation and Parks Committee, and Recreation and Parks Director Alan McKnight celebrated a public/private partnership with Ohio American Water and the Friends of Alum Creek & Tributaries.

President Mentel comments on what Columbus residents can expect with the passage of issue 1, the half-percent increase to the city’s income tax passed by voters August 4, 2009.

City Council, The Columbus Housing Partnership (CHP) and Huntington National Bank named the first family to buy a home through the Huntington Homeownership Alliance. The 3-year, $10 million alliance was launched just three months ago to provide housing counseling, foreclosure prevention services and affordable mortgages to Central Ohioans.

Administration Committee Chair A. Troy Miller is working to secure federal stimulus funds to help build a more robust wireless broadband infrastructure in Columbus.

Public Safety Committee Chair Andrew J. Ginther comments on the 2009 Summer Anit-Gang Initiative which has already removed 67 guns and made 130 arrests.

Two new specialty dockets at the Franklin County Municipal Court are expected to save taxpayers millions of dollars while breaking the cycle of incarceration that grip many offenders. One docket will deal with those convicted of solicitation and the other drug crimes. The programs are a collaboration between the City, Franklin County, the Municipal Court, Common Pleas Court and law enforcement.

Councilmember Andrew J. Ginther, chair of the Development Committee, discusses the U.S. 33/S.R. 161 Economic Development Agreement (EDA) with Dublin. The deal secures Columbus’ right to provide the area with water and sewer service while capturing vital income tax dollars that could mean up to $35 million during the term of the agreement.

The Catholic Foundation has set up its new headquarters at the site of the original Wendy's at 257 East Broad Street.

Council President Michael C. Mentel sponsored ordinance 0868-2009 to apply for and accept federal stimulus funds to support several energy efficiency and conservation projects under consideration by the city. Through formula and competitive grants offered by the U.S. Department of Energy, Columbus has been awarded $7,403,500 to help reduce fossil fuel emissions, reduce the city’s total energy use, improve energy efficiency, and create and retain jobs.

Krumm Park Recreation Center, which had been shuttered since this past February as a result of city budget cuts, will open for summer playground season and after-school programming in the fall thanks to a grant from the Columbus Blue Jackets Foundation as well as funding from the city’s hotel/motel tax through the leadership of Councilmember Tyson.

Councilmember A. Troy Miller sponsored legislation to upgrade the city’s use of Fleet Focus software, a high-tech system to bill, manage, monitor and analyze all maintenance-related data for city owned vehicles.

Councilmember Craig details the city's use of $33.5 million in stimulus dollars made available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 for three capital improvement projects that will create jobs and support economic development in Columbus.

Councilmember Craig Conveys how Neighborhood Pride is a Catalyst for Communication Between City Leaders and the Community

Councilmember Andrew J. Ginther Discusses the Many Benefits of Neighborhood Pride

Councilmember Andrew J. Ginther offered a Resolution of Expression in honor of the 1,500 members of the Columbus Division of Fire who provide lifesaving care to those in need 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Council President Mentel explains how an income tax increase supports the city's three-part plan to address the $120 million structural imbalance in the general operating fund.

Councilmember Tavares provides an overview of why an income tax increase is needed and how it will impact Columbus residents.

Councilmember Hearcel F. Craig sponsored a resolution to recognize and congratulate organizers of he 17^th annual Komen Race for the Cure held to raise funds for breast cancer research.

Councilmember Ginther dissuses the Fire Division's new training center on the South Side; a state-of-the-art complex complete with a training tower and burn building.

"The citizens of Columbus have a choice to make between maintaining core city services such as police and fire protection at the levels our residents have come to expect or experience drastic cuts,” said Council President Michael C. Mentel. “The declining national economy has forced us to find new sources of revenue to fund the basic services and economic development efforts that will help Columbus succeed in the coming years."

Two months after 11 recreation centers were closed in a cost-cutting measure to pass a balanced budget, Recreation and Parks Committee Chair Priscilla R. Tyson sponsored legislation to enter into agreements to reopen, or begin limited services, at seven of the centers.

City Council congratulates the Blue Jackets as they make their way to the play-offs!

City Council congratulates the Blue Jackets as they make their way to the play-offs!

President Mentel Discusses Appointment of Police Chief Distelzweig

In an effort to promote cost-saving measures, Councilmember Eileen Y. Paley sponsored legislation to create an administrative fee for the collection of delinquent payments. The fee will cover the cost of services of private collection agencies hired by the city.

Hearcel F. Craig discusses legislation to provide $50,000 in additional funding for the efforts of the Northland Alliance to create a special improvement district (SID) along S.R. 161.

Councilmember Ginther sponsored legislation which will strengthen the city’s panhandling law by offering greater protection for people near automated teller machines, parking meters, parking lots and outdoor patios or sidewalk cafes.