Transcript

Adam.

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>> Council member Ross, would you lead us

in the pledge? I aliance to the flag of

the United States of America and to the

republic for which it stands. One nation

under God, indivisible, with liberty and

justice for all.

>> This evening, council is grateful to

have an old friend, manior Cody, here to

pray with us. My sior, welcome back to

council.

>> Thank you, Mr. President. It's always a

pleasure to be here.

>> Brothers and sisters, let us pray.

Oh good and gracious God, members of our

Columbus City Council have gathered to

conduct the business of our city on

behalf of the citizens of our city. May

your wisdom guide their deliberations

tonight and always as we seek together

to work for the common good of all of us

in Columbus. Our council members ask for

your guidance.

We are concerned that our nation is

engaged in yet another war. We pray for

peace and a renewed sense of mutual

understanding and respect among the

nations of our world. Send a spirit of

peace among us and special blessing on

the members of our council and the

citizens that they serve. Amen.

>> Amen. Thank you so much for seeing.

>> Clerk, please call the role.

>> B Rosa de Padilla de Aka Dors Green Remy

Ross. Vice President Harden. Any person

who takes any action to obstruct or

interfere with the conduct of tonight's

meeting may be charged with disturbing a

lawful meeting pursuant to Columbus City

Code 2317.12.

Any person who enters those areas of

city council chambers reserved for city

officials or invited guests may be

charged with criminal trespass pursuant

to Columbus city code 2311.21.

>> Can I get a motion to switch the reading

of the journal? Clerk, please call the

role. Bankston Barrosa de Padilla de

Akawa Dorns Green Remy Ross Vice

President Hart.

>> Are there any additions or corrections

to the journal? Hearing none, the

journal is approved. This week's

communication received by city clerk's

office are listed on the agenda and we

published in the city bulletin. Are

there any other communications to be

read to the record?

>> Not at this time.

>> Thank you, madam clerk. Uh we'll go

around the dis for any resolutions or

announcements by the colleagues starting

with council banks.

>> Uh thank you president Harden. Just one

announcement this evening. As I

mentioned during the March 30th council

meeting on Wednesday, April 29th, I am

holding a hearing to unveil and discuss

steering committee recommendations on

the establishment of the city's first

participatory budgeting pilot. I am

looking forward to sharing all of the

progress made on the initiative to date

and how residents can engage in the

process moving forward. All persons

wishing to speak during the hearing in

person must email Jonathan Brown in my

office at jb browncolomas.gov by 10 a.m.

the day of the hearing uh which with the

subject line participatory budgeting

hearing. Written testimony must also be

received by 10:00 a.m. on the day of the

hearing and emailed to Jonathan Brown at

jbbr columbus.gov as well. Again, each

speaker will be limited uh in the

remarks lasting no longer than three

minutes. So again, really looking

forward to really kicking off and

getting the next phase of our particular

budgeting process rolled out. As many

may remember, uh we're able to secure $9

million, a million dollars for each of

our districts to go through a process by

which uh residents will lead us through

an exercise of collecting uh ideas for

their neighborhoods and also voting

directly on what they want to see uh in

those capital projects. So really

excited about that process and want to

thank all of the residents who have

stepped up uh during the steering

committee process and have put the guide

book together that will help uh guide us

through that uh uh endeavor. Uh so

again, looking forward to having

everyone out on April 29th. And that's

all I have.

>> Thank you, Mr. Chair. Uh Council Member

Barcadia.

>> Uh thank you, Council President. Happy

spring, everyone. It's April and uh as

the city uh has begun street sweeping

this month. So April through October, uh

the street maintenance section sweeps

streets from early April and then it

goes all the way until the last week of

October. The street sweeping program is

focused on mitigating environmental

concerns to prevent pollution from

entering into our waterways. So, please,

please, please pay attention to the

street cleaning signs in your

neighborhood um so that your car does

not get towed or if you're visiting one

of the other beautiful areas of our

city, just make sure that you pay

attention to those signs since it is

that season. Um and unfortunately, I

wish I had happier announcements, but

it's a beautiful day. So, thank you.

>> Thank you, council member. Council

member Dau.

>> Thank you, council president. Um, I have

one resolution this evening and as I

read the title, I would like to invite

Michael Raw and invited guest of the

Parkinson's Foundation up to the podium.

The resolution 0090X-2026

to recognize the month of April as

Parkinson's awareness month and commend

the efforts and increased education and

research by the Parkinson's Foundation.

As the spouse of someone living with

Parkinson's, I'm always proud to bring

forward this resolution each year. It is

an opportunity to uplift a group

educating and raising awareness and

clearing up misconceptions around the

second most common neurodeenerative

disease in the country. Parkinson's

disease is a chronic progressive

neurological disease affecting

approximately 1 million people in the

United States, diagnosing 90,000 new

people each year. There is no objective

test or biioarker for Parkinson's

disease and there is no cure or drug to

slow or halt the progression of the

disease. The symptoms are extremely wide

raging be beyond just tremors and it is

not a disease that exclusively affects

older adults like many presume. The

Parkinson's Foundation is an outstanding

nonprofit that has been helping those

living with Parkinson's and their

families and caregivers for decades.

Whether it is through their fundraising

for research, they're helping folks get

up and move, which is the number one way

to manage symptoms, or their education

and advocacy work, this organization

shows up time and time again for those

living with this disease. So, I'm happy

to once again be sponsoring their annual

Columbus Moving Day walk on Sunday,

April 26 at 10:00 a.m. at Wolf Park. I

would now like to hand the floor over to

Michael R from the foundation um to talk

more about the importance of reconcizing

Parkinson's Awareness Month.

Thank you very much, Councilwoman Nancy

Deawker and um the Columbus City

Council. Um there are over a million

people in the United States uh with

Parkinson's disease and our foundation

works um very hard to um work towards a

cure and to make life every uh day a

little bit better uh for people with

Parkinson's and those who love them. And

uh thank you very much uh for supporting

um moving day this year.

>> Would you like to introduce um our

invited guest?

>> Yes. longtime volunteer.

>> Hi, Tom Graio.

>> Hi.

>> Thank you so much for for coming down.

>> Um, thank you all for your dedication um

to helping those living with

Parkinson's. Um, as I mentioned for

everyone out there, if you're interested

in participating in moving day, um, you

can go to my social media accounts and

there's a flyer there with a QR code and

also a link. So you can go to the

website, anybody can walk for free or

you can also participate in fundraising.

Are there any questions or comments for

my colleagues?

Seeing none, then I move for adoption.

Click please call the role.

>> Bang Rosa de Podia de Aar Dor screen

Remy Ross President Hart.

>> Adopted.

[applause]

>> Thank you very much.

Thank you, Council Member Presto.

>> Thank you, Council President. Uh, no

resolutions, but I did have an

announcement. As some folks in the

community may have seen in the dispatch

uh this past week, I submitted an op-ed

regarding recent criticisms of the

structure of this body, Columbus City

Council, and committed to uh this body

hosting a public hearing on the topic in

the coming weeks. Uh tonight, I'm

announcing that we'd be holding that

hearing on April 28th uh 5:30 here in

these chambers uh as part of the rules

and reference committee uh to consider a

number of different issues. But this

hearing will focus on um both the

current structure of council uh the

history of this body uh our history as a

city and how different council

structures exist not only here in Ohio

uh but across the country. I'm hopeful

that this will be a productive hearing

for the community uh to weigh in about

this topic that has uh certainly been

brought up a number of times over the

years. If uh residents would like to

sign up or submit public testimony, uh

please email my aid, Annie McDonald,

before 300 p.m. on April 28th, um you

can submit that testimony to ab mdonald

columps.gov, either to submit written

testimony or to request to be a speaker

at that hearing. I appreciate my

colleagues for their willingness to to

hold that hearing and to do so quickly

here before the end of the month. Um

that's all I have this evening. Thank

you.

>> Thank you. Uh thank you, Pro Tim. just

um this is a a big conversation to have

uh and you know in 2018 we came together

as a city um and and put together a

compromise I would say from folks who

didn't want to see any change but uh but

you know balancing against folks who

wanted to see some change towards um

district elected uh seats and it's a big

conversation it's a tough conversation

but it was one step and it feels like

the community is ready to talk about a

next up and so just thank you for your

leadership uh and willingness to to host

that conversation.

>> Council member Green.

>> Thank you so much, Council President.

Tonight, we have one resolution on for

presentation this evening. And as I

introduce this resolution, I'd like to

invite um Ava um Greer up to the podium

to speak. It is resolution 0088x-2026

recognizing April 10th of 2026 as

National Youth HIV and AIDS Awareness

Day. Uh National Youth HIV um AIDS

Awareness Day is a nationwide observance

calling on our um communities to invest

in health and education and leadership

um of young people that are affected

with HIV. There's more than uh 1.2 2

million people in the United States who

are living with HIV. Um, and young

people between the ages of 13 and 24

make up about 20% of all new diagnosis.

Um, yet they are the least likely group

to be retained in care or achieve a

suppressed viral load. And I think

that's really important because there

have been some really significant um you

know progress that has been made in the

treatment and diagnosis and um

prevention of HIV care and um so you

know the work that um people like Ava do

and um as an ambassador for advocates

for youth um is absolutely so important.

Um, Advocates for Youth, partners with

young people um and their adult allies

to champion youth rights, to bodily

autonomy, to build power um to transform

policies and programs and systems um to

make sure that we all have an equal

opportunity to live happy, healthy, um

lives. And so, um Ava, we're really

honored to have you here today. And I

was hoping to turn the floor to you and

say a few words about why you do this

work and why it's so important and what

we need to know.

Thank you, Council Member Gream, for the

introduction. Um, I'm honored to be here

to support um, National Youth HIV AIDS

and Awareness Day. Um, I think it's

really important because it helps to

bring awareness to the disparities that

young people go through when getting

care um, as well as increasing education

and awareness. Um, advocating for

testing and health centers um, as well

as affirming the city of Columbus's

commitment to the health and well-being

of young people. Um, so thank you

council members for your time and

consideration.

>> Thank you so much. And we know that, you

know, knowledge and even understanding

of um how to promote sexual health is

becoming more and more challenging with

our young people just with all of the um

stuff that's happening or not happening

in our schools with um access to um

sexual health education. Um and so um

yeah, I mean the work that you just do

is very important and we are very happy

to support it um and honor it and

recognize it and join you also in that

work every day. I know our partners at

public health do a lot of incredible

work through our uh with sexual health

promotion and um doing community based

testing and providing free testing

services through the health department.

So certainly something that we are very

committed to and we are so grateful for

your partnership and your leadership

among the community helping to bridge

those gaps with our young people.

um where they exist. Do any of my

colleagues have any comments or

questions?

Seeing none, I move for adoption.

>> Cler Bankston de Padilla de Aar Dors

Green Remy Ross Vice President Hart

>> adopted. [applause]

>> Thank you, council member. Council Remy.

>> Thank you very much, Council President.

Um, just want to let everybody know that

I'm hosting a second hearing on

short-term rental regulations on

Tuesday, April 21st at 3:30 p.m. here in

council chambers. Anyone wishing to

submit written or public testimony

should email Pedro Mahia, that's pdmme

jiac columbus.gov with the title STR

hearing by 12 p.m. on Tuesday, April

21st. And I also want to share that we

are just about a month away from the

fifth annual Cleaner Columbus citywide

cleanup. We hope to see you or your

organization. Um, sign up at cleaner

Columbus.org and we will be cleaning up

the city on May 9th to ensure our city

is clean as possible. Thank you very

much. That's all I have.

>> Thank you, Council Member Council Ross.

>> Thank you, Council President. No

resolutions, just one announcement this

evening, and that is to announce our

fourth community working hours that we

will have in the community. It will be

located at Parson's Library tomorrow,

April 14th, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. It is

a very casual opportunity. Me and my

staff will be out in community. You can

come ask a couple questions. If you do

remote work and need a new place to do

remote work, you can come and do that

with us as well. uh really just an

opportunity to kind of increase our

capacity to be in community and hear

from you. So we look forward to seeing

you tomorrow 1 to 3 pm at Parson's

Library. Thank you. That's all.

>> Thank you, Council Member Counc.

>> Thank you, Council President. First and

foremost, happy Earth Month, everyone. I

know we're 13 days in. Hopefully you've

taken some time to be outside and get

back to our Earth. Um I have one quick

announcement uh and then one resolution.

I'd like to invite everyone to the

upcoming public utilities and

sustainability committee hearing this

Wednesday, April 15th, at 3:30 p.m. The

hearing will take place here in council

chambers and will include discussions on

the Columbus Green Fund, the

Environmental Science Advisory

Committee, and surveillance pricing. If

you'd like to provide testimony at the

hearing, please email my aid, Chelsea

Goldman, at clgt

molus.gov gov by noon tomorrow, April

14th, and specify in person or written

testimony uh with a copy of your

remarks. The hearing will be streamed

live on the city of Columbus YouTube

channel and the Columbus City Council

Facebook page. Uh next, I'd like to

invite up the local food action plan

team to the podium to accept this next

resolution.

Uh, as they come up, I'd like to

introduce resolution 85X-20226

to recognize and celebrate the 10-year

anniversary of the Columbus and Franklin

County Local Food Action Plan. The local

food action plan outlines four main

goals which include enhancing

coordination and communication among

existing food resources and agencies,

improving access to and education about

healthy, affordable, and local food,

increasing the role of food in economic

development, and preventing food waste.

It is important to acknowledge that our

food system is a justice issue. When we

talk about sustainability, we must talk

about who has access to fresh food, who

has land to grow it, and whose cultural

food traditions are honored and

supported. Uh the local food action plan

was adopted by Columbus City Council 10

years ago. And in honor of this

milestone and anniversary, I want to

thank my fellow council members for

joining me today in reaffirming our

commitment to addressing food insecurity

and ensuring that all Columbus residents

have access to fresh, healthy, and

affordable food. Uh, and with that, I

will turn it over to the team to share

some remarks.

>> Thank you so much, Council Member W.

This is so my name is Jill Clark. I'm a

professor at the Glenn College of Public

Affairs at OSU and a board member of the

City of Columbus and Franklin County

Local Food Board. And with me is Yolanda

Owens, executive director of local

matters and the vice chair of the local

food board. Um I was on the working

committee uh a decade ago um for the

local food action plan and now on the

food board and we get to oversee and

prioritize and guide activities related

to the plan. and we just want to thank

you and the rest of the council members

for making investments in um making sure

that our local food system works for all

of us and we're excited to see how these

investments will go for the next 10

years. Thank you.

>> Oh well,

>> no, I think we're good. I was like I've

spoken enough here at council, but

[laughter] I

>> but I just I really appreciate the

commitment that we have as a city and as

a county to be able to make sure that

folks have food to put on their plates.

>> Appreciate you. Don't walk away just

yet. Let me stop and see if my council

colleagues have questions, comments.

Seeing none, let me just again reiterate

my appreciation for the work that the

local uh food board does. It is um

the issue of food insecurity is not

going away. In fact, a lot of what we

are seeing the international issues will

impact how our farmers are able to serve

our community. So the more we can commit

and understand that this is an important

issue for us as uh as a body and as a

city uh the more we can kind of invest

to ensure that our residents are

supported in this way. Um so with that I

move for adoption.

>> Clerk please call the role.

>> Bangs Timber Rosa Deodia de Aar Dors

Green Remy Ross Swice President Harden

>> adopted.

Excellent.

[applause]

Thank you, council member. I actually

have a couple uh resolutions as well.

The first one, I'm really excited to

invite up um the beautiful women of

Delta Sigma Theta's Alumni Chapter, but

specifically the Delta Deers. Uh and I I

want folks to explain that what the

Delta Deers are, but I have uh ordinance

0079X-2026.

is to honor and recognize and uh the

sponsors of the senior community health

fair for their dedication to serving the

senior population of Franklin County.

This resolution really serves an

opportunity for this council to take a

moment to show some love and

appreciation for the Delta Sigma Theta's

column Columbus alumni chapter. This is

a group that continues to show up uh and

to provide amazing service to our

community. Uh this event last year was

amazing. It was actually held at uh the

Fran Ryan Center and Council Member Ryan

is in the audience. Uh and it is

specifically to serve uh uh our

community and our our aging community.

So, we're just really grateful um to be

a part of it and to to I'm excited to go

this year. I'm going to turn it over to

Miss Aller to to you

>> to whom?

>> Good evening to our esteemed council

members.

The senior wellness health fair on April

22nd at Broad Street Presbyterian Church

is open to the public. We have done a

mass mailing through our collaboration

of over 700 seniors out here in the

community.

It is sponsored and led by the Columbus,

Ohio Alumni Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta

Sorority through the Delta Deers

Committee chaired by Karen Pedford in

partnership with economic development

committee chaired by Robin Ferguson.

We are grateful for the collaboration of

our community partners including for our

second year honorary chair president

Shannon Harden and joining him

[laughter]

at and joining him as honorary chair is

council member attorney tiara Ross. So

we thank you so much the Adam Board of

Franklin County, the Franklin County

Office on Aging, Alvis, the Columbus

State University Waxter Medical Center

and Womento Women

and many others committed to serving our

community's health and social service

needs of our senior population, which is

the fastest growing population in

Columbus. So, you've got a head start.

Council President, [laughter]

it is now my pleasure to introduce

Melissa Miller, our amazing second vice

president of the Columbus Alumni Chapter

of Delta Sigma Theta, who is joined with

our amazing hard workers behind me, and

she will bring remarks on behalf of our

chapter president, Dr. Judy Austin.

Good evening, President Harden and the

members of Columbus City Council. I am

honored to stand here before you this

evening on behalf of our chapter

president, Dr. Judy A. Austin, who sends

her se sincere regrets that she was

unable to attend due to an obligation.

On behalf of our entire chapter, we

extend our heartfelt gratitude to you

for this recognition and for the

continued partnership and service to the

Columbus community. We are especially

thankful that you have chosen to honor

our chapter in particular our Delta

deers dedicated, energetic, active,

respected sorors whose work is a

powerful reminder that service is not

bound by age but sustained by purpose,

wisdom, and a deep love for our

community. As we prepare to host our

senior wellness health fair on April

22nd, this moment of recognition affirms

the importance of ensuring that our

seniors have access to resources,

support, and care they need to live

healthy and dignified lives. This work

reflects our ongoing commitment to

service and to uplifting one of our most

treasured populations. And we are truly

honored that the city hall will be

eliminated in red in recognition

[laughter]

for this occasion. Red represents not

only Delta Sigma Theta, but also

courage, sacrifice, and a steadfast

commitment to service. Value values that

guide our work each and every day. We

thank you for seeing us, for supporting

us, for standing with us as we partner

in building a stronger, healthier

Columbus. Thank you.

Well, like I said, the work that you do

and the program specifically uh for um

our residents who are aging specific to

health is is really needed and it's

appreciated and the folks that that came

out last year uh you could see this that

they were um taking the information uh

and and using it. They were there to get

help. Uh and so just thank you so so

much for the service that you're

providing. Uh madame vice chair, our

[laughter] co-chair Listen,

when when Sally asks you to do

something, you do it part.

>> Um, but it was an easy ask one because

uh so many of my family members, my

godmother, my aunt, my very best friend

are members of Delta Sigma Theta

sorority. And your sisterhood and

service in this community has played an

integral role not only in my life

personally, but in so many lives. And

so, anytime the Deltas ask for support,

I'm probably uh going to say yes. But it

I feel like we're it's such a

serendipitous evening having council

member Fran Ryan here today. Uh

legislation that's supporting our

seniors today. This resolution that is

also supporting our seniors and

understanding that not only are seniors

the fastest growing population in our

community, but also they're the fastest

growing into homelessness. They are the

fastest growing into some of our uh

public health issues that we are having

in this community. So the work that you

are doing is so important and necessary

in our community and I thank you for

your continued service. Uh thank you for

the opportunity to participate and

support and build the capacity of the

work that you are doing. Uh and thank

you for being here tonight at council.

>> Sure. Please.

>> You're not gonna get me caught up. I

have to go home to a Delta and my

mother-in-law is a Delta [laughter] in.

So, I just want to say thank you for all

the work that you're doing in the

community. The Delta is apparently

shaping my life as well. So, that is why

I appreciate the work that you're doing.

So, [laughter] thank you.

>> Thank you, Council. If there are no

other question or comments, I move for

adoption.

>> Cler, please call the role.

>> Bankston Barosa de Padilla de Aar Dors

Green, Remy Ross, Vice President Harden.

Yes. [applause]

Next, I have resolution 084X-2026.

And I, as I'm speaking, I want to invite

Swan Blakeley, but all those there

there's several folks here from Equitas

Health forward. uh as I introduce this

resolution is to commemorate the 2026

Dr. Robert J. Fast Memorial AIDS Walk of

Central Ohio and to commend its

organizers, sponsors, volunteers, and

participants for their dedicated efforts

to raise awareness of HIV and AIDS. This

this resolution I think is also

appropriate um as we honor are

recognized today or April 10th as youth

AIDS Day to um also highlight the work

of the AIDS walk of central Ohio. Um

this resolution commemorates and

celebrates uh their work and it's an

opportunity to recognize and thank the

organizers, the volunteers um uh who

have put this on. In Ohio, more than

24,000 people are living with HIV or are

presumed to be infected but undiagnosed.

About one in five of those people living

with HIV do not know their status. And

nearly 1,000 new cases are diagnosed

each year. These numbers remind us that

it's not a distant issue. It's a present

and ongoing public health challenge.

That's why events like the AIDS walk

matter. They bring visibility. They

encourage testing and they help with

connections. And also they helped to,

this is really big for me, remove the

stigma.

>> Remove the stigma. Um, the walk will

take place this Saturday, April 18th at

9:00 a.m. in Genanoa Park. And I look

forward to joining uh once again this

year. HIV and AIDS have long been um

burdened by stigma. Today, we recommmit

uh ourselves to breaking down that and

by supporting efforts to ensure that

everyone uh is getting tested, but also

feel supported uh in our community. The

ASWalk is a big part of that. is a a

larger community coming into this

challenge uh and saying that we want to

be a part of of uh getting our numbers

to zero. And so just thank you so much

for the work that you do. Swan, I'm

going to turn it over to you.

>> Sure.

>> Thank you, President Harden and Columbus

City Council. Um I just have something

short. So Equitas Health isn't just a

Columbus organization. We are a

statewide movement showing up in

communities all across Ohio. We are a

community-driven healthcare organization

that specializes in provides medical

care, HIV services, LGBTQ plus support,

mental health care, and public health

programs, all focused on people who are

often underserved.

AIDSWalk Ohio has been taking place 30

plus years and becoming a major

statewide event. This event is also

known as the Dr. Robert J. Fast memorial

AIDS Walk honoring a physician who

played a key role in HIV AIDS care in

Ohio. Funds support services like

medical care, HIV testing, including

prep, behavioral health, and other

essential programs across Ohio. It is

important to raise awareness for HIV and

AIDS because every day people are still

being diagnosed with HIV and every day

people are still dying from AIDS. Stigma

still exists and many people still need

access to care and prevention resources.

So, I ask you all to join us on

Saturday, April 18th at 9:00 a.m. at

Genoa Park for a community 5K walk run

and a onem stroll that brings together

thousands of people to raise money for

HIV AIDS treatment and prevention care

services. It is not just a walk. It is

also a community gathering, a memorial

space honoring those living with HIV and

remembering those lost to AIDS

complications.

program starts at 9:30 a.m. I will be

your MC host for the day along with

another special guest. We will have

health screenings, resources, food

vendors, entertainment, and more. And

you can still register, donate, create a

team, or join a team, and even volunteer

by going to awalk.com.

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

>> Thank you, President Haren and council

members, for recognizing Aidwalk Ohio.

Uh we appreciate your your support. Uh

this is uh really a difficult year. It

marks the 45th year since AIDS was first

identified by the CDC. And since 1981,

uh AIDS has claimed the lives of 45

million uh across the globe. And even

though we even though there's not a

vaccine or cure, we we today have thanks

to research really powerful tools to

make a difference in the lives of people

living with HIV to to live near normal

lives if they get diagnosed and if they

receive access to care. Uh sadly, we're

battling a proposal by the White House

to eliminate or to reduce funding for

HIV prevention by more than a billion

dollars. that would have a direct impact

on Columbus and Ohio and significantly

stem access to HIV testing, HIV

awareness services like PREP. Uh there's

also proposal to eliminate the housing

opportunities for people with AIDS

program which also supports people

living in with HIV stay uh stably housed

and avoid homelessness. So we are really

on the precipice of seeing the epidemic

continue to flourish unless we can

mobilize support. So, your recognition

for uh AIDSWalk Ohio in this resolution

and the event that we'll be putting on

Saturday is one way for us to stay

committed to the fight. We appreciate

your support and hope to see you

Saturday morning.

>> David, thank you so much for bringing up

why this is important right now in this

policy moment that we're in. And I think

we bump into people all the time and

say, "I I wish I could just do

something."

going to this race or walk on Saturday

or donating is a way to do something in

this moment. So, could you or someone

remind us again how folks can sign up uh

still for uh the walk Saturday?

>> If you want to

[laughter]

so you can sign up by attending

awalk.com

where you can register, donate, join a

team. I have a team shades of red if you

want to donate or join my team. I see

you Ross. Um but yeah, awesome.com. All

the details will be on there. Saturday

9:00 am at Genoa Park.

>> Please, please, please um come out,

support. Um again, the challenges that

you you raised are are real and I think

we will be grappling with those uh and

impacts uh if those things were happens.

So, this is a way that we can come

together as a community uh and support

each other. Are there any questions or

comments for my colleagues? I think I

sure

>> I just I just want to give a shout out

to to you Swan because you continue to

be um

so bold, so transparent, and we have

lost very close friends to this disease.

Um and your continued advocacy is so

necessary not only to the community but

folks that look like you and me. Um, and

I know that it's not easy to stand out

here and and be an example, but your

discipline, your strength, your

continued advocacy, you living your life

boldly in this space

and the way that you have increased

awareness about the issue and about the

supports in our community truly is

something to be recognized. So, thank

you for your continued service to our

community. You know, I'm walking on your

team. Um, and I just appreciate you all

of you for all of the work that you

continue to do and and however we can

continue to uplift um, whatever it is

that you need, you certainly have. Um, I

think you have a full council uh, that

would be uh, of support. So, thank you

so much.

>> Thank you.

[snorts]

>> I should have gone first.

Um I was just going to say uh I was

going to say David, thank you for

talking about um policy because I think

that um sometimes when we do things

annually and people expect it um I think

that we forget not just the cause behind

it but all all of the impacts and when

you talked about research if it was not

for research it was not for but but for

research we would have lost many more

people and so this is why it's so

important when we talk about whether

it's a walk or gayla or whatever it is

that our different uh organizations are

doing and how they're advocating it is

another way that we're educating people

because at a time when we are pulling

back um research not just for HIV and

AIDS but for so many other diseases so

many other illnesses that impact people

every day and disproportionately impact

certain communities I think it's

important to make that correlation for

folks so as we're looking at um how

we're continuing to advocate for what's

in front of us. There's so much behind

that and there's so much more effort

behind that and Equitas is um you were

at the the forefront of that and

continuing to advocate for communities

and continuing I mean I remember even

during COVID as a person who has asthma

you were the only place and the first

place that I could get a COVID shot

right and so I think that's how you show

up for community and so I just want to

thank you for that thank you for the

work that you do and then and again

thank you for reminding us again how

policy is so connected to to our

everyday lives and with everything

that's going on in the world, it's so

overwhelming and it's these little

things that pass us by that will affect

the people that we love, will affect our

community. Um, and which it inevitably

affects all of us, right? No matter how

approximate or not you are to an issue.

So, thank you.

>> Thank you so much.

Thank you again um again for creating

that space for for us all to be a part

uh of a solution and and and um and

again continue to to kill the stigma the

stigma of this. Uh if there no further

questions or comments I move to adopt

>> fatherston

podia de a dors green remy ros president

Harden

[applause]

[snorts]

questions from our elected officials

attorney's office. The treasurer's

office.

Are there any requests by members of

council for the removal of an ordinance

or resolution from the consent portion

of the agenda? Hearing now, may we now

have a motion to wave the reading of

titles of 38 legislation on tonight.

Today,

>> clerk, please call the role.

>> Thanks. Timber de awaren.

Will the clerk uh read now reading to

the record ordinances uh numbered of

30-day legislation on tonight's agenda

for first reading.

>> In finance and governance committee, we

have ordinance 634 and 746-2026.

Economic development and small and

minority business business ordinances

636 952 961 and 1112-2026.

Public service and transportation

committee ordinances 820 and 937-2026.

Neighborhoods Recreation and Parks

Committee ordinances 679684-2026

Public Safety and Criminal Justice

Committee ordinance 901-2026.

Housing, Homelessness, and Building

Committee ordinances 926, 9990, and

993-2026.

Public Utilities and Sustainability

Committee ordinances 596, 868, 873, 874,

878, 887, 893,

920, 922, 936, 942, and 992-2026.

Rules and policy committee, ordinance

923-2026.

zoning committee we have variances 106

1033 and 1034-2026.

Thank you madam clerk. Um as part of the

first reading uh portion of the agenda

we have ordinance 1112-2026.

It is uh the effort to bring the

National Women's Soccer League to

Columbus. Um and there are a lot of

speakers on uh this ordinance uh uh for

the first reading.

We have a policy that uh we take three

for and three against and we will stick

with that. We have eight speakers signed

up to uh speak against uh and and but we

will take the top the first three that

came in. They will be Derek Bergman,

Rachel Winning, and Liz Reed. Uh and

then uh four will bear Rollins, Dawn

Stewart, and Eric uh Ratski. And they'll

come in that order. I expect that there

will be some dialogue. We'll we'll ask

for um council members to let the for

and against speakers speak and then

we'll go into questions uh maybe for the

administration so we're just not uh

tripping over ourselves uh in between

speakers.

>> Yes, please. I just wanted to also uh

give a reminder that I think the

majority of folks who signed up to speak

but couldn't did send in written

testimony that we all received. So I

just wanted folks to know that we did

receive a written testimony and have

reviewed that.

>> And just a reminder, the reason we do

this is that there is a a next week we

uh will have a second bite bite of the

apple and second reading or whenever

this comes back up would be for second

reading so there's more opportunity for

folks to speak. So, with that, I want to

invite uh Derek Bergman up to speak uh

on ordinance 1112-2026.

Derek, welcome to council. Just a

reminder that you have three minutes and

if you represent any organization, you

can let us know.

>> Good evening, council members. Uh my

name is Derek Bergman. I serve on the

Franklin Commission, but I'm here

representing myself in my personal

capacity this evening. So, thank you so

much for the opportunity to speak this

evening. Uh, I'm here to speak on the

pending legislation today around

bringing an NWSL expansion to Columbus.

So, I am excited by the enthusiasm for

investing in women's sports and bringing

this team to Columbus. But supporting

women's sports does not require this

council to hand over $25 million of

taxpayer money and to quietly give up

McCoy Park, a public asset, for a

private training facility. And it does

not require you to reward a bad process.

For nearly a decade, children and

families have been told this park would

become a therapeutic recreation space.

The first in the city designed

specifically to serve differently aabled

children. That was the promise. That was

the public vision. It's part of the

recreation and parks master plan funded

and approved by this body. City council

even already approved $4 million in

funding for its development and

construction, which was set to begin

later this year. And now, because the

Department of Development failed to do

sufficient due diligence and identify a

better site before bringing this to you,

you have been asked to rip that promise

away from the very children it was meant

to serve. I know you all and the

supporters in the chamber here with me

today are here to advocate for youth in

Columbus. And I have to assume that

there's a lack of knowledge that this

legislation does the actual opposite of

that by actively ripping away soccer and

sports opportunities for those children

that they claim to want to serve,

leading to a variety of crucial

questions. How will the neighborhood and

its residents be made whole by this

loss? What happens to the plans that

CRPD and the community have been working

on for years and the fund city council

already approved to redevelop this park?

Why is there no guaranteed community

access, shared use, or transparency into

the new facility written into the

legislation? And where are the hundreds

of kids actively using this park today

supposed to go? None of these questions

have been answered. And if you are

frustrated by that, you should be. You

should be frustrated that this was

brought to you before the hard questions

were answered. You should be frustrated

that a public park is being treated as

the easiest land to sacrifice. But that

frustration does not obligate you to

approve a bad plan. In fact, it should

push you to stop it because this is not

an emergency. The ordinance is at first

reading. It authorizes leases of McCoy

Park land waves chapter 328 of city code

to evaluate sale of city property, which

is concerning in and of itself, and

explicitly says that other steps still

require future legislation. So, if more

legislation is still needed, then

there's time to do this right. Tell the

administration to come back with a

proposal that does not ask neighborhood

children to pay the price for their lack

of sufficient due diligence. You do not

have to choose between women's sports

and doing what's right by our city's

kids. You can support the team, reject

this site, and demand a better plan.

Support girls in women's sports, but do

it honestly, transparently, and without

giving away public land and public money

without proper due diligence. Thank you.

[applause]

>> Thank you, Mr. Bergman. and and I took

down your questions either tonight or

through this process. We will make sure

that these questions are answered.

>> Thank you, Mr.

>> Uh, next speaker to come before council

is Rachel Winnie.

>> Rachel, welcome back to council.

>> Thank you. My name is [clears throat]

Rachel Wenning. I am not representing

any um official organization. and I am a

former Hilltop area commissioner. Um, so

obviously I did sign up to speak against

this, but I was thinking about it um

during kind of a long drive this

afternoon and uh I think we should

really um we should support this. Uh we

should really put ourselves in the

billionaire's shoes for a minute. Um

because just in the last five years, I

think Jimmy Hasslam and his wife Susan

uh have given $20,000 to Council

President Harden's campaign fund, $1,000

to Council Member Barrosa Deadas, $1,000

to Council Member Bankston, $6,000 to

City Auditor Megan Kilgore, $50,000 to

the Opportunity City Pack, um which was

the pack that was used uh for the bond

issues in the fall, and then last but

not least,

just over $136,000

to Mayor Gther's campaigns um and an

additional 10,000 from uh their

son-in-law and daughter uh to Mayor

Gther's campaigns. And then for Dr. Pete

Edwards in the last five years, a few

hundred for Mr. Dorren and Mr. Remy, a

little over 4,000 for President Harden,

$1,000 to Auditor Kilgore, and $64,580

for Mayor Ginther's campaigns. uh 50,000

of that being given in the last three

years. So given that the major investors

in this project, you know, not even

including nationwide, have given uh at

least $295,000 in campaign donations in

the last five years. Uh I think it would

be really unfair to not give them

whatever they want and they paid a lot

of money for you to do what they want

and so I think that you should vote for

this. Uh unfortunately for the people um

especially the disabled people living

near McCoy Park in the poorest census

track in Columbus uh they were not able

to pull together $295,000

to convince their city council to give

them the park uh the adaptive and

accessible park improvements that were

promised to them. Uh, so I think, you

know, maybe 50 years from now when we're

doing a new presentation about

historical discrimination in this city,

we could probably put this project on

top of redlinining uh, and use it as a

modern example. Thank you.

[applause]

[cheering]

[applause]

>> Next speaker coming for council is Liz

Reed.

Mr. Welcome back to council.

Council member Harden, esteemed members

of council, in addition to the 25

million of Columbus taxpayer dollars,

the proposal to win a soccer team

carelessly gives away a city park. Mayor

Ginther and Director Stevens chose McCoy

Park without discussions with Columbus

Recreations and Parks, without public

comment, and without real consideration

for this council.

City council approved funding for major

improvements at McCoy Park to begin this

year and completed by 2027.

That fact was masked until council's

public comment hearing a week ago. This

administration is recklessly pitting the

chances of a team against a community

living in one of the most resourced

deprived neighborhoods in Columbus.

A few days ago, the mayor, we weren't

invited to this press conference, um

stated that he wanted southsiders to

know that he hears us. But how can he

hear us when he's not talking with us?

He is not listening. I want to commend

this council for last week's public

hearing and the conversations we've had

with council members since the hearing.

Through those discussions, we learned

there is not a timely way to repair the

damage should the city receive or should

the city give away McCoy Park as

provided in the proposal. As council

member Nancy de Akar

perceptively stated, a whole generation

of children would be without a park.

This is not a done deal.

The city cannot give away a park without

your approval.

Good corporate citizens and good civic

leaders do not take public parks away

from the poorest neighborhoods.

The average resident in these in these

neighborhoods won't reach the age to

benefit from the work of the delta

deers.

Saturday was a beautiful weather day in

Columbus. I visited McCoy Park and

hundreds of people were there. I spoke

to coaches, parents, and grandparents of

children playing flag football. They

didn't know that city leaders were

giving away McCoy Park. They were upset

by the news.

Unprompted,

they asked one question again and again.

Who's getting kickbacks?

I think the previous spoker may have

answered that question.

It's unfortunate that the

administration's haste to put the

administration's haste put this council

in this position.

The decision is simple. Do you value the

needs of the community over the wants of

a billionaire?

You have the power to save McCoy Park

with your no vote on ordinance 112-2026.

Should this or any similar ordinance be

brought to a vote, vote no. Save our

parks.

[applause]

Thank you, Miss Liz.

And again,

there are things brought up from Miss

Liz, too, that we wrote down to get some

questions answered that we'll we'll get

into, but if if so, I'll bring you back

up. Uh, not yet. Not now. Um, the next

three are four speakers are for this

ordinance 1112. And the first is

Rawlings.

Welcome to council.

Good evening, Council President Harden,

Chair Bankston, and City Council

members. Thank you for the opportunity

to speak today. My name is Allaria

Rollins, and I'm the CEO of Fortuna

Bank, a newly launched womenowned bank

right here in Columbus. In fact, Fortuna

is one of only two banks in the nation

out of more than 4,300 that was

intentionally created to be womenowned.

We chose Columbus very intentionally as

the place to build our bank, not just

for business opportunity, but because

this is a city that believes in growth,

community, and importantly in the power

of female leadership. Columbus is a

community defined by leadership and

possibility. We see it in the number of

women leading organizations shaping

industries and driving impact across our

region. This is a city that doesn't just

talk about inclusion. It demonstrates

it. And that's exactly why bringing a

National Women's Soccer League team here

matters. This is more than this is about

more than sports. It's about aligning

one of the fastest growing professional

leagues in the country with a city that

is uniquely positioned to lead. It's

about giving young girls and young women

visible proof that there is a place for

them at the highest level of

competition, leadership, and success.

The data is clear. Female athletes grow

up to be leaders. Participation in

sports builds confidence, resilience,

teamwork, and the ability to navigate

challenges.

These are skills that directly translate

into career success and leadership roles

later in life. And when girls see a

professional pathway, when they're

inspired to stay in the game longer, it

doesn't just impact the game, it impacts

their trajectory.

At Fortuna Back Bank, we talk a lot

about access. Access to capital, access

to education, and access to opportunity.

And what we've learned is this is you

cannot become what you cannot see. An

NWSL team changes that. It creates a

platform where female athletes are not

just participants but professionals

where they are celebrated, invested in,

and given a stage that inspires the next

generation to keep going. Beyond

inspiration, there is also real economic

impact. Women's sports are not a niche.

They're a growth engine. Investment in

women's sports is smart,

forward-looking, and aligned with where

audiences and brands and communities are

growing.

Columbus should be on the front end of

that momentum, not catching up, but

leading. From a business perspective,

from a community's perspective, and from

a values perspective, this makes sense.

And I'll say this from the lens of a

CEO, building a bank from the ground up,

where we choose to invest, reflects who

we are. If we believe in opportunity, if

we believe in equity, if we bu believe

in building a city where everyone can

thrive, then this is the kind of

investment we should be making. Columbus

has already proven it can support

professional sports at the highest

level. Now, we have the opportunity to

do the same for women and to do it in a

way that reflects the strength and the

vision of the city. This is not just

about bringing a team here. It's about

making a statement that Columbus

continues to be a place where

opportunity lives, where leadership is

diverse, and where we invest in the

future. We want to see Thank you for

your time today.

>> Thank you. Again, if we have any

questions or comments, we'll hold those

to the four speakers. Thank you, Mr.

Rollins, for being here. Next speaker to

come before uh council is Don Stewart.

Don, welcome to council.

[clears throat]

Thank you, Council Me President Harden

and C Columbus City Council members for

this opportunity this evening. My name

is Don Stewart and I'm the director of

strategic partnerships for the Greater

Columbus Sports Commission. I'd like to

share a little bit of my personal story

in terms of how Columbus and Franklin

County have impacted my journey here.

I've proudly served in the role at the

Greater Columbus Sports Commission for

just under four years. Prior to joining

the sports commission, I previously

spent the first 25 years of my career

working in college athletics with 14 of

those taking place here in Franklin

County. As I served as director of

athletics for Capitol University from

2008 to 2012 and then my alma mater,

Otterbine University from 2012 to 2022.

I am still the only female to have

served as AD at each institution over

their men's and women's athletics

programs. My career has always been in

sports and my passion and respect for

athletics began way before my

professional career. I grew up in a

small town in Ohio in the 80s where

there were not many opportunities for

young girls to compete in youth sports

nor did I see women competing on

professional sports teams. As I entered

middle school and high school, I was

able to thrive as a three sport athlete

and ultimately had the opportunity to

continue playing tennis, my first love,

at Otterbine. My experiences as a young

athlete propelled me to a great college

career academically and athletically.

And my experiences as a college athlete

furthered my love and respect for the

teaching tool and life resource that

athletics is for many individuals,

including me. Because of my wonderful

experiences in athletics, I wanted to

pursue an opportunity to serve others in

this space and hopefully pay forward

what many coaches and administrators did

for me. I was provided that opportunity

immediately following graduation from

Otterbine, beginning work there

full-time in athletics before I then

moved on to the University of Dayton

where I spent eight years growing

through their college athletic

administrative ranks, then taking on the

athletic director position at Capitol

and four years later the AD position at

Otterbine.

I share my story purely in the spirit of

illustrating the power of sports. It

took me, a young girl from New

Philadelphia, and helped me to shape my

identity, further my drive, and de

develop my leadership skills while also

giving me a platform to serve others.

And now I get to do this alongside of

our CEO and president, Linda Logan, and

my teammates at the Greater Columbus

Sports Commission every day, where we

look to bring sporting events,

especially women's athletic events, to

Columbus. Women's sports were once seen

as secondary, but today they're growing

significantly faster than their men's

counterparts and continue to be a key

part of our strategy. These events help

make Columbus a top tier sports city,

especially when you consider the

permanent teams based here. And someday

we will hopefully or that will hopefully

include an NWSL team. For years as an

administrator, I personally witnessed

how sports changes lives. It teaches, it

motivates, and it allows one to reflect

and grow. As the community's discussion

of a new NWSL team continues, I see this

addition to our sports landscape as

incredibly positive. It allows our young

athletes to look up to these

professional women athletes as role

models, competing in their hometown, and

doing great things in the community.

Thank you, city council, and to all of

our friends here tonight for this

opportunity and the interest in this

situation.

>> Thank you. Thank you, Don. And the last

speaker to come before council is

Ericski.

Eric, welcome to council

here.

>> Thank you, council members and uh

Council President Harden. Um, my name is

Eric Rowski and I'm the program director

with a Columbus nonprofit called

Leveling the Playing Field. A nonprofit

that helps youth get access to free

sports equipment through the collection

and distribution of gently used sports

goods here in Columbus. Uh, since LPF

launched in Columbus in 2023, the

Columbus crew have been incredibly

supportive of our efforts. When starting

in a fresh market, buyin from the

professional sports teams is very

important for visibility and

credibility. The Columbus Crew and Blue

Jacket shared in providing this early

support. In my role, I immediately began

seeing the crew's community efforts

everywhere I went. Their commitment to

the youth, especially the underserved in

our community was very apparent. Having

worked in Columbus nonprofits for 10

years, I saw this support going to the

places I knew firsthand very much needed

it. This in this is particularly

highlighted by a $60,000 investment to

four local nonprofits. Columbus,

Columbus Early Learning Center, Final

Third Foundation, Our Helpers, and

Student Success Stores during the

Hometown Heroes Showcase last summer.

The majority of whom I have seen doing

amazing things with this support

firsthand.

One community event sticks out to me,

the Columbus Cruise Community Day during

our all-star weekend last summer, which

hosted over 700 kids. Along with

backpack giveaways, clinics, and tons of

community partners, the crew had set up

a mini pitch and I noticed a team that I

had recognized. It was a group of boys I

had had in my after school program a few

years earlier. I had worked in seven

different afterchool sites across

Columbus in my previous organization,

and this was the most challenging group

I had had by Miles. As I watched them, I

couldn't believe what I was seeing.

Their behavior was unrecognizable. They

were focused, happy, and competing hard

with great sportsmanship. This was

incredibly powerful to witness. It was

so moving to see how the opportunity and

access to compete in this way with full

support and structure from the crew and

the programs they support completely

transformed these kids. A potent display

of what sports and access to sports can

do. The crew has continued to support

LPF every step of the way, immediately

providing tons of extra gear and

clothing that wasn't already part of

their robust inschool initiatives. Their

staff has made sure anything that they

weren't using came to us to go right

back into the hands of kids in Columbus.

When the Children's Hospital, Healthy

Schools, Healthy Neighborhoods Group

started the Real League, a co-ed league

to support region 3 schools here in

Columbus, I was able to help multiple

teams who had no means of buying

equipment or uniforms, show up to their

first games and practice in full brand

new crew jerseys, crew shorts, shin

guards, cleats, and more. Multiple co

coaches called me and expressed how

confident and excited um their players

were. Pro sports in Columbus gives our

kids opportunity, not just by showing

what is possible, but by setting up the

support to make it possible, especially

for those who are typically

underrepresented. The cruise community

efforts with the support of the city

already behind them in full force have

set the table for Columbus to be the

heart of opportunity for women and girls

in sports. Columbus is ready for an NWSL

team. I feel confident that the

community will fully embrace them and

that they will fully embrace the

community. Thank you.

>> Thank you so much.

>> Well, I want to thank uh all the

speakers who have signed up on the first

reading portion of the agenda. First

reading portion, speaking is um

something we added maybe 10 or so years

ago to add another opportunity for folks

to speak. But even as we have this

conversation tonight uh and throughout

the week, this is just first reading. uh

moving this to the next stage does not

mean that everything is done. Uh and so

we we are still in conversation both

with the administration, both with the

ownership, but mo most importantly at

this stage with the public uh and with

the neighborhood that is impacted around

McCoy Park. So I want to thank uh the

the speakers who spoke both in support

and also the speakers that spoke

against. Um, I thought that Derek and

Liz had some really good points uh and

questions and I think that it is

important that we get those questions

answered. Um, I think it's also

important to talk about how we got here.

So,

I we were on council were briefed about

this plan to bring a team in around

February. Uh in those conversations, we

asked about the park and we were told

that um there were there were there were

no plans to develop the park at that

time.

Uh I know the members of the the council

had conversations and were specifically

advocating for uh access and other

things, but there we were told there was

no plans to develop a park

and and so then we got to Monday's

hearing, last Monday's hearing, and for

that to be the first time that we

learned that not only were there plans

for the park, um they were well down the

road, uh and that they were actual

commitments made to area commission. And

I mean, again, I I'm trying to explain

the role that council has been in. We

believe I I'll speak for myself.

When there are these type of

opportunities to have Columbus shine and

do something that is good for girls and

for our community and that I believe

will be an economic benefit, we should

shoot for the stars and we should go for

them and we should bend over backwards

to to try to make that happen to to

bring into expanding keep Columbus

growing.

And the first part before Monday the big

problem I had with the deal was

financial. I thought it was a sucky

plan. I want to make sure that we were

not having taxpayer dollars backing

u this project that the folks that would

go to the stadium and that would enjoy

the teams would be the ones that would

back it. And so that's where Council

Member Bankston spent months a lot of

time a lot of time working to see if we

could get something that made sense with

the auditor.

We got there on the financial in my

opinion enough for me to support it on

the financial

and I'm was I'm really proud of that uh

that we that we were able to take what I

thought was a bad financial deal and

make it better. The issue is I didn't

know that there was another part of the

bad deal that the city had promised a

park for young people who have

disabilities

to be built

and to break ground this year.

I did not know that and I think that

that's absurd. And so I I do want to

understand how we got here and if there

is a pathway, how we can get to a

pathway to see what can be rectified.

Um even in my conversations with Liz uh

today, Liz Reed, she told me that no one

from the administration has reached out

to her yet.

Again, I think that that's pretty

absurd.

She's the area commission chair. Is that

right, Miss Reed?

and no one has reached out.

That's ab absurd. And so, Director

Stevens, I'm sorry you're the one in the

chair tonight. I and and I want to I

mean, I'm being

open and honest because I'm frustrated.

Um, and I'm trying to see be if we can

still work to see how we can figure this

thing out. Um, so I want to ask,

>> council president, could I interject

there, please that being reckon parks, I

knew what was going on at McCoy Park and

I did speak to the HLA Sports Group to

try to get at least some portion of that

park for the community

and I was absolutely shot down.

Absolutely shot down on that. I tried to

at least get something.

>> They're hosting a Republican fundraising

later this month. I'll show myself out,

but they're crooks.

>> Thank you, Mr. Ron. [applause]

>> All right, I'm going to I'm going to

pick up from there. When did the

administration know uh decide to offer

McQuay Park for this opportunity?

Director

>> U. Thank you, President Harden, members

of council. We engaged with

conversations with the ownership group

uh end of October, early November about

the opportunity to um put a bid in for a

NWSL sports expansion team. As part of

that opportunity, the discussion was the

urgency around identifying uh potential

sites where we could do a performance

center. So we talked through what would

be required to um secure a new franchise

and a significant component of that

would be a performance training center

for the team. Uh fortunately we already

have in Scots Miracle Grow Field and an

existing facility to host the games but

the training performance center was the

the key point. So we worked through and

you know I'm going off my recolle my

recollection on you know what was what

type of site selection criteria.

So one of them was proximity to downtown

and the existing facility. Um it was

important that we found a site that was

within the same distance to the stadium

as um the Ohio Health Performance

Center. It was really important to the

league that uh if we were going to

identify a site for the women's team, we

weren't asking them to drive two, three

times the distance as the men's team.

So, proximity was a component of that.

Um the acreage I wanted um

best of my recollection was 8 to 10

acres is kind of the site. Um it needed

to be a site that was clean. So a site

that could be easily uh redeveloped into

this use um and it also needed to be a

site where that you know the transaction

could move pretty quickly. So that is

when we we started that discussion uh

identified a number of sites.

The McCoy Park site was the one um that

we the uh ownership group focused in on

as we talked further about. Um and it

was at this time in in conversations

when it was like well that is a priority

site we started to do the due diligence

around um the purchase that we did I

believe end of 23 end of 24 um in and

recently where we expanded the um

acreage on the site and that's when

recreation parks and utilities work

together to help uh get more land on the

site for storm water mitigation. Um so

you know that's when we we worked

through that and understood that we also

understood the sales transaction as part

of that was the uh owners were looking

to sell us that as part of the the the

contract there were some naming rights

around some of the facility and then

there was a commitment around doing some

type of adaptive sports. It was

important to the ownership group uh that

was selling us the additional land. So

worked through kind of how can we

accommodate that went back to and now

I'm using ownership two different

ownership groups so to be clear. So the

land owner who sold us the land had a

desire around uh access and adaptive

sports. We went back to the ownership

group that was pursuing the um

franchise, discussed that need and and

you know their willingness to not only

um provide it for programming and

partnership with recreation and parks

but have some adaptive sports component

to that which they were committed to. Um

and and council president, you know, my

recollection from our discussion uh when

we did the initial briefing at the end

of February, we talked some about kind

of the um the the the early youth soccer

that was being programmed there. So it

was more of a I remember it more as a

programming discussion as

>> um so that was

>> that is fair because that that really

was the focus. was well where do young

where were where are these people where

the young people were supposed to go

play and that that was the conversation.

Did were you aware at that moment though

or even October that there were active

plans for the park though?

>> I I in the fall I had conversations with

representatives from recreation parks

who shared that they did some uh design

work with the community on what what the

buildout of McCoy Park looks like. Um

and since then you know there's two

things that we were really focused on

once it became clear that McCoy Park was

going to be the area and if we are

awarded a franchise would be the the

site. One is the storm water mitigation.

What are we you know how do we solve

that issue because that is important to

uh water department of water and power

and you know we're working through

identifying other locations for storm

water mitigation. In the same time, our

real estate office has been com in

conversations with recreation park

representatives like how do we find an

area another parcel or parcels um that's

quite um frankly in a better location to

serve the residents down there that is

closer to homes and um not

>> but has anybody from the administration

reached out to anyone in the area like

on the area commission to to have that

conversation? It's my understanding,

council president, that recreation parks

has an ongoing conversation with the the

leadership and the and the neighbors and

and so that's my understanding.

>> Okay.

>> So, uh then that's how we you know got

to the design.

>> Okay. Um so a lot so we are getting the

funny the the great part about Columbus

is even with this um

hiccup

um people are still calling people in

the neighborhood are trying to like send

us suggestions of where the part where

the new training facility could be built

instead.

Could you explain because it is my

understanding that we that the proposal

that is submitted cannot be altered.

Could you explain that portion of why it

council cannot just amend to say well

we'll just find them other land.

>> It's Thank you council president. It's

my understanding based on the proposal

that has been submitted for the

expansion franchise they needed to have

a site certain and that is why this

location has been picked as opposed to

just a commitment that we'd work with

the team just based on timeline of

execution. Uh I think the goal is if we

are awarded a team that they would start

playing in 28. So uh work around any

type of training facility would need to

uh construction of that would need to

begin in fourth quarter of this year. So

uh it they had to have a sight specific

um as part for the training center as

part of their bid process

specifically and and we cannot alter

that. That that is what I was told and

that we cannot alter the plan that was

already submitted to NWSL. That's why

council cannot change that piece. Is

that correct?

>> So, council president, I'm assuming you

heard that from the group that's put the

bid into NWSL. I I then I assume that's

correct. I have not had those

conversations with the league.

>> Okay.

Does any other colleagues have any

questions?

>> Yeah, Council President, if I could, I

just do want to get some some clarity

here. uh director because it is captured

in this piece of legislation in the

economic development agreement that

there is a phase two to the development

of that site. Uh it is my understanding

that the phase two of that will be

academy fields which are akin to the

academy fields that the crew have that

focus on youth programming and youth

sports. Is it the understanding that as

the deal reads that the the uh ownership

group is to have conversations with

recreation and parks on how to program

that and that there's still a commitment

to adaptive sports at those fields.

>> U thank you council president Harden

chair banks members of council that is

correct. There is as part of this

commitment as as we go to finalize the

lease deal and the development of the

performance training center, the

ownership group is committing to having

access and programming for the community

and including in that is adaptive a

component of adaptive sports. That is a

part that will be um finalized by

recreation and parks. I it's very akin

to um the partnership through Kilborn

Run when we saved the crew back in 2019

was that announced there was an the

concept of a a a community park that was

going to be o over by the Ohio Expo

Center and the the old crew historic

crew stadium. Unfortunately, we weren't

able to work out an agreement with the

Ohio Expo Center, but our commitment to

the community stood strong and that's

where we pivoted and and made the

investment to that community park at

Kilburn Run and that's where that you

know the ongoing relationship there and

programming um will continue and we we

envision something very similar uh with

the NWSL franchise and down at the this

site.

>> Yeah. And to and to just go a step

further because the conversation that I

had with you, director, and I think the

ownership group, uh, when my colleagues

tell me they have concerns, I'm I'm

going to bring that back in earnest. Uh,

it was talked about having some other

amenities at the site. My understanding

was that that the the ownership group is

committed to that, but was not committed

to locking themselves into a particular

site plan because of all of the unknowns

uh that were there. I think there's some

security issues around perimetering and

all that the NWSL have and some other

things. So, there is still in my opinion

a a clear commitment to work with

recreation and parks on phase two of

this to see what could be there at that

site as well. Is that correct?

>> Uh, Chair Bankston, that is correct. And

I'd also say there's a clear commitment

to working on finding additional land

down in the in that area to actually pro

to implement the programming and the

design work that has been done to date.

>> Thank you. And I and I just want to say

this. I know I said it uh at the hearing

and it is still my commitment that I am

going to continue to apply pressure that

we move with the same speed that we do

with business that we do for our

residents that we find uh an alternate

location that we deliver on this

promise. May not be this specific site.

Uh and unfortunately when these types of

opportunities come up for sports

franchises and all this stuff, it is

very complicated. It moves really fast.

Uh, but I want to see and make sure that

we do that. And I also want to call on

the ownership group to do everything

that they can to be working recreation

parks, not just to program those fields,

but if they can put in fact public

amenities on there, that we get that

done.

>> I'm I need to add to this.

Not every kid plays soccer.

Not every kid wants to play soccer. Very

small number of kids actually play

soccer in every neighborhood. We should

not be telling kids, "Well, if you want

soccer, we got you, but if you want

anything else, if you need anything

else, then you're out of luck." And this

is what I keep hearing specifically in

my meeting with the Hassam group. It

was, "Well, we only do soccer.

There was to be a playground, splash

pad. There were to be all these other

things, things that regular kids want to

do in a park. And now they're not

getting that." and the promise of well

let's go find some property somewhere

else. It takes years to develop a park

and we would have to then buy land. We

would have to remediate that land.

There's a lot of brown sites there. Then

we're going to have to pay for another

person to come in and design this

millions of dollars that are now down

the hole because we're giving this park

away. And the kids who are living there

now get nothing. they get nothing. And

people need to start actually caring

about that.

I grew up in a town where there was only

one park and it was on the opposite side

of town. So I know what it's like when

your community doesn't care. And so

empty promises about we're going to find

something, we're going to do something

later. That's not good enough. If we can

move fast for this franchise, then why

can't we move fast for kids living in

underserved communities? [applause]

>> Well, two things. Two two two things.

The great thing about first reading,

like I said at the beginning of this

conversation is we have another bite of

the apple to to have the to extend this

conversation. But secondly,

the points that both council member

Banks and Council Deaka made in in ways

are important that there if there was a

commitment director, right? There was I

was told today that there was a

commitment to break ground on a park for

these young people this year. Is that

true?

>> So, uh, President Harden council passed

legislation that authorized construction

at this park and at the gender road

park. So, there is funding available. I'

I'd say to council member Deaka, I I

appreciate um what you're saying. Um the

commitment is there to build a park

beyond soccer. Um in talking to the

mayor and talking to my colleagues at

recreation parks, we have the

programming. We haven't wasted that

money. We can we can move. We can pivot

and we can pivot quickly on that. There

are lots of sites and sites where you

would be comfortable asking your child

or your niece or nephew or to get on a

bike and ride to and access those

amenities because those are important

amenities. We're committed to those

amenities and they will be built. I

think that that is the conversation that

one I know councilor Benson has been a

part of this week trying to figure out

how how we can make this right because I

don't know how I will take a vote a

positive vote on this next week if if I

did not have the firm commitment that

that council uh dear is talking about

that we would move at warp speed to

solve this problem that we actually

created that the administration created

that that we would move at an equal pace

with the residents with the neighbors

because again I still the fact that we

have not talked to the air commission.

>> Yeah. And westider here. It took me a

decade to get Flatwood Park.

>> So I know that things don't move.

>> I think that we should stay at this

though. I think that we should try to

see if we can pull together an amendment

that would allow us to try to solve for

this issue. When we saw the financial

issue with this plan, we tried to fix it

and we made it better. I think that uh

this is first reading and I'm going to

call for that vote for for all of first

reading. But I think that that we have a

lot of conversation to have over the

week around to see if there if there is

a way to um bring the community in uh

keep our commitment and write language

enough and an amendment that would give

everybody

um or give this council, this body

um the faith that we would we the city

would honor our promises to our

neighbors. that that is the work that

that I want this body to have over this

week with the administration.

>> Council President, I I also I I guess I

also want to talk to Reck and Parks

because I think in the conversation that

we had had

I mean I had reached out to council

member Deakau to say chair Deakau to say

can we reach out to the community which

we can absolutely do. I think where I'm

challenged by that is that this was not

a decision that we made and so we're

going back to fix it. So my question is,

is there a timeline? Is there a plan to

go back to the community and have that

conversation with them? Um Jason, I'm

looking at you. Um just from a Wreck and

Parks perspective, uh just because I

know we had a press conference and I

mean to be fair, we didn't know about

the press conference till that morning

either. So just so everyone knows, so we

weren't invited either. So, um, but I

think that that onus being put on us is

a challenge and not having the

community, at least someone go and have

that conversation with them to listen to

them to say this is what even if we

don't have a plan. So, I'm just

wondering what is what is that this

timeline look like now?

>> Uh, good evening, Council President

Harden and Council members. Um, as it

relates to recreation and parks position

on this, uh, we remain committed to

working with the administration, our our

co-work in, uh, in department of

development in order to try to make sure

>> you come a little closer to the mic so

everyone could hear.

>> Sorry. In order to kind of come to an

understanding on how we can continue to

provide the amenities that were

originally discussed with the community

as well as how we can accommodate, you

know, additional park space and anything

it takes to try to uh, work

collaboratively. So, we have

intentionally been waiting until we had

more information to reach out to the

community because we don't want there to

be any more confusion. We really need a

developed plan in order to be able to

determine where we're going and also

collect information from them so that we

can make sure we meet their needs.

>> Uh, press.

>> Thank you, Council President. Um,

Director Stevens, I just want to be very

uh to the point when I think Council

President asked about conversations with

folks at the area commission, the folks

there locally, you had deferred and said

that those conversations had happened

through recreation parks. I just want to

be very clear that chair uh from that

area commission is in the gallery right

now and she shook her head and said no.

>> So, I just want to be very very clear.

So the expectation of council is that

those discussions need to happen because

you know I'm like to think I can read

body language enough to read a shaken of

the head even from the gallery.

>> So let me make sure I'm um

thank you. I I hear you. I understand

that that wasn't wasn't most my intent

wasn't that those conversations that

happened in the past week. I what I was

trying to convey is that my colleagues

at recreation and parks have

continuously have an ongoing discussion

with them and other leaders throughout

the community about programming and park

design. So if I gave the impression that

had happened in the last week, that was

not my intent.

>> Okay, we're going to move more because I

I do I was actually going to invite uh

Miss Chair Reed back up. uh list, if

you'd like to come back up because I I

do want to be very specific about the

role that council wants to play this

that I'm asking council to play this

week. Um we have an issue another issue

with this this plan. Um I think that

there's still there's I would like us to

keep continue to work at this. Um, the

way that we work at this would would

work at this would be through an

amendment to the legislation

uh to see if we can make this right with

the the neighborhood. And so I would

like to um ask

uh Chair Reed if you would be open and

willing to to having those conversations

with us this this week uh and engaging

with the area commission and the city

just to to have more conversations to

keep this

We are absolutely open to conversation.

Um we are absolutely dedicated to this

area. We're specifically focused on

these census tracks that are ab budding

this park.

>> That's fair. It is very true that

individuals the average expectancy light

I mean they're they're not living to be

50 or 60 years old um because there are

no community resources in this area and

the one resource that they do have

you're taking away.

So yes, what I've heard so far in terms

of a commitment that's not enough. I

need a commitment with a timeline that

is just as quick as we had originally

planned. If we can make that happen,

that we'll have a park where we can

start digging and it is complete and

accessible to our community to that

community

by the time it was originally planned.

>> It's worth the conversation.

>> We can start that conversation. I think

that is fair and we we we appreciate

that level of willingness to even be in

conversation and partnership with us

chair and uh and we we look forward to

having those conversations with the

administration and you uh this week.

>> One more thing I would like to add.

>> Um

this is an additional expense that the

city is taking on beyond the $25 million

that we've already discussed.

I would encourage our stakeholders, our

leadership here to also talk with the

HLA group to talk with the corporate

sponsors of this soccer team to fund

this new park. I don't think it should

stop with the taxpayers.

>> Thank you so much.

>> Sure.

>> All right. This will be our last and

then we're going to move on.

>> Yeah. I'm so sorry. I know you're trying

to move us on. I appreciate you. I just

would like I feel like I would like to

urge all of my colleagues tonight to

think about the disparities in the

language that we've heard tonight when

we're talking about site selection for

this location when it comes to the

Hasslam sports group. It sounds like

there was a lot of engagement, a lot of

back and forth with them to see if what

site would be appropriate, what criteria

needed to be met, whether or not it was

close enough in proximity to downtown.

Then when it comes time to talk to the

community, well, a there has been no

conversation with the community thus far

since this plan has been announced. But

then we just heard recreation and parks

day. Well, they couldn't they they

needed to have a developed plan first

before they could even go back to the

community to talk about them. When we

talk about, you know, whether or not the

ownership group ownership group can put

together a firm plan for how the current

site is going to be utilized by the

community, they say, well, they're not

trying to lock themselves into a site

plan yet. and that for some reason is

acceptable. But yet the site plan that

we've locked ourselves into for this new

park with that was prom promises

community is totally up for negotiation.

We're talking about in the context of

the financing mechanisms for this we set

the ticket tax at council but yet the

language that was used while the the

Hasslam sports group are willing to

agree to a 7%. I just don't understand.

You know, we're here to talk about an

initiative that is supposed to be

centered around this idea of equity and

yet there seems to be so much inequity

in the way that I am hearing people talk

about it, hearing it be described. We're

also, you know, supposed to be talking

about the economic impact of this. This

is a smart, a wise city investment. Yet

every single investor attached to this

process is trying to elect a governor

that's trying to eliminate income taxes

in our state of Ohio, which would not

only bankrupt our city. That is the

number they are pointing to as why this

is a good idea. And they have no

intention of ever needing to pay it. And

I just think that this is a dangerous

and and bad idea for us. I think it is

um not a good thing. That's all I'm

going to say. Yeah.

>> And this was only first reading.

>> The following ordinance appear on our

agenda as consent action. Will the clerk

now read those into the record?

>> Uh resolutions of expression uh 75

86 87 89 74 and 78x-2026.

Finance and governance committee. We

have uh resolution 76x-2026.

Ordinance 375, 823, 848, 914, 938, and

939-2026.

Economic development and small and

minority business ordinances 753, 756,

845, 894, 912, 913, 915, 960, 974, and

984-2026.

Public Service and Transportation

Committee ordinances 686, 715, 762, 814,

830, and 876-2026.

Neighborhoods, Recreation, and Parks

Committee Ordinance 672, 675, 685, 917,

955, and 973-2026.

Health, Human Services, and Equity

Committee, Ordinance 928-2026.

Public Service, I'm sorry, Public Safety

and Criminal Justice Committee,

Ordinance 254-2026,

Public Utilities and Sustainability

Committee, Ordinance 592, 648, 703, 840,

8844, 866, 889, 896, and 902-2026.

>> Thank you, Madam Clerk. Uh, are there

any questions or comments on the consent

portion of the agenda? Hearing none, may

I have a motion to approve of these

items as named as consent? Cler please

call the role.

>> Thanks Timber Rosa de Padilla de a dors

green screen reie Ross vice president

Harden

>> the consent agenda is approved. Is there

a motion to recess for zoning?

>> Cler please call the row.

>> Thanks Debor Rosa de Padilla de a doors

green reie Ross white president Harden.

>> We are in recess.

Hey.

Hey.

Heat. Heat.

Federal

>> [music]

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>> Hey, hey, hey.

>> [music]

>> Hey,

hey, hey.

Let go.

Let go.

doo.

Are

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down.

>> [music]

>> Oh,

hey.

Please call the role.

>> Thanks. Temporar Rosa de Padilla de

Akawa Doran Green Remy Ross Vice

President Harden.

>> Can I get a motion to dispense with the

reading of the journal?

>> Clerk, please call the role.

>> Thanks. Temporarosa de Padilla de a

Dorren Green Remy Ross Vice President

Harden.

>> Are there any additions or production to

the journal? Hear another journal's

approval. We'll now go to zoning

committee. Council member Dorren chairs

that committee. All members serve on it.

Council member, the floor is yours.

>> Thank you, Council President. A little

bit of housekeeping before we get into

our agenda. Will the clerk please read

the numbers of legislation in this

committee that require waiver of second

reading? variances uh 967 971 and

979-2026

>> thank you clerk I now move to wave

second reading on those items

>> clerk please call the row

>> banks temper roa de podia de aau dors

green reie ros president Harden

>> wave

>> thank you as always I'll explain our

rules speaking before council on

reszonings and variances we only hear a

staff presentation for ordinance that

have a disapproval from a recommending

body or if we have a public speaker sign

speak against an ordinance We permit

three speakers on each side, three

proponents, three opponents. We ask that

speakers limit their remarks to three

minutes per city council. All speakers

of council variance, including city

staff, area commissioners, applicants,

and members of the public will be sworn

in before they give testimony.

Representative area commission are

always able to speak on the ordinance

and do not need to fill out a speaker

slip, but we do ask you alert city staff

of your intent to speak at this

committee hearing. Uh we do not have any

public speakers signed up to speak on

our agenda tonight. Uh on the advice of

city attorney's office, we'll now swear

in city staff. Please stand and raise

your right hand and be sworn in. Do you

swear affirm the test you're about to

give shall be the truth? Nothing but the

truth that you shall answer under pains

of penalty perjury. If so, please say I

do.

>> I do.

>> Thank you. Please have the record that

Brandon Carpenter Brandon Carpenter from

the Department of Building Zoning

Services have been sworn in. Uh moving

into our agenda, we only have council

variances this evening. And first we

have ordinance number 0967-2026

to grant variance of provisions of

section 34E-20-10A

uses use table 34G20.03

03 0 uh D1 landscaping and parking and

parking l shade trees and 34G.20.04

04 uh 0.B4

screening dumpster and bulk re refugees

picking up screening of the city codes

of property located at 5929-5975

East Main Street to allow for storage uh

within shipping containers would reduce

development standards in the CAC

community activity district. site

consists of one parcel developed with a

shopping center and the request of

council variance will allow accessory

storage uses within the shopping center

containers while facilitating an updated

final site plan compliance in response

to an active zoning code violation. Uh

council variance is required because the

current zoning district does not allow

storage uses. Variances to dumpster

pickup enclosure area between principal

uh structure and adjacent side street to

allow unscreened dumpsters between the

building and to eliminate required

parking lot shade trees are also

included in this request. Proposal is

approved from uh city staff and the far

east area commission. I first move to

accept the entire staff report into

evidence as an exhibit.

>> Clangston

Rosa de Padilla de AOA Dors Green Remy

Ross Vice President Harden.

>> Accept it.

>> Thank you. Next move to adopt the fin

staff of the fiance of council.

>> Cler please call the role.

>> Banks roa de padilla de a dors green

remy ros vice president Harden.

>> Adopt it.

>> Thank you. Finally move for passage.

>> Cler please call the role. Banks Temper

Rosa de Padilla de AOA doors green

screen Remy Ross vice president Harden

>> passed.

>> Thank you. Next we have ordinance

0971-2026

to grant a bearance provision section

34-E20-1000-

A use tables uh 34- or period E period

20 period 030 C1A general requirements

round floor designs 34E.20.034J.2

two general requirements miscellaneous

34e.20.080

C community activity center building

placement 34 E.20.080G

community activity center on-site

parking 34.40.0

34 uh A1.8

procedures for large sites site plan for

um large development sites 34G.20.0

034 point B1 landscaping uh resident

screening buffer and 34G.20.030

030 point B2 landscaping residential

landscaping buffer of the Columbia City

Coast for property located at 2295 South

High Street to allow uh flex warehouse

and storage uses with reduced

development standards in the CAC

community activity community activity uh

center district site consists of one

parcel developed with a contractor's

office building and the requested

council variance will allow the

construction of two buildings that'll be

used for warehouse flex office and

contractor storage. A council variance

is required because the storage and

warehousing uses are not allowed in the

current district. A variance to abudding

residential district setbacks, surface

um parking setbacks, public entry,

landscaping and buffer and to increase

fence height are also included in this

request. Proposals approve some staff

and far south area commission. Uh I

first move to accept the entire staff

report into evidence as an exhibit.

Second call.

>> Banks Roso de Padilla de Aower Dors

Green Remy Ross Vice President Harden.

>> Accept it.

>> Thank you. Next move to adopt the five

staffs finance council.

>> Second.

>> Cler, please call the row.

>> Banks Rosa de Padilla de Aar Dors Green

Remy Ross Vice President Harden.

>> Adopt it.

>> Finally move for passage.

>> Second.

>> Cler, please call the row.

>> Banks Barosa de Padilla de AOA Dors

Green Remy Ross Vice President Harden.

>> Pass.

>> Thank you. Next. And finally, we have

ordinance 0979-226

to grant adance provisions of section

3332.039. 039 R4 residential district,

the Columbus city to go to property

located at 1828 East Hudson Street to

allow an eating and drinking

establishment in the R4 residential

district and revoke ordinance number

853-73

passed on June 18th, 1973.

Um site consists of one parcel develop a

former ice cream shop as allowed by

ordinance number 83-73

again passed way back in 1973. The new

council varants requires the applicant

uh proposes carry out eating and

drinking uses at the location which is

neither allowed in the current district.

Proposal approves some city staff in the

northeast area commission and my

colleagues question comments. Seeing

none I move to accept the entire set

point into evidence as an exhibit.

>> Second cler please call the role.

>> Banks roadia de a dors green reie ros

vice president Harden

>> accept it.

>> Thank you. Next move to the adopt

defining of staff as defiance of

councel. Clerk, please call the role.

>> Banks temper roa de padia de a dor

screen reie ros vice president Harden

>> adopt it.

>> Thank you and finally move for passage.

Second

>> clerk please call the row.

>> Banks temporarosa de podia de a doris

green remy ros vice president Harden

>> pass.

>> Thank you council president. All we have

in zoning tonight.

>> Thank you Mr. Chair. Is there see no

further business there motion to

adjurnn?

>> Please call the role. Banks Rosa padia

de a dorren green remy ros vice

president Harden is adjourned. You know,

we have no non-aggenda speakers.

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17, please call the role.

>> Bankston Barosa de Podia de a doors

green reie Ross vice president Harden.

Uh

>> I'm going to take presidential uh

prerogative and go out of order uh

because we have a council member uh a

former council member in the room and I

want to respect her time. So the next

committee to go the first committee to

come before council will be the

neighborhoods recreation parks committee

chair by councelor Deakar. Council floor

is yours.

>> Thank you so much. For those of you who

didn't notice, Fran Ryan is with us um

this evening. So, appreciate having you

make it down here. Um as I prepare for

uh the reading of this ordinance, I call

forward um Age Friendly Innovative

Center.

Tonight we have ordinance 0943-2026

to authorize the city clerk to enter a

grant agreement with the Ohio State

University in support of the age

friendly innovation centers program

AgeFriendly Columbus to conduct the 2026

central Ohio regional assessment on

aging to reimburse the Ohio State

University for expenses associated with

the 2026 central Ohio regional

assessment on aging on and after March

1st 2026 to authorize an appropriation

and expenditure from the neighborhood

initi sub fund and to declare an

emergency. This uh past budget cycle, I

advocated um for funding um for the age

friendly um program. Um something that

I've been engaged with for many many

years before I came to to council. Um,

senior services are one of my priorities

and I'm proud to fund aging in place

villages every year that help keep our

older adult residents in their homes

aging in place successfully. And as our