Transcript

morning.

>> Um,

are we starting with Commissioner

Crowley this morning?

>> Okay.

>> Okay. Well,

uh, we're going to begin this morning um

with the Franklin County Board of

Commissioners general session uh for

June 30th, 2026 with a pledge of

allegiance led by Commissioner Crowley.

I pledge algiance 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.

>> All right. I guess he's going to um

move today. All right. This so good um

Friday. This Friday is uh Friday. Uh the

4th of July is this week, whichever day

it is.

>> Saturday. I thought I was

>> right. Like [laughter]

>> my notes are incorrect. That's okay

though. Uh so Saturday is the 4th of

July and our nation's going to celebrate

its 250th anniversary. Um

so it's going to be a different

celebration this year. That's for

certain. I recall our 200th anniversary

and all that went into uh the

celebration of that. Um and it's a

pretty unbelievable milestone and an

opportunity for all of us to reflect on

our history and recognize the people and

events that have made and shaped our

nation over the years and look ahead to

the future that we want to build for

this country. As we mark 250 years in

our nation's story, we also recognize

that its history is complex and while

Americans have made tremendous progress,

not every American has experience the

promise of freedom and opportunity

equally.

Uh some stories have been celebrated for

generations while others have gone

untold. Uh by embracing the full story

of our nation's history, including the

experiences of those whose voices have

too often been overlooked, we gain uh to

uh deepen our understanding of our past

and make a stronger foundation for

building a better future for everyone.

Here today to show show uh share more

about this initiative is longtime

Franklin County resident, educator,

historian, and member of the America 250

undertold stories committee, Dorene Yuas

Sauer.

Dorian, if you would like to come up to

the podium. Um would somebody please uh

um Eugene, if you could somebody please

Yeah, thank you.

I think adjusting it would be great.

Good morning.

>> So, I was I was sharing with Dorene when

I when I was out there. Uh she's been a

part of um these WOSU

uh the history of central Ohio, the

neighborhoods. uh I've been watching her

on uh YouTube for the last I don't know

month and a half, two months and the

stories that that WU's told and she's

been a part of telling those over the la

I don't know it's been what more than a

decade uh all the stories of central

Ohio. I really enjoyed watching those.

So, thank you for coming today to help

us tell this story. No, I it it is truly

a pleasure on my part and I'm I um am so

happy to be I'm honored to be invited.

So I do want to wish uh uh the

commissioners of Grady and Boyce and

Crowley uh a good morning and thank you

for the invitation. Uh I was asked to

speak briefly on those historic promises

of the Northwest Territory and the

contemporary challenges of local

government in Ohio. Uh, and I will you

stole all my thunder, so I'll just

repeat everything you just said. I'm so

glad you mentioned about the stories,

some being known and some being unknown.

So, it may or may not surprise you that

as counties were beginning to be carved

out of the federal land uh, west of the

Alaganis by the terms of the Northwest

Ordinance, the new state of Ohio in 1803

had only two promises they had to keep.

Every school child knows them. no

slavery and free public education, which

also means when you think about it that

the average Ohio citizen only knows as

much as a fourth grader. Um, Franklin

County was founded in July 17, 1787,

only two months after Ohio became a

state in 1803 and only 11 years and

three days after we the people, the

Declaration of Independence was actually

uh uh delivered. And there will be no

quiz following this on dates. History is

not about the dates. Um, issues for

Franklin County Commissioners even by

the 1830s would look remarkably like the

issues of 2026. I don't know if this is

good news or bad news, but I will read

some of them that were top of the

priority in the 1830s.

affordability of housing and food.

Migrations and immigrations, the

unhoused, victims of illness from

travel, school funding, transportation

upgrades, shortfalls of taxation to

address local government needs, the

unanticipated effect of rapid

industrialization and technology, lack

of funding for women, children, and

public health, and local solutions to

safety and security. They knew that

there would be a coming war in some form

or another in the War of 1812, which is

considered the Second American

Revolution. And there were already Ohio

treaties that were very fairly dealing

with the indigenous peoples of Ohio,

only to be overturned overnight by

federal or presidential decisions. So

that was 1830 and I think you can

recognize through that some of the same

challenges that are still here. This

doesn't mean that issues can't be

solved.

But the two I'd like to focus on for a

minute are the two enlightenment goals

of the Northwest Ordinance because we

never asked. So what happened? Uh they

were already starting to unravel. The

money for education meant that the

general assembly was not mandated to

keep a schoolhouse or to build a

schoolhouse, but rather Ohio could sell

the 116th of the township land marked

for free public education, which it did

quickly. It spent it on other needs. It

went into a general pool and the money

was simply spent and it was gone by the

1830s. The promise of no slavery

continued to be problematic,

excuse me, and largely not to known

today, especially for Franklin County

because, as we know, the Virginia

military district is a large part of

what was actually the land that was

given to Virginia soldiers as payment as

they fought in the American Revolution.

And what the Virginia military district,

not everyone, but it was creeping into

Ohio, was they wanted to be able to

permit to allow indentured servants,

which is just servitude, just another

name for slavery, all the way up to the

Civil War until the terms of essentially

the abolitionists were so strong that

people were reticent to continue to

pursue the argument. But they wanted it

and it would have stretched indentured

servitude from essentially uh around

Ripley, Ohio uh all the way from the

Ohio River literally up the west side of

the Sciota River into Franklin County.

Not all Kuckians and Virginiaians were

in agreement about this. People like the

Neils, which is a pretty famous name in

Columbus, left Kentucky because they did

not agree with with owning other people.

And William Neil himself, which is

unknown to many people, actually put up

the $500 bond that the black laws

required. All he had to do was to say

that he would be in a goodstead for it.

If there was a problem, the $500 would

have to be paid. $500 was the equivalent

of 800 $88,000 at the time. The black

laws that eventually came into Ohio were

often used as warning signals about

migration rather than actually

enforcement. And this is borne out in

other statistics we know today that

others would not have always known at

the time and place. Lucas Sullivan, the

founder of uh Franklin of Columbus,

[clears throat] his household contained,

and I'm assuming this is a pretty

familiar story,

the future uh mother of Arthur Boke. Uh

Arthur Boke uh has long been disputed

about his own genealogy. Uh his father,

however, was a free man uh from

Kentucky, the same town that the

Sullivan and Sarah Sullivan, Lucas's

wife, came from. Um in fact, she was

essentially always ministered to by

plantation slaves. It is on that part of

Kentucky. Um but the mother of Arthur Bo

and Arthur's father were married in

Kentucky. Uh when Sarah came uh she was

much younger than Lucas. Um she brought

with her uh an indentured woman. The

indentured woman however and this is

where the controversy has always been is

that she abandoned her child. She

abandoned Arthur uh just as soon as

pretty much as soon as he was born. But

the problem with it is is that that was

recorded purposely as abandoned by

Joseph Sullivan Lucas's youngest son who

was nearest in age to him because that

she did it purposely. She relinquished

parental rights. It was not an

abandonment as a foundling in a basket.

It was saying if I am captured my child

will not be a slave. Literally her act

was we do not know what happened to her

but her act freed her child. Um so

despite the reputation of Ripley and

other uh uh Manchester and other

Pomememoroy on the Ohio River as a

beacon for the Underground Railroad uh

slavery continued to be present. uh can

Kentucky plantation owners rented out

their slaves to harvest tobacco and

cotton crops took the money of course

and the cotton crops they uh Ohio

farmers took advantage of this

particular thing. It's was a

controversial issue that brewed and

brewed under the surface for a very long

time. So today we and some historic

groups still rely on the early histories

of Franklin County like um William

Martin who wrote the history of Franklin

County in 1848. But they weren't

historians. They were chronicers. They

were writing down as quickly as they

could every name, date, fact, and uh uh

essentially of uh sort of direction at

that particular time being mostly of

other white men of the same class and

the same civic-mindedness, but they were

trying to capture what they thought was

important at the time. Um today we know

now because we can research, we can

archive, and we can document. And that

is precisely why it is so important that

it happen now especially in the age of

artificial intelligence which is already

permeating resources in libraries and

schools and whatnot with madeup stories

about many things and they're skewed in

certain ways. Uh it is amazing that the

Columbus Metropolitan Library as well as

other libraries are actually answering

the Clarion call with very strong

statements as our historic organizations

to try to make sure that people may use

artificial intelligence as a tool but

not believe what's in what suddenly pops

up on the screen. So for instance, when

Ohio became a state, there were over 255

already small African-American

settlements in Ohio. usually in rural

areas but connected to each other by

family and churches. Imagine 255 that

are all across Ohio. They know each

other and that really is the Underground

Railroad. Very few people who lived in

the the nice houses who were supposedly

a stop had any idea where the next stop

was. One, they couldn't be trusted and

two, they were always being watched. So

that network is something that we are

just really learning the tip of right

now. We know some of them the Franklin

County, the the Lichfords which is upper

Arlington, the places there were two

places named Mudsock, the Blackberry

patch, the American edition and even

many more. But by the m uh by the mid

19th century along with improved

transportation such as it was national

road and the canal system also

transported chalera and typhoid in

Franklin County. This is the COVID of

their generation. Uh exacerbated by

Columbus's geographical peculiarities of

being an elevated plateau with a high

water table created a [clears throat]

major public health crisis of

contaminated wells uh a co-mingling with

the outhouse drainings that were maybe

less than 10 ft away on South High. And

I did this purposely thinking about this

neighborhood when you walk out of the

door today. Uh in front of Dempsey's

there was a young woman who was a bride

to be the next day who is gathering

water from a city well at the side of

the street and by uh the next morning

she was a corpse in her father's parlor.

Kalera works that quickly. Um Mike

Curtain and I used to exchange I think

you probably all know Mike Curtain in

some ways with the edit dispatch and

back to his own politics. We would

sometimes try to make lists with people

as to what do you think are the 10 most

things that define uh Columbus, Ohio.

And Mike's first two were always the

best. And that was geography is destiny.

And the destiny of of Columbus

[clears throat] was um that it's flat

and it's geographically like a tabletop,

almost impermeable in some cases, and it

has Ohio State University. And the

football team hadn't even created yet.

in 1851 because I work at Rick and

Bucker Woods uh with uh M. Michael

Aaron,

we discovered that the correct date of

Granville T. Woods, African-American

inventor of all the the safety devices

that made inner urbans and trains and

everything work. Uh was born in

Columbus. His family is buried in

Greenland. And as a trustee of

Greenland, all of a sudden you suddenly

know all the secrets of of pretty much

Columbus history as a textbook. uh and

his mother is buried there and some of

his siblings uh and this would have been

Columbus's ward one but the birth date

had been constantly told as 1856 and it

was a it was that spincy handwriting.

Every scholar just said the same thing

somebody else did and said it's 1856.

Well, it was 1851 which meant that

Granville T. Woods was actually only

four years difference in age than Thomas

Edison. And Thomas Edison, I want to

point out, actually lost two lawsuits to

Granville T. Woods and tried to hire

Granville T. Woods, who said no. He

wanted to protect what essentially was

his own integrity of thought and his own

uh

I want to say uh ability to be able to

invent and not be uh uh somebody with

somebody else as a boss. Um, so what was

around this area was ward one and ward

one uh we're in it today was a racially

and economically integrated community of

nextoor neighbors. They were Welsh, they

were African-American and they were

German and they all got along. They

formed the laboring class. But Columbus

prospered in the Civil War and suddenly

things changed. early industrialization

and frankly plundering of the resources

of southern Ohio of gas, oil, timber,

coal, they made money. They were able to

buy the railroads that the federal

government was abandoning after the

Civil War. uh and they moved just blocks

away, still in Ward One, but what's

sometimes called the new fad of early

suburbanization,

which is studied by Kenneth Jackson, a

New York historian, about the beginning

of what he would have called the um crab

grass frontier. You move a few blocks

away because you have a little bit more

money. You have a little bit bigger

house. And so a 12 room house with

actual hot and cold running water in the

oldest part of Columbus, which is Ward

One and Livingston Avenue on Oak Street

sold in 1871 within 20 years for $77,600

when the owner relocated to Chicago,

having made his fortune in saloons and

restaurants only three blocks the other

way toward the state house right around

here. That would be the equal of a house

selling at that time for two thou

$2,130,000

today. And the hot and cold indoor water

pipes were called Holly water, not holy,

holly water because it was a Holly pump

that actually made the water pressure

possible to have hot cotton cold running

water in a house in 1871. And it becomes

available that very year that I'm

talking about. And suddenly there are

571

customers in the neighborhood who are

wealthy enough to get Holly water.

Wealth creates prosperity, opportunity,

innovation, but not everyone moves

forward. We think of redlinining as the

coffin in the nail for housing

historically. But in that same date and

with that house sale, effort was made uh

in the Ohio legislature again to somehow

organize what were called, we would call

them nonprofits today. How do you

control the charitable organizations in

the 1870s, 1880s that were actually

doing the work that we see the

government has had to adopt to today for

sure human need. And one of the most

outstanding and under the radar

organizations is one by its very ancient

name, the Female Benevolent Society,

which was founded in 1848, the same time

William Martin is saying the Greenland

Cemetery will not admit any

African-American burials. And people

believed that that was true then and

they believed that it was true into the

20th century, which it never was. Hannah

Neil was not exactly a club woman as

women of that time period are portrayed.

Nor did she raise her daughters and

Dennison married to a governor and uh

her other daughter who was married to

somebody who became actually a carpet

beggar in the south. Um she went into

jails to protect women and uh to rescue

them because women at that time were

actually put in jails in men's cells.

they they cohabited themselves together.

They were trafficked. They were abused.

[clears throat]

And she went to court to essentially uh

be able to save them. So that oldest

charity still operates today under the

rules that were established in the in

the 1800s uh by the Columbus Foundation.

Still only there for women, children,

orphans as a women's organization

because of the the largestness of

William Dashler to support it all. A

million and a quarter acres of Ohio had

already been uh purchased by New England

businessman Jonathan Dayton. He

purchased much of Franklin County. It

has no relation to Dayton, Ohio or to

other families that are Dayton, but he

divi he never came here. He divided and

resold all of the land that he made

making even more money. And as a

property owner, his name appeared in

early maps. Today he is best remembered

only by a st small street Dayton Avenue

having nothing to do with any of the the

other Dayton where the Dairy Queen is in

the University District at Indianola and

Arcadia and county commissioners in

retrospect had few clues in those times

as to what was yet to come. So history

is a conversation. I love that quote

from John Meechum historian. We have the

conversation in the present about the

past, but we really do not know the

context fully of every part of what that

conversation would entail. And history

does not necessarily repeat itself in

patterns. It can be very synchronistic.

It is not uh we use metaphors and

similes, but America and what's

happening is was never a melting pot. It

was a popularized term by Ronald Reagan.

And if we do say it's a melting pot, it

speaks to the lowest common denominator.

It it smacks more of we like each

other's cuisine and we like the variety

of being able to eat in various ways and

we love taste. But it would never

require and in fact it would fear being

considered rude if it's centered

centered around the conversation like

well who don't you want your children to

marry? There's no deep culture that we

ever explore. It's all self surface

culture when you say it's a melting pot.

>> Commissioners, thank you so much for

this this history. Um um and we're going

to make this available for everyone.

Commissioners, um if you could just wrap

up in the next 30 seconds or so so that

we can go forward, but this is

[laughter] absolutely absolutely

wonderful uh context and history for all

of us. And we are so pleased to have

this on our general session video for

all to see and to be able to come back

to. So uh 30 seconds and we'll keep

going. We have a long agenda today, but

we're so pleased to have you here today.

>> Right to the last line. So, our timing

is perfect on this one. Um, most

historians now see movement and

immigration as a river. We flow into it

at various different times. We pick up

speed, we change, but the the pattern of

the river swings. When James Baldwin

said, "We carry our history with us," I

think the important meaning for that,

and I read to the Franklin County

Commissioner's notes all the time, and I

know this happened. We mean all of us.

Uh we carry our own history. We carry

our neighbors history. If we grow closer

by understanding the tragedies, the

accomplishments, the celebration, and

the hopes. That's why we have faith in

the Franklin County Commissioners and

the work you do today because it is so

evident in all that you produce. And

because I knew I would run out of time,

but it's the 4th of July, I'm giving you

a gift.

>> Shameless promotion here. Um,

>> it is the last book that um Oh, I can

>> Great.

>> It's very quickly um that I wrote with

Tom Betty

>> and the context of Columbus history in

the downtown especially through the

buildings we saw as landmarks that were

saved and the ones that we saw that were

not saved. And the the crux of the of

the whole book really revolves uh on

such an extensive bibliography that it

had to be carried on the website. There

was no more room for publishing. So

thank you very much.

>> Thank you. If I can think of one last

thing,

>> Commissioner Boyce, every time I see

your name, I remember you in a specific

incident at uh Beachcraft

um Brook Haven, excuse me, Brook Haven

High School sitting for breakfast with a

group of high school students with the

Annenburgg Foundation in Columbus. Oh,

sure. And I was part of it. And you

listen to students what they were going

to present and study of the problem to

be solved. And all 18 high schools

were doing this and that's what I

directed and they um

[cough and clears throat] they solved

their problems and um they were never

used the history textbook at all. They

never looked at the history textbook and

I taught their teachers how not to do

it. You did it by doing it and you were

wonderful. You changed lives that day

and I still remember you doing that and

at some other high school over by cause

Shannon Harden was doing the same thing.

So, thank you. Thank you.

>> Thank you.

>> Thank you, Dorian.

>> Thank you for being here with us this

morning, Dorian. Appreciate it. All

right. So, we will move on with the

agenda this morning. Um, and to the

prosecuting attorney.

>> Resolution number 43926. Resolution

approving a contract on behalf of the

Franklin County Prosecutor's Office to

conduct a prosecution clinic for the

Ohio State University Morris College of

Law.

>> Good morning, commissioners. Deputy

Director of Labor and Employment for the

Prosecutor's Office, Terresa Dean. I'm

here today respectfully requesting

approval of an agreement between the

Ohio State University Meritz College of

Law and the Franklin County Prosecutor's

Office. The agreement sets forth terms

for the prosecutor's office to operate

uh a criminal prosecution clinic that

merit students can participate in as

part of the school's curriculum. The

agreement sets forth the number of

students and professors who can

participate, the number of cases each

student must work on, and classes they

must attend, and the fees that will be

paid by Meritz for clinic operations. If

there aren't any questions, I would

respectfully request your approval.

Thank you.

>> Oh, sorry. If Oh, sorry. If If there are

no comments or questions, move for

approval of resolution 43926.

>> Second.

>> Moved and seconded. Voting. Commissioner

Cwley.

>> Yes.

>> Commissioner Grady.

>> Yes.

>> Commissioner Boyce. Resolution number

43926 has been adopted with Commissioner

Boyce's noted abstension.

>> All right. To communitybased correction

facility.

>> Resolution number 44026. resolution

authorizing the execution of a sixth

amendment to an agreement of sub lease

with the Ohio Department of

Rehabilitation and Correction pertaining

to the financing of a portion of the

cost of the Franklin County Community

Based Correctional Facility.

>> Good morning, commissioners. Zach Teric

with the Office of Management and

Budget. Uh, this amendment would allow

the community-based correctional

facility to receive1,151,297

from the Department of Rehabilitation

and Corrections to renate renovate the

bathrooms at the facility and replace

the domestic hot water heater. Um,

pending any questions would ask for

approval of this resolution.

>> If there are no comments or questions,

move for adoption of 440-26.

>> Second.

>> Moved and seconded. Voting. Commissioner

Boyce.

>> Yes.

>> Commissioner Cwley,

>> yes.

>> Commissioner Grady,

>> yes. Resolution number 44026 has been

adopted.

>> Thank you. Um the Franklin County Data

Center.

>> Resolution number 44126.

Resolution authorizing an agreement with

AT&T Corporation to prepare a quote for

a demarcation point relocation at 900

North Hey Avenue in the amount of

$36,000.

>> Good morning, commissioners and county

administration. Renee Ruple, financial

services manager for the data center.

This resolution um authorizes an

engineer for AT&T to go into our

facility at 900 North Heg and do an

evaluation of the demarcation point um

that would relocate that into a more

secure area of the building to provide

additional resiliency um for services at

that center. So pending any questions I

respectfully request your approval of

this resolution.

>> If there are no comments or questions

move for adoption at 441-26

>> second moved and seconded voting.

Commissioner Boyce.

>> Yes. Commissioner Cwley.

>> Yes.

>> Commissioner O'Grady.

>> Yes.

>> Resolution number 44126 has been

adopted.

>> Thank you.

>> Thank you. Uh, Emergency Management

Agency.

>> Resolution number 44226.

Resolution authorizing a contract with

Michael Baker International Incorporated

relative to strategy planning, strategic

planning services in preparation for the

next generation 911 maintenance and

coordination in Franklin County in the

amount of $64,154.

>> Good morning, commissioners. Jeff Young

representing Franklin County Emergency

Management and Homeland Security. With

me this more this morning is 911

coordinator Janna Gonzalez Cells who

will present our comments.

Good morning. The approval of this

resolution will support Michael Baker

International's current technical work,

reviewing each Franklin County

Communication Center, location, data,

and jurisdictional boundary maps,

facilitating error, and data correction

while preparing to implement next

generation 911 when the state of Ohio is

prepared for large counties to join the

the statewide NG 911 core services. As

we shift from the technical nature of

the existing scope of work, we will now

move to the long-term sustainment of the

911 geospatial data accuracy, which will

allow coordination amongst the local

jurisdiction, communication centers, and

countywide entities with the state of

Ohio. Michael Baker International has

the ability to provide a facilitated

review of local processes and

capabilities while leveraging their

current work with the state of Ohio 911

office as well as national standards and

best practices to provide a strategic

plan supported by the jurisdiction

communication centers and is suitable

for the 911 planning committee to adopt.

>> Well, we will gladly answer any

questions you may have and ask for your

approval of this resolution.

If there are no comments or questions,

move for adoption of 442-26.

>> Second.

>> Moved and [clears throat] seconded

voting. Commissioner Boyce, yes.

Commissioner Cwley,

>> yes.

>> Commissioner Grady,

>> yes.

>> Resolution number 44226 has been

adopted.

>> Thank you.

>> Thanks. Thanks. The law library.

>> Resolution number 44326.

Resolution accepting grant funds for the

law library from the statewide

consortium of county law library

resource resources boards in the amount

of $3,728.

Good morning, commissioners and county

administration. Susanna Marlo for the

law library. For this resolution, the

law library is requesting approval to

accept $3728

in grant funds from our statewide

consortium. The consortium has awarded

us the grant funding to be used for the

purchase of two new computers for our

public terminals. Pending any questions,

we respectfully request your approval to

accept the grant funds and enter into

anou with the consortium.

If there are no comments or questions,

move for adoption of uh 443-26.

>> Second.

>> Moved and seconded. Voting. Commissioner

Boyce.

>> Yes.

>> Commissioner Cwley.

>> Yes.

>> Commissioner Ogdy.

>> Yes.

>> Resolution number 44326 has been

adopted.

>> Thank you.

>> Thank you.

>> Thank you.

>> Public defender.

>> Resolution number 44426.

Resolution approving a contract on

behalf of the Franklin County Public

Defenders Office to conduct a criminal

defense clinic on behalf of the Ohio

State University Morris College of Law.

>> [laughter]

>> Good morning, commissioners. I'm here

today on behalf of our client, the

public defender. This time, respectfully

requesting approval of an agreement

between the Ohio State University Mertz

College of Law and the Franklin County

Public Defenders uh office. Uh this

agreement sets forth terms for the

public defender to operate a criminal

defense clinic that Morit students can

participate in uh alongside those

students participating in the

prosecution clinic. Um, again, the

agreement sets forth the number of

students and professors who participate,

the number of cases each student must

work on and classes they must attend,

and the fees that will be paid by Meritz

for clinic operations. Uh, if there

aren't any questions, I would

respectfully ask for your approval.

Thank you.

>> There are no comments or questions. Move

for approval. Resolution 44426.

>> Second.

>> Moved and seconded voting. Commissioner

Cwley, yes.

>> Commissioner Grady, yes.

>> Commissioner Boyce, abstain.

>> Resolution number 44426 has been adopted

with Commissioner Boyce's noted

abstension.

Thank you. Uh the office on aging

>> resolution number 44526

resolution authorizing the county

administrator to execute a triparty

grant agreement with state Stevens

Community House and the RO Foundation

for a financial literacy conference in

the amount of $190,000.

>> Good morning commissioners, county

administration, Shondaanda Wingo,

director for the Franklin County Office

on Aging. The purpose of the rule

academy conference is to make

highquality resource education more

accessible in Columbus and to help close

the gap in financial in financial

knowledge for individuals and

communities that have historically had

limited access to this type of

information. This event will help

position in Franklin County as Franklin

County is a growing hub for resource

education, estate planning, and

entrepreneurship.

The RU Academy conference is designed to

provide attendees with direct access to

financial education, entrepreneurial

insights, estate planning, networking

opportunities, and support long-term

economic empowerment. The event will

bring speakers, coaches, and

entrepreneurs to help participants gain

practical tools for building wealth and

financial independence. The event will

be designed using survey data collected

earlier this year from our Franklin

County residents and is intended for a

broad audience of individuals who have

listed that they are interested in

financial literacy, wealth buildinging,

estate planning, career advancement,

entrepreneurship, real estate, home

ownership, life insurance, job readiness

and there is a youth financial education

track.

This triouty agreement will support the

planning and execution of the conference

including facility rental keynote

presentations, seminars, breakout

sessions. The programming will focus on

topics such topics such as real estate,

business finance, and entrepreneurship.

Furthermore, the schedule will include

vendor engagement and a main meeting

component designed to educate and engage

employee in attendees. The conference

space requirements include meeting

rooms, breakout rooms, registration

space, vendor accommodation that all

support areas necessary to facilitate

event operations.

As noted in section five of the be it

resolve section in today's resolution,

the county will only make payments to

St. Steven's Community House. They will

act as the fiscal agent for this

triparty agreement. Payments will only

be made upon deliverables. County

agencies currently have a system in

place to make sure that the fiscal agent

has sufficient information to determine

whether payment is to be made.

[clears throat]

I do have Chief Pride with me today to

provide additional context. Um and upon

um completion of her statement, we will

be respectfully requesting approval of

this resolution.

>> Thank you, Director Wingo. Michelle

Pride, chief of economic innovation and

development um with Franklin County

Economic Development and Planning. Um,

first like to thank Director Wingo and

the Office on Aging for their immense

amount of work as long along with our

other county agencies to support this

initiative. Um, approximately 67% of

Americans live paycheck to paycheck and

as of 2026, Franklin County boasts a

decreased unemployment rate of 2.7%.

However, according to our state

department of job and family services

and the Federal Reserve Bank, the number

of residents statewide and regionally

defined as undermployed ranges from

approximately 6.5% to 7.5%.

All too often, individuals who are

marginalized, undermployed, unemployed,

or just as impacted are forced into

traditional workforce pathways, earning

wages that are not commiserate with

increased market conditions and the

reality of associated cost of living

independently or with a family. For

years, we focused on helping individuals

secure jobs. But rarely is this

synonymous with securing opportunities

for wealth building. Many impoverished

and working-class communities are locked

out of access to wealth bidding options,

financial literacy, and economic

advancement. Bottom line, gatekeeping,

reliable opportunities to actualize

financial freedom should never be our

reality, but meeting people where they

are on their financial journey should

be. To Director Wingo's point, um we

have a lot that is going to be

encompassed in this day. um on the spot

credit recovery workforce to wealth

pathways and financial literacy breakout

that will give us exposure to a

multi-generational approach to earning

potential. Um so pending any questions

we would seek your approval of this

resolution um as this summit will serve

as a solution to a problem that the

world has solved for many of us. But now

it's time for every resident every day.

Thank you.

>> Thank you. Um I we went through a number

of um changes uh to the contract when we

were previous to the meeting. So uh

given the fact that I've met with the

county administration and the Franklin

County Prosecutor's Office and requested

additional changes uh to the contract

and scope of services that provide

specific limitations um for on behalf of

our seniors. Uh I will uh move for

adoption of the resolution.

>> Second. moved and seconded voting.

Commissioner Boyce,

>> yes.

>> Commissioner Cwley,

>> yes.

>> Commissioner Orady,

>> yes.

>> Resolution number 44526 has been

adopted.

>> Thank you.

>> Thank you.

>> Thank Thank you guys. Uh, economic

engagement and community development.

>> Resolution number 44626.

Resolution authorizing a grant agreement

with Greater Columbus Sports Commission

to support sports, tourism, and economic

development activities in Franklin

County in the amount of $330,000.

Good morning, commissioners and county

administration. Andrina Austin serving

as director of economic engagement and

community development. Commissioners,

this resolution in collaboration with

the office of economic development and

planning, as well as the support of the

prosecuting attorney's office,

authorizes a grant agreement with the

Greater Columbus Sports Commission, a

value partner to support sports tourism,

economic development activities, as well

as planning and the promotion of sports

events that bring athletes, visitors,

and families into Franklin County. The

agreement includes the MLK Women's

Basketball Showdown, Black Girls Run,

and the Gay Softball World Series. These

are major sports events held throughout

the year that increases um visitation

and spending, generates millions of

dollars in direct economic activity, and

supports local employment and business

engagement throughout Franklin County.

The initiative also aligns with your

rise together poverty blueprint goals

number one and three and supports the

office of economic engagement and

community development's pillars of

workforce development, economic

opportunity, and also community

engagement. And commissioners Linda

Logan, CEO of the Greater Columbus

Sports Commission, is present to share

remarks and to address any of your

lingering concerns. Thereafter, we

respectfully request your approval of

this resolution.

>> Sorry.

Thank you very much, Linda Logan, here

today. Appreciate all the support that

we get from Franklin County. Thank you

to the commissioners, administrators. So

happy to be here. I think it was very

well said about the events that these

these dollars support um really help put

Columbus and Franklin County on the map.

So here for any questions you may have

for us.

>> All right, if there are no comments or

questions, move for adoption of 446-26.

>> Second moved and seconded voting.

Commissioner Boyce.

>> Yes. Commissioner Cwley,

>> yes.

>> Commissioner Grady,

>> yes.

>> Resolution number 44626 has been

adopted.

>> Thank you, Commissioner.

>> Thank you so much.

>> Thank you.

>> Thanks, Linda. Thanks, Andrea. Um, job

and family services. Resolution number

44726,

resolution approving a subboard

agreement with the Central Community

House of Columbus Incorporated for the

transit arts youth engagement and

employment pro program in the amount of

$143,99963.

>> Good morning, commissioners and county

administration. Carmen Barnes, chief

operating officer, job and family

services. We know that many young people

struggle to be engaged positively in the

community and desire small group

interaction to address isolation,

increased violence and injustice. The

Transit Arts program operated out of

Central Community House provides a

creative outlet for youth to grow their

social, emotional, professional, and

academic skill sets. Through this award,

the Transit Arts program will offer 80

youth and young adults ages 12 to 21 the

opportunity to participate in year-round

weekly workg groupoups that offer

support in creative engagement, skills

development, social emotional learning,

networking, and mentor pairing. They

will also conduct monthly events with

themes related to violence disruption

and offer a safe creative space for

youth. Here with us today to speak more

about the program are Tamar Tamar

Forest, executive director of Central

Community House, and Kendra Mills, the

program coordinator of the Central

Community House Transit Arts Program.

Following their remarks and any

questions that you may have, I ask for

your approval of this resolution.

Phoenix.

>> It's my pleasure to introduce Kendra

Mills, um, an artist, mentor, program

coordinator for Trans Art Arts Community

House, um, whose journey is a testament

to the power of community, creativity,

and opportunity. He's been a part of

Central Community House since he was 10

years old in fifth grade when he first

joined as a participant in elementary

school in the afterchool program. During

his middle school years, an art teacher

at Central introduced him to Transit

Arts and encouraged him to give it a

try. Although he was initially nervous,

he embraced the opportunity, beginning a

journey that would shape both his

artistic voice and his future. As a high

school student, Kendro asked if he could

volunteer in the Central Community House

after school program. His dedication,

enthusiasm quickly stood out, and within

a few months, he was offered a position

as a program helper, and at the same

time, he continued supporting Transit

Arts Thursday Art Sessions. His

commitment, leadership, and passion for

investing in young people eventually led

to his current role as program

coordinator for Transit Arts. From a

young participant in an after-school

program to an artist, leader, and

mentor, Kendra's story is a powerful

example of growth, perseverance, and

giving back, he embodies the lasting

impact that Central Community House and

Transit Arts can have on young people by

helping them discover their passions,

build confidence, and become leaders in

their own community. And Cadrell is here

today to share a poem of his.

>> Hello. I will now share a short poem uh

regarding my experience before entering

transit and my struggle to find passion.

The name of my poem is peering through

the glass.

Always drifting through the endless

blurry slideshow of nights while I kept

my thumb on repeat. As deceptive exes on

the calendar kept each night company as

if to say my day was complete. Always

with envy I'd gaze at my future in

comparison to peers. As I found myself

the only with unobtained passion, never

on the rise despite all my years. Always

an encouraging distant observer, I

peered through the glass. Always the

bystander with eyes of green, helping

others obtain their spark. As each

marked off X thickens the opaque screen,

separating us in my search well after my

embark.

Always unable to cross the barrier

incapable of bridging the gap. I felt as

if all my time would be spent on the

wrong side of the window. As I watched

everyone grow brighter, yet no force in

my legs carried me forth. I lay in

harrow.

Always until one day the repeat stopped.

And on my side I picked up off the

ground one of my very own a spark. My

thumb now holds a pencil that can create

worlds of all kinds. I kept it close

until finally the glass in front was no

longer worth remark. Always joined with

them now. I can leave that trudge

behind. And when I look back and see my

old self on the other side, he smiles

and waves, knowing that now with peace

of mind, I can have a bright life of my

own. No longer just peering through the

glass. Thank you.

[applause]

>> You know, we've been we've been

investing in um a lot of things for a

lot of years. We sit here every every

week and we and we um make investments.

We make investments in economic

development. We make investment. We just

had Linda Logan up here. We make

investments in in in sports. We we make

investments for a lot of obvious

reasons, but we've been making

investments in in the arts um in various

ways uh for a long long time. Um,

usually we make investments in the arts

through uh GCAC or some other form, but

we've been making investments in transit

arts for a lot of years. And I'm always

amazed when when we make investments in

the arts in the different forms uh of of

arts. Um, you know, people think of art

and they think of, you know, painting

and sculpture and, you know, but art is

music and art is the spoken word. Um and

uh so and and oh by the way uh when

somebody does a painting and you know

they hang it on a wall uh oftenimes

that's kind of easy you know you could

hang it on a wall and walk away and

nobody's nobody you know but when you

have to stand in front of a room full of

people and express not only your

thoughts but your feelings and emotions

that's a little bit more. And so, not

only congratulations to you for a

fantastic poem, but congratulations to

you for being willing to come in here

this morning and express yourself the

way that you did. So, thank you.

>> Thank you.

>> And congratulations

>> if I may, President McGrady. Um, thank

you. ever since I, you know, came to the

board. Um, and I know, uh, Robin in

public affairs has talked about transit

arts, uh, from the time I became a

county commissioner. And I've gotten to

see, um, all of the the impact that, uh,

these investments have on our youth. And

so, I just want to echo President

O'Grady's comments. Thank you for coming

here and sharing uh, your poem. I didn't

get take public speaking until I was in

college. I would have never had the the

courage to come in front of an audience

and be willing to share. It was a

beautiful poem. Um and so, you know,

congratulations to you. But, you know,

you're just one of many who have been

impacted uh by uh transit arts and our

investment. And so, love to see um

others continue to come um and you know,

look forward to supporting this

resolution.

Are

>> there no further comments or questions?

Move for adoption of 447-26.

>> Second.

>> Moved and seconded voting. Commissioner

Boyce.

>> Yes.

>> Commissioner Cwley,

>> yes.

>> Commissioner Ogrady,

>> yes.

>> Resolution number 44726 has been

adopted.

>> Resolution number 44826.

Resolution approving a subboard

agreement with transforming communities

for the Central Ohio Parent Leadership

Training Institute to promote positive

parenting and engagement in the amount

of $75,000.

Transforming Communities is a community-

centered nonprofit organization designed

to empower parents, caregivers, and

youth um through community-based

initiatives that create lasting

equitable impact. They also operate the

Central Ohio Parent Leadership Training

Institute known as COPLTI,

the program whose goal is to increase

parent involvement with children while

promoting their lifelong health, safety,

and learning. CLP

TLI's

program delivers 20 weeks of structured

training designed to build participants

leadership capacity, critical thinking,

and problem solving skills. Through this

training, participants learn the

practical tools of civic engagement and

advocacy, enabling them to drive

meaningful and sustainable changes

within their communities. Through this

award, the program plans to serve a

minimum of 50 families from

neighborhoods on the near east side in

Lynen and on the south side of Columbus.

This subawward aligns with the rights

together poverty blueprint goal number

13. And pending any questions, I ask for

your approval of this resolution.

>> If there are no comments or questions,

move for adoption of 448-26.

>> Second.

>> Moved and seconded. Voting. Commissioner

Boyce.

>> Yes.

>> Commissioner Cwley,

>> yes.

>> Commissioner O'Gee,

>> yes. Resolution number 448-26 has been

adopted. Resolution number 44926,

resolution approving a no cost extension

to the subboard agreement with the Ohio

State University for the urban roots 4H

youth development program. In September

of 2025, this board approved and

authorized a subawward agreement with

the Ohio State University for the

provision of youth development

programming through the urban roots for

youth development program. This

resolution authorizes a nocost extension

for OSU to continue its work with Urban

Roots 4 through September 30th of 2026.

And just to give you an update, Urban

Roots's um year-long goal is to increase

agricultural exploration programming

designed to expose youth to concepts and

opportunities in agriculture,

environmental science, food science, and

safety, and workforce development. So

far through this contract period,

they've touched over 3,700 youth through

their visits to schools and in community

gardens. They have [clears throat]

programs planned throughout the summer

to expand those garden experiences as

well. Um, and we'll tell you more about

them in the future. Pending any

questions? I ask for your approval of

this resolution.

>> Thank you. If there are no comments or

questions, move for approval resolution

44926.

>> Second.

>> Moved and seconded. Voting. Commissioner

Cwley.

>> Yes. Commissioner Orady,

>> yes.

>> Commissioner Boyce,

>> abstain.

>> Resolution number 44926 has been adopted

with Commissioner Boyce's noted

abstension.

>> Thank you.

>> Thank [snorts] you.

>> Thank you, Carmen. Public facilities

management.

>> Resolution number 45026, resolution

adopting the 2026 annual capital

improvement plan and appropriations

adjustments for construction projects in

the amount of $5,500,000.

>> Good morning, commissioners. Darla

Reeran, Director Public Facilities

Management.

PFM is responsible for the facility

needs of Franklin County. This

resolution request approval of public

facilities management's 2026 capital

improvement plan, the CIP, that includes

various construction projects such as

supporting the operational needs of

county agencies and offices, completing

critical facility preservation

activities, and/or enhancing safety and

security electronics. This resolution

also includes a supplemental

appropriation in the amount of 5.5

million to be utilized for the 2026 CIP

projects. Pending any questions, we

request your approval of this

resolution. Thank you.

>> There are no comments or questions. Move

for adoption of 450-26.

>> Second.

>> Moved and seconded. Voting. Commissioner

Boyce.

>> Yes.

>> Commissioner Cwley,

>> yes.

>> Commissioner O'Grady,

>> yes.

>> Resolution number 45026 has been

adopted.

>> Thank you.

Thank you, Darla. Um, purchasing

>> resolution number 45126,

resolution approving purchases for

various Franklin County agencies in the

amount of 1,68,27122.

>> Good morning, commissioners and county

administration. Megan Perry Balaner,

director of purchasing. Um, this

resolution uh request your approval of

68 purchase orders. The county auditor

has pre-certified available funding and

pending. Any questions? I respectfully

request your approval of this

resolution.

>> If there are no comments or questions,

move for adoption of 451-26.

>> Second.

>> Moved and seconded. Voting. Commissioner

Boyce.

>> Yes.

>> Commissioner Cwley.

>> Yes.

>> Commissioner O'Grady.

>> Yes.

>> Resolution number 451-26 has been

adopted. Resolution number 45226.

Resolution approving one purchase for

the Franklin County Board of

Commissioners Agency in the amount of

5,734,979.

As stated, commissioners, this

resolution requests your approval of one

purchase order. The funding has been

prescertified and pending. Any

questions? I respectfully request your

approval.

>> If there are no comments or questions,

move for adoption of 452-26.

>> Second.

>> Moved and seconded voting. Commissioner

Boyce,

>> yes.

>> Commissioner Cwley,

>> yes.

>> Commissioner O'Grady,

>> abstain.

>> Resolution number 45226 has been adopted

with Commissioner Grady's noted abion.

Resolution number 45326. Resolution

approving purchases for various Franklin

County agencies in the amount of

$18,000.

>> Commissioners, this resolution requests

your approval of two purchase orders.

The county auditor has certified uh

available funding and pending. Any

questions? I respectfully request your

approval.

>> If there are no comments or questions,

move for approval of resolution 453-26.

>> Second.

>> Moved and seconded voting. Commissioner

Cwley,

>> yes.

>> Commissioner O'Grady,

>> yes.

>> Commissioner Boyce,

>> abstain. Resolution number 45326 has

been adopted with Commissioner Boyce's

noted abstension.

>> Thank you, Commissioner.

>> Thank you.

>> Thank you, Board of Commissioners.

>> Resolution number 45426.

Resolution authorizing a memorandum of

understanding with Champions Bridge LLC

for the adaptive reuse, remodeling, and

development of a proposed 100 unit

community serving housing project in the

amount of $1,500,000.

>> Good morning, commissioners. Robin

Morehead, assistant prosecuting

attorney. Uh on behalf of Franklin

County prosecutor prosecutor Shayla

Favor, this resolution approves a grant

to Champions Bridge in an amount not to

exceed $1,500,000

for a 100 unit community serving housing

project um that will be located at 1078

East Dublin Granville Road in Columbus

um Ohio Franklin County, Ohio.

Champions Bridge is a Columbus,

Ohiobased social impact venture led by

Maurice Clarrett with a mission to meet

vulnerable residents where they actually

are rather than where systems expect

them to be. Champions Bridge will

undertake the adaptive reuse and

remodeling of two underutilized former

hotel buildings to develop the 100 unit

community serving housing project. The

project, this project will serve senior

Lonnie fixed or limited income and

pregnant women in need of stable

supportive housing and provide them with

housing and supportive services at zero

cost. Supportive services will be

provided by our brother's keeper. The

maximum length of length of stay for

residents of the project is undetermined

and will depend on a variety of factors

for the project's diverse resident

population. The cost of of residents

stay at the project is funded by both

local and public um local public and

private organizations. As a condition of

receiving the county grant, Champions

Bridge will cause the project to

maintain its principal [clears throat]

purpose for 30 years. Um they will also

provide internet to the residential

units at zero cost for a minimum of 30

years.

Additionally, Champions Bridge warrants

that um it or any subsequent owner will

maintain the project and project site

and will not allow the project or

project site to become subject to a

nuisance action. In the event that

Champions Bridge does violate any

provision of the preservation and

maintenance section of theou, the county

has all of the remedies available to it

at law and in equity, including um the

clawback of funding during the period of

affordability as permitted by theou. I

know that Chief Pride also has a few

comments and um upon conclusion of those

comments pending any questions, we

respectfully request your approval of

this resolution.

>> Thank you, Robin, and um Michelle Pride,

Chief of Economic Innovation and

Development. Um first would like to

thank our Franklin County Prosecutor's

Office for all of the uh due diligence

and support in getting us here today. We

are really excited um to embark on this

journey with Champions Bridge. Uh we

know housing of course is a basic need

and the foundation of in which

everything rests. Um this endeavor

strategically aligns with the objectives

outlined in our upcoming housing action

plan and we are dedicated to seeing this

through. Um before I turn it over to our

guests uh Mr. Maurice Clarrett. Um I do

want to make sure that um we just thank

our invaluable partners in this. First

and foremost our county teams um deputy

county administrator Joy Bivvens and our

health and human services consortium.

our brother's keeper who is here with us

today as well as Chip Spinning with our

Franklin County um children's services

agency, our juvenile court and judge

Straoud along with Franklin County

Public Health and our community shelter

board. Without this collective impact

and and um power of of just all of the

moving parts and pieces necessary to

ensure accessibility to housing for our

vulnerable uh populations, this would

not be possible. Um I believe that

Maurice and I had several conversations

bringing this to fruition. um several

travels working with our HUD federal

partners to really make more

opportunities like this possible across

the nation really rallying and advocated

for a lot of the federal guidelines that

we know can sometimes create challenges

for these type of things to be embedded

but they listened and they're continuing

to walk with us along with our state

partners. So without further ado, I

would like to turn it over to Mr.

Clarrett um for additional comments.

Thank you.

>> It's a hard fact to follow.

So, no, I just wanted to say uh thank

you to everybody. I I was coming up here

to say thank you to everybody. I think

I've had more uh conversations with

everybody in this room uh about just

this project over the last I don't know

how long about year uh to get it to this

point. You know, I've been in this space

for about 11 years be with housing

people uh being with rendering social

services and um to try to condense it

into a minute or two minute conversation

is just a lot. Uh but you know, just it

just been a lot. I think you said a lot

better than I would. I would probably

trip over my own words. Uh just because

I've never been to nothing like this. Uh

but it's just it's been a phenomenal

ride. Um one happy that we can provide

housing for the people in vulnerable

populations. Obviously those were things

that helped me when I was going through

my transition. Uh even more so when I

was sitting there, I'm happy that just

in Columbus, Ohio in general, uh I'm

being recognized for doing something

honorable. And to be in the space that I

am with the university, uh with the

county in general, I think it inspires

people on so many levels. And a major

shout out to uh one who's been walking

this ride with me. Our brothers keepers

of West and Park are here uh and just to

have phenomenal partners and just to be

in a phenomenal place in life. Uh I just

enjoy it and I want to thank you all for

helping to make that happen and I can

give thank yous all day but uh it's been

a wonderful time in my life. It's a

wonderful time right now. I just want to

thank you all for helping make happen.

>> Does anybody have any comments?

>> I do.

>> Please. Um, thank you for being here.

Um, and thank you for uh to everyone uh

for bringing this resolution. When I

think about um the vulnerable

populations um that you are trying to

serve, especially when it comes to

pregnant women, we know that um housing

absolutely is a social determinant of

health. And um when we think about

infant mortality, um when we think about

making sure that um women can uh have a

pregnancy that goes full term, um and um

that they can have a healthy pregnancy

and then make sure that their children

or their child can get to their first

birthday. Um housing is absolutely

foundational to that. We also know that

when we have um women go into who can't

find housing that go into our shelter

system, uh it absolutely threatens um

you know them being able to bring their

pregnancy to term and um not deal with

complications. And so um I just think

about how we don't have enough housing

um when it as it relates to women with

children um but especially uh pregnant

women. when I was in the legislature, uh

we had a there was a program called

Healthy Beginnings at Home and I think

Franklin County um also partnered with

um OSU and uh Celebrate One and others.

And we knew that when you provided

access to housing that birth outcomes

absolutely changed and improved. And so

um you know I know that this absolutely

will help youth um and others but uh I I

think especially for um our pregnant

women and making sure that we can have

healthy babies um and healthy

pregnancies it it is crucial and

foundational. I'll also say um you know

all the work that you're doing in this

space like you don't have to do it right

but you know um what was available to

you to help you be successful and um be

able to um move up an economic mobility

ladder that housing is absolutely

foundational um and that you have worked

with a number of partners and continue

to work with partners to have an impact

to make sure that everyone has the same

opportunities to thrive and and not just

serve survive. And so, um, I I I think

this absolutely can be a model, uh, for

this community and and others. And, uh,

just want to thank you for your

partnership and all that you're doing in

this space.

>> Thank you.

>> Thank you.

>> So, as a county commissioner, we get I

would imagine my colleagues get it as

well, but I get asked all the time,

what's what is the what are some of the

biggest things that you work on? What

are the some of the most important

things that you work on? And the answer

for me is very simple. Well, I always

say housing because whether we're

working on poverty, whether we're

working on um you know, economic

development, whatever it is that we're

working on, it's always it always comes

back to housing. Um when we started

doing the the um poverty blueprint work

back in 2018, housing was at the core of

of everything else uh that that uh drove

the the work of the poverty blueprint.

And so we we have been willing to

partner with anybody uh in this housing

space over the last several years. Um we

we partner with the business community.

We partner with the city of Columbus. We

partner with the state of Ohio. We

partner with the federal government. We

we have been willing to partner with

anybody to provide more housing in this

community. uh whether we're we're we're

providing new builds or we're providing

affordable housing, we've been always

been willing to partner with anybody

that we possibly could. This particular

project is phenomenal because we're

partnering not only with uh the state of

Ohio, but we're partnering with the

federal government. Um and so this has

been this has been something that's been

intriguing from from the minute you

brought it to our attention and you and

you brought it uh to us. um because for

for that particular reason and oh by the

way you're providing the uh the social

services the wraparound services that

you're providing so that you can we can

address the needs of of the clients that

we serve and and the agencies that we

do. There's absolutely no reason why we

wouldn't have been interested in this

project from the moment you suggested

it. So, uh, from the minute from the

minute that Joy brought you to my office

and said, "Hey, uh, Maurice has got an

interesting idea, I was I was it. I was

bought. I was hook, line, and sinker

because you were suggesting that we

provide housing. You were suggesting

that we provide housing with partners

that we want to partner with, and you

were suggesting that we do uh um

supportive services for the community

and the folks that we serve on a regular

basis. Um, I'm excited for not only this

this project to to to be uh to to uh

get, you know, finished and on, you

know, to doing what we're doing, but I'm

excited for whatever other conversations

we can continue to have in the future.

So, thank you for for this work and uh

let's let's move on. So,

>> good job. I don't have anything to add

to that. If there are no further

comments or questions, move for adoption

of uh where am I at here? 454-26.

>> Second.

>> Moved and seconded. Voting. Commissioner

Boyce.

>> Yes.

>> Commissioner Cwley,

>> yes.

>> Commissioner O'Grady,

>> yes.

>> Resolution number 45426 has been

adopted.

>> Thank you, Commissioner.

>> All right.

Uh, we now have a public hearing for

resolution 45526. Can mad clerk, can you

please read the public hearing?

resolution authorizing the adoption of

the fiscal year 2027 tax budget for

Franklin County.

>> Um, I'd like to open a public hearing

for this resolution. Uh, is there anyone

in the audience who would like to speak

on the public hearing?

Seeing none, I would like to close the

public hearing and have the clerk read

the resolution into the record.

Resolution number 45526,

resolution authorizing the adoption of

the fiscal year 2027 tax budget for

Franklin County.

>> Good morning again, Commissioner. Zach

Clerk with the Office of Management and

Budget. The tax budget is a financial

plan that identifies how much money is

expected from local, state, and federal

sources, the anticipated carryover fund

balances, and how much is needed to

carry out governmental functions in the

next fiscal year. The tax budget is

submitted to the county budget

commission and is required for the

receipt of allocations from the local

government fund and of the various

property tax levies in the upcoming

year. In addition, the office of

management and budget uses the tax

budget to set the guidelines for county

entities as they begin entering their

2027 budget requests and these will be

incorporated into the annual

appropriation measure that will be

presented for your approval in December.

Pending any questions would ask for

approval of this resolution.

>> Mr. President May's question,

>> please.

>> Thank you. Uh, thank you, Director

Talleric. Um, if you could can you give

us an overview of what you're seeing in

the tax budget in terms of trends. Um,

how are we performing in sales tax? How

are we performing in our sort of larger

areas? Um, can you give any kind of

color on how we're trending? Yeah, in

terms of sales tax, which again is

between 60% and twothirds of our general

fund revenue, um we do use uh a forecast

from Moody's Analytics on their

estimated retail sales. Um they're

projecting a just under 3% increase in

uh retail sales going into next year. Um

however, you know, salaries and wages

are expected to go up between three and

4% depending on uh the different

collective bargaining agreements. Uh we

also have health care which um is

currently estimated to go up 13%. Um so

as a result of these increases um the

revenue growth won't be able to kind of

meet those increases. So we have asked

agencies to uh reduce their budget

requests by 2 and a.5% um from what

currently has been allocated after those

additions. Um, so again, we're asking uh

agencies to continue tightening the belt

similar to last year um as we're looking

into the 2027 budget process.

>> Is there Thank you for that. I really

that's exactly what I was looking for.

Are there is there anything that would

give you an indicator of uh maybe

progressive positive change for the four

fourth quarter of the year? Uh for in

third and fourth quarter or do you

seeing any kind of trends that would um

indicate better performance than we are

now where we are now? I think in terms

of sales tax for this year in the

current year, we are seeing performance

ahead of estimates at this point um

through the first six months of the

year. So hopefully if those continue um

through the third quarter, we may be

able to increase the revenue estimates

going into 2027 um to give us some

flexibility. Um investment earnings are

exceeding I think the pace that they did

last year. Again, if the Federal Reserve

does not uh cut rates and potentially

increases rates um later in the year,

again, because we invest on the shorter

market of the term, that should

hopefully, you know, potentially be

another additional revenue source.

>> Do we know uh Mr. President, do we know

um what the if we should be expecting a

a cut rate change?

>> Um

>> what what are the what are the Feds

saying? I know they've got their new

chair in place, but are they are they

projecting? Um,

>> from what I've read in just the

literature, I think again it's looking

at either keeping rates the same or

potentially now discussions of an

increase. Um, I know we'll have our next

investment advisory committee meeting uh

next month uh with meter investments in

the county treasures office. So

hopefully we'll get an update then in

terms of where they're expecting the

market to to look. And again, usually

that July meeting is when we kind of

work with the treasur's office as they

finalize their budget request to see

what that number will be going into next

year.

>> Okay. Thank you. I appreciate that.

Thank you.

>> Can I

should I move for passage here? Okay. Uh

if there are no further comments or

questions, move for adoption of 455-26.

>> Second.

>> Moved and seconded. Voting. Commissioner

Boyce.

>> Yes.

>> Commissioner Cwley,

>> yes. Commissioner Orady.

>> Yes.

>> Resolution number 45526 has been

adopted. Resolution number 45626.

Resolution appointing Michelle Pride in

her official capacity to the Mid Ohio

Regional Planning Commission.

>> Good morning, commissioners, county

administration. Michael Rman, assistant

director of community appointments. This

first resolution seeks to appoint

Michelle Pride in her official capacity

to the Mid Ohio Regional Planning

Commission for a term expiring June

30th, 2028. Pending any questions? We

respectfully ask for your approval.

>> There are no comments or questions. Move

for adoption of 456-26.

>> Second.

>> Moved and seconded. Voting. Commissioner

Boyce.

>> Yes.

>> Commissioner Cwley.

>> Yes.

>> Commissioner O'Grady.

>> Yes.

>> Resolution number 45626 has been

adopted. Resolution number 45726.

Resolution appointing Kevin Pangrace in

his official capacity to the Mid Ohio

Regional Planning Commission.

>> Commissioners, this resolution seeks to

appoint Kevin Pangrace in his official

capacity to the Mid Ohio Regional

Planning Commission for a term ending

June 30th, 2028. Pending any questions?

We respectfully ask your approval.

>> If there are no comments or questions,

move for adoption of 457-26.

>> Second.

>> Moved and seconded. Voting. Commissioner

Boyce.

>> Yes.

>> Commissioner Cwley,

>> yes.

>> Commissioner Orydy,

>> yes.

>> Resolution number 45726 has been

adopted. Resolution number 458-26.

Resolution appointing Gary Collins and

his official capacity to the Mid Ohio

Regional Planning Commission.

Commissioners, this resolution seeks to

appoint Gary Collins in his official

capacity to the Mid Ohio Regional

Planning Commission for a term ending

June 30th, 2028. Pending any questions,

we respectfully ask your approval.

>> If there are no comments or questions,

move for adoption of 458-26.

>> Second.

>> Moved and seconded. Voting. Commissioner

Boyce.

>> Yes.

>> Commissioner Cwley,

>> yes.

>> Commissioner Oertie,

>> yes.

>> Resolution number 458-26 has been

adopted. Resolution number 45926.

Resolution approving, ratifying, and

confirming Franklin County suburban

mayor's appointee, Mayor Richard L. Iik

Stage, to serve on the Franklin County

Convention Facilities Authority Board.

>> Commissioners, this resolution seeks to

approve, ratify, and confirm Franklin

County Suburban Mayor's appointee, Mayor

Richard L. Ike stage to serve on the

Franklin County Convention Facilities

Authority Board for a term ending

January 6th, 2030. Pending any

questions, we respectfully ask your

approval. If there are no comments or

questions, move for adoption of 459-26.

>> Second.

>> Moved and seconded. Voting. Commissioner

Boyce.

>> Yes.

>> Commissioner Cwley.

>> Yes.

>> Commissioner O'Grady.

>> Yes.

>> Resolution number 45926 has been

adopted. Resolution number 46026.

Resolution appointing Laura Ankuni to

the Franklin County Board of Zoning

Appeals.

>> Commissioners, our final resolution

today seeks to appoint Laura Ankuni to

the Franklin County Board of Zoning

Appeals for a term ending June 30th,

2031. Pending any questions, we

respectfully ask your approval.

>> If there are no comments or questions,

move for adoption of 460-26.

>> Second.

>> Moved and seconded. Voting. Commissioner

Boyce.

>> Yes.

>> Commissioner Cwley,

>> yes.

>> Commissioner Ogrey,

>> yes.

>> Resolution number 46026 has been

adopted.

>> Thank you.

>> All right. Uh, are there any

journalizations?

>> There are not.

>> All right. Board of Commissioners.

>> Resolution number 46126,

resolution of the Franklin County Board

of Commissioners to convene into

executive session for the purpose of

considering personnel matters and to

confer with the Franklin County

Prosecutor's Office concerning pending

or imminent litigation.

>> Okay. Move to convene into executive

session to consider the appointment,

employment, dismissal, discipline,

promotion, demotion, or compensation of

a public employee or official and to

confer with an attorney for the public

body concerning disputes involving the

public body mob body that are subject of

pending or imminent court action.

>> Second moved and seconded voting.

Commissioner Boyce,

>> yes.

>> Commissioner Cwley,

>> yes.

>> Commissioner O'Grady,

>> yes. Resolution number 461-26 has been

adopted to convene into executive

session.