News

This week, the Franklin County Commissioners voted to approve a set of 14 grants totaling almost $2.2 million to community agencies aimed at helping our residents continue to recover from the pandemic and spark meaningful change in the lives of Franklin County residents.  The largest is for $711,000 to the Homeless Families Foundation which serves more than 700 families in our community annually.  The other grants are divided among 13 local social services agencies and organizations as part of the commissioners’ yearly Catalyst Grant program. 
 

This week, the commissioners approved a $1.25 million grant to the Franklin County Convention Facilities Authority, which operates the Greater Columbus Convention Center and Nationwide Arena, both of which are closely tied to our region’s travel and tourism industry and key components in our county’s economic recovery.  In a typical year, Central Ohio welcomes 43 million visitors who directly spend about $7.6 billion and support 78,600 jobs in the tourism industry.  The same visitors pay $1.35 billion each year in local, state, and federal taxes that support the arts, human services, and economic development in Franklin County.
 

The Franklin County Commissioners this morning approved two contracts to better support families facing eviction due to the ongoing pandemic.  The Franklin County Municipal Court recently said that it would not enforce a new CDC eviction moratorium, and many families are in danger of losing their homes due to the pandemic and pandemic economy.  The new supports include $624,000 in additional funding to the Legal Aid Society of Columbus and $550,000 for Community Mediation Services of Central Ohio.
 

This week, the commissioners approved a $155,000 grant to the African American Male Wellness Agency (AAMWA) to provide programs to address the historically poorer health outcomes of African-American men in Franklin County.  The African American Male Wellness Agency  works to increase the health outcomes and life expectancy of Black men in Central Ohio with initiatives in Fatherhood, Financial Health, Health and Wellness, Mental Health, Research, and Mentorship, and provides health screenings, a wellness walk, mental wellness events, an HIV awareness day, and more.
 

The Franklin County Commissioners are disappointed in the municipal court’s decision not to enforce the new CDC eviction moratorium order.  Families across the country have struggled to pay their rent or mortgages during the pandemic, and many of our Franklin County residents are now facing a new uncertainty about their futures and their ability to keep a roof over their heads.
 

Due to an alarming rise in the number of COVID-19 cases in our community and new guidance from the Franklin County and Columbus Public Health Departments, Franklin County Administrator, Kenneth N. Wilson yesterday issued new guidance to Board of Commissioners employees requiring that they again wear face coverings in common areas of county facilities.  All other visitors to county buildings are strongly encouraged to wear masks, and masks are required by some courts in the county complex. These actions are consistent with the advice of our local public health officials and with guidance recently issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

This week, the Franklin County Board of Commissioners funded a new expansion at the Mid-Ohio Food Collective via a $7 million grant to add a 19,000 square-foot addition to the foodbank’s facility in Grove City.  The grant is made up of funds from the American Rescue Plan, of which Franklin County will receive more than $255 million over the coming two years.  The new addition will include a 14,000 square-foot freezer that will double storage and picking locations, and four new dock doors for loading, unloading, and handling perishable foods.
 

Former State Representative Erica C. Crawley was sworn in this morning as the newest Franklin County Commissioner.  She replaces interim Commissioner, Dawn Tyler Lee, who has served since May 21^st following the resignation of long-time Commissioner Marilyn Brown.  Commissioner Crawley was chosen by the retiring commissioner’s political party as required by Ohio law, and will serve the remainder of Commissioner Brown’s original term through 2022.
 

For the 28th consecutive year, Franklin County has received duel Triple-A ratings by the two principal financial ratings agencies, Standard and Poor’s Global Ratings (S&P) and Moody’s Investors Service, Inc., making it one of just 2% of local governments in the country to enjoy this favorable rating.  Standard and Poors’ view of county management is that it is “very strong, with financial practices and sophisticated budget processes that are well embedded and sustainable as pandemic-related pressures subside.”
 

This week, the commissioners are investing $250,000 with Experience Columbus to help promote our community and fund a Diversity Travel Apprenticeship program to promote equity in the hospitality industry.  Experience Columbus markets and promotes our region as a destination for visitors, tourists, conferences and conventions, and the hospitality industry has suffered during the pandemic.  In a typical year, Greater Columbus welcomes 43 million visitors who directly spend about $7.6 billion and support 78,600 jobs in the tourism industry.  The same visitors pay $1.35 billion each year in local, state, and federal taxes that support the arts, human services, and economic development in Franklin County.  Getting our hotels, restaurants, convention center, and other attractions back on their feet will be key to helping our whole community recover.