2021

Franklin County Administrator Kenneth N. Wilson issued guidance this morning to the approximately 1,400 employees of the Franklin County Board of Commissioners (BOC) regarding a new COVID-19 testing protocol.  Beginning on October 18, all BOC employees will be required to show evidence of two negative COVID-19 tests per week in order to work.  Employees wishing to opt-out of the requirement may do so by providing proof of having received the COVID-19 vaccine to the board’s Human Resources department. 
 

The commissioners this morning approved a resolution authorizing a grant to the Columbus Urban League to support minority-owned small businesses that have been hurt by the pandemic.  The $1,050,000 in funding will increase the availability of grants through the Franklin County Business Growth and Equity Alliance for historically underserved businesses.  The commissioners partnered with the Urban League last year to create the Equity Alliance which has supported nearly 3,000 small businesses with fewer than 25 employees.
 

A resolution passed by the commissioners at this morning’s General Session meeting approved a $26,045 grant to the Human Service Chamber of Franklin County, which represents more than 120 nonprofit health and human services agencies in Central Ohio.  The Chamber will be using the funds to purchase 120,000 medical-grade disposable face masks and deliver them to its agencies for distribution to children throughout the county.  Children under 12 are not yet approved to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, and so are at potentially greater risk for contracting and spreading the infection.
 

Central Ohio is the birthplace of the American Federation of Labor and the United Mine Workers of America, and the commissioners celebrate the right to bargain collectively as among the most important to Americans.  We salute the men and women of Labor.
 
All county offices are closed today in observance of the holiday.

 
 

This morning, the Franklin County Commissioners voted on a resolution urging other local governments in Central Ohio to enact mask mandates in their public buildings.  Franklin County had put its own mask mandate in place earlier in the week, and will be transmitting a copy of its resolution to each county office-holder, county agency, and the leadership of all local governments, as well as the governor’s office.
 

This morning, the Franklin County Board of Commissioners reaffirmed its commitment to Franklin County remaining a welcoming and inclusive community, including to Afghan refugees who may be resettling in Central Ohio after fleeing persecution in Afghanistan. During this difficult time, the commissioners stand with our Afghan partners and allies who have worked with the brave members of the U.S. military and our NATO partners to safeguard the fundamental principles of human rights, women’s rights, gender equity, and the dignity of all people in the face of this repressive regime.

This week, the commissioners approved a $342,302 grant to IMPACT Community Action to begin a Family Housing Stability Navigator pilot program to serve youth in foster care, families facing chronic housing insecurity, parents and guardians dealing with substance abuse, and teens and young adult parents who are financially unstable.  The program is a partnership among IMPACT, Columbus City Schools, Columbus State Community College, and the county, and will offer trainings, life skill development, financial management education, career coaching, and more to enable the young people and their families to hone the tools and skills necessary to support long-term housing and financial stability. 
 

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.