News

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.
 

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.