News

All three Franklin County Commissioners have been named to leadership roles with the National Association of Counties (NACo), policy steering committees, ad hoc and standing committees, and various caucuses and task forces.

To help end youth homelessness, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is awarding $43 million to 11 local communities across the country, including nearly $6.1 million to the Community Shelter Board in Columbus through its Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program (YHDP). This HUD program supports a wide range of housing interventions including rapid rehousing, permanent supportive housing, transitional housing, and host homes. The Community Shelter Board leads a coordinated, community effort to make sure everyone has a place to call home in Columbus and Franklin County, Ohio.

Franklin County Commissioners’ Statement on Independence Day

The Franklin County Commissioners and Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) today announced the findings of a new Franklin County Energy Study which was commissioned by the county and conducted by MORPC.  The study explores how energy is produced and used in Franklin County, and the impact it has on local communities and residents.

The Franklin County Commissioners are today calling on representatives in the United States Congress and the Ohio Legislature to proceed with urgency to enact common sense legislation to reduce the terrible toll that gun violence takes on our community and on communities across the state and nation.

Franklin County Commissioners’ Statement in Honor of Memorial Day

The Franklin County Commissioners have been recognized with a pair of Achievement Awards from the National Association of Counties (NACo) that honor innovative, effective county government programs that strengthen services for residents.  The awards are for programs within or overseen by the commissioners’ Job and Family Services and Economic Development and Planning departments.  The I Am My Brother’s Keeper program was recognized in the Human Services category, and the Building Futures pre-apprenticeship program in the Community and Economic Development category.

In conjunction with May as Mental Health Month, Franklin County today celebrated the three-year anniversary of Stepping Up: A National Initiative to Reduce the Number of People with Mental Illnesses in Jails with a Day of Action. Speakers from across the entire justice spectrum spoke at the unveiling of a Mental Health Diversion Guide, highlighting possible interventions and action steps to take on behalf of mentally-ill individuals at each step of the crisis and justice continuum. 

Two hundred fifty million dollars in tax-exempt sales tax revenue bonds that Franklin County is set to issue this summer have been rated Triple-A by the two principal ratings agencies, Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. and S&P Global Ratings.  This is the nation’s first and only local government issuance of special tax bonds to ever receive Triple-A ratings from both Moody’s and S&P.  At the same time, the rating agencies both also reaffirmed their Triple-A ratings of the county’s outstanding general obligation bonds.

Don Winstel, Director of Franklin County Animal Care and Control and the County Dog Shelter has announced that he will be retiring in August of this year.