News

Franklin County Commissioner John O’Grady was selected this morning by a unanimous vote of the three-member Board of Commissioners to serve as board president for 2017. O’Grady began his third term on the board last week, and has previously been president of the board in 2010, 2013, and 2016.

Two of the three members of the Franklin County Board of Commissioners were sworn in to new 4-year terms this morning at the county courthouse. The county’s newest commissioner, Kevin Boyce was sworn in by its longest serving, Marilyn Brown, and then Commissioner John O’Grady was sworn for his third term by Commissioner Boyce.

John Glenn exemplified America’s Greatest Generation, and lived an unparalleled life of service to our nation, state, and community.

Franklin County Administrator Kenneth Wilson has presented the county commissioners with the 2017 Recommended Budget, and hearings on the proposal will begin later today. Wilson said that this year’s county budget is all about preparing for the future in a responsible way, and about setting the table for rapid growth in Central Ohio.

This morning, the Franklin County Board of Commissioners approved a pair of grants from its People
Works Program for two local companies to train and hire or place 170 county residents currently on public
assistance over three years.

For two years, the Franklin County Board of Commissioners, Columbus City Council, Columbus Public Health, Franklin County Economic Development and Planning, Local Matters and more than 1,000 residents have worked to develop a Local Food Action Plan (LFAP) designed to improve residents’ access to quality, nutritious, affordable food.

Today the Franklin County Commissioners approved a new initiative to help keep Central Ohio green and attract new businesses to our area while encouraging existing companies to stay or expand.

The Board of Commissioners is aware of the respiratory infection outbreak at the Franklin County Dog Shelter, and has been closely monitoring the situation.

The Franklin County Commissioners announced this morning that Donald Winstel will be hired as the head of the county’s Department of Animal Care and Control, which oversees the county dog shelter. Winstel was most recently the Chief Operating Officer for the Ohio Wildlife Center, and is a previous director of Franklin County Animal Care and Control. He’ll start work as director of the department and the shelter again on September 6th.

Concurrent with the City of Columbus’ advisory, The Franklin County Sanitary Engineering Department has issued a Nitrate Advisory for areas served by the county’s Sanitary District 4, which includes areas south of Fisher Road and north of Sullivant Avenue between Hilliard Rome or Norton Roads on the west and Phillipi/Georgesville Road to the east