Skip to main content
Click Here For COVID-19 Vaccine Information
Franklin County Ohio Logo

What’s Happening in Franklin County?

Human Services Levy Review Committee Report

After a thorough analysis of the Franklin County Board of Developmental Disabilities levy request, it is the recommendation of the Human Services Levy Review Committee that the Board of Commissioners place a ten-year 3.5 mill renewal levy effective for tax collections beginning January 1, 2019 on the November 7, 2017 ballot.

View the committee's report

On June 20, the commissioners welcomed members of the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders to General Session, and hosted an open roundtable discussion with them following the meeting. For the second consecutive year, The Ohio State University is one of just 38 academic institutions across the United States hosting a cohort of 25 Mandela Washington Fellows that are participating in a six-week public management and leadership institute from June 16 – July 28 organized by the John Glenn College of Public Affairs and the Center for African Studies. Ohio State’s program weaves a sequence of leadership development modules into the institute’s classroom activities, site visits, community service, cultural immersion, and professional networking opportunities, both on and off campus. The Washington Mandela Fellows are men and women between 25 and 35, who have established records of accomplishment in promoting innovation and positive change in their respective organizations by being engaged in community development and youth mentorship.

 

As they have done for the last several seasons, the commissioners honored local high school athletes who won state championships during the spring sports season. Local state champions include runners from Dublin Coffman, Gahanna Lincoln, Hilliard Darby, Hilliard Davidson, New Albany, Olentangy Orange, Reynoldsburg and Thomas Worthington, and Upper Arlington’s Girls Lacrosse and Boys Tennis Doubles teams.

Employing Young People For The Summer, Preparing Them For The Future

On May 16, the commissioners approved 10 subaward agreements for the annual Summer YouthWorks Program, which provides young people (14-24 years-old) with the opportunity to develop and build skills and experience in the workforce.

The program, which is the largest of its type in Ohio, will serve 2,385 young people through 10 individual program contractors for a total of $9,879,304, and will provide them with a minimum of 300 hours of training or work experience (200 hours for participants who are also enrolled in school).

In addition to work experience, the programs will provide case management services, financial literacy and leadership education, and other career-based training. Funding is a mixture of state and federal dollars, and participants must be eligible for TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) or WIOA (Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act) services.

New Americans Forum

Franklin County Commissioner Kevin Boyce together with the newly-formed New American Advisory Council will host a New American Forum on Wednesday, May 10, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. The event will foster dialogue and familiarity on the challenges and opportunities facing Franklin County’s immigrant community, while raising awareness and promoting integration through community engagement.

Learn more

The Board of Commissioners would like to thank the voters of Franklin County for once again showing overwhelming support for the Senior Options levy. Since 1993, Senior Options has helped residents age 60 and over maintain their independence by providing services that include medical transportation, home-delivered meals, homemaker services, personal care services, caregiver relief/respite care, adult day service, emergency response systems and minor home repair.

For more information on Senior Options, visit OfficeOnAging.org or call 614-525-6200.

Read the statement

O'Grady Makes Good on bet over NHL Playoffs

In April, Commissioner John O'Grady made a bet with Allegheny County, PA Executive Rich Fitzgerald on the NHL Hockey Playoff matchup between the Columbus Blue Jackets and Pittsburgh Penuins. The Penguins won the series, and O'Grady delivered on his promise on May 1, wearing Penguins gear while delivering donated food to the Mid-Ohio Foodbank.

Let's get them next year Blue Jackets!

Read the original press release

E-waste Collection Drive Diverts 21.5 Tons of E-waste from Landfill

On Earth Day (Saturday, April 22), the Franklin County Commissioners, Goodwill Columbus, and Columbus Clippers held their fifth annual Earth Day E-Waste Collection Event at Huntington Park. The three-hour event succeeded in diverting more than 21.5 tons of used and obsolete electronics from the landfill, while helping to support and sustain Goodwill’s job training programs for individuals with disabilities and other barriers and creating jobs. Nearly 500 vehicles dropped off e-waste at this year's event.

Learn more

Commissioners Call for Changes to State Budget

Elected officials from Franklin County met on April 13 to discuss the upcoming state biennial budget and proposals in it that would cut hundreds of millions of dollars from county budgets all over the state.

The two main focuses of the meeting, called by Board President John O’Grady and to which all county-wide elected officials were invited, were the loss of revenue from Medicaid Managed Care sales tax and the reduction of state reimbursement for legal counsel for indigent defendants.

View the presentation

Read the press release

Commissioner O’Grady to Lead Board in 2017

On January 9, Commissioner John O'Grady was chosen to serve as President of the Board of Commissioners for 2017.

Commissioner O'Grady is in the first year of a third, four-year term as a County Commissioner. He previously served as Board President in 2010, 2013 and 2016.

View press release

Commissioners Adopt Local Food Action Plan

In 2014, Franklin County Commissioner John O'Grady and Columbus City Councilmember Priscilla Tyson initiated the creation of a Local Food Action Plan to guide policy and program development aimed at strengthening local food systems and enhancing coordination of these efforts among public, private and nonprofit community stakeholders.

The project team has completed a multi-year planning process inclusive of community stakeholder surveys, best practices research, neighborhood food planning meetings, and a working committee comprised of 24 community partners with expertise in varying sectors of the local food system.

The project team has developed 27 key recommendations to help the county, city, and other partners achieve the objectives set forth in this planning process to: enhance coordination and communication among existing food resources and agencies; improve access to and education about healthy, affordable and local food; increase the role of food in economic development; and prevent food-related waste.

The Local Food Action Plan has been adopted by the Franklin County Board of Commissioners and Columbus City Council.

Learn more about the Local Food Action Plan

'Portraits of Integration' tells the story of refugee & immigrant neighbors

Commissioned and published in 2013 by the Board of Commissioners, Portraits of Integration: Journeys Toward Belonging tells the story of 15 refugees and immigrants that call Franklin County home.

Download the book

Reentry Coalition

The Coalition is charged with creating safer neighborhoods and more productive residents by increasing the success rates of ex-offenders transitioning from correctional and rehabilitative institutions back into the community. We hope the resources listed on this page are a valuable resource toward achieving that vision.

Get resources

Smart Works Economic Development Program

In 2011, the Franklin County Board of Commissioners launched a new effort to make targeted, ongoing, and strategic investments through economic development programming, under the moniker “Smart Works in Franklin County”. The goal of Smart Works is to provide innovative solutions, in the niche areas of the local economic development landscape not being served by our municipal and township partners, in order to help foster economic growth throughout the entire county.

Visit Website

TAX TIME

Don’t pay expensive fees for tax preparation or refund anticipation loans. Come to one of Tax Time's 40+ FREE tax prep sites between mid-January and April 15, even if you don’t think you owe taxes.

If your household income was up to $65,000, trained volunteers will prepare your return and file it electronically for FREE.

Call 2-1-1 for times and locations.

Visit the Tax Time website

New Water and Sewer Discount Program for Low Income Residents

The Franklin County Commissioners have approved a discount program for low-income water and sewer customers. The Department of Sanitary Engineering provides water and sewer service to approximately 40,000 residents. The Low Income Water and Sewer Discount Program will offer a 20% discount on charges for water and sewer usage to customers who meet certain income requirements.

More info and application