Columbus City Council 11/15/21

Columbus City Council Meeting Highlights:

• ENCOURAGING CONVERSATIONS AROUND MENTAL HEALTH: Council President Shannon G. Hardin and Councilmember Rob Dorans are sponsoring ordinance 2837-2021 to enter into a $85,000 grant agreement with The African American Male Wellness Agency in support of the Real Men Real Talk Initiative, supporting the mental health of African Americans in our neighborhoods. The program will facilitate conversations with African American men around mental health and opioid addiction in places such as barbershops, churches, restaurants and recreation centers.

• REPLACING HVAC SYSTEMS AT A YOUTH CENTER: President Pro Tem Elizabeth Brown, chair of the Finance Committee is sponsoring ordinance 2786-2021 to fund the $388,000 replacement of the HVAC system at the J. Ashburn Jr. Youth Center. In addition, replacement upgrades will also include reconnecting gas piping, duct work, and replacing electrical wiring to units. CARES Act funding will be used to help pay for this project.

• SUPPORTING YWCA OPERATIONS: Councilmember Priscilla Tyson, chair of the Health and Human Services Committee is sponsoring ordinance 2921-2021 to provide a $957,337 grant using federal American Rescue Plan Act funds for YWCA’s emergency shelter and wrap around services to homeless individuals. The funding is for operational support to implement a number of COVID-19 mitigation measures and hiring additional temporary staff to cover staffing needs while permanent staff are unavailable due to COVID-19. Legislation was also passed for several other emergency shelters to address personnel expenses, operations, and facility needs due to COVID -19 - this included funding for: The YMCA of Central Ohio in the amount of $531,693, Faith Mission, Inc. in the amount of $296,351.00, Maryhaven, Inc. in the amount of $23,125.00 and Southeast, Inc. in the amount of $61,863.

• USING VIRTUAL REALITY FOR COLUMBUS POLICE DESCALATION TECHNIQUE TRAININGS: Councilmember Mitchell J. Brown, chair of the Public Safety Committee is sponsoring ordinance 3020-2021 to support the Appalachian Law Enforcement Initiative, which is testing the value of utilizing virtual reality to teach officers how to deescalate a mental health crisis and reckon with the compound effects of racial profiling of the Black community. Columbus Police will be the largest law enforcement agency participating in the program.

• WELCOMING 450 AFGHAN NATIONALS: Councilmember Emmanuel V. Remy is sponsoring ordinance 2820-2021, creating the Afghan Neighbors Rental Assistance Fund (ANRAF). Through Columbus resettlement agencies, Community Refugee & Immigration Services (CRIS) and Us Together, Afghan Nationals are greeted and provided welcome to the city of Columbus followed by assistance with securing employment and housing. Being new to the U.S. and many unemployed upon arrival, getting approved for housing has become a barrier for Afghan Nationals. The ANRAF will serve as reassurance to local landlords that rental assistance will be provided to Afghan Nationals in the event they are unable to secure employment and emergency funds through the resettlement agencies are unavailable.

• RAISING AWARENESS OF FAMILY COURT ISSUES: Councilmember Shayla Favor, chair of the Criminal Justice and Judiciary Committee, is sponsoring resolution 0226X-2021 to declare the month of November 2021 as Family Court Awareness Month. The resolution recognizes the ongoing efforts of One Mom’s Battle and the Family Court Awareness Month Committee, whose mission is to increase awareness on the importance of education and training on domestic violence, childhood trauma and post separation abuse for all professionals working within the family court system.