[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6485151,"mediaKeyId","5444008-26a247bd35cdad42e1428d00b45921d2","parentId",5444008,"title","Votes at a glance: council passes contracts, grants and capital items including cybersecurity, roofs, incentives and public safety apparatus","audioSeconds",1746,"startMs",2707130,"endMs",4454110,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5444008-26a247bd35cdad42e1428d00b45921d2&start=2707&end=4454","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5444008-26a247bd35cdad42e1428d00b45921d2/thumbnail_2707130.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6485151/Ohio/Votes-at-a-glance-council-passes-contracts-grants-and-capital-items-including-cybersecurity-roofs-incentives-and-public-safety-apparatus","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6485151-b00728e9912147358d8d72c29562d95c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770516119&Signature=imkwRFJBoVyXoh42P4kWrY45FGmbUuvlB8Ki41QZLyFi6HOZlNzmEk7hQazHx4ZXHSDlaMrCMhVmhBmNim-DStZ4n6oAld~GxHqCo0fETnXV4ortUI8c1U-7vUgCNGM-0gYHyUjVwN5wEd60zx0bVXSuNe01MmilvzWysc~vn5BQdKIp~L~duotuYa1carTXNXzsU~UqPwNCesmvozpzR~30IaM5bGfuzmP~ENu5PREaWzCmFeGBmaWo6yr9LjnBmEHzDZRP6eRIaAqmUJs-eEdm756f~Vd3NgBbyGd5h6APcy16CJogW5yF4Sk0-RbOQTQ88wbjw3SBGpAfn-wUQA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Columbus","date","2025-07-22T01:41:47.777Z","article","Columbus City Council took votes on multiple ordinances and contracts across committees. Most measures passed on voice or roll call votes. Key approvals included technology and infrastructure contracts, economic incentive payments, park and neighborhood investments, and a reworked procurement to secure a fire ladder truck with delivery protections.

Selected approved items (vote outcomes recorded at the July meeting):

- SentinelOne cybersecurity renewal (contract with CDW Government LLC; one‑year renewal for endpoint protection) — ordinance passed; expenditure authorized ~$775,345.17 from the Department of Technology.

- Roof restoration and replacement (contract with General Maintenance & Engineering Co.; multiple city facilities including fire stations and police substation) — ordinance passed; transfer and appropriation of $2,863,000; emergency declared.

- City insurance program brokerage renewal (contract with USI Insurance Services LLC to bind city insurance 8/1/2025–7/31/2026) — ordinance passed; up to $1,651,880 authorized.

- Jobs Growth Incentive (JGI) payments to 14 employers — ordinance passed to authorize up to $5,840,497.76 in JGI disbursements for 2024 reporting year; payments are performance‑based.

- Public school revenue‑sharing payments related to property tax abatements (seven school districts; 55 agreements reported) — ordinance passed; up to $5,774,772.91 authorized; a large share goes to Columbus City Schools.

- Downtown office incentive annual payment (six agreements) — ordinance passed; ~$867,314 authorized.

- Open Streets programming (grant to Downtown Columbus, Inc.) — ordinance passed authorizing $100,000 to support three Open Streets events downtown.

- ADA curb‑ramp citywide project (contract for curb ramps) — ordinance passed; up to $1,206,967.42 authorized and declared an emergency; selection based on 3‑1‑1 requests, COTA routes and equity priorities.

- City Year grant (support for AmeriCorps members in Columbus City Schools) — ordinance passed; $70,000 appropriation and $75,000 authorized expenditure to place AmeriCorps members as near‑peer tutors and mentors.

- Affordable housing and community investments: Walnut Grove capital repairs ($1,000,000 grant to Preservation of Affordable Housing, Inc.) and a capital contribution of up to $1,000,000 to support Star House’s second drop‑in center — both ordinances passed.

- Fire apparatus procurement: Council repealed an earlier contract with Sutphin Corporation and approved funds to purchase a Pierce (Atlantic) ladder truck, with contract language allowing cancellation or liquidated damages in the event of delayed delivery; ordinances passed to protect schedule and delivery timelines.

- Public utilities and sanitation contracts and maintenance agreements (security system maintenance, backflow software extension, HVAC work at Southerly WWTP, green infrastructure maintenance and refuse routing/GPS services) — ordinances passed; collectively authorized multi‑hundred‑thousand dollar expenditures subject to fund allocations.

Most items moved through committee reports and were carried by voice or roll call with no recorded dissents noted in the transcript for the listed approvals. Several ordinances were declared emergencies to allow for uninterrupted services or to meet construction timelines.

Why it matters: The package covers operational continuity (cybersecurity, maintenance, insurance), capital maintenance and public‑safety readiness, and a range of grants and incentives that shape city services and economic development. Some items (school revenue sharing, abatements, JGI payments) have larger, ongoing fiscal implications for local school districts and the city budget.

What to watch: Staff follow‑up on contractor performance (SentinelOne, contractor deliveries for the ladder truck), Tax Incentive Review Council reporting on incentive performance, and upcoming capital budget hearings and hearings on the mayor’s proposed 2025 capital improvements budget.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Columbus City Council Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Council approved a slate of ordinances and contracts spanning cybersecurity services, building repairs, insurance renewal, economic incentive payouts, parks programming, ADA ramp construction, youth services grants and a revised procurement for a fire ladder truck; most measures passed by voice or roll call.","taxTitle","Columbus City Council, Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio","taxId",75950,"location","Ohio","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6485156,"Council approves three enterprise‑zone abatements for industrial, logistics and manufacturing projects after public criticism",211,2397050,2608820,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5444008-26a247bd35cdad42e1428d00b45921d2&start=2397&end=2608","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5444008-26a247bd35cdad42e1428d00b45921d2/thumbnail_2397050.jpg","/articles/6485156/Ohio/Council-approves-three-enterprisezone-abatements-for-industrial-logistics-and-manufacturing-projects-after-public-criticism","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6485156-4465f6fef40ae906a591456bf663e70e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770516119&Signature=dNPLqwLhC7zca69Z5xMSv1sDQjulpAnxZW--v2iqySooyNGJ1JmQKm8Nt~yn0hXu4pB0oX~YiaChjEaxrAjeWqCGauxsxoylQSpB158S8TUvc9kx3Mw7t3bxzEh0ZM5xcbxywAUBZP3FSLUtucuHD01IocTj01h9ZTjTHaKtwOlnthnjI~3bqvUrPrPUMWGRysEIv0CVnpcAe13928ckf~9IKDc3jP57cb7pyTbBGCc7YyGCf40y2RtLsTgavfOhltAolVe1WYYtfFlizzuUrYRsc-Kqv7gH4FRyLBBzwgbQu5ERBVeqNTM~JmtyakqOjNoh2M2bVdF5fw4FfjrvOg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Columbus City Council approved three enterprise‑zone ordinances that grant 75% property‑tax abatements for 10 years to encourage new construction and expansions at industrial and manufacturing sites.

Council members voted to approve proposals for: Rogue Fitness (Culture Ventures LLC / Culture Properties 2 LLC) to expand at 511 E. Fifth Ave.; Pizzuti Stelzer LLC to develop a proactive industrial building at 2051 Stelzer Road; and AAVII LLC (a Fairway Realty subsidiary) to develop a 110,500‑square‑foot industrial facility at 4810 Alchire Road. Each measure passed on second reading.

Councilmember Bankston, chairman of the Economic Development and Small and Minority Business Committee, said the abatements are intended to retain and attract jobs and investment in competitive markets such as Rickenbacker. He told council the Rogue Fitness project would invest roughly $48.2 million (about $37.0 million in real property improvements) and add 30 net new full‑time jobs while retaining 665 existing jobs. The Department of Development recommended 75% abatements to help secure that expansion.

Pizzuti Stelzer’s project was described as proactive development: the company proposed roughly $25 million in total project cost, including $22 million in real property improvements, with a placeholder commitment of 18 net new full‑time jobs. The department told council it expected a tenant and for actual job creation to exceed the placeholder figure.

AAVII LLC’s project on the West Side is estimated at $15.8 million in improvements and a commitment of 20 net new full‑time positions.

Joe Motil, who testified during the committee hearing, sharply criticized the city’s use of enterprise‑zone and other abatements, saying they divert revenue from public schools and social services and calling the practice “corporate welfare.” He listed recent abatements and argued the city should find ways to require recipients to cover school impacts directly. “These tax abatements are stripping millions of dollars in revenue away from public education and social services,” Motil said.

Development Director Stevens defended the program as a performance‑based tool that is used to secure projects that otherwise might not locate in the city and to generate income‑tax revenue and new opportunities for residents. He said the city is increasingly structuring incentives to encourage employers to hire and retain Columbus residents.

Councilmembers debated the balance between competition for projects and the need to protect the city’s tax base; some emphasized that nearby jurisdictions sometimes offer even larger abatements, forcing Columbus to respond to keep projects and jobs in the region.

Why it matters: Enterprise‑zone abatements reduce property taxes on qualifying new investment and are a common tool to spur development, but critics say the programs shift costs to schools and local services. The projects collectively represent tens of millions of dollars in planned investment and a mix of retained and new jobs.

What happened: All three enterprise‑zone ordinances passed on second reading and will proceed to final adoption under the council’s established process.","Columbus council passed three enterprise‑zone ordinances that grant 75% property tax abatements for 10 years to projects at Rickenbacker and elsewhere; a public speaker sharply criticized the use of abatements and their fiscal effect on schools.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6485160,"Columbus council hears first reading on COAAA separation as staff and unions demand job protections",1332,1211930,2544430,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5444008-26a247bd35cdad42e1428d00b45921d2&start=1211&end=2544","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5444008-26a247bd35cdad42e1428d00b45921d2/thumbnail_1211930.jpg","/articles/6485160/Ohio/Columbus-council-hears-first-reading-on-COAAA-separation-as-staff-and-unions-demand-job-protections","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6485160-9f19b79c426cbbf1831e01dda5298d59/orig.mp4?Expires=1770516119&Signature=hhMJbDYHLEVRMRGbqW8R0pOTKVOrPdytdT~wtlDwInargLLsfKM3IUzLUXrw0veRi9r8FPb5C8ch3RvVbPRIfUNoqZcr~GDJmXbh0dXe6tHq7iu3PSSQ001v~DgzfaQKdkyL2k~iq9sNn1~DiFA~PP9DKrpgA1npr5Ko578Wmsn8-EOQlJA8eK4lxnOku-WWKxVBCpSj7QvUpqKmhr1PTdyZk0YvHBup8YQB1CAAUD4MlTRygYbpTLJLAmHy8Q~h3NfkHYzg78-mJoSEdPzRrJCr-VPC~f6tTsPAogohjKeCFiGIiiOlDgjJzZcLq7z12bBvbi9zMh66aRPRPPXi~g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Councilmembers heard public testimony and a legal briefing Monday on an ordinance (19-28-2025) that would authorize the director of Recreation and Parks to enter into an agreement with a newly formed regional council of governments and transfer $1,000,000 in accumulated Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging (COAAA) federal and state grant funds to that entity.

The ordinance was discussed during first reading; council did not take a final vote. COAAA leaders and union representatives pressed the city for written guarantees for employees before any separation or transfer of start-up funds.

Katie White, administrator of the Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging, told the council that the agency serves nearly 11,000 individuals across eight Central Ohio counties and is facing a mandated operational change. She said Ohio will roll out “MiCare NextGen” in January 2026, shifting long-term services and supports case management from cost-reimbursable grants to risk‑based, fee-for-service contracts. White said the agency needs flexibility to enter new contracts with managed-care organizations, and the ordinance would allow COAAA to operate through the end of 2025 while the regional council of governments (COG) is finalized.

White said COAAA has operated for 51 years as a program of the city’s recreation and parks department but that the change in state contracting means “the agency is not able to be efficient, effective, or competitive” if it remains in its current structure.

Union leaders and COAAA staff described a different experience. Hugh Williams, president of Communication Workers of America Local 4502, said the city has not provided assurances that employees’ jobs, pay rates, insurance and union representation will be preserved if COAAA separates. “This is totally unacceptable,” Williams said, adding that union members “want to know that they will have a job if COAAA separates from the city.”

Longtime COAAA employee and union representative Jane Acree told council the separation announcement has produced “weeks of sleepless nights, headaches, and nausea” for staff. Erica Coles West, a licensed social worker at COAAA, said staff have received limited detail about whether their jobs, wages and benefits will continue and asked the city to provide guarantees in writing that would be negotiated with the unions.

The city attorney briefed council on the legal framework. He said Chapter 167 of the Ohio Revised Code authorizes political subdivisions to create regional councils of governments. Delaware, Licking and Fairfield counties have voted to create the COG; the Ohio Department of Aging has designated that COG as the Region 6 Area Agency on Aging. The ordinance on first reading would authorize the director of Recreation and Parks to enter into an agreement with the Regional Council of Governments for the period July 1 through Dec. 31, 2025, and to transfer $1,000,000 of accumulated COAAA federal and state grant funds to the COG. The attorney emphasized that those funds are not city general fund dollars and “cannot be spent by the city for any other purpose.”

When councilmembers asked how employee concerns would be addressed, “Director Moses” (identified in the meeting as a city official working on the transition) said the city is conducting legal due diligence and has sent meeting dates to both unions. Moses said the city empathizes with staff anxiety and that the administration will continue to meet with union representatives; a meeting before next Monday’s council session was offered (a July 28 meeting date was mentioned during the exchange).

Council members and speakers emphasized the distinction between policy and employment law: White and city staff said the transfer is intended to preserve services and enable the agency to meet new state contracting requirements; union representatives insisted that negotiations over wages, benefits and representation must proceed before start-up money is used to separate employees from city employment.

The ordinance was on first reading; council indicated discussion would continue and that a second reading and potential vote were expected the following week.

Why it matters: COAAA provides case management and long-term services and supports to thousands of older adults. A change in the agency’s legal structure and funding model affects employees’ jobs and benefits, the delivery of services to older residents, and how federal and state grant funds are managed.

What’s next: The council expects a continuation of debate at the next meeting; city staff said it has scheduled meetings with union representatives in the coming days. The ordinance remains pending a formal council vote.","City council held a first reading of ordinance 19-28-2025 to authorize transferring $1 million in COAAA grant funds to a newly formed regional council of governments; COAAA staff and union leaders urged the city to negotiate binding job, pay and benefits protections before separation proceeds.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: council passes contracts, grants and capital items including cybersecurity, roofs, incentives and public safety apparatus

Council approves three enterprise‑zone abatements for industrial, logistics and manufacturing projects after public criticism

Columbus council hears first reading on COAAA separation as staff and unions demand job protections