Franklin County commissioners advance Safe Routes projects, approve grants and contracts

The Franklin County Board of Commissioners on April 14 adopted a package of resolutions that will move forward pedestrian-safety projects near county schools and authorize multiple grants and contracts across county departments.

The board unanimously adopted five related Safe Routes to Schools resolutions that direct the county engineer to prepare plans and specifications to establish, alter or widen streets near Dunlow and Madison elementary schools in Madison Township. Nick Sulis, speaking on behalf of Franklin County Engineer Adam Fowler, said the measures are the “second legislative step” for 2025 Safe Routes projects and that they focus on “improving pedestrian infrastructure, ADA curb ramps and crossing improvements” near the affected schools.

The meeting also approved a preliminary allocation of $1,348,000 in county motor vehicle license-fee funds to the city of Reynoldsburg for the Wagner Road improvement project, described by staff as a collaborative county–municipal effort covering Priestley Drive north to East Broad Street.

County commissioners approved a set of departmental contracts and amendments. Highlights included: • A $472,397.68 fourth modification to the contract with AMT Consulting Group LLC to continue funding-acquisition services for water and sewer infrastructure planning and residential assistance. • A $69,825 contract with Affiliated Resource Group Inc. to support network infrastructure and computer security systems; the vendor was presented as a local small-business enterprise. • A renewal/authorization for virtual crime‑center software from LexisNexis Risk Solutions to give the sheriff’s office access to nationwide crime data for pattern detection and resource deployment.

Other adopted items included a transfer of appropriations of $34,930.35 to cover prisoner pursuit and transportation expenses for January–February, and the acceptance of a $9,965.90 gift to Animal Care and Control to support dog‑shelter operations.

On grants and community programs, the board indefinitely postponed Resolution 19426 (a $325,000 grant to That’s a Real Situation Inc. for Sunrise Youth Development) at the request of the Office of Economic Engagement and Community Development. Separately, Resolution 23126 authorized an $81,000 grant to Male Behavioral Health to support three prevention-focused initiatives (including a Black suicide-prevention week and a deaths-of-despair symposium) that staff said are expected to engage approximately 5,000 county residents.

The board adopted Resolution 23226, authorizing a one‑year, $60,000 professional-services agreement with the Columbus Council on World Affairs to provide cultural-fluency training for county employees (two 2.5‑hour virtual sessions per month, up to 30 employees per session).

Several purchasing resolutions that include multiple purchase orders were adopted; the transcript lists large totals for these items that have inconsistent formatting in the record and are noted below in clarifying details.

Deputy County Administrator Chris Long said the county administrator’s authority to approve and execute certain expenditures for meetings and outreach (Resolution 23826) will be exercised only when procurement and contracting processes have been followed; he confirmed that approved expenditures will be logged and filed with the clerk as required.

What happens next: For the Safe Routes projects the engineer will prepare plans and specifications and proceed with the project development steps described in the resolutions. Contract and grant winners will proceed under the terms approved by the board.