Columbus City Council Meeting: May 20, 2024

Supporting The Somali Cultural Fest
Councilmembers Nancy Day-Achauer, Emmanuel Remy, and Christopher L. Wyche are sponsoring Ordinance 1437-2024 to support the Somali Cultural Fest. Somali Cultural Festival is aimed at celebrating the rich heritage, traditions, and diversity of the Somali community. The festival will showcase various aspects of Somali culture and will provide a platform for Somalis and non-Somalis alike to come together, learn, and appreciate the beauty of Somali culture. Somali Cultural Fest will take place on June 29 at 3:00 PM at Innis Park.
 
Providing More Summer Opportunities for Youth
Councilmember Nick Bankston is sponsoring Ordinance 1442-2024 to issue the second round of Faith-Based and Community Organization grants. The approximately $250,000 will support 16 religious and community organizations are holding summer and fall programs ranging from youth mentorship and college prep to community outreach and violence prevention.
 
Enhancing Access To High-quality Pre-K Education
Councilmember Melissa Green is sponsoring Ordinance 0975-2024 to provide high quality education for early childhood learning. The Early Start Columbus (ESC) program is working to collaborate with Columbus City Schools and community-based providers to provide funding that will allow more children with the opportunity to improve their literacy, language, and math skills. The $974,250 in funding will help increase the number of children served in the program. This ordinance is one of Councilmember Green's 2024 Operating Budget earmarks.
 
Investing in Violence Reduction & Prevention and Supporting Services for Domestic Violence Survivors
Councilmember Emmanuel Remy is sponsoring multiple ordinances through the Office of Violence Prevention. Ordinance 1423-2024 will authorize a contract with the National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform (NICJR) for gun violence reduction strategies, violence reduction landscape analysis, and technical assistance. Ordinance 1432-2024 will support LSS Choices and their work with survivors of domestic violence. Ordinance 1433-2024 will invest in evidence-based practices to address overarching violence prevention strategies.
 
Recognizing a Successful Earth Day
 
Councilmember Christopher L. Wyche is sponsoring Ordinance 1301-2024 to reimburse Green Columbus for expenses incurred for their annual Earth Day Celebration and support of over 40 community gardens.
Green Columbus is a sustainability-focused nonprofit striving to activate volunteer engagement, grow equitable tree canopy coverage, and foster resilient communities. The Green Columbus Earth Day celebrations brings together hundreds of volunteers to plant trees and clean up litter around the City throughout the month of April. This year’s activities included the planting of 74,000 seedlings, their all-time record. A portion of this funding will also be used to support the Linden Tree Nursery, which grows 3000 trees per year. Programs like these are essential to meeting the goals in the City’s Climate Action Plan and Urban Forestry Master Plan.

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The director of LSS Choices should be ashamed of herself for the disingenuous pageantry and her organizion for its deplorable discrimination against some victims of domestic violence. Using public funds, Choices has for years unlawfully discriminated against LGBTQ+ and male victims. Before one victim's blood had even finished hitting the ground following a brutal attack and stabbing, Choices, the only DV shelter in Franklin County, was refusing safe shelter and has repeatedly refused to provide any other support or services despite being a recipient of government disbursements.