Franklin County Family Stabilization Unit expands resources with new mentorship program

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Franklin County's Family Stabilization Unit, a two-year pilot program that provides support for low-income families, is expanding its offerings with a mentorship program aimed at youths of color.

The county commissioners have approved a $135,000 agreement between the county Department of Job and Family Services' stabilization unit and the National African American Male Wellness Agency (AAWellness) to help fund the Boys To Men program.

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New policy expands paid family leave for Franklin County employees

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The Franklin County commissioners expand a new policy to ensure all county employees receive paid family leave, a major step toward increases in gender and racial equity.

The new policy is an extension of the commissioners' Paid Family and Medical Leave put in place last year. The expansion went into effect at the beginning of the year and allows county workers to take up to eight weeks of paid leave for events such as childbirth, adoption, care for seriously ill family members, quarantine and for treatment due to COVID-19.

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New Franklin County program helps place low-income residents in mid-level technology jobs

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In line with the Franklin County commissioners' aim to reduce poverty in the county, the new Amazon Web Services training program is showing success in moving low-income residents into more sustainable careers in information technology.

The training pipeline, which was started by the National Center for Urban Solutions (NCUS) – an organization focused on providing avenues for self-sufficiency for people affected by poverty – was established in October 2020. As planned, the program has helped low-income residents get opportunities in the higher-wage IT field.

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Franklin County moves first-half property tax deadline due to potential Statehouse violence

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Franklin County Treasurer Cheryl Brooks Sullivan announced Friday that she has moved back the deadline for first-half real estate tax payments due to warnings of potential violence around the Statehouse next week.

The new deadline is Jan. 29, nine days after the originally scheduled due date of Jan. 20. Sullivan said property owners are not required to go to the county treasurer’s office Downtown to make their payments.

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Some finger pointing as Franklin County behind on setting 2021 property tax rates, bills

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Franklin County Treasurer and Auditor's offices say they are unsure when county residents can expect to know their 2021 property tax rates and bills.

The delay hinders those who look to pay all or some of their 2021 taxes early before the end of this year so they can deduct the property taxes on their 2020 federal income tax returns, said Monica Moran, spokeswoman for the county auditor's office.

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Franklin County commissioners push for body cams, policy changes following shooting

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Franklin County Commissioners are showing a new urgency to get body cameras for county sheriff's deputies and make related policy changes in the wake of the fatal shooting of Casey Goodson Jr. by a SWAT deputy last Friday.

The commissioners also urged Tuesday that the public withhold judgment about the shooting until after an investigation by the Columbus police Critical Incident Response Team and the FBI and the review by new county Prosecutor Gary Tyack and the U.S. Department of Justice.

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Franklin County Auditor's Office to return $3.5 million in unspent funds to schools, local government

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The Franklin County Auditor's Office is set to return $3.5 million to schools, libraries, agencies and municipalities from the county's Real Estate Assessment fund on Wednesday.

REA funding is used to pay for real estate reappraisals and triennial updates and comes from a portion of property taxes collected in the county. The county is refunding some of its auditor fees that were left unspent.

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Board of elections director to join Franklin County prosecutor's office

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With Gary Tyack picked by voters to become Franklin County's prosecutor-elect, Board of Elections Director Ed Leonard will move to the downtown office to serve as one of Tyack's first assistants.

Leonard, who has 22-years of experience in county government and over four years as elections director, said the opportunity arose from a conversation he had after Tyack was voted into the prosecutor's office.

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Franklin County proposes spending cuts with $492 million general fund budget for 2021

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Franklin County officials are proposing a 2021 budget that calls for no tax or fee increases while cutting some expenses and maintaining support for human service organizations.

County Administrator Kenneth Wilson will recommend a general fund budget of about $492 million in the spending plan he introduces to the county commissioners at 1 p.m. on Tuesday.

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Franklin County commissioners vote to add racial equity as a county core principle

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To end practices, policies or legislation that harm Black and Latino residents, the Franklin County Commissioners are expected Tuesday to approve a resolution to add racial equity to the county's list of core principles.

The resolution legally codifies racial equity as a sixth core principle and identifies racism as a root cause of poverty, constricted economic mobility and health disparities.

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How Franklin County decides which nonprofits get money to fight poverty, abuse and more

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Across Franklin County, dozens of nonprofit organizations work diligently to ensure the city's neighborhoods are supplemented with the resources they need.

Whether supplying meals through local food banks, forming out-of-school programs for students or establishing centers for those struggling with drug or alcohol addiction, these organizations serve as difference-makers in the capital city.

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Franklin County appoints new official to support underserved communities

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To better meet the needs of local residents, Franklin County commissioners appointed Joy Bivens as a new deputy county administrator Monday to oversee and integrate county human services systems.

The board announced that Bivens, who currently serves as the director of the county Job and Family Services agency, will take on the administrative role for health and human services to better support traditionally underserved community members.

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Franklin County Auditor Michael Stinziano looks at racial inequalities in housing appraisal process

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The Franklin County Auditor’s Office has partnered with the Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity to help eliminate inequalities in the housing appraisal process.

On Monday, Auditor Michael Stinziano and researchers from the Columbus-based Kirwan Institute held the Making of Metropolitan Inequality conference, the first of a two-part series aimed at discussing the policies that created redlined communities and suggestions on what’s next.

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Franklin County, Columbus team up to help nonprofits through COVID-19 pandemic

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Franklin County commissioners have approved a $5.4 million grant to help nonprofit organizations suffering from revenue losses and unanticipated expenses as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Resiliency Grants, funded by federal CARES Act dollars, will serve as a lifeline for nonprofit groups throughout the county, said Jodi Andes, county board spokeswoman.

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