COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Columbus City Council has approved $2.5 million for a new fire truck. This comes as the local firefighters' union raised the alarm about a critical fire vehicle shortage that could affect community safety.
Last week, council, which nearly votes the same way, had a 5-4 vote to reject the ordinance. A months-long labor dispute between the company that makes the trucks and the union representing the workers gave some council members pause.
Now, they hope there is a resolution and a truck on the way.
Ohio lawmakers consider legalizing online gambling and lottery"Our expectation for a long-time vendor like Sutphen is to work very closely with our friends in labor and to come up with a successful resolution that protects the workers here in the city of Columbus," Councilmember Emmanuel Remy said.
Sutphen is the company the city hires to build its fire trucks. Last week, the union representing Sutphen workers asked council to vote no on the new truck, citing ongoing labor disputes.
"We sent it back to committee after 5-4 vote to allow the opportunity for the company and the union workers to have more dialogue, to make us feel comfortable," Remy said.
Since then, Remy said he has heard from the union that negotiations are scheduled to start at the end of June.
"Longer than we'd like to see, but certainly at least it's progress," Remy said.
Doctor urges screening after Biden cancer diagnosisThis week, council unanimously approved the purchase. This comes as the fire union has raised the alarm of a fire truck shortage in the city and a need for replacements now for the aging fleet.
"We're running at a deficit,” Remy said. “We want to make sure that we provide them with the equipment that they need, the best equipment that they need.”
Now, the Department of Public Safety will start negotiations with Sutphen and plans to ask for a contract that will allow the city to cancel or have Sutphen pay a fine if there are delays or strikes due to labor disputes.
“Having worked with the Columbus Division of Fire for decades, Sutphen looks forward to continuing our long-standing relationship by providing life-saving equipment to our city’s first responders,” a company spokesperson said in a statement.
In other Columbus City Council news:
More than 1,600 young people are experiencing homelessness in central Ohio and there’s only one 24/7 drop-in center in the area for them to get immediate help. Now Columbus City Council has approved funding for that organization.Star House provides a safe space with access to food and clothing for hundreds of people, ages 14 to 24, each year. The organization is concerned that funding cuts at the federal level could impact them, and so the city’s funding is coming at a critical time, with $75,000 going to Star House’s youth advocate program.
Investigation alleges Kroger overcharges customers on items advertised as on saleThe youth advocate program connects mentors with youth experiencing homelessness to support them in education, finding a home, and achieving stability. Twenty-three mentors work around the clock to provide this support.
"Youth advocates at Star House are one of the most important team members,” Star House CEO Ann Bischoff said. “They are greeting young people at the door, getting to know them. We train on and practice unconditional positive regard, which gets young people comfortable enough to take the next step toward their healing and connection with resources.”
With federal funding at risk, Star House is looking to raise $1.6 million so it can continue providing 24/7 care.
An empty space in downtown Columbus overlooking the Scioto Mile fountain is one step closer to being filled.The space on Civic Center Drive, once the Milestone 229 restaurant, has been closed since December. Now Columbus City Council is taking action to bring in something new.
The Milestone 229 restaurant was open for 14 years before closing down last December. The owners said they were unable to reach an agreement over a new lease with the City of Columbus, which owns the space.
Per documents NBC4 obtained from the City of Columbus, Milestone 229 owners paid $104,356 per year in rent for the space. This is outlined in a 2019 lease.
$250 million facility opens down the road from Intel in New Albany, creating 225 jobsThere are amendments that reduced the rent for months when the business was forced to close during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as when the Scioto Mile Fountain construction was underway.
However, when the restaurant could not reach a new lease agreement with the city, it closed down. Now, city council has voted to allow the Columbus Downtown Development Corporation to find a new restaurant to take over the space.
"The proceeds that will go to that will, of course, go to other economic development opportunities in downtown and around in our community," Councilmember Nick Bankston said. "Downtown is evolving. It is going through a renaissance right now and this is a part of that evolution."
Bankston says the goal is to have a local restaurant in by the end of the year.
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