Good Works Columbus: December 16, 2024
Stop the sweeps, City Council finalists public hearing, new MORPC survey
Intro
Hi everyone, welcome to Good Works Columbus, a newsletter highlighting actions you can take at the local level to help improve our community. This will be the last newsletter for the year. I’m going to be taking the next couple weeks off and I will be back in your inbox next year with more actions you can take. In the meantime, feel free to click on any links you may have missed and I hope you enjoy your holidays!
If you have an upcoming event or a link you’d like to share for the newsletter, feel free to send suggestions. And if you know someone who might enjoy Good Works Columbus, forward it to them and tell them to subscribe here.
Things you can do in person
Local advocacy group Heer To Serve is calling on folks to tell City Council to stop the upcoming sweeps. You can attend today’s council meeting in person and call/email council members directly. Check out Heer to Serve’s post on how you can contact City Council.
Speak of City Council, you can give a comment in person at the public hearing for the City Council District 7 vacancy. Ten finalists have been announced for the position. The outgoing council member was head of the housing and homeless committee (I don’t think the new person will necessarily fill that spot, but will be important for housing nonetheless.) You can send in your feedback by emailing council members above and attend the public hearing December 18th at 5pm.
Green Columbus x Columbus Blue Jackets Fundraiser 🏒
Watch a Blue Jackets game and support Green Columbus on December 19th at 7pm! 10 to 20 dollars of every ticket sold will go back to Green Columbus and help support a great cause.
https://bluejackets.spinzo.com/?group=green-columbus-4hrw
Use this link to buy tickets:
Things you can do online
Leaders Listen Economic Development survey
This survey is part of the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) and The Columbus Dispatch’s Leaders Listen Series, a set of short public opinion polls that invite Central Ohio community members to provide their input on important community development topics. Please complete this survey to share your insights on housing (and transportation) issues and opportunities impacting the region.Thurber House funderaiser 🏠
After recently celebrating its 40th anniversary, the Thurber House faces an uncertain future. Founded in 1984, Thurber House is a nonprofit literary arts hub, James Thurber museum, historic landmark, and gathering place for readers, writers, and artists of all ages. Please donate to the fundraiser here if you are able to.(~6 minutes) Bronzeville Food Co-op 🛒
Help bring a local, community-owned grocery store to the Near East. Take an online survey sharing your grocery needs and wants and enter for a chance to win a gift card.(~5 minutes) Capital Line Survey 🚲
Progress on the design of the future Capital Line is moving forward! If you missed the public engagement meeting you can view the materials and learn more about the project below. Help shape the future of the project by providing your input virtually. Your participation will help ensure that the Capital Line benefits businesses, residents, and visitors alike.Ohio Rail Development Survey 🚂
Check out All Aboard Ohio’s Advocacy Toolkit for this survey and the ODOT survey below.The Ohio Rail Development Commission is developing an update to its State Rail Plan.
The Ohio State Rail Plan update will provide current information on Ohio’s rail system and its role in the statewide transportation system, review passenger and freight rail issues and potential investments and opportunities, and establish the Commission’s goals and objectives for Ohio’s rail network. An updated State Rail Plan will help ensure that Ohio remains competitive for federal discretionary grant opportunities.
ODOT Transportation Survey 🚍
We are requesting your participation in ODOT’s Transportation Preference Survey. We need feedback from people all around Ohio on emerging transportation topics like electric vehicles, connected and autonomous vehicles, walking, biking, transit, working from home and many others.(~10-15 minutes) Columbus Park Plan 🌳
Columbus Recreation and Parks Department is initiating the process of developing its next 10-year Vision Plan. This update will provide a vision and roadmap for the future of recreation programming and services, parks, facilities, trails, waterways and open space planning that scales the city’s recreation and parks system equitably to match Columbus’ place as the 14th largest city in the U.S. This plan will also serve as a guidebook for the department’s programming, development and policies to drive quality-of-life improvements for all Columbus residents.
Take the survey to shape the future of play, parks and open space!
In Case You Missed It
LinkUS Engagement Survey (2 minutes)
Mark up the Vision Zero Columbus map. Have a close call walking, biking, or getting around town? Do you know a dangerous intersection that can be improved? Help identify these spots on the Vision Zero map.
Have a great day everyone!