In 2018, City Council considered initial plans for updating and improving McCord Park, which included different options for the Community Garden, including a recommendation to move it to another location. After hearing from the Parks and Recreation Commission, members of the Community Garden, and community members, City Council approved a compromise proposal which preserves 80% of the park, and supported efforts to locate a place to create a new community park in the City.

In February 2019, City Council passed Resolution 10-2019: City Council Statement Regarding a Commitment to a Citizen Led Comprehensive Visioning Process to Understand the Will of the People. This resolution kicked off two years of work to engage a citizen-led comprehensive visioning process that would gain a thorough understanding of “the will of the people” and develop a statement that represented the vision of what the community wants Worthington to become. City Council appointed the citizen-led Visioning Committee in June 2019.

The Visioning Committee created a website, and gathered information from over 300 community members at public input events and over 2,000 members online and in surveys over the course of several months, mostly virtual as a result of the pandemic. City Council adopted the final report, which includes an overall community vision statement and seven specific subset vision statements with related community priorities. The seven specific vision statements are:

• Worthington is a diverse and equitable community.

• Worthington offers a high quality of life.

• Worthington is dedicated to the vibrancy of its downtown.

• Worthington’s economy is balanced and resilient.

• Worthington’s leadership is open, forward-thinking, and collaborative.

• Worthington is a model for environmental stewardship.

• Worthington is connected.

A planning process is now being developed to identify ways that the Vision Statements can be achieved.

In March 2020, our world as we knew it changed. With a pandemic taking hold, City Council took action to “flatten the curve” by passing legislation to authorize emergency funding and authority for the City Manager to take emergency actions to respond during the public health crisis. City Council also passed a local mask ordinance. The City Manager implemented an incident command system which coordinated responses across city departments and opened a Fire and EMS substation at the Community Center. Public meetings, including City Council meetings, went virtual. The City received $1.4 million in CARES Act funding to support Fire and EMS efforts.

City Council authorized funding for COVID relief grants with $300,000 to the Worthington ReBOOT program to help small businesses and nonprofits retain jobs, spur economic activity and offset revenue losses attributed to COVID-19; and $100,000 in community grants to provide direct relief to individuals in the community to respond to needs identified by the Worthington Community Coronavirus Survey (conducted in October 2020) and local nonprofit organizations. I was a member of the committee that reviewed the community grant proposals and recommended where the funds should be directed. The survey results reflect increased economic insecurity and heightened levels of anxiety and mental distress among community members. The community grants were provided for food items, rental and utility assistance, mental health supports, tools to address social isolation, and basic pandemic supplies to be provided through Worthington’s strong nonprofit community support networks.

City Council reviews and approves an Operating Budget and Capital Improvement Plan each year. So much of what we do as City Council is making sure that city staff have the tools they need to keep providing the excellent city services we all come to expect and rely on.

City Council has encouraged efforts to promote transparency and effective communication throughout the budget process. In 2020, City Finance Director Scott Bartter launched a community outreach effort with videos and infographics that explain the budget process, where your taxes go, and what the city's budget funds.

City Manager Matt Greeson explained the significance of the Operating Budget and Capital Improvements Plan in This Week News:

"These two documents are very important to city operations and activities, as they serve to take all the ideas and concepts that could be pursued and fit them within the financial resources available. These documents illustrate the priorities that will actually be able to be implemented in the near future. They address everything from playgrounds and parks, water lines and traffic signals to emergency response, trash collection, snow removal and much more."

For years the City has been engaged in examining ways to become more environmentally sustainable, including evaluating energy efficiency in buildings and providing incentives to commercial property owners to make energy efficiency improvements to their buildings to improve economic development opportunities. In 2019, the City earned the highest honor, Platinum tier status, from MORPC's Insight 2050 Sustainability Project.

Examples of other efforts:

• In 2019 the City implemented the Electric Aggregation program to promote savings for residents and support use of green energy.

• A new food composting pilot program was implemented to allow residents to deposit food scraps in city bins.

• The purchase and installation of electric vehicle charging stations in Old Worthington and at the Community Center.

• Participating in the Community Energy Savers Program, sponsored by the Worthington Partnership's Green Team.

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• Northeast Gateway Project: Improve congestion and traffic flow by realigning the intersection of Huntley Road, Wilson Bridge Road, and Worthington-Galena Road. The first phase of this project was completed in June 2021.

• Wilson Bridge Road Corridor: The Wilson Bridge Road Corridor Study recommends the need to promote the redevelopment of the Wilson Bridge Road Corridor into a mixed use area that will generate new economic growth within the City.

• High North (Worthington Mall): Redevelopment of The Shops at Worthington Place mall into a mixed-used space rebranded as High North.

• Worthington Gateway (old Holiday Inn Site): Redevelopment with a mixed-use building that will be a mix of retail, restaurant and office.

• UMCH: The City has received an application and development proposal for the former United Methodist Children's Home (UMCH) property. The plan, which includes a mix of uses, was submitted in October 2020 by developer Lifestyle Communities. The Architectural Review Board approved demolition applications in February 2021 allowing the property owner to demolish and remove existing structures on the site. The applicant requested their proposal be tabled for discussion at a future meeting. No date has been set for that meeting. City Council has received numerous comments about the proposal which are being posted on the city’s website.

In February 2020, City Council approved a Planned Unit Development (PUD) permitting the construction of 85-unit senior housing facility by National Church Residences (NCR) at Stafford Village, at the northeast corner of Hartford Street and East Stafford Avenue. An accompanying resolution was also approved with an agreement requiring that 34 of the units are "affordable" with the remainder at "market rate" for a term of 30 years. Groundbreaking took place in the spring of 2021 and The Hartford at Stafford Village is expected to open in Fall 2022.

In 2018, City Council approved the final development plan for the Granby Place apartments at 181 E. Wilson Bridge Road. The 32 unit development stands on two acres of land, on the south side of East Wilson Bridge Road.

In 2018, City Council approved the rezoning of land on Proprietors Road for redevelopment to Kemper House, a new Alzheimer's, dementia, and memory care facility in Worthington. Kemper House opened to residents in September 2019.

In June 2019, City Council approved the Bike and Pedestrian Master Plan. The plan will help guide the development of bicycle and pedestrian routes, linking activity centers within the City and the central Ohio region. The related Complete Streets Policy was also approved by City Council at the same time. The purpose of the Complete Streets Policy is to promote development and redevelopment of public right-of-way within the City of Worthington to accommodate all users including pedestrians, cyclists, transit, and motorized vehicles. The goals include: Create a safe and equitable transportation network for all City of Worthington residents regardless of age, gender, ability, or status; and create a transportation network that contributes to neighborhoods’ sustainability and all residents’ quality of life.

In May 2018, City Council unanimously passed Worthington’s Tobacco 21 ordinance, becoming the 11^th city in Ohio to successfully raise the age to purchase tobacco and tobacco related products to 21.

Each year, City Council sets aside funds for community grants to nonprofit organizations for projects or programs in Worthington that provide wide community benefit. Funding priorities include basic human necessities such as the provision of food and/or clothing for people in need; mental health services and/or community counseling to assist people with mental or social health issues and improvement of the Worthington community.

I have had the privilege of serving on the Community Grants committee since joining City Council in 2018.

In May 2019, City Council voted to approve the recommendation for Worthington to join the Northwest Regional Emergency Communications Center for the City’s emergency 911 dispatching services. The Northwest Center is operated by the City of Dublin, and serves Dublin, Upper Arlington, Hilliard, Washington Township and Norwich Township. Joining the Northwest Center enhances the City’s emergency response by providing a higher level of training and technology, as well as reduced response times for the growing number of people calling 911 from their cell phones. The City of Worthington transitioned its emergency 911 dispatching services to the Northwest Center in 2020.

In March 2018, City Council approved funding to launch live streaming of council meetings. In September 2018, the first meeting went live!

As a result of the pandemic, in 2020 and the first half of 2021, all of the city's public meetings were also held virtually, enabling public officials to meet safely while conducting city business in a transparent manner. In addition to continuing to live stream City Council meetings, the Municipal Planning Commission and Architectural Review Board meetings will continue to stream live as most city meetings move in-person starting in July 2021.