• Fills First Community Benefits Agreement Committee

The Columbus City Councilmembers have elected Rob Dorans as the new President Pro Tempore. The President Pro Tempore, per the Charter, acts as the presiding officer of the Council in the absence of the Council President.

President Pro Tem Dorans was first elected to Council in November 2019. He will continue serving as chair of the Zoning, Public Utilities, Workforce Development, and Building and Zoning Policy Committees.

“I am humbled and honored to have the support of my colleagues on Council to serve as Council President Pro Tem,” said Dorans.

“I have big shoes to fill with the departure of former Council Member Elizabeth Brown from this role. I look forward to working with President Hardin and all my Council colleagues continuing our work to address the challenges in front of Columbus; including increasing the availability of affordable housing, providing increased economic opportunity to our residents, and ensuring our city’s infrastructure is ready for the dramatic growth our community will experience in the coming years.” 

In one of his first acts in his new role, President Pro Tem Dorans and his Council colleagues appointed nine members to serve on Columbus’ first Community Benefits Agreement Advisory Committee.

This Committee will review plans for large construction, alteration, and renovation projects for City-owned buildings or structures to determine whether a Community Benefits Agreement would improve the project and its purposes.

The Committee members will offer recommendations on the necessity of a Community Benefits Agreement for each plan, including stipulations regarding the labor force, the use of the structure, or the mitigation of the effects of construction on the community or environment.

Appointees to this Committee include:

• James D. Bond – Deputy Director, Department of Finance
• Rob Dorans, Columbus City Council
• Emerald Hernández-Parra, Assistant Director, City of Columbus Department of Development
• Jeffrey C. Hunley – Labor Trustee, Columbus Sheet Metal Workers Local 24
• Jason T. Jenkins – Executive Director, City of Columbus Office of Diversity, and Inclusion
• John H. Lacey II – International Union Representative, American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees ( AFSCME)
• Jonathan Mandl – Columbus Chapter Manager, National Electrical Contractors Association
• Barry Pickett – Director of Labor Relations, Office of Mayor Andrew J. Ginther
• Nana Watson – President, Columbus Chapter of the NAACP

 “I have worked for years with my Council colleagues, Mayor Ginther, the NAACP of Columbus and the Columbus Building Trades to help ensure that our city construction projects have a significant impact on our community beyond just the completed structure,” said President Pro Tem Dorans.

“The creation of the Community Benefits Agreement Advisory Committee will formalize these efforts and ensure Columbus continues to serve as a model for workforce development policy that engages with both organized labor and our residents.”

Council passed new Chapter 378 of City Code in November 2022 to promote greater focus on community benefit during the ideation, procurement, and construction processes for large development projects.

This new Chapter will promote a diverse workforce, efficient construction timelines, greater consideration of environmental impacts, and the overall community benefit relating to large City construction and renovation projects on buildings and other structures.

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