For Solveig Spjeldnes, a Democrat running to represent Athensâ first ward on City Council, staking political positions requires strict procedure.
First, she must hear from âstakeholdersâ â as she likes to call would-be constituents â about their concerns. To start, she posted messages in the Athens West Side and University Estates Facebook groups asking what concerns are top of mind for first ward residents. Extensive research on each issue comes next.
âAs a person who taught policy and advocacy and organizing and the process of coming together to decide to make changes â as Iâve taught my students â itâs really important that any time you decide on a policy that there is a process to that,â Spjeldnes, a former Ohio University social work professor, said.
The commitment Athens City Council made over the summer to review city policy under a lens of racial equity is expected to continue in partnership with a local nonprofit.
Councilmember Sarah Grace proposed a resolution (Resolution 10-20) to declare racism as a public health crisis last June that was unanimously approved by council. Grace said that when she introduced the resolution, it was intended to mirror a statewide trend, as many other cities and counties declared racism a health crisis amid a nationwide racial reckoning in the aftermath of several killings of Black people at the hands of law enforcement.
Sen. Brown, local officials want direct payments for COVID-19 relief
By Susan Tebben - Ohio Capital Journal
City officials are begging for help from the federal government to cover losses in every sector brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ohio Democratic U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown says he plans to bring legislation that would align with President Joe Biden’s comprehensive funding plan, and drive direct payments to municipalities across the state.
In a press conference, Brown brought along Youngstown Mayor Tito Brown and Athens Mayor Steve Patterson to explain why trusting the local governments to distribute the funding they need should be the way the country’s government is run.
SHERROD BROWN
MARTINS FERRY U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown introduced legislation he hopes will provide direct relief to communities that have lost revenue during the COVID-19 pandemic.
During a press conference held via telephone Wednesday, Brown, D-Ohio, said his proposed Direct Support for Communities Act would give money directly to cities, townships, villages and counties with budgets that are struggling because of the pandemic.
Brown said the act coincides with President Joe Biden’s new American Rescue Plan that includes $350 billion in state and local funding.
Brown said he does not yet know the exact allocations his bill would provide for local governments, but a formula based on population would be used. He noted 70 percent would go to cities, townships, villages and counties and the rest to states.
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