Landlords in Columbus will have to provide contact information, such as phone numbers, for their rental properties under an ordinance that received first approval at Tuesday night’s city council meeting. City officials say the measure is meant to enhance public safety and make it easier for the city to reach property owners. A spill-over crowd packed council chambers, with several landlords speaking out against the proposal. Just before the vote, Councilman Frank Jerome took issue with the tone of some of those protesting the ordinance.

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Several landlords say they are concerned for their privacy and personal safety. Laurie Booher was the lone “no” vote.

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Brad Grayson is president of the Bartholomew County Landlords Association, representing approximately one-thousand landlords in our area. He says that additional government regulation only hurts tenants and the city’s stated goal of making more affordable housing units available in Columbus…

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The ordinance includes a five-dollar registration fee and fines of up to $850 for non-compliance.

The council is scheduled to vote a second, and final, time on the ordinance at its next meeting Jan. 30th.

A Columbus Police Officer received a letter of commendation Tuesday from Chief Jonathan Rohde for his actions in helping a Columbus family earlier this month. Lt. Matt Harris, department spokesman, says that Officer Frank Dickman, a seven year veteran, responded to a report of a toddler wandering around a Columbus apartment complex unsupervised. After speaking with the child’s mother, Dickman learned that she was intending to purchase door alarms but was unable to do so until she received a paycheck. A supervisor later discovered that Dickman purchased the door alarms and delivered them to the family.

Chief Rohde stated in the commendation letter to Dickman, “not only did you take it upon yourself to make the child safe, but you did so without asking for any recognition and spent your own money to do so.” “In addition, when I was made aware of your actions during this call, I communicated to you the desire to recognize you in front of the Board of Public Works and Safety and you declined to be recognized.” “I commend you for your selfless actions and applaud your commitment to serving the citizens of Columbus.”

The Columbus Area Visitors Center is hosting a display of artwork featuring art inspired by a local landmark, the former Bakalar Air Base..

Erin Hawkins, marketing director for the visitors center,  explains.

Painter David Gray has taken an interest in the planes that flew out of the air base, choosing them as the subject for the display at the gallery in the visitors center, Hawkins says. That grew out of his love for airplanes he developed as a child growing up in southern Indiana.

Hawkins  says that the plane focused artwork should be fascinating to anyone with an interest in the former air base.

But mixed in with the plane paintings at the visitors center gallery are some other works. Gray also has a flair for Indy cars.

Gray will be speaking about his work at a reception Friday, at the gallery in the visitors center on Fifth Street starting at 5 p.m. The paintings will be on display through February.

Local law enforcement agencies are feeling the strain of dealing with the ongoing opioid epidemic, they say.

Just yesterday, Bartholomew County deputies were called to an unidentified address and found a woman in full cardiac arrest with drug paraphernalia  nearby. After deputies performed CPR, rescue breathing and gave the woman a dose of Narcan, paramedics arrived and took over the lifesaving efforts, the sheriff’s department says.

The increase in overdoses has the department fighting the battle against the epidemic on  several fronts, says Bartholomew County Sheriff Matt Myers.

Myers says that his department is fighting the battle on several fronts, including stretching the department staff in new ways.

The sheriff said that the department has been forced into new roles, such as advocating for treatment in addition to punishment.

Lt. Matt Harris, spokesman for the Columbus police says that the drug problem is leading law enforcement to conclude that treatment is a necessity.

Harris says that much of the other crime in the community is attributable to those with addictions.

Landlords in Columbus are protesting a proposed city ordinance requiring a registry of landlords and local contacts for their properties. Brad Grayson is president of the Bartholomew County Landlord Association, representing approximately one-thousand landlords in our area.

Grayson says that other big concerns include safety and privacy of the landlord. He explains that landlords sometime have to evict tenants or turn away applicants. By having a database on file of landlord addresses in one place, that information could be compromised and threaten the safety of not only the landlord, but their family and neighbors as well.

Grayson says that the proposed ordinance “government intrusion” that goes against the city’s stated goal of providing for additional affordable housing units in Columbus.

Grayson expands on these “bullies”…

Grayson adds that there will be a large contingent of landlords at Tuesday night’s council meeting to speak out against this proposed ordinance.

Tuesday night’s council meeting begins at 6 p.m. inside city hall.

The new Hope Town Council president plans to look into allegations against a town employee. Council President Ed Johnson was asked last week at a work session of the council if he planned to investigate the complaint about an unnamed employee, that was made at last month’s council meeting.

Johnson said that he planned to take it slow, as he is new to the role of president, but to investigate the accusations.

Several town resident pressed town leaders last month to investigate accusations of wrongdoing. Town Attorney Cindy Boll said that it would be inappropriate to discuss any accusations against an employee outside of a closed executive session. Councilman Clyde Compton, then the council president, said that he would pass any decision on the issue  on to his successor, Johnson.

The Council also heard a proposal on pay raises of 3 percent for town department heads and the town manager.

The Town Council meets at 5:30 p.m. tomorrow for their regular session.

The Columbus Area Arts Council will be hosting a performance called “Struggle For Freedom” today in recognition of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The event is a live theatrical performance by the Bright Star Theater group that will celebrate King’s words and deeds.

Today’s performance is sponsored by the African American Fund of Bartholomew County and the City of Columbus.

You can download a family study guide and program at the Arts Council’s website at artsincolumbus.org.

The free performance is at 2 p.m. today at The Commons.

Landlords in Columbus are protesting a proposed city ordinance requiring a registry of landlords and local contacts for their properties. The landlords say the proposal is invasive and unworkable.

Members of the the Crossroads Association of Realtors sent a letter to the City Council asking that body to reconsider the proposal saying that a requirement that there be a local point of contact could dissuade some property owners from having rental properties in the community.

Also the Association said it was concerned about a proposal that would fine rental property owners up to $850 annually for failing to register.

The City Council is scheduled to hear the proposal at its meeting at 6 p.m. tomorrow night in the Council Chambers at City Hall.

Filing continues until Feb. 9th for local elections.

As of Friday evening, there were still no Democrats filing to be on the Bartholomew County ballot for local offices, and no one has filed to run for county sheriff, prosecuting attorney or Bartholomew Superior Court 1 Judge. Sheriff Matt Myers and Judge Jim Worton have both said they plan to seek re-election.

You can file at the county courthouse during their normal office hours, 8 a.m.  to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Filing opened on Wednesday however county offices were closed on Friday due to the bad weather. They are also closed today due to the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday.

Franklin College is OPEN today. They were accidentally included in our school closings list earlier this morning. http://delays.1010wcsi.com/