Mayor touts progress, outlines challenges in State of the City

Columbus mayor Jim Lienhoop gave his State of the City address last night at Fair Oaks Mall, touting the city’s successes and advancement on various fronts including the high number of housing starts in the community.

Lienhoop said that there are 843 housing units slated to come online this year, from Abbey Place on Lowell Road, to Bartholomews on Sycamore and 7th Street Townhomes, on the former St. Bartholomew property downtown.

Lienhoop also talked about challenges such as what to do with all of the city golf courses.

The city recently took control of Otter Creek Golf Course for the first time since it was gifted to the city in the 1960s. That means the city now has 54 holes of golf including Otter Creek, Green Belt and Par 3 courses under city management. And that is too many, the mayor said. An Otter Creek committee has been set up to get some answers

The recommendation is supposed to come back later this summer.

The mayor took a moment to shine a spotlight on the Bartholomew Consolidated Schools referendum, likening it to the problems the city has addressed with public safety recruiting and retention.

Voters will decide the referendum issue in the May primary election.