Former officer who drove patrol car to apply for out-of-town job sues city, councilmen
A former investigator with Columbus Police Department has filed a federal lawsuit against the city and Ward 2 Councilman Joseph Mickens, among other council members, claiming the council fired him unjustly last year.
Mickens takes on ex-opponent during town hall
An otherwise amicable town hall meeting Monday briefly became chippy when a Columbus councilman accused a former political opponent of lying about his address.
Mickens, Smith spar over agenda issue
Confusion over an item that did not get added to Tuesday’s city council’s agenda until councilman Joseph Mickens asked at the meeting for it to be added resulted in a testy exchange between he and Columbus Mayor Robert Smith.
Mickens plans return for Nov. 19 meeting
Joseph Mickens said he plans to return to his duties as councilman by the time city leaders meet again Nov. 19.
Columbus Council rescinds pay raise
The Columbus City Council voted Tuesday to rescind the $4,000 pay raise it voted itself at the council’s June 18 meeting.
In the first meeting of the new term, councilmen also approved to limit the term of vice mayor to one year and appoint Ward 1 Councilman Gene Taylor to that post, replacing Bill Gavin.
Council votes to raise its own salaries
Columbus councilmen voted to give themselves a 23 percent pay raise during their meeting Tuesday despite applause from people in attendance for members who announced they would vote against doing so.
It’s Smith in a landslide: Incumbent mayor, Mickens easily outdistance election challengers
Only a little more than 30 percent of voters in Columbus participated in Tuesday’s general municipal election, but those who did spoke clearly in favor of incumbent Mayor Robert Smith.
Smith, a Democrat, won a second full term in office by a landslide — 69.4 percent of the vote — over Republican challenger Glenn Lautzenhiser and Independent Bo Jarrett.
Ward 2 candidates put focus on infrastructure
In the first of a series of political forums hosted by the Columbus Exchange Club, Ward 2 incumbent councilman Joseph Mickens, a Democrat, and Republican challenger Susan Mackay discussed their platforms for the upcoming municipal election.
City awaits DOJ redistricting decision
After months of discussion, the 2012 redistricting plan for the City of Columbus has been submitted to the U.S. Department of Justice. And consultant Chris Watson, whose firm Bridge and Watson handled the redistricting, said the city will now wait for the DOJ to make its decision.