Franklin County Media

Welcome to the episode where Franklin County Board of Commissioner John O'Grady focuses on a fun, food-filled trip to the Worthington Farmers' Market.He, with his family, explores favorite market stops, like scoring a basil twist that never even makes it home, and traditions of sampling baked goods and cider while making the rounds.You'll hear them talk about how easy the markets make it for everyone to grab fresh, local food, with points raised about SNAP and EBT programs being accepted right at the booths.Hear how farmers' markets offer a mix of community vibes, local farm finds, and family routines, from chatting about shishito peppers and duck eggs to hunting for flowers and running into neighbors.If you’ve ever wondered what really goes down at the farmer’s market or want some inspiration for your next weekend outing, you’re in the right place!Key takeaways:Accessibility Matters: Many markets accept SNAP and EBT, ensuring everyone in the community has access to fresh foods and produce. This inclusive approach helps bridge gaps in food accessibility and nutrition for families in need.Support for Local Businesses: The discussion explores how visiting favorite stands (like Dana Lee’s Bakery for the basil twist or The Crazy Cucumber for pickles) strengthens the local economy and builds lasting relationships with growers and makers.Seasonal Variety and Education: Several points were raised, including the joys of trying new foods (such as duck and quail eggs or late-season heirloom tomatoes) and learning tips from farmers and vendors about preparation, from grilling shishito peppers to making the most of hydroponic salad [email protected]

The episode starts in the heart of New Orleans at the annual NACo conference. A perfect setting for food, fun, and serious county business.Franklin County Commissioner John O’Grady hosts Eryn Hurley, who’s the legislative director at the National Association of Counties (NACo). Before diving into county matters, they share muffuletta sandwiches (an iconic local staple) and Zapp’s chips, setting a friendly, down-to-earth vibe for their discussion.Meet Eryn Hurley & NACoEryn’s basically the counties’ go-to person in Washington, D.C. She spends her days making sure the concerns and priorities of more than 3,000 counties, parishes, and boroughs get heard by Congress, the White House, and federal agencies.What Does NACo Actually Do?Eryn explains it’s all about giving counties a powerful, united voice in D.C. This means:Lobbying for county interests as laws and regulations are made and put into action.Gathering and sharing useful data (think infrastructure ratings, housing profiles, federal funding stats—you name it).Bringing together leaders from across the nation to swap best practices and work through local challenges like early childhood development, housing issues, economic mobility, behavioral health, and more.Eryn points out that NACo hosts grant-funded programs and “cohorts” where counties can learn from each other and see cool projects in action, sometimes touring places actually making a difference 06:57.All Counties Are Unique (But in It Together)A running theme: no two counties are really alike. John jokes, “if you’ve seen one county, you’ve seen one county,” but he and Eryn both believe that, beneath the surface, all counties deal with a lot of the same stuff—like affordable housing woes or different types of land use headaches 09:41. NACo’s big challenge? Staying in sync with everyone, whether they’re from a sprawling Western county or a packed Midwest urban center.Communication Is KeyEryn shares that keeping counties in the loop is a daily (and evolving) task for her team. They send updates on what’s going down in D.C., break down new bills and their local impacts, and even send out ready-to-go letters counties can send their Congress members when an important issue pops up. 14:47.How Counties Shape NACo Policy: Committees and CaucusesJohn brings up NACo’s famous committee system, the real workhorses behind their policies. Eryn compares them to NACo’s Super Bowl for the government affairs team 22:44. There are 10 big policy steering committees, each tackling different topics (like transportation, public safety, finance, and so on). County people, not just staffers, decide what NACo lobbies for. Whether that’s supporting, opposing, or amending legislation. Everything is membership-driven and collaborative, which is pretty unique in the association world.Caucuses (like Large Urban, Rural Action, and the new Medium-Sized County Caucus) let counties connect around similar populations, though the hardcore policy work happens in the committees.Real Bipartisanship—No, Really!Both Eryn and John joke about being “nerds” who get into the weeds of this stuff, but they seriously value how NACo’s committee process brings together people with very different perspectives, sometimes sparking heated debate. 32:43.The Big Issues Right NowEryn highlights some hot-button topics for counties:OMB’s Uniform Guidance Rule – Big changes could be coming on how federal money is distributed and tracked for counties (over a trillion dollars’ worth). Eryn urges everyone to keep pushing Congress about this one 35:10.Reconciliation & Election Changes – Legislation around elections has counties worried, especially about unfunded mandates and last-minute changes 36:59.Surface Transportation Funding – With the highway bill about to expire, direct infrastructure dollars for counties are on the line 38:19.Federal Funding Deadlines and Appropriations – September is crunch time for government funding, and Eryn flags growing concerns about behavioral health, SNAP eligibility, and Medicaid requirements that could shift costs to the local level 39:49.Another cool thing? NACo started a role dedicated to grassroots advocacy, making it easier for counties (especially smaller ones without big government affairs offices) to connect with their Congress members using templates, easy guides, and smart resources 41:07.Exciting news for Franklin County and Columbus: they’ll host the NACo Annual Conference again in 2031! [email protected]

In this episode, you can listen to the Franklin County Board of Commissioners General Session from September 8, 2026.The meeting opened with approvals for the Court of Common Pleas, including an electronic search warrant system contract with Cobra Systems and a professional development contract with Blue Ocean Brain, followed by a Clerk of Courts appropriation transfer to cover rising legal publication costs and continued case management support. The Drainage Engineer's office brought forward ditch petition assessments, a $1.89 million contract for the Hott Ditch drainage project in Madison Township, property compensation for the Clark State Road at Waggoner Road roundabout and the Ferris Road improvement project, and requests to reduce speed limits on Roberts Road and Smothers Road.The Board then approved a public depositories designation for the County Treasurer, a mobile barrier purchase for the Board of Elections, a $775,000 nutritional supplements contract extension for the Office on Aging, and a $260,000 supplemental appropriation under the Big Darby Accord Revenue Program, along with two boundary conformance resolutions for Montgomery Township. The Office of Economic Engagement and Community Development presented a $100,000 grant to Tech Corps Ohio supporting a student hackathon focused on responsible use of artificial intelligence, with remarks from Tech Corps CEO Lisa Chambers.The Office of Justice Policy and Programs presented a peer support contract for the county's Rapid Resource Centers, followed by purchasing approvals for county agencies and the Domestic Relations Court. Commissioners then approved a $2.5 million amendment to the Community Shelter Board funding agreement, with extended remarks from all three commissioners and county administration on the county's long-term commitment to addressing homelessness, and a $90,000 partnership with the National Veterans Memorial and Museum to support service activations around September 11, including remarks from museum leadership and Commissioner Crawley on her own military service.The Board closed with support for Prairie Township's green space preservation application, a series of board and commission appointments, journalization items including an annexation petition in Mifflin Township, and a vote to convene into executive session with the county prosecutor's office.

In this episode of Talk of the County, Franklin County Administrator Kenneth Wilson sits down with Corey Favor, CEO of the King Arts Complex. They discuss the importance of art, the history of the institution, Favor’s New York City roots, and much more.

In this episode, Franklin County Administrator Kenneth N. Wilson sits down with investor Terry Arter and Franklin County Chief of Economic Innovation and Development Ruchelle Pride to discuss the importance of financial literacy, new-school ways of making money, and strategies for building wealth. Want to learn more? Join the ROO Wealth Academy Financial Literacy Intergenerational Conference on Saturday, Sept. 26, from 9 a.m.–5 p.m. at Historic East High School. Learn more here: https://roofcboc.com/