Columbus Mayor Andy Ginther says the city now has more than 367 million dollars in matching funds from public and private partnerships for its Smart Columbus initiative. The city provided no breakdown of all the sources of the latest influx of money, but Ginther says it's boosted in large part by Columbus-based American Electric Power and Ohio State University as well as the Columbus Partnership. Last June, Columbus won 50 million dollars in grants from the U.S. Department of Transportation and Vulcan Incorporated for intelligent transportation testing - and secured 90 million in matching funds. While the testing in Columbus could have global implications, Ginther says it's really about making sure the city leaves no resident behind or feeling disconnected.
Stevens - the city's former deputy development director - has been running a non-profit firm in Chicago and will move back to Columbus by the end of March to start his new position. Beginning next month, Smart Columbus will headquarter its operations at the Idea Foundry in Franklinton. The city must follow through on its grant-winning proposal by 2020.
