Title
To recognize the career and contributions of Eric D. Fenner as he retires from the position of Executive Director of Franklin County Children Services.
Body
WHEREAS, Eric D. Fenner was Executive Director of Franklin County Children Services for four years during which time he led the agency in many innovative initiatives to better engage families, enhance community partnerships and ensure permanency for children; and
WHEREAS, Eric D. Fenner helped develop a new mission statement and set of guiding principles for Franklin County Children Services designed to steer the agency in a direction that lessens incidents of child maltreatment and safely maintains children in their own homes whenever possible; and
WHEREAS, Eric D. Fenner provided essential leadership in the implementation of the Franklin County Children Services' Alternative (Differential) Response program, which allowed caseworkers flexibility in their approach to assessing families and providing increased front door services whereby helping reduce the number of children in paid care by 29% over the last three years; and
WHEREAS, Eric D. Fenner has guided the agency is launching several new initiatives aimed at increasing family engagement and assuring permanency for youth, including the initiative of Team Decision Making (TDM), Permanency Round Tables (PRT's), and the expansion of the successful Family-to-Family Program; and
WHEREAS, Eric D. Fenner's passion, commitment and love for the children and residents of Franklin Council will continue through the groundwork he laid while serving as Executive Director of this important agency; now; therefore
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
That this council does hereby recognize, commend and thank Eric D. Fenner for his service as Executive Director of Franklin County Children Services and overall 32 years of public service, which have improved the lives of countless children and families in Central Ohio.