Jerry ‘Pops’ Barnes, Columbus District 1 councilman, passes away
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The city of Columbus is mourning the loss of their District 1 councilman, Jerry ‘Pops’ Barnes.
Barnes passed away Sunday night from an unknown cause of death.
Barnes has lived a fulfilled life since he graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a bachelor’s degree in History and from the School of Nursing at Columbus State University.
In the early 2000s, Barnes started a community service initiative to help provide the community with free health education, screening, and case management. The initiative was called the Pan Columbus Wellness Project.
After serving his country for twenty years, he retired from the United States Army.
Barnes, also known by the community as ‘Pops’, entered political life in 2006 as he ran for the Columbus City Council District 1 seat. He has served as District 1 councilman since the election and during his tenure as councilman he reopened the Boxwood, Belvedere Park, and Primus Recreation centers for youth. Also during his tenure, he spearheaded the charge to hire 100 additional police officers to dramatically cut the city’s crime rate as well as open a precinct in the heart of District 1.
During his 17 years as councilman, Barnes has collaborated with the community, business leaders, and nonprofits to improve Columbus’ services, boost the economy, and create opportunities and training for the youth.
Barnes used his campaign funds to launch the “Opportunity to Get Ahead” youth vocational training program. He also championed the local Option Sales Tax to invest in crime prevention, resulting in a 50% decrease in the city’s crime rate. Additionally, he pushed for policy reforms to allow the hiring of non-violent offenders and consistently addressed residents’ concerns about right-of-way upkeep, drainage, street resurfacing, and potholes in the district.
Barnes had been married for close to three decades to Jannie Barnes and they are the proud parents of eight children and ten grandchildren.
“Councilor Pops Barnes was more than a colleague and seatmate, he was my friend. When I first submitted my intent to run for office, Pops worked behind the scenes to connect me with individuals who were interested in helping me get elected,” District 4 Councilwoman Toyia Tucker said in a statement. “Once I was elected, Pops became a mentor connecting me with individuals in the community. He personally endorsed me to serve on the executive board for the River Valley Regional Commission. He was a wealth of knowledge and someone who I could trust on council. I am going to miss my friend. My prayers are with his family during this time of bereavement.”
Jerry ‘Pops’ Barnes died at the age of 81. He will be missed.
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