Resident asks Dublin council to help offset rising Daniel Wright rental costs for Columbus Chinese Academy

At the citizen‑comments portion of the Jan. 27 meeting, Arjun (Arjene/Arjun) Chen, representing the Columbus Chinese Academy (CCA), asked Dublin City Council for help to continue use of Daniel Wright Elementary School for the academy’s Lunar New Year celebration and for its annual summer culture camp.

Chen said that a May 2024 change in the Dublin City School District’s community rental program dramatically increased rents for classroom use. He said the academy’s annual four‑hour Lunar New Year event is projected to cost roughly $2,000 under the new structure and that a five‑day summer camp would cost “more than $13,000,” up from about $1,125 in 2024. Chen said the academy is a nonprofit that serves heritage and non‑heritage families and asked for help reducing rental costs to allow continuation of the program.

Council members explained the city does not own or operate Daniel Wright Elementary; the facility is owned by the Dublin City School District, whose rental policies are set at the district level. Mayor Ambrose Grooms and staff clarified the city cannot waive school district rental fees. The mayor directed Chen to the city’s competitive grant program administered by the Finance Committee and asked staff (Kendall) to provide guidance about the grant application cycle and potential sponsorship or sponsorship channels through the city’s events and outreach program.

Chen said the academy will pay for the four‑hour event if necessary but requested assistance for the summer camp. Council did not take action at the meeting; staff agreed to provide application information to the academy.