Explanation
This ordinance authorizes the appropriation of $12,000 for fiscal year 2012 within the Franklin County Municipal Court's fund for dispute resolution. The Franklin County Municipal Court instituted its pre-filing mediation program for small claims cases in 1984; the program provides mediation services for individuals and business who wish to resolve their disputes and avoid filing a small claims case. Currently, this program schedules 2,500 mediations annually. Another type of service, which is for businesses and government agencies attempting to collect on accounts payable, is the accounts mediation program that helps businesses resolve hundreds of cases each year.
To support this effort, the Franklin County Municipal Court instituted a special project cost, as authorized by the Ohio Revised Code, ยง 1901.26 (B)(1). The project cost is a $15.00 per case charge that covers up to five checks per debtor.
Funds are to be used to assist in the support of dispute resolution program efforts within the Small Claims Division, not to supplant existing funds. The intent of these funds is to provide for the purchase of services and other similar small claims-related expenses not currently available to the Court's small claims services department.
EMERGENCY: Emergency action is requested to allow uninterrupted payments to vendors.
Title
To authorize the appropriation of $12,000.00 for 2012 from the unappropriated balance of the Franklin County Municipal Court Judges dispute resolution fund for all anticipated expenses associated with the enhancement of small claim services; and to declare an emergency. ($12,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, an appropriation of these funds is necessary in order to continue with the enhancement of small claim services and the payment thereof; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Franklin County Municipal Court Judges in that it is immediately necessary to undertake said activities, ...
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