Explanation
This ordinance authorizes the Director of the Department of Neighborhoods to enter into a grant agreement with The Ohio State University in support of the Boys and Young Men of Color (BYMOC) Collective.
The COVID-19 pandemic in Columbus has had a profound impact, and perhaps one of the most startling is the differential health outcomes in communities that are majority white versus those that are majority non-white. While non-Hispanic whites make up about 54% of Columbus residents, they comprise only 26% of the positive COVID-19 tests. Columbus non-Hispanic black populations account for 29% of infections and 32% of hospitalizations. Columbus Public Health confirmed that rates are higher in parts of the city that struggle with other health problems.
Columbus residents having an ethnicity other than non-Hispanic white are far more to be impacted by COVID-19, and this is a trend that has remained consistent around the country. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have confirmed that both hospitalization and death rates for black and Hispanic residents were far higher based on population than that of white residents.
The BYMOC Collective will utilize funding the city has received through the CARES Act to closely examine the epidemiological data associated with the aforementioned ethnic disparity, determine the critical factors that contribute to said disparity, and craft programming and policies that ultimately seeks to reduce the negative differential health outcomes experienced within the city’s non-white communities.
Fiscal Impact: Funding to support this expense is in the CARES Act fund.
Emergency action is requested in order to avoid any delay in initiating this critical work to determine impacts and remediation around health disparities in minority communities.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Neighborhoods to enter into a grant agreement with The Ohio State University in support of the Boys and Young Men of Color (BYMOC) Collective to closely examine the epidemiological data associated with the ethnic disparity relating to COVID-19; to authorize a transfer of appropriations between departments; to authorize an appropriation within the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund; to authorize an expenditure within the CARES Act fund and the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund; and to declare an emergency. ($300,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the COVID-19 pandemic in Columbus has had a profound impact, perhaps one of the most startling being the differential health outcomes in communities that are majority white versus those that are majority non-white; and
WHEREAS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have confirmed that both hospitalization and death rates for black and Hispanic residents are far higher than that of white residents; and
WHEREAS, the non-Hispanic black population account for 23% of Columbus population, but represent 20% of COVID-19 fatalities; and
WHEREAS, Columbus Public Health confirmed that COVID-19 infection rates are higher in parts of the city that struggle with other health problems; and
WHEREAS, the BYMOC Collective will utilize funding the city has received through the CARES Act to closely examine the epidemiological data associated with the aforementioned ethnic disparity; and
WHEREAS, such expenditure of funds has not been previously accounted for in the 2020 Budget; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Neighborhoods in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director to enter into a grant agreement with The Ohio State University to avoid any delay in initiating this critical work to determine impacts and remediation around health disparities in minority communities; now, therefore,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Director of the Department of Neighborhoods is hereby authorized to enter into a grant agreement with The Ohio State University in support of the Boys and Young Men of Color (BYMOC) Collective to closely examine the epidemiological data associated with the ethnic disparity relating to COVID-19.
SECTION 2. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized and directed to transfer appropriations within the CARES Act fund, fund 2207, per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized and directed to appropriate $183,816.00 to the Department of Neighborhoods within the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 34. That per the action authorized in SECTION 1, the expenditure of $300,000.00 or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized in the CARES Act fund in object class 03 per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 45. That for the reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is hereby declared to be an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.