Explanation
[BACKGROUND: Columbus Public Health has been awarded a grant from the Ohio Department of Transportation originating from the U.S. Department of Transportation. This ordinance is needed to accept and appropriate $60,000.00 in grant monies to fund the 2016 Safe Routes to School Grant Program for the period of January 1, 2016, through May 1, 2017.
The Safe Routes to School Grant Program encourages and enables children to walk or bike to school, which positively impacts health, reduces traffic congestion, enhances a sense of community and improves safety. This grant will be utilized to provide implementation of the Columbus City Schools Large School District Travel Plan for non-infrastructure countermeasures, and evaluation of Safe Routes to School programming efforts for effectiveness.
This ordinance is submitted as an emergency so as to allow the financial transaction to be posted in the City’s accounting system as soon as possible given the grant start date of January 1, 2016.
FISCAL IMPACT: The program is funded by Ohio Department of Transportation and does not generate revenue or require a city match.
Title
To authorize and direct the Board of Health to accept a grant from the Ohio Department of Transportation for the Safe Routes to School Grant Program in the amount of $60,000.00; to authorize the appropriation of $60,000.00 to the Health Department in the Health Department’s Grants Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($60,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, grant funding has been made available to Columbus Public Health through the Ohio Department of Transportation for the Safe Routes to School Grant Program; and,
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the Board of Health to accept $60,000.00 in grant funds for the Safe Routes to School Grant Program for the period of January 1, 2016, through May 1, 2017, and to appropriate these monies to the Health Department; and,
WHEREAS, this ordinance is submitted as an emergency so as to allow the financial transaction to be posted in the City’s accounting system as soon as possible. Up to date financial posting promotes accurate accounting and financial management; and,
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Columbus Health Department in that it is immediately necessary to accept this grant from the Ohio Department of Transportation to initiate the deliverables in 2016, and to appropriate these funds to the Health Department for the immediate preservation of the public health, peace, property, safety, and welfare; Now, therefore,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Board of Health is hereby authorized and directed to accept a grant award of $60,000.00 from the Ohio Department of Transportation for the Safe Routes to School Grant Program for the period January 1, 2016, through May 1, 2017.
SECTION 2. That from the unappropriated monies in the Health Department's Grants Fund, Fund No. 2251, and from all monies estimated to come into said Fund from any and all sources during the grant period, the sum of $60,000.00 and any eligible interest earned during the grant period is hereby appropriated to the Health Department, Division No. 5001, as follows:
2016 Safe Routes to School Grant
Object
Class & Purpose Main Account Program Project No. Section 3 Sect. 4 Sect. 5 Amount
01 - Personal Services 61100 HE003 G501620 500109 HE16 n/a $60,000.00
Total for Project No. G501620 $ 60,000.00
SECTION 3. That the monies appropriated in the foregoing Section 2 shall be paid upon the order of the Health Commissioner, and that no order shall be drawn or money paid except by voucher, the form of which shall be approved by the City Auditor.
SECTION 4. At the end of the grant period, any repayment of unencumbered balances required by the grantor is hereby authorized and any unused City match monies may be transferred back to the City fund from which they originated in accordance with all applicable grant agreements.
SECTION 5. Funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are hereby deemed appropriated, and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 6. That for reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is 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.