Explanation
BACKGROUND:
Over the past year, City Council created a Jobs and Economic Development Committee devoted to job creation and economic growth. Council also set aside a $2 million Job Growth Initiatives Fund in the 2005 budget for the purpose of actively seeking key job creation investment opportunities that employ Columbus workers and strengthen the City's income tax revenues to pay for critical city services.
Urban Concern has developed a program for middle school students in South Linden to develop job readiness skills, provide economic literacy training, and motivation to stay in school. Called the Job Club, the program operates five days a week for seven weeks in the summer. In 2005, twenty-six students participated. Of those, sixteen completed the entire program and 30% of the total showed improved knowledge. Personal economics, budgeting and basic financial skills are part of the curriculum, as well as the development of positive work ethics. Youth also receive hands on training working on community service projects. Participants are paid a weekly stipend and a like amount is deposited in a savings account for the student that is available upon graduation from high school.
Urban Concern tracks enrollment and conducts both pre and post-testing to assess success. Expected outcomes are that 80% will show improvement and 50% will aspire to attain a bachelor degree. Since inception, 58 students have reached graduation age, of which 29 have graduated from high school, and of those, 17 went on to college.
As an investment in Columbus youth designed to enhance their chances of a successful working career in Columbus, this venture is deemed an appropriate use of the Jobs Growth Fund by Council member Mary Jo Hudson, chair of the Jobs and Economic Development Committee.
Emergency action is requested so that the contract with Urban Concern can be executed immediately and to continue its work to facilitate job growth in Columbus.
Contract Compliance #: 31-1327346 (non profit)
FISCAL IMPACT:
The funding for this contract will come from the $2 million Job Growth Initiatives Fund.
Title
To authorize the appropriation of $10,000 to the Development Department within the Jobs Growth Fund; to authorize the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a contract with Urban Concern to support its Job Club program to provide Columbus youth job readiness skills; to authorize the expenditure of $10,000 from the Jobs Growth Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($10,000.00).
Body
WHEREAS, City Council amended the 2005 budget to create a $2 million Job Growth Initiatives Fund; and
WHEREAS, Urban Concern has developed a program for middle school students in South Linden to develop job readiness skills, and provide economic literacy and motivation to stay in school; and
WHEREAS, called the Job Club, personal economics, budgeting and basic financial skills are part of the curriculum, as well as the development of positive work ethics; and
WHEREAS, youth also receive hands on training working on community service projects; and
WHEREAS, Urban Concern tracks enrollment and conducts both pre and post-test to assess success, and expects that 80% of program particiapnts will show improvement and 50% will aspire to attain a bachelor degree; and
WHEREAS, Since inception, 58 students have reached graduation age, of which 29 have graduated from high school, and of those, 17 went on to college; and
WHEREAS, as an investment in Columbus youth designed to enhance their chances of a successful working career in Columbus, this venture is deemed an appropriate use of the Jobs Growth Fund; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Development in that it is immediately necessary to enter into the contract with Urban Concern to support its Job Club program to provide Columbus youth basic job readiness skills for the 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 City Auditor be and is hereby authorized and directed to appropriate $10,000 in the Jobs Growth Fund, Fund 015 to the Development Department, Economic Development Division, Division No. 44-02, Object Level One 03, Object Level Three 3337, OCA Code 440215.
Section 2. That the Director of Development is hereby authorized to enter into the contract with Urban Concern to support its Job Club program to provide Columbus youth basic job readiness skills.
Section 3. That the expenditure of $10,000.00 or so much thereof as may be necessary, be and is hereby authorized to be expended from the Department of Development, Economic Development Division No. 44-02, Jobs Growth Fund, Fund 015, Object Level One 03, Object Level Three 3337, OCA Code 440215.
Section 4. That this contract is awarded in accordance with Chapter 329.15 of the Columbus City Codes, 1959.
Section 5. 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 passage and approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.