Explanation
BACKGROUND: The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 appropriated $1 billion nationally in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to states and local governments to carry out eligible activities under the CDBG program. The grant program under Title XII is commonly referred to as the CDBG Recovery (CDBG-R) program and is administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
The City of Columbus was awarded $1,728,023 of CDBG-R funds from HUD. This funding required that the City of Columbus submit to HUD a CDBG-R application and make a substantial amendment to the city' s Consolidated Plan 2008 Action Plan.
The city plans to use CDBG-R funds to expand economic development and housing opportunities through the Economic Development Loan Program and the Affordable Housing Opportunity Fund, as well as providing nuisance abatement activities.
On May 20, 2009, the city began a 7 day public comment period. Citizens, public agencies and other interested parties were encouraged to make public comments to the city on the CDBG-R grant application through May 27, 2009. On May 20, 2009, a public meeting, conducted by the Health, Housing and Human Services Committee of the City Council, was convened where this substantial amendment and the proposed CDBG-R legislation was discussed. At the June 1, 2009 city council meeting, council approved the CDBG-R legislation, Ordinance 0765-2009. The CDBG-R application was submitted to HUD by June 5, 2009.
FISCAL IMPACT: This legislation appropriates $1,728,023 for Community Development Block Grant Recovery (CDBG-R) programs. Costs will be reimbursed to the city by HUD as expended.
This legislation is presented as an emergency for the effective implementation of programs to stabilize neighborhoods and expand economic development as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
Title
To authorize an appropriation of $1,728,023 in various divisions and object levels of the Department of Development within the General Government Grant Fund, to provide funding for approved programs; and to declare an emergency ($1,728,023.00).
Body
WHEREAS, the city of Columbus has been awarded $1,728,023 from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for the implementation of the Community Development Block Grant Recovery Program to stabilize neighborhoods and expand economic development; and
WHEREAS, ordinance 0765-2009 adopted the city's CDBG-R Program, authorized the filing of the application with HUD, and made a substantial amendment to the Consolidated Plan' s 2008 Action Plan; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Finance and Management, in that it is immediately necessary to appropriate the aforementioned funds, thereby preserving the public health, peace, property, safety and welfare; Now, Therefore
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That from the unappropriated monies in the fund known as the General Government Grant Fund, Fund No. 220, Grant No. 459100, and from all monies estimated to come into said fund from any and all sources during the 12 months ending December 31, 2009, there be and hereby is appropriated to the following divisions the following sums:
Dept OCA OL 01 Amount
4402 459100 03 $ 1,000,000
4403 459102 03 $ 20,000
4410 459101 03 100,000
4410 459101 05 608,023
Total 4410 $ 708,023
Grand Total $ 1,728,023
SECTION 2. That the monies appropriated in the foregoing Section 1 shall be paid upon the order of the Director of the Department of Development, except that small claims in amounts not to exceed Two Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($2,500.00) may be paid as authorized by Chapter 335 of the Columbus City Code, 1959, as amended; and except that payments or transfers between departments, divisions or funds of the City may be made by the City Auditor; and except that payments for premiums for official bonds, depository commissions, employees' hospitalization, life insurance, pensions, dental insurance and prepaid legal services, shall be made on the order and approval of the Director of the Department of Finance and Management or City Auditor; and that no order shall be drawn or money paid except upon voucher, the form of which shall be approved by the City Auditor.
SECTION 3. Except in the matter of payrolls providing for the payment of the salaries of officers and employees regularly employed by the City and extraordinary emergencies, no warrant shall be issued in liquidation of vouchers, unless the department contracting the expense shall have first obtained an order duly certified that there are sufficient funds appropriated to the credit of the proper funds from which the expenditure is to be made, which certificate must be obtained prior to the incurrence of the obligation, and the head of any department or division authorized to contract expenditures will be held personally responsible for any obligation incurred contrary to the provisions of this section. Except that such certificate shall not be issued for obligations pertaining to "Capital Outlay" in programs or activities funded by federal or state categorical grants without the prior approval of the Director of the Department of Finance and Management; such prior approval must be obtained before submission of any requisition for items coded as "Capital Outlay" to the Department of Finance and Management. The Director of the Department of Finance and Management will review such requests for conformity with the approved budget.
SECTION 4. That it is understood that this Council is not making specific appropriations for each item of every classification herein before contained but only for the total for each department and subdepartment, as shown in the final column. The itemized classification shall, however, constitute limitations on the powers of the several department heads as granted in Section 3, and no such officer shall make any expenditure for any other purpose in any amount beyond that of the particular classification; provided, however, that transfers may be made from Object Level 1 to another, within any one department or division. Transfers of sums exceeding $25,000 shall be authorized only by ordinance of Council. Transfers of sums of $25,000 or less shall be approved by letter with the signatures of the head of the department, the Director of the Department of
Finance and Management, the City Auditor and the Chairman of the Finance Committee.
SECTION 5. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized and directed to pay obligations of various departments pertaining to preceding years obligations from current appropriations up to a maximum of $25,000.00 per obligation.
SECTION 6. 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.