Explanation
BACKGROUND: The Columbus Department of Development is proposing to enter into a Jobs Growth Incentive Agreement with ContactUS, LLC equal to twenty-five percent (25%) of the amount of personal income tax withheld on new employees to Columbus for a term of five (5) years. ContactUS, LLC will invest approximately $4,000,000 in building acquisition and improvements and create approximately 350 new full-time permanent positions with an annual payroll of approximately $10,192,000.
ContactUS, LLC was formed in December 2011 by the Board of Directors of CallCopy, Inc. (dba Uptivity), a leading provider of innovative call recording and contact center solutions, and is a privately owned company. ContactUS, LLC is a leader in the business process outsource (BPO), speech & desktop analytics managed service, and third-party quality monitoring arena. The company's executive leadership team has managed thousands of contact center professionals over the past several decades and has developed and deployed best-in-class contact center technology that is currently being used on hundreds of thousands of workstations around the world.
ContactUS, LLC is proposing to expand its client support operation in the City of Columbus. The company will purchase and renovate approximately 100,000 square feet of vacant commercial space located at 3700 Fishinger Blvd., Columbus, OH 43026.
FISCAL IMPACT: No funding is required for this legislation.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a Jobs Growth Incentive with ContactUS, LLC equal to twenty-five percent (25%) of the amount of new income tax withheld on employees for a term of five (5) years in consideration of combined company investments of approximately $4,000,000.00 related to building acquisition and improvements and the creation of 350 new full-time permanent positions.
Body
WHEREAS, the City desires to increase employment opportunities and encourage the creation of new jobs in the City in order to improve the overall economic climate of the City and its citizens; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Development received a completed Jobs Growth Incentive Application from ContactUS, LLC; and
WHEREAS, ContactUS, LLC will purchase and renovate approximately 100,000 square feet of vacant commercial space located at 3700 Fishinger Blvd., Columbus, OH 43026; and
WHEREAS, ContactUS, LLC will invest approximately $4,000,000 related to building acquisition and improvements and create approximately 350 new full-time permanent positions with an annual payroll of approximately $10,192,000; and
WHEREAS, ContactUS, LLC has indicated that a Jobs Growth Incentive is crucial to its decisions to expand their client support operation within the City of Columbus; and
WHEREAS, the City of Columbus desires to facilitate the future growth of ContactUS, LLC at the project site by providing a Jobs Growth Incentive; and NOW THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
Section 1. That the Director of the Department of Development is hereby authorized to enter into a Jobs Growth Incentive Agreement with ContactUS, LLC equal to twenty-five percent (25%) of the amount of personal income tax withheld on new employees to Columbus for a term of five (5) years.
Section 2. Each year of the term of the agreement with ContactUS, LLC, the City's obligation to pay the incentive is expressly contingent upon the passage of an ordinance appropriating and authorizing the expenditure of monies sufficient to make such payment and the certification of the City Auditor pursuant to Section 159 of the Columbus City Charter.
Section 3. That the City of Columbus Jobs Growth Incentive Agreement is signed by ContactUS, LLC within 90 days of passage of this ordinance, or this ordinance and the credit herein shall be null and void.
Section 4. The City Council hereby extends authority to the Director of Development to amend the ContactUS, LLC City of Columbus Jobs Growth Incentive Agreement for non-substantive modifications to the agreement requested in writing by the company and or the City and deemed appropriate by the Director of Development with these non-substantive modifications being specifically limited to reductions in length of term, methods of calculating the incentive, or adding or deleting business entities associated with the employment commitments related to this incentive. All other requested amendments must be approved by City Council.
Section 5. That this ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after the earliest period allowed by law.