Explanation
Background: This legislation will authorize the appropriation of $22,877.60 from the Bad Check Diversion Program subfund. The fund collects fees relating to the City Attorney's Bad Check Diversion Program and funds a portion of the salary of the Bad Check Program Coordinator.
The Bad Check Diversion Program is designed to reduce the number of bad check cases that backlog the court and to help local merchants recover the money they are owed. The staff works directly with the merchant and the check writer to resolve the matter and therefore keep the case out of the court system.
Fiscal Impact: Collected fees partially fund the Bad Check Diversion Program. The cash balance of the fund as of 10/10/2018 was $22,877.60.
Title
To authorize the appropriation of $22,877.60 from the unappropriated balance of the fees collected by the City Attorney's Bad Check Diversion Program for the purpose of partially funding said program; to authorize that any such future deposits as the City may receive into this subfund are hereby deemed to be appropriated; and to declare an emergency. ($22,877.60)
Body
WHEREAS, administrative fees are imposed and collected by the City Attorney's Office for participation in the Bad Checks Diversion Program; and
WHEREAS, the cost of this program is partly supported by the fees collected; and
WHEREAS, it is in the best interest of the City to authorize any such future deposits as the City may receive into this subfund which are hereby deemed to be appropriated, and the City Auditor is hereby authorized to pay such amounts thereof; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the City Attorney's Office in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the appropriation of these collected fees for the continuance of the program and for the preservation of public peace, property, safety, health and welfare; and now therefore,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That from the unappropriated monies and from all monies estimated to come into said fund from any and all sources and unappropriated for any other purpose during the fiscal year ending December 31, 2018, the sum of $22,877.60 is appropriated per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 2. That all future monies received by the City from such sources and deposited in said subfund are hereby deemed to be appropriated in an amount not to exceed cash in the subfund, and the City Auditor is hereby authorized to pay such amounts thereof, for purposes relating to the Bad Check Diversion Program.
SECTION 3. That funds appropriated shall be paid upon order of the City Attorney 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. That funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are hereby deemed appropriated and expenditures and transfers authorized to carry out the purposes of this ordinance and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 5. That for reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is hereby declared 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.