Explanation
Background:
This ordinance authorizes and directs the Director of Recreation and Parks to accept a grant from the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce in the amount of $2,500,000.00 for the operation of the 2025 Summer Food Service Program and to enter into contract with the Columbus City Schools in the amount of $2,300,000.00.
The Summer Food Service Program is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture through the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce. The program provides nutritionally balanced breakfasts, lunches, and snacks to qualified children in need during the summer months at no cost to the child or family. The program will serve over 80,000 breakfast meals, 100,000 lunch meals, and 15,000 snacks. Thousands of children will be served through this program at 100 - 130 sites throughout the greater Columbus area.
Emergency Justification: Emergency action is requested to ensure the timely provision of free meals through the summer food program beginning June 1, 2025 and thereby to provide for the immediate preservation of the public health and safety.
Principal Parties:
Columbus City Schools
450 E. Fulton St., Columbus, OH 43215
Joe Brown, Director of Food Service
jbrown@columbus.k12.oh.us 614.365.5671
Contract Compliance: 006201
Fiscal Impact: $2,300,000.00 is required and budgeted in the Recreation and Parks Grant Fund to meet the financial obligation of this contract.
Title
To authorize and direct the Director of Recreation and Parks to accept a grant from the Ohio Department of Education & Workforce in the amount of $2,500,000.00 for the 2025 Summer Food Program; to authorize the appropriation of $2,500,000.00 to the Recreation and Parks Grant Fund; to enter into an agreement with Columbus City Schools in the amount of $2,300,000.00 for the preparation and delivery of meals for the Summer Food Program; to authorize the expenditure of $2,300,000.00 from the Recreation and Parks Grant Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($2,500,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce has awarded the City of Columbus a grant for the 2025 Summer Food Service program; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize and direct the Director of Recreation and Parks to accept a grant from the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce in the amount of $2,500,00.00 for the operation of the 2025 Summer Food Service Program; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize an appropriation in the amount of $2,500,00.00 to the Recreation and Park's Grant Fund; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary for the Director of Recreation and Parks Department to enter into an agreement with Columbus City Schools in the amount of $2,300,000.00 for the preparation and delivery of meals for the Summer Food Program; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the expenditure of $2,300,000.00 from the Recreation and Parks Grant Fund; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exist in the usual daily operation of the Department of Recreation and Parks in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director to accept the grant from the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce for operation of the 2025 Summer Food Program and immediately necessary to authorize the Director to enter into contract with the Columbus City Schools to ensure the timely provision including preparation and delivery of free meals through the summer food program beginning June 2025, all for the immediate preservation of the public health, peace, property, safety and welfare; and NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Director of Recreation and Parks is hereby authorized and directed to accept a grant from the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce in the amount of $2,500,000.00.
SECTION 2. That from the unappropriated monies in the Recreation and Parks Grant Fund 2283, and from all monies estimated to come into said fund from any and all sources during the grant period and upon receipt of an executed grant agreement, the sum of $2,500,000.00 and any other eligible interest earned during the grant period is appropriated to the Recreation and Parks Grant Fund, per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That the Director of Recreation and Parks be and is hereby authorized and directed to enter into a contract with Columbus City Schools in the amount of $2,300,000.00 for the preparation and delivery of meals for the 2025 Summer Food Service Program in accordance with the specifications on file in the Recreation and Parks Department, and upon receipt of an executed grant agreement.
SECTION 4. That the expenditure of $2,300,000.00 or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized in Fund 2283 Recreation and Parks Grant Fund, per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 5. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized to transfer the unencumbered balance in a project account to the unallocated balance account within the same fund upon receipt of certification by the Director of the Department administering said project that the project has been completed and the monies are no longer required for said project; except that no transfer shall be so made from a project account funded by monies from more than one source.
SECTION 6. That 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 it originated in accordance with all applicable grant agreements.
SECTION 7. That the 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 8. 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 10 days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.