Explanation
The City of Columbus is committed to paying the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) an annual fee for vital services in the area of intergovernmental relations, transportation planning and programming, grantsmanship, legislative review and information exchange. This ordinance authorizes the expenditure of the annual membership fee (dues) for the City for 2004 of $308,487.00. The fee was established by MORPC based on population per an earlier agreement with the City and is not negotiable. The rate for 2004 is $.415 per capita based on an estimated population of 743,343 as of January 1, 2004.
As Council has selected MORPC to be the City's planning agency, it is in the City's best interest to waive the formal competitive bidding requirements of the City Code.
Funds in the amount of $308,487.00 are budgeted and available for this expenditure in the Street Construction, Maintenance and Repair Fund. MORPC dues for 2002 and 2003 were $290,640.00 and $304,620.00, respectively.
Emergency action is requested for this legislation because the first quarterly installment of the membership fee is currently due. This expense cannot be legislated in advance of passage of the 2004 budget.
Title
To authorize the Public Service Director to pay the City's annual membership dues to the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) for the Transportation Division; to authorize the expenditure of $308,487.00 from the Street Construction, Maintenance and Repair Fund; to waive the formal competitive bidding requirements of the Columbus City Codes, 1959, and to declare an emergency. ($308,487.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) provides the City of Columbus and other member communities with vital services in the area of intergovernmental relations, transportation planning and programming, grantsmanship, legislative review, and information exchange; and
WHEREAS, the City of Columbus is a government member of MORPC; and
WHEREAS, the City's membership fee for MORPC in 2004 is $308,487.00; and
WHEREAS, the first quarter payment is currently due; and
WHEREAS, because MORPC is not the only entity providing these services that is available to the City, the provisions of Section 329.06 of the Columbus City Codes, 1959 must be waived; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Public Service Department, Transportation Division, in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the payment of the MORPC dues since this expense could not be legislated any earlier pending the passage of the 2004 budget 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 Public Service Director be and hereby is authorized to pay dues for the city's annual membership in the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC), 285 East Main Street, Columbus, Ohio 43215-5272 in the amount of $308,487.00 or so much thereof as may be needed from the Street Construction, Maintenance and Repair Fund, Fund 265, Department No. 59-09, Transportation Division, Object Level One Code 03, Object Level Three Code 3333 and OCA Code 599001.
SECTION 2. That City Council determines that it is in the best interest of the City that the provisions of 329.06 of the Columbus City Codes, 1959 regarding formal competitive bidding requirements be waived.
SECTION 3. 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.