Explanation
BACKGROUND: This ordinance authorizes the City Clerk to enter into a grant agreement with Somali Cultural Festival to provide upfront funding support for programming associated with the 2025 Somali Cultural Festival. The Festival is a two-day event taking place on June 28th and 29th, and is designed to strengthen community ties, empower immigrant populations, and provide economic opportunity through cultural celebration. Hosted by the Somali Cultural Alliance of Ohio, this event is free to the public and brings together over 15,000 attendees from across Columbus, with a focus on engaging youth, small businesses, and immigrant families.
FISCAL IMPACT: Funds are available in the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund, subfund 100018.
REASON FOR EMERGENCY: Somali Cultural Festival does not currently have the reserve capital necessary to front the full cost of a large-scale, multi-day cultural festival. They are requesting upfront funding to be provided as quickly as possible, considering the event is less than one month away.
Title
To authorize the City Clerk to enter into a grant agreement with Somali Cultural Festival; to authorize an expenditure from the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund; and to declare an emergency. ($10,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, Somali Cultural Festival is dedicated to preserving and promoting Somali heritage, empowering Somali-American communities, and fostering cultural understanding through education, arts, and civic engagement; and
WHEREAS, the Somali Cultural Festival is a two-day event planned for June 28th and 29th of this year to strengthen community ties, empower immigrant populations, and provide economic opportunity through cultural celebration; and
WHEREAS, the event is free to the public and brings together over 15,000 attendees from across Columbus, with a focus on engaging youth, small businesses, and immigrant families; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the City Clerk's office insofar as it is immediately necessary to provide upfront funding to Somali Cultural Festival in order to provide necessary financial support for the successful planning and execution of the event scheduled for late June, all for the immediate preservation of the public health, peace, property, and safety; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the City Clerk is authorized to enter into a grant agreement with Somali Cultural Festival in support of their June 28th and June 29th event.
SECTION 2. That the expenditure of $10,000.00, or so much thereof as may be needed pursuant to the action authorized in SECTION 1, is authorized in the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund, fund 1000, subfund 100018, per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That the City Auditor is authorized to make any accounting changes to revise the funding source for all contracts or contract modifications associated with this ordinance.
SECTION 4. 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 5. That for the reason 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.