Explanation
Background
This ordinance authorizes the City Clerk to enter into a grant agreement with Legal Aid of Southeast and Central Ohio (LASCO) in support of the LASCO Reentry Project.
Legal Aid of Southeast and Central Ohio (LASCO)’s mission is to provide civil legal aid and advocacy to overcome unfairness and injustice, reduce poverty, and increase opportunity. LASCO envisions a just and fair society where all can thrive and live free of poverty.
The LASCO Reentry Team focuses their efforts on assisting justice-involved individuals overcome the barriers posed by criminal records and other contact with the criminal court system. Their work includes helping clients with sealing and expunging their criminal records, filing for Human Trafficking/Safe Harbor Expungement, obtaining Certificates of Qualification for Employment and for Housing, and reinstating their driver’s licenses. LASCO Reentry clients have gone on to become coaches, healthcare professionals, commercial drivers, peer supporters, and work in many other jobs that are vital to the success of the Columbus community. LASCO Reentry clients are also more able to obtain stable housing and to regain their driver’s license and the resulting autonomy with which that comes. LASCO assists clients through direct representation on an individual basis and through large-scale legal clinics that serve hundreds of clients per day.
The LASCO Reentry Project ensures that individuals have the legal resources and support needed to fully participate in the economy, better positioning them to secure stable employment, obtain safe and affordable housing, regain reliable transportation, and support their families. By helping clients secure protections that remove structural barriers, LASCO legal advocates help clients access opportunities that lead to securing financial independence, reduced recidivism, and stronger community engagement.
Since the organization lacks the funding necessary to operate the program on a reimbursement basis, funds will be advanced to LASCO in order to initiate the program.
Fiscal Impact: Funding ($165,000.00) is available within the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund.
Emergency Designation: To provide financial resources as soon as possible in the furtherance of the LASCO Reentry efforts and to avoid a lapse in services, emergency legislation is requested.
Title
To authorize the City Clerk to enter into a grant agreement with Legal Aid of Southeast and Central Ohio (LASCO) in support of the LASCO Reentry Project; to authorize an appropriation and expenditure within the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund; and to declare an emergency. ($165,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, Legal Aid of Southeast and Central Ohio (LASCO)’s mission is to provide civil legal aid and advocacy to overcome unfairness and injustice, reduce poverty, and increase opportunity; and
WHEREAS, the purpose of the LASCO Reentry Project is to assist justice-involved individuals to overcome the barriers posed by criminal records and other contact with the criminal court system;
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the City Clerk in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the City Clerk to enter into a grant agreement with Legal Aid of Southeast and Central Ohio (LASCO) in support of the LASCO Reentry Project to avoid a lapse in services and to provide financial resources as soon as possible in the furtherance of the LASCO Reentry efforts, all for the immediate 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 City Clerk is hereby authorized to enter into a grant agreement with Legal Aid of Southeast and Central Ohio (LASCO) in support of the LASCO Reentry Project in the amount of $165,000.00.
SECTION 2. That the Auditor is hereby authorized and directed to appropriate $165,000.00 within the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund, fund 1000, subfund 100018, per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That per the action authorized in Section 1 of this ordinance, the expenditure of $165,000.00 or so much thereof as may be needed, is authorized in the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund, fund 1000, subfund 100018, per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 4. That funds shall be paid in advance to Legal Aid of Southeast and Central Ohio (LASCO) in order for the organization to have the resources necessary to avoid any gaps in services.
SECTION 5. That the funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are deemed appropriated, and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 6. 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 legislation.
SECTION 7. 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.