Explanation
This legislation authorizes the Director of Public Utilities to enter into an agreement with the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) for the purposes of providing funding and continued support for Phase II of the Central Ohio Green Pact for Fiscal Year 2013. MORPC receives funding from various sources including the City of Columbus, State of Ohio, counties and townships to provide legislative representation, training and educational forums, consulting services, and regional networking opportunities.
City funding, along with a $148,555.00 grant from the Ohio Water Development Authority will be used for program funding for Phase II. Additional matching funds have been obtained from the United States Geological Service and Del-Co Water Company, Inc. for this project. There is a growing scientific consensus that climate change may have a serious effect on the hydrologic cycle, including both long-term trends of excess precipitation and drought and the frequency and severity of short-term extreme runoff events. The project will be conducted in a manner to produce results that are useful to the City in planning for how it will meet changes in the hydrologic cycle related to climate change. The American Water Works Association, of which the City is a member, adopted a policy statement supporting "the development of more refined global climate models and tools to better understand and address these impacts at a water utility-relevant scale." The funding support for Phase II will cover the period from the date of the execution of the agreement between the City of Columbus and MORPC until July 31, 2013.
SUPPLIER: Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (31-1009675) Non-Profit
FISCAL IMPACT: $74,277.00 is needed and budgeted for this support.
EMERGENCY DESIGNATION: This ordinance is being submitted as emergency to allow for the prompt payment of the City's portion of Phase II to allow the project to continue without delay.
Title
To authorize the Director of Public Utilities to enter into an agreement with the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) for the purposes of providing funding and support for the Central Ohio Green Pact for Fiscal Year 2013, to authorize the expenditure of $37,138.50 from the Sewerage System Operating Fund, and $37,138.50 from the Water Operating Fund, and to declare an emergency. ($74,277.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the City is a signatory to the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC / Grantee's) Central Ohio Green Pact, which provides in part that "[t]he science supporting climate change caused by human activities is well established," and
WHEREAS, there is growing scientific consensus that climate change may have a serious effect on the hydrologic cycle, including both long-term trends of excess precipitation and drought and the frequency and severity of short-term extreme runoff events, and
WHEREAS, in 2010 the American Water Works Association, of which the City is a member, adopted a policy statement supporting "the development of more refined global climate models and tools to better understand and address these impacts at a water utility-relevant scale," and
WHEREAS, Grantee has organized a project to develop a refined climate model and tools to better understand and address said impacts at a scale relevant to the operations of the Columbus Division of Public Utilities," and
WHEREAS, Grantee obtained an initial grant of $200,000.00 from the Ohio Water Development Authority to conduct the first phase of this project, consisting of Tasks One through Five described on pages 8 and 9 of the document included in Exhibit A attached hereto and entitled "DEVELOPMENT OF A WATERSHED MODEL OF THE UPPER SCIOTO RIVER BASIN FOR ASSESSING POTENTIAL CLIMATE-CHANGE EFFECTS IN THE CENTRAL OHIO REGION," which grant requires Grantee to obtain an equal amount in matching funds," and
WHEREAS, Grantee obtained commitments of additional matching funds from other sources, including the United States Geological Service and Del-Co Water Company, Inc., and
WHEREAS, the City would like to support Grantee's project and participate in the steering committee that will advise the project to assure that the project will be conducted in a manner to produce results that are useful to the City in planning for how it will meet changes in the hydrologic cycle related to climate change, and
WHEREAS, it is now time for the City to pay their portion of the match for Phase II funding of the Central Ohio Green Pact's OWDA Climate Change Adaptation Project. These funds represent 25% of the total of Phase II project costs and are part of the local match to $148,555 awarded by the Ohio Water Development Authority, and
WHEREAS, the funds will be utilized by the US Geological Service for tasks 6 & 7, model calibration and scenario testing, outlined in the work proposal included as Exhibit A to the Phase 1 funding contract between MORPC and the City of Columbus. Funds will also be utilized to hire a consultant to begin work on the planning portion of the project. This will include beginning a water resource inventory for the Upper Scioto River Basin; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Public Utilities, Division of Sewerage and Drainage and Division of Water in that it is immediately necessary to allow for the prompt payment of the City's portion of Phase II to allow the project to continue without delay; now, therefore
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Director of Public Utilities be and hereby is authorized to enter into a support agreement with the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission for the purpose of providing funding for Phase II of the Central Ohio Green Pact for the Fiscal Year 2013.
SECTION 2. That the expenditure of $74,277.00 or as much thereof as may be needed, be and the same is hereby authorized as follows:
Dept./Div.: 60-05
FUND: 650
OCA: 605006
Object Level One: 03
Object Level Three: 3337
Amount: $37,138.50
Dept./Div.: 60-09
FUND: 600
OCA: 601849
Object Level One: 03
Object Level Three: 3337
Amount: $37,138.50
SECTION 3. 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 4. 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.