Explanation
This ordinance transfers $200,000 from SIT Fund 430 to Neighborhood Initiative Fund 018, appropriates those funds, and authorizes and directs the Director of the Community Relations Commission to enter into contract with the Friends of the Community Relations Commission, a not-for-profit organization, to distribute those funds, and with the Coalition for a Nonviolent Columbus, a not-for-profit organization, to administer and monitor those funds. The funds shall be used for a competitive grant program that provides funding for not-for-profit neighborhood organizations to purchase graffiti abatement equipment and materials and to install community murals to avoid graffiti.
The competitive grant program will be available to any recognized community organization, such as an area commission, civic association, neighborhood business association or other recognized not-for-profit organization. Such organization shall be incorporated with the State of Ohio, located in the City of Columbus, and in possession of a valid IRS not-for-profit designation. Total funding shall not exceed $5,000 per organization per calendar year.
These grants are intended to provide financial support for one-time costs, other than operating expenses, for neighborhood led initiatives that address graffiti in neighborhoods within the corporate limits of the City of Columbus. Funding may be utilized for the purchase of materials and/or equipment for graffiti removal by the grantee; and for the purchase of materials and/or equipment to install a community mural by the grantee to proactively dissuade graffiti crimes. Grantee shall be solely liable for soliciting and receiving any necessary legal waivers or approvals to implement the aforementioned activities, and shall hold the city harmless for any damages resulting from said activities.
The Columbus City Council, or its designee, will liaise with the relevant contractors and will approve the final grant recipients, and those decisions shall be final.
As part of these contracts, guidelines for the disbursement of funds, for the submittal of applications and for routine reporting may be developed by the contractors, in consultation with Columbus City Council, or its designee.
FISCAL IMPACT: Funds are available in the Special Income Tax Fund to transfer to the Neighborhood Initiative Fund.
Title
To authorize and direct the Director of the Community Relations Commission to enter contract for services to administer, distribute, and monitor a competitive graffiti grant program; to authorize the expenditure of $200,000 from the Neighborhood Initiative Fund and to declare an emergency.
Body
WHEREAS, Graffiti is a blight on Columbus neighborhoods devaluing property, attracting crime, and menacing those in the neighborhood impacted by graffiti crime; and
WHEREAS, Recognized neighborhood groups, such as area commissions, civic associations and business associations, play a critical, proactive role in abating and avoiding graffiti in their neighborhoods; and
WHEREAS, This ordinance creates a competitive grant program that provides funding for not-for-profit neighborhood organizations to purchase graffiti abatement equipment and materials and to install community murals to avoid graffiti; and
WHEREAS, This ordinance transfers $200,000 from SIT Fund 430 to Neighborhood Initiative Fund 018, appropriates those funds, and authorizes and directs the Director of the Community Relations Commission to enter into contract for the aforementioned purposes; and
WHEREAS, Friends of the Community Relations Commission is a non-profit organization working to open doors in Columbus neighborhoods to address issues of ethnic, racial and cultural diversity; and
WHEREAS, The Friend of the Community Relations Commission has agreed to contract with the Community Relations Commission to distribute competitive grant funds provided by Columbus City Council to eligible not-for-profit neighborhood organizations; and
WHEREAS, The Coalition for a Nonviolent Columbus is a non-profit organization was established to engage and encourage residents to become involved in their neighborhoods' success, act as a forum for studying and applying best practice theories and serve as an initial review and recommendation board for neighborhood seed grants; and
WHEREAS, The Coalition for a Nonviolent Columbus has agreed to contract with the Community Relations Commission to administer and monitor competitive grant funds provided by Columbus City Council to eligible not-for-profit neighborhood organizations; and
WHEREAS, An emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the City of Columbus in that it is immediately necessary to effect the transfer and appropriation of funds and to authorize and direct the Director of the Community Relations Commission to enter into contracts to administer, distribute and monitor those funds for a competitive grant program that provides funding for not-for-profit neighborhood organizations to purchase graffiti abatement equipment and materials, and to install community murals to avoid graffiti; NOW THEREFORE
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. The City Auditor be and hereby is authorized to appropriate $200,000, or so much thereof as necessary, in the Special Income Tax (SIT) Fund 430, Community Relations Div 4002 OCA 430402, OL3 5501.
SECTION 2. The City Auditor be and hereby is authorized to transfer $200,000, or so much thereof as necessary, as follows:
FROM: Special Income Tax (SIT) Fund 430, Community Relations Div 4002, OCA 430402, OL3 5501
TO: Neighborhood Initiative Fund 018 Community Relations Commission Div 4002, OCA 400218, OL3 0886
SECTION 3. That the City Auditor be and hereby is authorized to appropriate $200,000, or so much thereof as necessary, in the Neighborhood Initiative Fund 018 Community Relations Commission Div 4002, OCA 400218, OL3 3336.
SECTION 4. That for the purpose stated in Section 1, the expenditure of $200,000.00, or so much thereof as necessary, be and is hereby authorized to be expended from the Community Relations Commission No Div 4002, OCA 400218, OL3 3336.
SECTION 5. That the Director of the Community Relations Commission be and hereby is authorized to enter into contract with Friends of the Community Relations Commission, a not-for-profit organization, to distribute and with the Coalition for a Nonviolent Columbus, a not-for-profit organization, to administer and monitor funds for a competitive grant program that provides funding for not-for-profit neighborhood organizations to purchase graffiti abatement equipment and materials, and to install community murals to avoid graffiti for the purpose of increasing the quality of life in Columbus neighborhoods. As part of those contracts, guidelines for the disbursement of funds, for the submittal of applications and for routine reporting may be promulgated by the contracted non-profit, in consultation with Columbus City Council, or its designee.
SECTION 6. That the Director of the Community Relations Commission be and hereby is authorized and directed to include in the contracts with the Coalition for a Nonviolent Columbus and the Friends of the Community Relations Commission, as appropriate, the following provisions: A grantee shall provide to the contractor an itemized receipt for any purchases within 30 days of purchase and failure to do so may be grounds for forfeiture of the full amount of the grant. A grantee shall provide at the same time the location where the items will be permanently stored, unless in use, and shall notify contractor of any permanent changes in said location. A grantee shall comply with any further reporting requirements. A grantee may be ineligible to receive funding from this grant program for a period of three (3) years if the grantee fails to comply with the requirements of this contract. Funding shall be limited to organization incorporated with the State of Ohio, located in the City of Columbus, and in possession of a valid IRS not-for-profit designation. A grantee shall be solely liable for soliciting and receiving any necessary legal waivers or approvals to implement the aforementioned activities, and shall hold the city harmless for any damages resulting from said activities. Total funding per organization shall not exceed $5,000 per calendar year.
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.