Explanation
Area Commissions exist to afford additional voluntary citizen participation in decision-making in an advisory capacity and to facilitate communication, understanding and cooperation between neighborhood groups, city officials and developers. Commissions are the primary advisory bodies to the City for all new development. There are 21 Area Commissions with between 7 and 21 members. They are elected by residents living within the Commission boundaries. There are currently 270 total seats with a significant number of those remaining vacant because of challenges recruiting new members. Many residents are unaware of the function or existence of their Area Commission. A need also exists to ensure Commissioners represent the diversity of the communities that they serve. Currently 14 Area Commissions have vacant seats.
This legislation authorizes the Director of the Department of Neighborhoods to enter into a contract with Canvaas Consulting LLC in an amount up to $100,000.00 for marketing and outreach services to develop an outreach campaign to educate residents about Columbus Area Commissions and ultimately increase participation. It is in the City's best interests to waive competitive bidding to enter into this contract.
Emergency Action is requested in order to immediately implement an outreach and marketing campaign to raise awareness of the existence, functions and duties of Area Commissions. With the goal of increasing participation, the marketing campaign will focus on how residents can be elected to participate in Area Commissions, most of whom hold their annual elections in late summer.
Fiscal Impact: Funding is available in the Department of Neighborhoods general operating budget, Neighborhood Initiatives subfund, fund 1000, subfund 100018, File #: 1633-2024, Version: 1.
Contract Compliance:
Canvaas Consulting LLC 031214
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Neighborhoods to enter into a contract with Canvaas Consulting LLC in amount up to $100,000.00 for marketing and outreach services to educate residents about Columbus Area Commissions and ultimately increase participation; to waive the competitive bidding provisions of City Code; to authorize the appropriation and expenditure of up to $100,000.00 from the General Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($100,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the expenditure of funds within the General Fund is needed to implement an outreach and marketing campaign to raise awareness of the existence, functions and duties of Area Commissions; and,
WHEREAS, The Mayor and City Council are committed to the mission and work of Area Commissions; and,
WHEREAS, it is in the best interest of the City to waive the competitive bidding provisions of City Code Chapter 329 to execute a contract with Canvaas Consulting LLC to develop and implement a unified Area Commission awareness campaign directed at all residents of Columbus; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Neighborhoods in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director to enter into contract with Canvaas Consulting LLC to develop an outreach campaign to educate residents about Columbus Area Commissions and ultimately increase participation, NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Director of the Department of Neighborhoods is hereby authorized to enter into a contract with Canvaas Consulting LLC in an amount up to $100,000.00 to implement an outreach and marketing campaign to raise awareness of the existence, functions and duties of Area Commissions, with the goal of increasing participation.
SECTION 2. That the appropriation and expenditure of $100,000.00 or so much thereof as may be needed is hereby authorized in Neighborhood Initiatives subfund, fund 1000, subfund 100018 (General Fund), Dept-Div 48-01, in object class 03 (Services) per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
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 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 5. That this Council finds it to be in the best interest of the City to waive the relevant provisions of Chapter 329 of City Code relating to Competitive bidding for this contract.
SECTION 6. That for the reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made part hereof, this ordinance is hereby declared to be an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force from and after its approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.