Background
This ordinance authorizes and directs the City Auditor to transfer and appropriate $417,101.00 from the Department of Finance and Management General Fund 1000 to the Department of Neighborhoods General Fund 1000 and authorizes the Director of the Department of Neighborhoods to enter into a service agreement with various not-for-profit agencies, for the purposes of providing summer youth employment and programming, including food and transportation.
The services included in these agreements cannot be provided by existing city employees because these services are beyond the City’s current responsibility and capacity to provide.
Explanation
The Department of Neighborhoods houses youth engagement initiatives including The Commission on Black Girls (COBG) and My Brother’s Keeper (MBK). Both programs focus on services and support for Black youth, respectively COBG focuses on Black girls and MBK centers is efforts on Boys and Young Men of Color. Additionally, this legislation is important to provide funding for summer programming and internships; because both initiatives prioritize education and employment experiences that not only support youth economically, but also provide safe environments that may deter youth from engaging in behaviors that could negatively impact their futures.
About COBG & MBK
On July 16, 2018, Columbus City Council adopted resolution number 0208X-2018 to create The Commission on Black Girls (The Commission or COBG). The creation of COBG was led by former Councilmember Priscilla R. Tyson. The impetus for creating The Commission was the disparities that Black women experience in several areas including but not limited to: homelessness, eviction, infant mortality, maternal mortality, and the wage gap. To change this trajectory, the intent was to start at earlier stages of development and focus on girls. Charged with studying the quality of life of Black girls in Columbus, The Commission released a report in July 2020 with 18 recommendation areas that are intended to improve services and systemic issues that impact Black girls. The three main areas of focus in the report include Education, Economics, and Mental & Emotional Health.
In 2014, the White House, under President Barack Obama, launched the My Brother’s Keeper initiative to address persistent opportunity gaps faced by boys and young men of color and ensure that all young people can reach their full potential. Through this initiative, the Administration called on cities, businesses, and foundations to take important steps to connect young people to mentoring, support networks, and help them gain the skills they need to find a good job or go to college and work their way into the middle class. The milestones associated with the My Brother’s Keeper initiative include having young people enter school ready to learn, reading at grade level by third grade, graduating from high school ready for college, completing post-secondary education or training, successfully entering the workforce, and providing a second chance to those with past criminal offenses. In responding to the call to action, the Department of Neighborhoods established the My Brother’s Keeper Village to be the hub of all work throughout the City of Columbus.
Emergency Designation: Emergency action is requested to ensure that students can benefit from summer employment and programming opportunities.
Fiscal Impact: This ordinance authorizes the transfer, appropriation and expenditure of $417,101.00 from the General Fund.
CONTRACT COMPLIANCE: the vendor’s vendor numbers are:
AccessHealth Columbus dba Health Impact Ohio 008966 and is valid 4/21/2023-4/21/2025
Ohio Youth Development 038146 and is valid 5/30/23-5/30/2025
Too Good Eats 045539 and is valid 5/30/2023-5/30/2025
Community Partners Youth Development Organization 043748 and is valid 11/29/2022-11/29/2024
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Neighborhoods to enter into grant agreements with the following not-for-profit agencies in support of summer youth employment and programs: AccessHealth Columbus dba Health Impact Ohio, Ohio Youth Development, Too Good Eats, Community Partners Youth Development Organization on behalf of Warhol & Wall ST; to authorize the transfer within the general fund; to authorize the expenditure from the general fund; to authorize the payment of expenses starting May 22, 2023; and to declare an emergency. ($417,101.00)
Body
WHEREAS, The Mayor and City Council are committed to the mission and work of the My Brother’s Keeper and the Commission on Black Girls; and,
WHEREAS, the grant funding of $417,101.00 by passage of this ordinance will be used to support not-for-profit agencies to provide support youth employment and programming; and
WHEREAS, such expenditure of funds has not been previously accounted for within the 2023 Budget; 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 grant agreements to allow the agencies to immediately provide summer employment opportunities, all for the immediate preservation of the public health, peace, property, safety and welfare; and NOW THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1: That the Director of the Department of Neighborhoods is authorized to enter into a non-profit grant agreement with the following agencies:
AccessHealth Columbus dba Health Impact Ohio $150,000.00
Ohio Youth Development $25,001.00
Too Good Eats $6,100.00
Community Partners Youth Development Organization on behalf of Warhol & Wall ST $236,000.00
SECTION 2. That the transfer and appropriation of $417,101.00, or so much thereof as may be needed is hereby authorized within the General Fund 1000, per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance
SECTION 3: That the expenditure of $417,101.00 or so much thereof as may be needed is authorized in Fund 1000, Dept-Div 48-01, in object class 05 (Grants) per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 4: 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 5: 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 6: That for reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is 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.