Explanation
Need: In accordance with Recommendation #13 of the Columbus Community Safety Advisory Commission (CCSAC), the Civil Service Commission has been tasked with overseeing an independent audit, and eventually assisting in the finalization and implementation of resulting recommendations for improving the Columbus Police Officer recruiting/testing process.
An initial contract for ten thousand dollars ($10,000.00) was executed with Winfred Arthur, Jr., Ph.D. for the development and submission of a detailed plan outlining the content, deliverables, and needed resources to execute the proposed plan. With the receipt and approval of Dr. Arthur’s plan, the initial contract was modified and increased to allow for the execution of the audit plan for a total contract amount of ninety thousand dollars ($90,000.00, Ordinance 2562-2020).
Final audit results and recommendations are soon to be released by Dr. Arthur, and as such, the Civil Service Commission needs to modify the existing contract and increase the maximum authorized expenditure in the contract in preparation for the finalization and implementation of recommendations associated with the completed audit.
Bid Information: Because of the desire of City officials and the community at large to expedite this audit, Commission staff made contact with outside colleagues and experts in this area to identify individuals familiar with and successful in safety forces reviews. As a result of those inquiries, Winfred Arthur, Jr., Ph.D. was identified as an accomplished professional in this niche area. As such, no formal/informal bid process was conducted, but instead, direct contact was made with Dr. Arthur to confirm his qualifications and past experience performing work similar to that needed by the City of Columbus.
Emergency Designation: Emergency legislation is requested in order to ensure this project, as deemed important by the CCSAC, is completed as quickly as possible.
Contract Compliance Number: CC033085, expires 9/16/2022
FISCAL IMPACT: Funding for this service was NOT budgeted in the Civil Service Commission’s 2021 General Fund budget, but can be covered by available unencumbered funds previously appropriated to the Commission.
Title
To authorize a transfer of $12,000.00 within the General Fund; to authorize the Executive Director of the Civil Service Commission to modify and increase a contract with Winfred Arthur, Jr., Ph.D. for the execution, and assistance with the finalization and implementation of the recommendations associated with the independent audit of the Columbus Police Officer recruiting/testing process as recommended by the Columbus Community Safety Advisory Committee; to waive the competitive bidding provisions of Chapter 329 of the Columbus City Codes so as to allow the modification and increase of this contract; to authorize the expenditure of $25,000.00 from the General Fund; and to declare an emergency ($25,000.00).
Body
WHEREAS, the City of Columbus Civil Service Commission solicited recommendations from outside colleagues and experts in the field of safety forces audits and determined Dr. Arthur was the best, available resource to provide the audit plan and execute the plan; and
WHEREAS, to date, ninety thousand dollars ($90,000.00) have been authorized for the development and execution of the audit plan by Dr. Arthur; and
WHEREAS, the current contract is insufficient to pay for services needed to assist with the finalization and implementation of said audit plan recommendations; and
WHEREAS, a waiver of the competitive bid provisions of the Columbus City Codes was previously authorized by Council since Winfred Arthur, Jr., Ph.D. was determined to be uniquely well-suited to serve as the consultant to execute an independent audit of the Columbus Police Officer recruiting/testing process as recommended by the Columbus Community Safety Advisory Committee and assist with the implementation of said recommendations; and
WHEREAS an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Civil Service Commission, in that it is immediately necessary to modify and increase the contract with Dr. Arthur for assisting in the finalization and implementation of the audit recommendations regarding the Police Officer recruiting/testing process, thereby preserving the public peace, property, health, safety and welfare; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the City Auditor shall hereby be authorized to transfer within the Civil Service Commission’s 2021 General Fund budget, the amount of $12,000.00 as reflected in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 2. That the Executive Director of the Civil Service Commission be and is hereby authorized to modify and increase the contract with Winfred Arthur, Jr., Ph.D. for the purpose of assisting in the finalization and implementation of the audit recommendations regarding the Police Officer recruiting/testing process.
SECTION 3. That this Council finds it is in the best interests of the City to again waive the competitive bidding provisions of Chapter 329 of the Columbus City Codes so as to allow for the modification and increase of this contract, and hereby waives such provision.
SECTION 4. That the expenditure of $25,000.00, or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized in Fund 1000 General Fund in Object Class 03 per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 5. 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 6. 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.