Explanation
BACKGROUND: This ordinance authorizes the appropriation of $852,469.20 in the Health Department Grants Fund, Fund No. 2251 and the Health Special Purpose Fund, Fund No. 2223, for fiscal year 2025-26. This is the annual appropriation ordinance for Columbus Public Health grants that allows for the continued operations of the various grant programs at the Health Department.
Emergency action is requested to allow the financial transaction to be posted in the City's accounting system as soon as possible. Up to date financial posting promotes accurate accounting and financial management.
FISCAL IMPACT: These grant projects are funded through State and County grant awards. Some grant projects collect fees and some are subsidized by donations.
Title
To make appropriation for the twelve months ending August 31, 2026, for the Health Department Grants Fund and the Health Special Purpose Fund, to the Department of Health, in various projects and object classes, for the continued operation of grant programs; to authorize the Board of Health to accept grant awards; to authorize the City Auditor to transfer appropriation between object classes as needed upon request by the Columbus Public Health Department; and to declare an emergency. ($852,469.20)
Body
WHEREAS, it is immediately necessary to appropriate funds for the Health Department’s grant programs for the 12 months beginning September 1, 2025, and ending August 31, 2026 that allows for the continued operations of the various grant programs in the Health Department; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to allow the City Auditor to transfer appropriations between object classes for the grant programs as needed upon request by the Columbus Public Health Department; and
WHEREAS, this ordinance is submitted as an emergency so as to allow the financial transaction to be posted in the City's accounting system as soon as possible. Up to date financial posting promotes accurate accounting and financial management; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Columbus Health Department in that it is immediately necessary to appropriate these funds to the Health Department as the funds are intended to cover the 12 months beginning September 1, 2025, and ending August 31, 2026 making the funds necessary for the immediate preservation of the public health, peace, property, and safety; NOW, THEREFORE:
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Board of Health is hereby authorized and directed to appropriate $787,058.62 in the Health Department Grants Fund for the period of September 1, 2025 through August 31, 2026.
SECTION 2. That the Board of Health is hereby authorized and directed to appropriate $65,410.58 in the Health Special Purpose Fund for the period of September 1, 2025 through August 31, 2026.
SECTION 3. That from the monies in the fund known as the Health Department Grants Fund, Fund No. 2251, and the Health Special Purpose Fund, Fund No. 2223, and from all monies estimated to come into said funds from any and all sources during the twelve months ending August 31, 2026, there be and hereby are appropriated to the Health Department, Department No. 50, Division No. 5001, per the accounting codes attached to this ordinance, for use during the twelve months ending August 31, 2026, and any eligible interest earned during the grant period and upon receipt of executed grant agreement:
SECTION 4. That the Board of Health is hereby authorized and directed to accept any additional grant awards for the period September 1, 2025 through August 31, 2026.
SECTION 5. That from the unappropriated monies and from all monies estimated to come into said fund from any and all sources and unappropriated for any other purpose during the year ended August 31, 2026 any additional awarded funds are appropriated in Funds 2251 and Fund 2223.
SECTION 6. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized to transfer appropriations between object classes for the grant programs as needed upon request by the Columbus Public Health Department.
SECTION 7. 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 8. 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 ordinance.
SECTION 9. That at the end of the grant period, any repayment of unencumbered balances required by the grantor is hereby authorized and any unused City match monies may be transferred back to the City fund from which they originated in accordance with all applicable grant agreements.
SECTION 10. That the existing appropriations in grant projects in Fund No. 2251 and Fund No. 2223 at August 31, 2026, are hereby re-appropriated to the same grant, object class and purpose originally authorized by the Council and that the outstanding encumbrances in those grant projects at August 31, 2026, are hereby re-encumbered.
SECTION 11. That for 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.