Explanation
BACKGROUND:
This legislation authorizes the City Clerk to enter into a contract with Wentz, McInerney, Peifer & Petroff, LLC for legal services in support of the City’s Community Benefits Agreement Advisory Committee and to provide education to city vendors.
The vendor will prepare a guide explaining the purpose of community benefits agreements, how the agreements work, and how the agreements benefit workers, contractors, communities, and the City of Columbus. The firm will use a narrative format and a question-and-answer format to present this information in an accessible manner. In addition to complementing and supporting of the work of the Community Benefits Agreement Advisory Committee, the guide’s purpose is congruent with the work of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI) and may be utilized by that office, as well.
This contract agreement is in compliance with Section 329.24 of the Columbus City Codes. The vendor was selected based on their overwhelming qualifications, given their expertise in the area of labor law and their familiarity with how to build constructive, productive, and effective community benefits agreements.
The total cost associated with this ordinance is $20,000.00 for the above-described purpose.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The funds for this expenditure are available within the Job Growth subfund.
Title
To authorize the City Clerk to enter into contract with Wentz, McInerney, Peifer & Petroff, LLC for legal and educational services in support of the work of the Community Benefits Agreement Advisory Committee; to authorize an appropriation and expenditure of $20,000.00 from the Job Growth subfund. ($20,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, Columbus City Council passed legislation in 2022 creating the Community Benefits Agreement Advisory Committee and its purpose is to review City development projects and make recommendations regarding community benefits agreements; and
WHEREAS, the Community Benefits Agreement Advisory Committee seeks legal and educational services to create a guide for the use of city departments and city vendors related to the function and purpose of community benefits agreements; and
WHEREAS, the City Clerk selected Wentz, McInerney, Peifer & Petroff, LLC as the most qualified vendor; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the City Clerk to enter into a contract with Wentz, McInerney, Peifer & Petroff, LLC to provide legal and education services to the Community Benefits Agreement Advisory Committee; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the City Clerk is hereby authorized to enter into a professional services contract with Wentz, McInerney, Peifer & Petroff, LLC, for legal and educational services in an amount of up to $20,000.00.
SECTION 2. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized and directed to appropriate $20,000.00 in the Job Growth subfund, fund 1000, subfund 100015, to the City Clerk per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That the expenditure of $20,000.00 or so much thereof as may be needed pursuant to the action authorized in SECTION 1 of this ordinance, is hereby authorized in the Job Growth subfund, fund 1000, subfund 100015 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 hereby 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 ordinance.
SECTION 6. That this ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after the earliest period allowed by law.