Explanation
BACKGROUND: This legislation is to amend Ordinances 2348-2025 and 0990-2026 with Ronald Horton Jr. dba First Choice Lead Abatement as this vendor inadvertently omitted the remainder of their vendor name within vendor services, but has not changed their federal ID number. This ordinance authorizes the assignment of all past, present, and future business done by Ronald Horton Jr. dba First Choice Lead Abatement, FID 45-4759647, to Ronald Horton Jr. dba First Choice Lead Abatement & Rehab Services LLC, FID 45-4759647. This legislation also authorizes the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a planned modification of a service contract with Ronald Horton Jr. dba First Choice Lead Abatement & Rehab Services LLC, to extend the contract term end date from December 31, 2026, to December 31, 2027, as well as to increase funding in an amount up to $200,0000. This is part of a planned modification as the period of performance for the Lead-24 grant is March 1, 2025, through March 1, 2029.
Original Contract $ 250,000.00 PO535524 Ordinance 2348-2025
Modification No. 1 $ 75,000.00 PO569307 Ordinance 0990-2026
Modification No. 2 $ 200,000.00
Total $ 525,000.00
In accordance with C.C. 329.09(a):
1. Additional funds are required by this ordinance as it was foreseen that additional funding will be needed and or time extensions to align with the period of performance of the grant.
2. The additional funding of services was anticipated by RFQ030391 and this allotted for renewals/modifications.
3. It is in the City’s best interest to continue with the Ronald Horton Jr., dba First Choice Lead Abatement & Rehab Services LLC, to provide lead abatement and healthy home repair services to address the hazards within the home as part of the Lead Safe Columbus programs. This was part of the original RFQ scope of service.
4. Prices are the same as in the original contract.
The City of Columbus received grant funding for the Lead-Safe Columbus Program from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Lead Hazard Reduction Demonstration Grant Program, which was authorized by Ordinance 3263-2024. The period of performance for the grant is from March 1, 2025, through March 1, 2029. The purpose of the grant is to provide property owners with grants for lead safe, healthier, affordable housing for families with low and moderate income under HUD guidelines. The program provides lead abatement and healthy homes activities in accordance with HUD guidelines, including but not limited to, lead paint level testing, risk assessments, lead hazard control and healthy homes interventions and clearance tests, temporary relocation services, as well as outreach, education, and training.
The contract with First Choice Lead Abatement & Rehab Services LLC provides Lead Safe Columbus Program services to individuals in order to remediate the health and safety hazards within their homes. This is a planned modification to extend the contract term end date and to increase funding which is in alignment with the award based on RFQ030391.
Contract Compliance: the vendor number is 051998 and expires 03/14/2027
Fiscal Impact: $200,000.00 is available within the Lead-24 grant (G442500) and the Department of Development Affordable Housing Bond Fund (Fund 7779) on an existing auditor’s certificate for this purpose ACPO011645.
EMERGENCY DESIGNATION: Emergency authorization is needed to assign all past, present, and future contracts from Ronald Horton Jr. dba First Choice Lead Abatement to Ronald Horton Jr. dba First Choice Lead Abatement & Rehab Services LLC as the vendor inadvertently left of a portion of their business name in vendor services and the contractor currently has an active job that needs to be completed by September 30th, 2026 to meet required federal program benchmarks.
Title
To amend ordinances 2348-2025, passed by Columbus City Council on September 17, 2025 and 0990-2026, passed by Columbus City Council on April 23, 2026 to allow for a correction of the vendor name from Ronald Horton Jr. dba First Choice Lead Abatement to Ronald Horton Jr. dba First Choice Lead Abatement & Rehab Services LLC and to authorize the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a planned modification of a contract with Ronald Horton Jr., dba First Choice Lead Abatement & Rehab Services LLC, to extend the contract term date through December 31, 2027, as well as to increase funding utilizing an existing auditor’s certificate established for this purpose in an amount up to $200,000.00; and to declare an emergency. ($200,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, Ordinance 2348-2025, passed by Columbus City Council on September 17, 2025, authorized the Director of the Department of Development to establish a service for one year with an option to extend through the grant ending March 2029 with Ronald Horton Jr. dba First Choice Lead Abatement in an amount up to $250,000.00, with reimbursement of expenses incurred prior to the creation of a purchase order back to and including March 1, 2025; and
WHEREAS, Ordinance 0990-2026, passed by Columbus City Council on April 23, 2026 authorized the Director of the Department of Development to modify a contract with Ronal Horton Jr., dba First Choice Lead Abatement, to increase funding utilizing an existing auditor’s certificate established for this purpose in an amount up to $75,000.00; and
WHEREAS, it was recently discovered that the vendor inadvertently left off the remainder of their dba name on vendor services listing them as Ronald Horton Jr. dba First Choice Lead Abatement instead of Ronald Horton Jr., dba First Choice Lead Abatement and Rehab Services LLC; and
WHEREAS, Ronald Horton Jr. dba First Choice Lead Abatement has amended its name to Ronald Horton Jr. dba First Choice Lead Abatement & Rehab Services LLC and has agreed to honor the past, present and future contracts and agreements; and
WHEREAS, the Director of the Department of Development requests that Ordinance 2348-2025 and Ordinance 0990-2026 be amended in order to reflect the name change of the vendor from Ronald Horton Jr. dba First Choice Lead Abatement to Ronald Horton Jr. dba First Choice Lead Abatement and Rehab Services LLC and all other aspects of the ordinances will remain the same and in effect; and
WHEREAS, the Lead-Safe Home Renovations Program was established to assist low- and moderate-income homeowners with lead abatement services that would impact a household remaining safely in their home and to assist shelters, transitional housing, and dormitory style facilities which may be considered commercial living spaces; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Development has advertised for the Lead-Safe Columbus Program and the need for lead abatement, radon testing, and mitigation services and it was awarded to Ronald Horton Jr. dba First Choice Lead Abatement & Rehab Services LLC; and
WHEREAS, there is a need to extend the term end date of the contract from December 31, 2026 to December 31, 2027, as this is a planned modification of a contract with Ronald Horton Jr. dba First Choice Lead Abatement & Rehab Services LLC; and
WHEREAS, the expenditure in an amount up to $200,000.00 is necessary and authorized via ACPO011645; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual and daily operation of the Department of Development in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the amendment of the existing contracts with Ronald Horton Jr. dba First Choice Lead Abatement to reflect the full vendor name of Ronald Horton Jr. dba First Choice Lead Abatement & Rehab Services LLC, and to authorize the Director to enter into a planned modification of a contract with Ronald Horton Jr. dba First Choice Lead Abatement & Rehab Services LLC to extend the contract termination date, and increase funding to continue work without interruption to meet required federal program benchmarks by September 30, 2026, for the immediate preservation of the public health, peace, property and safety through lead abatement and healthy home repair services; and NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. Section 1 of Ordinance 2348-2025 is hereby amended to update the vendor name to Ronald Horton Jr. dba First Choice Lead Abatement and Rehab Services LLC with additions underlined and deletions struck through:
SECTION 1. That the Director of Development be and is hereby authorized to establish lead abatement contractors service contracts for one year with an option to extend through the grant ending March 2029, for the following contractors and amounts, with reimbursement of expenses incurred prior to the creation of purchase orders back to and including March 1, 2025 hereby authorized:
|
ODI Certification |
Vendor Number |
Cert Date Expiration |
Vendor |
Contract Amounts |
|
Majority |
052081 |
3/20/2027 |
Newark Building Solutions |
$250,000.00 |
|
MBE/WBE |
048871 |
4/19/2026 |
Aisha Kamilah Cooley |
$180,000.00 |
|
Majority |
051998 |
3/14/2027 |
Ronald Horton Jr Ronald Horton Jr dba First Choice Lead Abatement & Rehab Services |
$250,000.00 |
|
MBE/WBE |
021897 |
1/3/2026 |
SavKon Construction |
$180,000.00 |
|
Majority |
042432 |
8/12/2027 |
TTI Enterprise |
$200,000.00 |
|
Majority |
008433 |
7/21/2027 |
Coliseum Home Improvements |
$250,000.00 |
|
Majority |
052137 |
3/28/2027 |
Citadel Construction Group LLC |
$200,000.00 |
|
Majority |
005539 |
7/16/2027 |
Reliable Home Improvements of Ohio Inc. |
$250,000.00 |
|
Majority |
052055 |
3/19/2027 |
Kenneth Burgess |
$180,000.00 |
|
|
|
|
Total |
$1,940,000.00 |
SECTION 2. That existing Section 1 of Ordinance 2348-2025 is hereby repealed, and that all other aspects of Ordinance 2348-2025 remain the same.
SECTION 3. Section 1 of Ordinance 0990-2026 is hereby amended to update the vendor name to Ronald Horton Jr. dba First Choice Lead Abatement and Rehab Services LLC with additions underlined and deletions struck through:
SECTION 1. That the Director of the Department of Development is hereby authorized to modify a contract with Ronald Horton Jr. dba First Choice Lead Abatement Ronald Horton dba First Choice Lead Abatement and Rehab Services LLC to increase funding in an amount up to $75,000.00 for lead abatement and health home repair services. All other aspects of the original contract are still in place.
SECTION 4. That existing Section 1 of Ordinance 0990-2026 is hereby repealed, and that all other aspects of Ordinance 0990-2026 remain the same.
SECTION 5. That the Director of the Department of Development is hereby authorized to enter into a planned modification of a contract with Ronald Horton Jr. dba First Choice Lead Abatement & Rehab Services LLC; to extend the contract term from December 31, 2026 to December 31, 2027; as well as to increase funding in an amount up to $200,000.00 for lead abatement and healthy home repair services. All other aspects of the original contract PO535524 and PO563907 are still in place.
SECTION 6. That for the purpose as stated in Section 5, the expenditure in an amount up to $200,000.00 or so much there of as may be needed, is hereby authorized within Fund 2220 (General Government Grant Fund), Project G442500, Dept-Div 4410 (Housing), within object class 03 (Services) and/or object class 06 (Capital Outlay), projects P782051-10000 (Lead Hazard Match) per the existing ACPO011645 that was established via Ordinance 3263-2024 which accepted the grant.
SECTION 7. That this modification is in accordance with the relevant provisions of Chapter 329 of the Columbus City Code.
SECTION 8. That funds are hereby deemed appropriated and expenditures and transfers authorized to carry out the purposes of this ordinance and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 9. 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 10. 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 approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.