Explanation
Background: In February of 2012 Mayor Coleman announced a program to fight vacant and abandoned property that includes a plan to aggressively target and demolish blighted structures. Ordinance 2390-2012 authorized the City to participate in the Moving Ohio Forward Grant Program and receive up to $5.8 million to help implement this plan. The deadline for the City to expend the Moving Ohio Forward grant funds is May 31, 2014. It is anticipated the Department of Development's Land Bank Program will receive hundreds of houses for demolition between now and the grant program deadline. To meet this deadline, the Director of the Department of Development seeks authority to use multiple contractors to test/abate asbestos, deconstruct, and demolish these structures. This ordinance establishes an auditor's certificate, waives competitive bidding, and authorizes the Director of Development to contract with multiple demolition companies. The Land Bank contacted demolition contractors that have performed the most demolitions within the City since 2011, with a minimum of 20 demolitions in one year. Additionally, all companies that are currently under contract with the City were contacted.
Fiscal Impact: Funds are available in the General Government Grant Fund, Moving Ohio Forward Grant.
Emergency Justification: Emergency action is requested in order to complete the work within the grant deadline.
Title
To authorize the Director of Development to enter into multiple contracts for demolition and asbestos abatement services; to authorize the transfer of cash between funds; to authorize the appropriation and expenditure of $4,106,592.00 from the General Government Grant Fund; to waive the competitive bidding and performance bond requirements of Columbus City Codes; and to declare an emergency. ($4,106,592.00)
Body
WHEREAS, in 2012, Mayor Michael B. Coleman announced the Vacant and Abandon Properties Initiative, a comprehensive plan to address vacant and abandoned properties, that includes a goal of demolishing hundreds of structures; and
WHEREAS, it is anticipated that the Columbus Land Bank Program will receive title, by tax foreclosure, to hundreds of properties in need of demolition within the first few months of 2014; and
WHEREAS, the City entered into a grant agreement, to receive matching funds, with the Central Ohio Community Improvement Corporation for $5.8 million dollars for demolition and the grant expenditure deadline is May 31, 2014; and
WHEREAS, the City must demolish the properties received by tax foreclosure within a very short timeframe to meet the grant deadline; and
WHEREAS, it is in the City's best interest to waive the competitive bidding and bonding requirements in Columbus City Code Chapter 329 in order to establish contracts with multiple companies that are licensed and qualified to test/abate asbestos and deconstruct and demolish the structures as required by the grant; and
WHEREAS, the following companies have the qualifications and licenses necessary to perform the volume of work required to meet the grant deadline: Watson General Contracting (contract compliance number: 311429409, expiration: 1/18/2015), Ransom Company (contract compliance number: 269401266, expiration: 8/3/2014, MBE), Egner Construction (contract compliance number: 010853960, expiration: 1/22/2015), Superior Enterprises Unlimited, LLC (contract compliance number: 452716791, expiration: 3/8/2014, MBE), Bronze Star Contracting, LLC (contract compliance number: 371643362, expiration: 7/26/2014, AFA), Colvin Gravel Company (contract compliance number: 314441189, expiration: 1/3/2016), S.G. Loewendick & Sons, Inc. (contract compliance number: 314420502, expiration: 8/13/15), DSS Services, LLC (contract compliance number: 263454889, expiration: 9/3/14, AFA), B and B Wrecking, Inc. (contract compliance number: 743060207, expiration 10/2/2015), R3, Inc. (contract compliance number: 113746960, expiration: 5/16/14, AFA), Hina Environmental Solutions, LLC (contract compliance number: 261342009, expiration: 11/27/2014, FBE); and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Development in that it is immediately necessary to enter into the contracts and demolish structures that are an immediate danger to the public in order to complete the work within the grant deadline, 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, in order to comply with the May 31, 2014 grant deadline, the Director of Development is authorized to enter into multiple contracts with any/all of the following companies to perform deconstruction, demolition, environmental testing, and environmental abatement services on blighted structures:
Ransom Company (cc# 269401266, expiration: 8/3/2014, MBE)
Watson General Contracting (cc# 311429409, expiration: 1/18/2015)
Egner Construction (cc# 010853960, expiration: 1/22/2015)
Superior Enterprises Unlimited LLC (cc# 452716791, expiration: 3/8/2014, MBE)
Bronze Star Contracting, LLC (cc# 371643362, expiration: 7/26/2014, AFA)
Colvin Gravel Company (cc# 314441189, expiration: 1/3/2016)
S.G. Lowendick & Sons, Inc. (cc# 314420502, expiration: 8/13/15)
DSS Services, LLC (cc# 263454889, expiration: 9/3/14, AFA)
B and B Wrecking, Inc. (cc# 743060207, expiration 10/2/2015)
R3, Inc. (cc# 113746960, expiration: 5/16/14, AFA)
Hina Environmental Solutions, Inc. (cc# 261342009, expiration: 11/27/2014, FBE)
Section 2. That the transfer of cash ($2,053,296.00) be and is hereby authorized as follows:
FROM:
Fund / Project / Project Name / OL 01-03 / OCA / Amount
739 / 782004-100000 / Vacant Housing Demolition / 06-6601 / 739040 / $2,053,296
TO:
Fund / Project / Project Name / OL 01-03 / OCA / Amount
739 / 782004-100000 / Vacant Housing Demolition / 10-5501 / 739040 / $2,053,296
Section 3. That the transfer of cash ($2,053,296.00) be and is hereby authorized as follows:
FROM:
Fund / Project / Project Name / OL 01-03 / OCA / Amount
739 / 782004-100000 / Vacant Housing Demolition / 10-5501 / 739040 / $2,053,296
TO:
Fund / Grant / Grant Name / OL 01-03 / OCA / Amount
220 /441205 / Moving Ohio Forward Grant / 80-0886 / 441205 / $2,053,296
Section 4. That the sum of $4,106,592.00 be and is hereby appropriated from the unappropriated balance of the General Government Grant Fund, Fund 220, Grant 441205, and from all monies estimated to come into said fund from any and all sources appropriated and un-appropriated for any other purpose during the fiscal year ending December 31, 2014, to the Department of Development, Administration Division, Division No. 44-01, Object Level One 03, Object Level Three 3292, OCA 441205.
Section 5. That for the purpose stated in Section 1, the expenditure of $4,106,592 from the Development Department, Division No. 44-01, Fund 220, Grant 441205, Object Level One 03, Object Level Three 3292, OCA Code 441205 be hereby authorized.
Section 6. This Council finds it to be in the City's best interests to waive the competitive bidding and performance bonding requirements in Columbus City Code Chapter 329.
Section 7. That the City Auditor is authorized to make any accounting changes to revise the funding source for any contract or contract modification associated with the expenditure of the funds in Section 4 above.
Section 8. 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 9. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized to transfer the unencumbered balance in a project account to the unallocated balance account within the same fund upon receipt of certification by the Director of the Department administrating said project that the project has been completed and the monies are no longer required for said project.
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 passage and approval by the Mayor or ten days after its passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.