Explanation
Background: This ordinance authorizes the appropriation of $1,000,000.00 from the unappropriated balance in the Income Tax Set Aside (ITSA) Subfund for Columbus Public Health's crisis response activity costs. These funds will directly affect the Department’s ability to develop and deliver services throughout the City.
The City's Mobile Crisis Response (MCR) program is a joint initiative pairing mental health clinicians with police officers to de-escalate behavioral health and addiction emergencies. This program directs individuals toward medical stabilization, care connection, and crisis centers rather than jail or the emergency room. Funds will also be used to support the purchase and up-fit of transfer vehicles related to the therapy dog program.
Emergency action is requested in order to not delay the appropriation of these funds so that they can be utilized for needed crisis response activities. As part of the City's dedication to alternative crisis response, service animals have been shown to decrease adverse interactions in a behavioral health crisis. Service animals require an appropriately equipped vehicle to be transported to these situations. This vehicle needs to be purchased first for the transportation of the service animal. Purchasing a vehicle is a lengthy process and the rest of the services will not be able to occur until this happens.
Fiscal Impact: This ordinance will appropriate $1,000,000.00 available from the unappropriated monies in the Income Tax Set Aside Subfund.
Title
To authorize the appropriation of $1,000,000.00 from the unappropriated balance in the Income Tax Set Aside (ITSA) Subfund to support crisis response activity costs; and to declare an emergency. ($1,000,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the appropriation of $1,000,000.00 from the unappropriated balance in the Income Tax Set Aside (ITSA) Subfund to support crisis response activity costs; and
WHEREAS, funding is budgeted and available from within the Income Tax Set Aside (ITSA) Subfund to meet the financial obligations of these expenditures; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Health Department in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the appropriation of funds in order to avoid delay in needed crisis response activities, and because vehicle supply chain issues are unpredictable and the City needs as much lead time as possible, 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 from the unappropriated monies in the Income Tax Set Aside (ITSA) Subfund, and from all monies estimated to come into said fund from any and all sources and unappropriated for any other purpose during the fiscal year ending December 31, 2026, the sum of $1,000,000.00 is appropriated to the Board of Health, Department 5001, per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 2. 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 3. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized to transfer appropriation between object classes for the Income Tax Set Aside (ITSA) Subfund as needed upon the request of the Columbus Public Health Department.
SECTION 4. 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.