Explanation
BACKGROUND: This ordinance authorizes the Director of the Department of Public Safety to expend up to two million dollars for the use of the Franklin County Correction Centers for the housing of City of Columbus prisoners. Franklin County contracts with several local governments, including the City of Columbus for housing of prisoners charged with municipal code violations. The contracts were established under the Ohio Revised Code Section 1905.35. The City of Columbus and Franklin County entered into contract CT-15777 that charges a per diem amount for the housing of City of Columbus prisoners. This contract, signed in 1994 by the County Commissioners and the city, is amended periodically only for per diem increases. This year's per diem rate of $104 per day is an increase of $4 over last year.
Emergency Designation: Emergency designation is needed to ensure the timely payment of the February 2024 invoice.
FISCAL IMPACT: This ordinance authorizes the expenditure of up to $2,000,000.00 from the Department of Public Safety's 2024 General Fund Operating Budget to pay Franklin County for the housing of City of Columbus prisoners. Additional funds will be encumbered later in the year if necessary to ensure the availability of funds before the 2025 budget is adopted. The city's cost of housing prisoners with Franklin County was $1,636,242.42 in 2023 and $1,635,882.66 in 2022. This ordinance is contingent upon passage of the 2023 General Fund Operating Budget (Ord. 3011-2023).
Title
To authorize and direct the Director of the Department of Public Safety to enter into contract with the Franklin County Board of Commissioners and expend funds for use of the Franklin County Correction Centers for the housing of City of Columbus prisoners; to authorize the expenditure of $2,000,000.00 from the General Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($2,000,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, Franklin County contracts with several local governments, including the City of Columbus, for the housing of prisoners charged with municipal code violations; and
WHEREAS, the City of Columbus and Franklin County have had an agreement, pursuant to Ohio Revised Code Chapter 1905, to house prisoners since 1994; and
WHEREAS, the City of Columbus desires to continue this agreement with the Franklin County Commissioners for the housing of prisoners in the Franklin County Correctional Centers; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the Director of Public Safety to continue with the terms of contract number CT-15777 between the City of Columbus and the Franklin County Commissioners, and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Public Safety in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director to enter into contract with the Franklin County Board of Commissioners and expend funds for use of the Franklin County Correction Centers for the housing of City of Columbus prisoners, to ensure timely payments to Franklin County, 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 Director of the Department of Public Safety is hereby authorized and directed to enter into contract with the Franklin County Board of Commissioners and expend funds, in accordance with contract number CT-15777, for the housing of prisoners in the Franklin County Correction Centers.
SECTION 2. That the expenditure of $2,000,000.00, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby authorized from the General Fund 1000-100010 in object Class 03 Professional Services per the accounting codes in the spreadsheet attached to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. 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 4. 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 5. That for the reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is 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.