Explanation
BACKGROUND: The Department of Public Safety, Division of Police, was awarded funding through the Ohio Department of Public Safety, Office of Criminal Justice Services. The Division of Police will use this award titled the Columbus LPR Violence Reduction Project for the next two years to install 32 fixed Licenses Plate Readers (LPRs) and required wiring to assist investigative detectives with evidence gathering regarding the whereabouts of individuals suspected of committing homicides and felonious assaults. The cost breakdown for this two-year grant award is as follows: Contractual services $228,000.
The official city program contact authorized to act in connection with this $228,000.00 grant is Lieutenant Julie Williams. The grant award start date is July 1, 2024 and ends June 30, 2026.
Emergency Designation: Emergency legislation is necessary to make the funds available as soon as possible as the grant award effective date was July 1, 2024 and the Division needs to procure the services and deploy the technology as soon as possible which will assist in our efforts to solve crimes.
FISCAL IMPACT: This ordinance authorizes an acceptance of the $228,000.00 grant award and the appropriation of those funds from the Office of Criminal Justice to fund contractual services for the City's Division of Police. This is a new grant award for 2024. All funds appropriated are reimbursable from the grant award.
Title
To authorize and direct the Mayor of the City of Columbus, on behalf of the Department of Public Safety, Division of Police, to accept the award from the Ohio Department of Public Safety, Office of Criminal Justice Services; to authorize Lieutenant Williams, as the official city representative to act in connection with this grant; to authorize an appropriation of $228,000.00 from the unappropriated balance of the General Government Grant Fund to the Division of Police to cover the cost of the Grant activities and expenditures; and to declare an emergency. ($228,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Department of Public Safety, Division of Police has been awarded funding through the Ohio Department of Public Safety Office of Criminal Justice for needed contractual services; and
WHEREAS, Lieutenant Julie Williams have been identified as the official city representative to act in connection with this Grant and to provide information as required; and
WHEREAS, the grant award period began on July 1, 2024 and ends June 30, 2026; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operations of the Department of Public Safety, Division of Police, in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Mayor to accept and appropriate the grant funds in order to make the funds available for the award period beginning July 1, 2024 and equipment needs to be procured and deployed as soon as possible to assist with evidence gathering and to use the awarded funds in full, for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, property, and safety; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Mayor of the City of Columbus, on behalf of the Department of Public Safety, Division of Police is hereby authorized to accept a Grant from the Ohio Department of Public Safety, Office of Criminal Justice Services.
SECTION 2. That Lieutenant Julie Williams is designated as the official city program contact, authorized to act in connection with the Grant, and is to provide any additional information required.
SECTION 3.That from the unappropriated monies in the General Government Grant Fund and from all monies estimated to come into said fund from any and all sources and unappropriated for any other purposes during the grant period, the sum of $228,000.00 is appropriated upon receipt of an executed grant agreement in Fund 2220 General Government Grants in Object Class 03 Contractual services per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 4. That the monies appropriated in the foregoing Section 3 shall be paid upon order of the city department named above and that no order shall be drawn or money paid except by voucher, the form of which shall be approved by the City Auditor.
SECTION 5. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized to transfer appropriations between object classes for the Columbus LPR Violence Reduction Project, as needed, upon the request by the Department of Public Safety, Division of Police.
SECTION 6. That the funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are hereby deemed appropriated.
SECTION 7. 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 passage and approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.