Explanation
BACKGROUND
The purpose of this ordinance is to authorize the appropriation of $15,000.00 within the Job Growth subfund for the Small Business Training Services Program and to authorize and direct the Director of the Department of Human Resources to implement the program.
The Small Business Training Program allows local small business free access to numerous classes offered by the City of Columbus Citywide Training and Development (CTD) office. Classes are designed to improve the professional skills of workers. Professional development sessions include courses focusing on both hard and soft skills. For example, computer courses in Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint are offered as well as coursework designed to improve skills in improved communication, critical thinking, leadership, and team building. All classes are held at the Citywide Training and Development office, located at the Jerry Hammond Center. Staff is open to traveling to work sites of business as well. In 2018, the Small Business Training Services Program allowed the Citywide Training and Development Office to serve 24 small businesses within the Central Ohio community and a total of 140 registrations were processed. This program needs additional funding in order to continue to serve small businesses through the remainder of 2019.
EMERGENCY DESIGNATION: Emergency action is requested to ensure that the Department of Human Resources has the necessary funds to continue the program uninterrupted, to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the residents of Columbus.
FISCAL IMPACT: Total appropriation is $15,000.00 and is available in the 2019 budget within the Job Growth Initiative subfund, Fund 1000-100015.
Title
To authorize the appropriation of $15,000.00 within the Job Growth subfund for the Small Business Training Services Program; to authorize and direct the Director of the Department of Human Resources to implement the Small Business Training Services Program; and to declare an emergency. ($15,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Columbus City Council Small Business Roundtable made the recommendation to open select citywide training opportunities to owners and employees of small businesses located in Columbus; and
WHEREAS, this Council finds that continuing to make such training opportunities available will serve the public by strengthening our city's small businesses; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Human Resources will continue to manage the Small Business Training Services Program; and
WHEREAS, funding exists within the Job Growth subfund for this purpose; and
WHEREAS, this Council wishes to provide such services at no cost to qualifying participants; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the Department of Human Resources in that it is immediately necessary to appropriate and expend funds to continue the Small Business Training Services Project uninterrupted, for the preservation of the public health, peace, property, safety, and welfare; now therefore,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the City Auditor be and is hereby authorized and directed to appropriate $15,000.00 in the Job Growth subfund, Fund 1000, subfund 100015, to the Department of Human Resources, per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 2. That, for the purposes of the program, small businesses will be defined as independently-owned and operated businesses physically located in Columbus with no more than 50 employed staff members per year.
SECTION 3. That the Director of Human Resources or her/his designee may promulgate rules to effect the purpose of this ordinance, including, but not limited to, the following: additional eligibility criteria for participation in the program; additional limitations on the definition of a small business so long as they do not conflict with Section 3 of this ordinance; application and registration processes; timelines for applying for classes; those classes which will be made available to participants, provided that the maximum practicable training opportunities should be made available; and the number of seats available to eligible small businesses for any given class.
SECTION 4. 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 passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.