Explanation
BACKGROUND: This ordinance authorizes the appropriation of $1,800,100.00 from the unappropriated balance of the Sustainable Columbus Fund. Ordinance 1554-2021 established the Sustainable Columbus Fund for the purpose of supporting a range of energy management and alternative energy, and sustainability initiatives to benefit the greater Columbus community. Some of these initiatives may include but are not limited to the following: community education and outreach, grants, infrastructure investment, energy efficiency projects, training, workforce development, administrative costs incurred by the City, and other activities related to clean energy, energy efficiency, and sustainability initiatives.
EMERGENCY DESIGNATION: Emergency legislation is requested in order to appropriate the funds needed to allow for financial transactions to be posted in the city's accounting system as soon as possible to properly align appropriations with expenditures.
FISCAL IMPACT: This ordinance authorizes an appropriation of $1,800,100.00 in the Sustainable Columbus Fund.
Title
To authorize the appropriation of $1,800,100.00 from the unappropriated balance of the Sustainable Columbus Fund for operating expenditures related to the Sustainable Columbus program; and to declare an emergency. ($1,800,100.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the purpose of this Special Revenue Fund is to provide support to a range of clean energy, energy efficiency, and sustainability initiatives to benefit the greater Columbus community. Some of these initiatives may include but are not limited to the following: community education and outreach, grants, infrastructure investment, energy efficiency projects, training, workforce development, administrative costs incurred by the City, and other activities related to clean energy, energy efficiency, and sustainability initiatives; and
WHEREAS, these activities will benefit the community by providing resources to enhance knowledge of and access to alternative forms of energy, providing community grants to provide economic assistance for alternative energy adoption, investments in local energy infrastructure, and other programs related to alternative energy and green/sustainability initiatives designed to reduce the community’s carbon emissions; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Finance and Management, in that it is immediately necessary to appropriate funds in the Sustainable Columbus Fund for operating expenditures related to the Sustainable Columbus program all for the immediate preservation of the public health, peace, property, welfare, and safety; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That from the unappropriated monies 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 $1,800,100.00 is appropriated in Fund 2260 Sustainable Columbus Fund in Object Class 01 Personnel, Object Class 02 Materials and Supplies, Object Class 03 Contractual Services, and Object Class 05 Other per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 2. That the monies appropriated in the foregoing Section 1 shall be paid upon order of the Director of the Department of Finance and Management 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 3. That all funds necessary to carry out the purpose of these funds in 2026 are hereby deemed appropriated in an amount not to exceed the available cash balance in the funds.
SECTION 4. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized to transfer appropriation between object classes for the Sustainable Columbus Fund as needed upon request by the Department of Finance and Management.
SECTION 5. 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.