Explanation
This ordinance authorizes the City Clerk to enter into contract with The Participatory Budgeting Project, Inc. (PBP) to provide consultancy services on participatory budgeting.
PBP supports participatory budgeting (PB) processes that deepen democracy, build stronger communities, and make public budgets more equitable and effective. Since 2009, PBP has supported dozens of governments, public institutions, and organizations in launching and deepening participatory budgeting processes. This support ranges from technical assistance with specific stages of PB to fully implementing a PB process. Participatory budgeting is a democratic process where community members have substantial input regarding how to spend part of a public budget. Though each PB initiative looks different, the process generally involves several months of public meetings, discussions, and voting, so that the public has time to make wise decisions. In the United States, PB was first used in 2009 in Chicago’s 49th Ward. Since then, PB has spread all over the country.
In 2025, Columbus City Council expects to utilize participatory budgeting for a portion of the Capital Improvements Budget. Council will collaborate with the Participatory Budgeting Project on guidance, best practices, coaching, and technical assistance to help stand up the new initiative.
This ordinance is being entered into under the non-profit contracting provisions of Section 329 of Columbus City Codes. There are no current city staff resources that have the experience or expertise to undertake this initiative, hence the need to contract with an external non-profit organization.
Fiscal Impact: Funding is available within the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund.
Emergency action is requested in order to establish the agreement prior to the initiation of year-end processing by the Auditor’s office.
Title
To authorize the City Clerk to enter into contract with The Participatory Budgeting Project, Inc. to provide consultancy services on participatory budgeting; to authorize an appropriation and expenditure within the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund; and to declare an emergency. ($55,122.00)
Body
WHEREAS, participatory budgeting is a democratic process where community members have substantial input regarding how to spend part of a public budget; and
WHEREAS, since 2009, the Participatory Budgeting Project has supported dozens of governments, public institutions, and organizations in launching and deepening participatory budgeting processes; and
WHEREAS, Council will collaborate with the Participatory Budgeting Project on guidance, best practices, coaching, and technical assistance to help stand up a new participatory budgeting initiative; and
WHEREAS, this contract is awarded pursuant to provisions relating to non-profit services of City Code Chapter 329.30; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily business of the city in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the City Clerk to enter into contract with The Participatory Budgeting Project, Inc. prior to the initiation of year-end processing by the Auditor’s office, for the immediate preservation of the public health, peace, property, safety and welfare; and now, therefore,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the City Clerk is hereby authorized to enter into contract with The Participatory Budgeting Project, Inc. to provide consultancy services on participatory budgeting contingent upon The Participatory Budget Project, Inc., becoming registered to transact business within the State of Ohio, as required by Ohio Revised Code Chapter 1703.
SECTION 2. That the Auditor is hereby authorized and directed to appropriate $55,122.00 within the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That per the action authorized by Section 1 of this ordinance, the expenditure of $55,122.00 within the general fund, fund 1000, subfund 100018, is hereby authorized per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
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 this contract is awarded in accordance with the relevant provisions of Columbus City Code Chapter 329.30 relating to awarding not-for-profit service contracts.
SECTION 6. 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.