Explanation
BACKGROUND: City Council amended the 2005 and 2006 budget to create a $2 million Jobs Growth Fund to help create more jobs for Columbus residents. One strategy is to create Special Improvement Districts in the City of Columbus to allow businesses to assessment themselves for improvements and services, thereby creating more jobs. The Morse Road Special Improvement District (SID), a non-profit organization, was created in August of 2006 to go into effect in January 2007. As part of the Morse Road SID the Development Department and the Public Service Department entered into a Tri-Party Cooperative Share Agreement that authorized the SID to do all the mowing on City owned land in the Morse Road SID area. In exchange the City of Columbus will pay the Morse Road SID $50,000, starting in 2007, for the mowing services.
The Morse Road SID needs to begin the process of contracting with a management company to provide the mowing services and the administration of the SID, therefore they need funding for this process. It had been agreed by the City and the SID to advance $15,000 of the $50,000 to allow the SID to contract with a management company. 2007 SID funds will be decreased by the $15,000 advance, making the budget for 2007 $35,000.
This ordinance authorizes the Director of Development to enter into an agreement with the Morse Road SID for the advancement of $15,000 to contract with a management company to provide services for the SID.
Emergency action is requested so that the agreement with the Morse Road SID can be executed immediately and they can begin to work to facilitate job growth in Columbus.
FISCAL IMPACT: The funding for this agreement will draw from the $2 million Job Growth Initiative Fund established by City Council.
Title
To authorize the appropriation of $15,000 within the Jobs Growth Fund to the Development Department; to authorize the Director of the Department of Development to enter into an agreement with the Morse Road Special Improvement District of Columbus Inc.; to authorize the expenditure of $15,000 from the Jobs Growth Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($15,000)
Body
WHRERAS, City Council amended the 2005 and 2006 budgets to create a $2 million Job Growth Initiative Fund; and
WHEREAS, the Morse Road SID was formed in August 2006, and takes effect in January 2007; and
WHEREAS, the Development Department and the Public Services Department entered into a Tri-Party Agreement with the Morse Road SID that authorizes the SID to do all the mowing on City owned land in the Morse Road SID area; and
WHEREAS, in exchange for the Morse Road SID mowing City owned land the City will pay the SID $50,000 a year starting in 2007; and
WHEREAS, the Morse Road SID needs to begin the process of contracting with a management company to provide the mowing services; and
WHEREAS, in order to contract with a management company the Morse Road SID needs an advance of $15,000 from the $50,000 to be allocated in 2007; and
WHEREAS, the allocation of funds for the Morse Road SID for 2007 will be reduced by the $15,000 advance to $35,000; and
WHEREAS, Council deems it an appropriate use of the Jobs Growth Fund to support this effort; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Development Department in that it is immediately necessary to enter into an agreement with the Morse Road SID to allow the City to advance them $15,000 to contract with a management company, all for the immediate preservation of the public health, property, safety and welfare; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
Section 1. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized and directed to appropriate $15,000 in the Jobs Growth Fund, Fund 015 to the Development Department, Economic Development Division No. 44-02, Object Level One 03, Object Level Three 3337, OCA Code 440215.
Section 2. That the Director of the Department of Development is hereby authorized to enter into an agreement with the Morse Road Special Improvement District of Columbus, Inc.; and to expend $15,000 or so much as may be necessary.
Section 3. That for the purpose stated in Section 2, the expenditure of $15,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary from the Department of Development, Economic Development Division No. 44-02, Object Level One 03, Object Level Three 3337, OCA Code 440215 is hereby authorized.
Section 4. That this agreement is awarded in accordance with Chapter 329.15 of the Columbus City Codes, 1959.
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 passage and approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.