Explanation
BACKGROUND: Columbus Public Health has been awarded an eighteen-month extension for the COVID-19 Enhanced Operations (EO23) Subgrant Program from the Ohio Department of Health originating from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This ordinance authorizes the Board of Health to accept and appropriate an additional $2,715,212.00 in grant monies to fund the COVID-19 Enhanced Operations Subgrant Program, for the period of August 1, 2023 through December 31, 2025. The new total award amount is $4,985,505.00.
The originating ordinance for the acceptance and appropriation of the COVID-19 Enhanced Operations Subgrant Program is referenced in Ordinance No. 2078-2023.
The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) has identified additional funds that may be reallocated for EO23 subgrants to address COVID-19 mitigation activities including COVID-19 outbreak response, disease mitigation, infection prevention and control activities, and data modernization. The purpose of this reallocation is to extend the end date of the award to December 31, 2025, and to allocate additional funding.
These additional grant monies will partially cover the costs of 21 grant personnel, fund expansive data modernization efforts for health information systems including rapid identification, electronic reporting, monitoring, analysis, and evaluation of control measures to reduce the spread of disease, and to fund new training for CPH for staff and local partners to improve local capacity in epidemiology, infection control, data analysis, and data visualization in accordance with grant deliverables.
Emergency action is requested due to the immediate need to avoid forfeiture of the grant and to continue the emergency response to the COVID-19 pandemic and other infectious diseases.
FISCAL IMPACT: The COVID-19 Enhanced Operations Subgrant Program ($2,715,212.00) is fully funded by the Ohio Department of Health, and does not generate or require a City match.
Title
To authorize and direct the Board of Health to accept an eighteen-month grant extension from Ohio Department of Health for the COVID-19 Enhanced Operations Subgrant Program in the amount of $2,715,212.00; for a new total award amount of $4,985,505.00, and a new grant period of August 1, 2023 through December 31, 2025; to authorize the appropriation of $2,715,212.00 from the unappropriated balance of the Health Department Grants Fund; to authorize the expenditure of $2,715,212.00 from the Health Department Grants Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($2,715,212.00)
Body
WHEREAS, additional grant funds in the amount of $2,715,212.00 have been made available through the Ohio Department of Health for the COVID-19 Enhanced Operations Subgrant Program as an eighteen-month extension for the period of August 1, 2023 through December 31, 2025; and,
WHEREAS, it is necessary to accept and appropriate these funds from the Ohio Department of Health for the continued support of the COVID-19 Enhanced Operations Subgrant Program; and,
WHEREAS, the City may receive additional funds awarded from the Ohio Department of Health for the support of COVID-19 Enhanced Operations Subgrant Program; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to allow the City Auditor to transfer appropriations between object classes for the COVID-19 Enhanced Operations Subgrant Program as needed upon request by the Columbus Public Health department to carry out the purpose of the grant; and,
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of Columbus Public Health in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Board of Health to accept these grant funds from the Ohio Department of Health and to appropriate these funds to Columbus Public Health due to the grant extension start date of August 1, 2024, to avoid forfeiture of the grant; to not delay the funding for essential grant personnel; to continue the emergency response to the COVID-19 pandemic and other infectious diseases, and for the immediate preservation of the public health, peace, property, and safety; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Board of Health is hereby authorized and directed to accept an eighteen-month grant extension award of $2,715,212.00 from the Ohio Department of Health for the COVID-19 Enhanced Operations Subgrant Program for a new total award amount of $4,985,505.00, and a new grant period of August 1, 2023 through December 31, 2025; and,
SECTION 2. 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 grant period ended December 31, 2025, the sum of $2,715,212.00 is hereby appropriated upon receipt of an executed grant agreement to The Health Department Grants Fund, Fund 2251, Department of Health, Division 5001, per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That the monies appropriated in the foregoing Section 2 shall be paid upon the order of the Health Commissioner and that no order shall be drawn or money paid except upon voucher, the form of which shall be approved by the City Auditor.
SECTION 4. That at the end of the grant period, any repayment of unencumbered balances required by the grantor is hereby authorized and any unused City match monies may be transferred back to the City fund from which they originated in accordance with all applicable grant agreements.
SECTION 5. That the funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are hereby deemed appropriated, and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 6. That the Board of Health is hereby authorized and directed to accept any additional grant awards from the Ohio Department of Health for the support of the COVID-19 Enhanced Operations Subgrant program for the period of August 1, 2023 through December 31, 2025.
SECTION 7. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized to transfer appropriations between object classes for the COVID-19 Enhanced Operations Subgrant Program as needed upon request by the Columbus Public Health department to carry out the purpose of the grant.
SECTION 8. That for 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.