Explanation
This ordinance authorizes the City Clerk to enter into a grant agreement with Franklin Soil and Water Conservation District (FSWCD) in support of their Columbus Urban Agriculture Infrastructure Grant program.
The Franklin Soil and Water Conservation District (FSWCD) is one (1) of eighty-eight (88) soil and water conservation districts in Ohio. Their mission is to promote responsible land use decisions for the conservation, protection and improvement of soil and water resources by providing information and assistance through effective partnering, technical guidance and education.
The purpose of the Urban Agriculture Grant is to strengthen the local food supply chain, increase food crop production, processing, and distribution via sale/donation by local urban farms, accelerate the ability of local growers to scale up their operations, and ensure support for socially disadvantaged farmers (e.g. BIPOC, women, and low-income growers). The targeted population will be urban growers (both for-profit and non-profit) within the City of Columbus, with preference given to smaller farms, socially disadvantaged farmers, and farms that have not received funding through our Urban Agriculture Grant program in the past.
FSWCD will execute site visits to confirm implementation and usage of critical infrastructure to confirm implementation of critical infrastructure, keep a record of each grantee's needs and capacities and any connections made to additional resources, and ensure equity is considered as part of both the grant evaluation process and any technical assistance provided during the grant. This grant will be used for reimbursements or direct payments to vendors for infrastructure related projects such as waterlines, greenhouse improvements, compost infrastructure, harvesting equipment, etc. Exact breakdowns of costs are included in the attached budget.
Emergency action is required because due to unlimited unrestricted funds, upfront funding is needed to ensure that the program can be effectively implemented without financial constraints for operations and supplies.
FISCAL IMPACT: Funding for this grant agreement is available within the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund.
Title
To authorize the City Clerk to enter into a grant agreement with Franklin Soil and Water Conservation District (FSWCD) in support of their Columbus Urban Agriculture Infrastructure Grant program; to authorize an appropriation and expenditure within the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund; and to declare an emergency. ($75,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, The Franklin Soil and Water Conservation District (FSWCD) strive to promote responsible land use decisions for the conservation, protection and improvement of soil and water resources by providing information and assistance through effective partnering, technical guidance and education; and
WHEREAS, Support is necessary to increase local food production, provide technical assistance and education to grantees as needed to fully implement critical infrastructure and scale up operations, and ensure equitable support for socially disadvantaged growers; and
WHEREAS, This grant fills a key gap in the local food supply chain by allowing community gardens and urban farms to scale up their operations and produce more local food for sale and donation; and
WHEREAS, Columbus City Council seeks to support Columbus’ residents across all neighborhoods, and the organization’s mission furthers those goals; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Clerk's Office in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Clerk to enter into a grant agreement with Franklin Soil and Water Conservation District (FSWCD) in support of their Columbus Urban Agriculture Infrastructure Grant program is imminent and City support is needed in order to award the funds, all for the immediate 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 Clerk is hereby authorized to enter into a grant agreement with Franklin Soil and Water Conservation District (FSWCD) in support of their Columbus Urban Agriculture Infrastructure Grant program.
SECTION 2. That per the action authorized in Section 1 of this ordinance, the appropriation of $75,000.00, or so much thereof as necessary, is hereby authorized in the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund, fund 1000, subfund 100018, per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That per the action authorized in Section 1 of this ordinance, the expenditure of $75,000.00, or so much thereof as necessary, is hereby authorized in the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund, fund 1000, subfund 100018, per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 4. 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 5. 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 6. That for the reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, the 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.