Explanation
Background
This ordinance authorizes the City Clerk to enter into an advance payment grant agreement with Columbus Landmarks Foundation to support the Building Arts Studio program, a partnership with Columbus City Schools’ Fort Hayes Metropolitan Education Center.
The Columbus Landmarks Foundation seeks to preserve Columbus landmarks and neighborhoods through advocacy, education, and investment. The Foundation seek to promote design that inspires and endures.
The Building Arts Studio is a partnership between Columbus Landmarks Foundation and Columbus City Schools' Fort Hayes Metropolitan Education Center that prepares high school construction trades students for careers in historic preservation. Each semester, approximately 20 students receive hands-on instruction from experienced preservation professionals while rehabilitating the historic Gate House at Fort Hayes. Students learn specialized skills such as historic masonry, window restoration, carpentry, measured drawings, and lead-safe work practices-training that complements their traditional construction education. Since 2022, the program has served more than 100 students, helping address the growing workforce shortage in preservation trades. Because many instructors own preservation businesses, students will also have opportunities to earn internships, apprenticeships, and employment upon completion of the program.
Grant funding will support skilled instructors, specialized tools and materials, safety equipment, and expanded project opportunities, ensuring students gain real-world experience while preserving one of Columbus's historic landmarks.
Since the organization lacks the funding necessary to operate the program fully on a reimbursement basis, funds will be advanced to Columbus Landmarks Foundation in support of the Building Arts Studio program.
This ordinance also authorizes payment for eligible expenses incurred prior to the creation of the purchase order to support events from the beginning of the fall semester that were not able to be funded upfront due to a delay in the preparation of this legislation.
Fiscal Impact: Funding ($50,000.00) is available within the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund.
Emergency Designation: Emergency legislation is requested in order to ensure a timely issuance of grant funds in support of the program. Programming began in August at the start of the school year, meaning support is already months delayed, risking disruption to the operations and success of the program.
Title
To authorize the City Clerk to enter into an advance payment grant agreement with Columbus Landmarks Foundation to support the Building Arts Studio program; to authorize an expenditure within the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund; to authorize the reimbursement of qualifying expenses incurred prior to the creation of the purchase order; and to declare an emergency. ($50,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Columbus Landmarks Foundation is a local non-profit that seeks to preserve Columbus landmarks and neighborhoods through advocacy, education, and investment; and
WHEREAS, the Building Arts Studio is a partnership between Columbus Landmarks Foundation and Columbus City Schools' Fort Hayes Metropolitan Education Center that prepares high school construction trades students for careers in historic preservation; and
WHEREAS, grant funds will support instructor fees, specialized tools, materials, safety equipment, and project supplies, ensuring students gain authentic, workforce-ready experience while helping preserve a significant historic resource; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the City Clerk in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the City Clerk to enter into an advance payment grant agreement with Columbus Landmarks Foundation to support the Building Arts Studio program, to ensure the timely issuance of grant funds in support of the program, given the program began in August of 2026, meaning support is already months delayed, risking disruption to the operations and success of the program, all 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 an advance payment grant agreement with the Columbus Landmarks Foundation to support the Building Arts Studio program, in the amount of up to $50,000.00, and that the City Clerk is authorized to reimburse qualifying expenses incurred prior to the creation of the purchase order.
SECTION 2. That per the action authorized in Section 1 of this ordinance, the expenditure of $50,000.00 or so much thereof as may be needed, is authorized in the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund, fund 1000, subfund 100018, per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That funds shall be paid in advance to Columbus Landmarks Foundation in order for the organization to have the resources necessary for the successful operation of their programs.
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 legislation.
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.