Explanation
This ordinance authorizes the Director of the Office of Education to enter into a grant agreement with Columbus Early Learning Centers (CELC), pledging funds for CELC's purchase of learning materials for their classrooms.
Columbus Early Learning Centers (CELC) is the oldest, and one of the largest early learning organizations in Central Ohio. Founded is 1866, CELC serves approximately 800 Columbus children in multiple locations, including the city-owned and developed Hilltop Early Learning Center.
Though heavily subsidized, child care and early learning in Central Ohio, and across the United States, is a fragile industry. CELC, like most early learning programs, must raise public and private funds to help them pay for important services for Columbus' lowest income children. The funds provided from this ordinance will be used to support CELC's ongoing work in the early education of Columbus children, specifically, for purchasing learning materials for their classrooms.
EMERGENCY: This ordinance is submitted as an emergency as the sooner CELC is able to purchase the needed materials, the sooner they may begin using them to serve Columbus children.
FISCAL IMPACT: This ordinance authorizes an expenditure of $10,000.00 from the 2025 Mayor’s Office of Education’s General fund.
Title
This ordinance authorizes the Director of the Office of Education to enter into a grant agreement with Columbus Early Learning Centers, pledging funds for CELC's purchase of learning materials for their classrooms; and to declare an emergency. ($10,000.00).
Body
WHEREAS, Columbus Early Learning Centers (CELC) is the oldest, and one of the largest early learning organizations in Central Ohio; and,
WHEREAS, CELC serves approximately 800 Columbus children in multiple locations, including the city-owned and developed Hilltop Early Learning Center: and
WHEREAS; CELC, like most early learning programs, must raise public and private funds to help them pay for important services for Columbus' lowest income children; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily business of the Mayor's Office of Education in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director of the Mayor's Office of Education to enter into a grant agreement with CELC as the sooner CELC is able to purchase the needed materials, the sooner they may begin using them to serve Columbus children, 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 Director of the Mayor’s Office of Education is hereby authorized to enter into a grant agreement with Columbus Early Learning Centers to support CELC's ongoing work in the early education of Columbus children, specifically, for purchasing learning materials for their classrooms.
SECTION 2. That the expenditure of $10,000.00 is hereby authorized from the 2025 Mayor’s Office of Education’s general fund, per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. 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 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 for reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is 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.