Explanation
BACKGROUND:
This ordinance authorizes the appropriation and expenditure of $881,750.00 within the Debt Retirement Fund and authorizes the Department of Finance and Management, Real Estate Management Office, to pay rent for six (6) existing lease agreements for office space leased for the benefit of the Municipal Court, the Department of Development, the Department of the Inspector General, the Department of Neighborhoods and the Department of Public Safety and for rent associated with an internal Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Department of Public Utilities for use of office space at 1250 Fairwood Avenue by other city departments. Each of the six lease agreements and the MOU agreement have automatic renewal options that are subject to appropriation and funding by Council for payment of the associated rents.
Fiscal Impact: This ordinance authorizes the appropriation and expenditure of $881,750.00 from the Debt Retirement Fund for payment of rent associated with leases and an internal Memorandum of Understanding for the 2024-2025 renewal term. $881,750.00 is budgeted for 2024 within Fund 4430, the Debt Retirement Fund for the Department of Finance and Management, Real Estate Management Office to pay rent associated with leased office space.
Emergency Action: Emergency action is requested to allow for the timely payment of rent associated with the 2024 lease term for each lease and the Memorandum of Understanding.
Title
To authorize the Finance and Management Director, on behalf of the Real Estate Management Office, to pay rent associated with lease agreements for leased office space at existing locations and for an internal Memorandum of Understanding for the 2024 term; to authorize the appropriation and expenditure of $881,750.00 from the Debt Retirement Fund; and to declare an emergency ($881,750.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Finance and Management Department, Real Estate Management Office, is responsible for leasing commercial properties for use in City operations; and
WHEREAS, City Council previously authorized six (6) lease agreements with automatic renewal terms with each renewal term being subject to the appropriation of rental funds and certification of funds availability by the City Auditor; and
WHEREAS, funding for the payment of the 2024 rent associated with these agreements and the internal Memorandum of Understanding is provided for within the Fund 4430, the Debt Retirement Fund; and
WHEREAS, the appropriation of funds for these six lease agreements and Memorandum of Understanding from the Debt Retirement Fund is necessary; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to expend funds for the lease with Franklin County Commissioners for the Municipal Court authorized by City Council Ordinance 1774-2008; the eighth renewal of a lease with Integrated-Fairfield Holdings, LLC authorized by City Council Ordinance 0555-2021; the fourteenth renewal of a lease with YDT Sinclair Road LLC authorized by City Council Ordinance 1334-2017; the seventeenth renewal of a lease with Columbus Downtown Development Corporation authorized by City Council Ordinance 1121-2007; the second renewal of a lease with Columbus Downtown Development Corporation authorized by City Council Ordinance 1269-2022 and the first year of a three (3) year term of an internal Memorandum of Understanding with the Department of Public Utilities; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operations of the Finance and Management Department, Real Estate Management Office, in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director to expend funds for the payment of rent for the 2024-2025 lease term for six (6) leases and a Memorandum of Understanding in order to allow for the timely payment of rents to ensure that City operations continue uninterrupted, thereby preserving 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 Finance and Management Director, on behalf of the Real Estate Management Office, is hereby authorized to expend funds for the payment of rent for existing lease agreements with Franklin County Commissioners, YDT Sinclair Road LLC, Columbus Downtown Development Corporation (2), Integrated-Fairfield Holdings, LLC and an internal Memorandum of Understanding with the Department of Public Utilities for the lease of office space.
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 fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, the sum of $881,750.00 is appropriated in Fund 4430 Debt Retirement Fund in Object Class 03, Lease and Rental of Property or Building, per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That the expenditure of $881,750.00, or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized in Fund 4430 Debt Retirement Fund in Object Class 03, Lease and Rental of Property or Building, per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 4. That the monies appropriated in SECTION 2 shall be paid upon the order of the Finance and Management Director and that no order shall be drawn or money paid except by voucher, the form of which shall be approved by the City Auditor.
SECTION 5. That the City Auditor is authorized to make any accounting changes necessary to ensure that this contract is properly accounted for and recorded accurately on the City's financial record. The City Auditor is authorized to make any changes to revise the funding source for any contract or contract modification associated with this ordinance.
SECTION 6. 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 approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.