Explanation
1. BACKGROUND
This ordinance authorizes the Director of Public Service to purchase advertising space in The Daily Reporter. The advertising space will be used to publish public notices of property owners issued a notice of violation for sidewalks.
Columbus City Code Chapter 905 establishes the responsibility of the property owner to, at their own expense, maintain and repair the sidewalk abutting their property located within the public right-of-way. The purpose of this code is to protect the health, safety, and welfare of all persons in order to prevent and/or abate hazardous sidewalk conditions within the public right-of-way.
The Department of Public Service has investigated complaints about sidewalks submitted through the City's 311 system. An inspector has determined sidewalks are in violation of City Code and need to be repaired. The public notices will be posted in conjunction with a certified letter sent to the property address notifying the property owner of the violation and of their obligation to repair the sidewalk.
Searches in the System for Award Management System (Federal) and the Findings for Recovery list (State) produced no findings against The Daily Reporter.
2. CONTRACT COMPLIANCE
The Daily Reporter's contract compliance number is 311217752.
3. FISCAL IMPACT:
Funds for this contract are budgeted and available within the Street and Highway Improvement Fund, Fund 766. An amendment to the 2013 Capital Improvements Budget is necessary to establish sufficient cash and authority in the proper project.
4. EMERGENCY DESIGNATION
Emergency action is requested so repairs can be made as soon as possible to eliminate existing unsafe conditions.
Title
To amend the 2013 Capital Improvements Budget; to authorize and direct the City Auditor to transfer cash and appropriation within the Street and Highway Improvement Fund; to authorize the Director of Public Service to purchase advertising space in the Daily Reporter for the purpose of issuing public notices of sidewalk violations; to authorize the expenditure of up to $15,000.00 from the Street and Highway Improvement Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($15,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, Columbus City Code Chapter 905 establishes property owners are responsible for maintaining and repairing the sidewalks abutting their property within the public right-of-way; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Public Service has investigated complaints about sidewalks submitted through the City's 311 system; and
WHEREAS, an inspector has determined sidewalks are in violation of City Code and need to be repaired; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to issue public notices of the violations; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize an amendment to the 2013 Capital Improvements Budget for the purpose of providing sufficient spending authority for the aforementioned project expenditure; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to transfer funds between projects within the Street and Highway Improvement Fund so sufficient funds are available for the public notice advertisements; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Public Service in that the public notices should be posted so that repairs can be made in order to eliminate existing unsafe conditions, 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 2013 Capital Improvements Budget authorized by ordinance 0645-2013 be and is hereby amended as follows to provide sufficient authority for this project:
Fund / Project / Project Name / Current / Change / Amended
766 / 530161-100000 / Roadway Improvements (Street & Highway Imp Carryover) / $30,729.00 / $599.00 / $31,328.00 (Adjust to match cash)
766 / 530161-100000 / Roadway Improvements (Street & Highway Imp Carryover) / $31,328.00 / ($15,000.00) / $16,328.00
766 / 590105--100089 / Pedestrian Safety Improvement - NOV Assessment (Street & Highway Imp Carryover) / $600,000.00 / $15,000.00 / $615,000.00
SECTION 2. The sum of up to $15,000.00 be and is hereby appropriated from the unappropriated balance of the Street and Highways Improvement Fund, Fund 766, 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 ending December 31, 2014 as follows:
Fund / Project / Project Name / O.L. 01-03 Codes / OCA / Amount
766 / 530161-100000 / Roadway Improvements / 06-6600 / 761610 / $15,000.00
SECTION 3. That the City Auditor be and is hereby authorized to transfer cash and appropriate between projects within the Street and Highway Improvement Fund, Fund 766, as follows:
Transfer from:
Fund / Project Number / Project Name / O.L. 01 03 Codes / OCA / Amount
766 / 530161-100000 / Roadway Improvements / 06-6600 / 761610 / $15,000.00
Transfer to:
Fund / Project Number / Project Name / O.L. 01 03 Codes / OCA / Amount
766 / 590105--100089 / Pedestrian Safety Improvement - NOV Assessment / 06-6600 / 710589 / $15,000.00
SECTION 4. That the Director of Public Service be and is hereby authorized to purchase advertising space in the Daily Reporter, 580 South High Street, Suite 316, Columbus, Ohio, 43215, up to the amount of $15,000.00 or so much thereof as may be needed for the purpose of advertising public notices for the sidewalk notice of violation program.
SECTION 5. That for the purpose of paying the cost of this purchase, the sum of $15,000.00, or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized to be expended from the Street and Highway Improvement Fund, No. 766, as follows:
Fund / Project / Project Name / O.L. 01-03 Codes / OCA Code / Amount
766 / 590105-100089 / Pedestrian Safety Improvement - NOV Assessment / 06-6631 / 710589 / $15,000.00
SECTION 6. 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 7. 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 8. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized to transfer the unencumbered balance in a project account to the unallocated balance account within the same fund upon receipt of certification by the Director of the Department administering said project that the project has been completed and the monies are no longer required for said project.
SECTION 9. 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.