Explanation
BACKGROUND: The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires the return of all unspent grant funds from the Lead-based Paint Hazard Control Grant Program. The Round 12 Lead Grant agreement for Lead-Safe Columbus (LSC) was for the period October 1, 2005 to July 31, 2008, in the amount of $2,999,817. Units totaling 240 (exceeding our goal by 14) received direct lead based paint hazard removal at a cost of $1,595,065. The program also provided lead based paint risk assessments for 284 units, 58 more than our goal.
The production of our "sing-a-long" hand washing CD, as an outreach tool, produced greater results than we imagined. We have produced 15,000 CD's and distributed just under that amount to date. In Columbus and around the country, the CD has been distributed to homes, elementary schools, daycare centers and other places where small children are present. We expect that in time over 1,000,000 children will sing our hand washing song. We produced and aired a TV commercial with our hand washing CD on our area NBC station. The 30-second commercial aired 160 times over a 30-day period. It is estimated that we made 3,790,000 gross impressions during that time. As a result of the commercial we mailed out 515 CD's to people who called to request them, from 83 different towns and cities in 6 states.
The CD is also available for listening and downloading on our web site. Under our Round 12 grant we also trained 36 persons for lead contractor, lead worker and lead safe renovator certifications. Due to the impact of our Lead Safe Columbus activities, we believe that the City of Columbus could be the first major city in the United States to reach the goal of "no children being lead poisoned by 2010". Between 1996 and 2005 the City of Columbus monitored blood screening for 91,332 children under age 6. In that 10 year period we saw a steady decrease in the number of children with elevated blood levels. We are excited to say that the current number of children with lead in their blood of 10 ug/dl or greater, is at an all time low of 0.68%! This success has allowed the city to receive an additional grant (Round 15) that is underway right now so the efforts of Lead Safe Columbus will continue beyond the end of this grant.
A total of $19,125 of funds remain from this grant because of the cancellation of service contracts and lead hazard control projects. This legislation will authorize the City Auditor to make accounting entries as needed to facilitate this payment to HUD and to closeout the grant.
FISCAL IMPACT: The return of $19,125 unspent Lead Grant funds will put the City of Columbus in compliance with Federal requirements and closeout this grant.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Development to remit $19,125 from the Lead-Based Paint Hazard Control Grant to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; to authorize the expenditure of $19,125 from the General Government Grant Fund; to authorize the City Auditor to make accounting entries as needed in the General Government Grant Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($19,125)
Body
WHEREAS, it is the desire of the City of Columbus to remit funds from the General Government Grant Fund, that provided funding for the Lead Based Paint Hazard Control Grant Program, back to the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; and
WHEREAS, funds remain from the Round 12 HUD grant because of cancelled service contracts and lead hazard control projects; and
WHEREAS, the return of all unspent Lead Grant funds will put the City of Columbus in compliance with Federal requirements and closeout the grant; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Development in that it is immediately necessary to remit unspent Lead-Based Paint Hazard Control Grant funds to HUD to be in compliance with Federal requirements and closeout the grant; and thereby preserving the public peace, health, safety, and welfare; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
Section 1. That the Director of the Department of Development is hereby authorized and directed to remit unspent funds from the Lead-Based Paint Hazard Control Grant, Grant Number OHLHB0221-04 to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Section 2. That for the purpose as stated in Section 1, the expenditure of $19,125 from the Department of Development, Housing Division, Department No. 44-10, Fund No. 220, Grant 445005, Object Level One 05, Object Level Three 5515, OCA Code 445005 is hereby authorized.
Section 3. That the monies authorized for expenditure in the foregoing Section 2 shall be paid upon order of the Director of the Department of Development to the federal treasury; 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 4. The City Auditor is hereby authorized to make accounting entries to closeout grant number 445005.
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.