Explanation
BACKGROUND: In 1999 the Capitol South Community Urban Redevelopment Corporation, the Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce and the Columbus Department of Trade and Development initiated an effort to work with downtown property owners to create a Special Improvement District (SID) in the core area of downtown. Property owners were surveyed and overwhelmingly were in support of creating a SID. The SID was created for a five (5) year period and was very successful, and re-authorized for additional terms in 2006, 2011, 2016 and 2020 with City Council’s consent.
In 2020 the SID’s petition for the Transit Plan for Services was accepted and approved by Columbus City Council by Ordinance No. 0804-2020, passed May 4, 2020. Another action required by the Ohio Revised Code was the approval of the Plan of Improvements and Services and the inclusion of City owned property in said plan. This legislation was approved by Columbus City Council by Resolution No. 0067X-2020, passed May 18, 2020. The third piece of legislation was to declare the necessity to implement the Plan of Improvements and Services adopted by the Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District of Columbus, Inc., and to levy a special assessment for the services. This legislation was approved by Columbus City Council by Resolution No. 0100X-2020, passed June 29, 2020. A final piece of legislation, providing for the levy of assessment to property owners, was approved by City Council by Ordinance No. 1892-2020, passed September 14, 2020, for a consolidated 5-year term from 2021 to 2025. Each assessment is to be returned to the SID for operational requirements as set forth in the District Plan.
This legislation appropriates and approves the expenditure of assessments collected in Fiscal Year 2022 that are to be returned to the SID. This legislation also allows the Director of Development to enter into a contract with the Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District of Columbus, Inc. for disbursement of these funds in 2022.
Emergency action is requested to allow for continuation of services without interruption.
FISCAL IMPACT: Funds for this expenditure will be received from the levy of assessments collected from property owners in the Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District. These funds are deposited into and expended from Agency Fund 3307.
CONTRACT COMPLIANCE: The vendor number is 006946 and expires 11/8/2023.
Title
To authorize the Director of Development to enter into a contract with the Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District of Columbus, Inc. for the implementation of services set forth in the District Plans for Services; to authorize and direct the City Auditor to appropriate and expend up to $3,100,000.00 from assessments levied from property owners; and to declare an emergency. ($3,100,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, City Council approved the creation and implementation of a Base Plan for Services for the Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District of Columbus, Inc. for a period of 4 years from January 1, 2022 through December 31, 2025; and
WHEREAS, City Council approved the implementation of a Transit Plan for Services for the Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District of Columbus, Inc. for a period of 5 years from January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2025; and
WHEREAS, City Council has also levied assessments in accordance with the Ohio Revised Code, Chapter 1710 for such purposes, which funds are in the process of collection and are required by law to be distributed to the District by the City; and
WHEREAS, the assessment funds collected by the County and forwarded to the City for disbursement will be available in March 2022 and September 2022; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Development, Economic Development Division, in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director to enter into a contract with the Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District of Columbus, Inc. and to appropriate and expend said funds to allow for continuation of services without interruption, thereby preserving 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 Development is hereby authorized to enter into a contract with the Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District of Columbus, Inc. for the implementation of services for the operations requirements set forth in the District Plan previously approved by City Council pursuant to Resolution 0067X-2020, for an amount not to exceed $3,100,000.00.
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, 2022, the sum of $3,100,000.00 is appropriated in Fund 3307 in care of Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District of Columbus, Inc., under an assigned Object Class for Other Expenditure per the accounting codes.
SECTION 3. That for the purpose stated in Section 1, the expenditure of $3,100,000.00 or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized in Fund 3307 in care of Capital Crossroads SID, under an assigned Object Class for Other Expenditure per the accounting codes.
SECTION 4. 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 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.