Explanation
This ordinance authorizes the City Clerk to enter into a grant agreement with Equality Ohio Education Fund in support of record-sealing and re-entry activities through their legal clinic.
Equality Ohio serves individuals in the re-entry process through their legal clinic, including through record-sealing assistance and pointing eligible individuals to the Opportunity Port resource. Opportunity Port is an online tool that connects justice-involved persons in Franklin County with limited-scope legal service providers who assist with the record sealing and expungement application process.
FISCAL IMPACT: Funding for this grant agreement is available within the Job Growth subfund.
Title
To authorize the City Clerk to enter into a grant agreement with Equality Ohio Education Fund in support of their clinic and record sealing assistance activities; and to authorize an appropriation and expenditure within the Job Growth subfund. ($30,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the existence of criminal records hinders the equitable growth and success of Columbus as a whole; and
WHEREAS, one in three American adults has a criminal record that will appear on a routine background check, the effect of which disproportionately impacts people of color and lower-income individuals; and
WHEREAS, according to a University of Michigan study, record sealing has been shown to increase an individual’s earnings by 25% along with other positive impacts; and
WHEREAS, Opportunity Port is an online tool that connects justice-involved persons with limited-scope legal service providers who assist with the record sealing and expungement application process; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the City Clerk to enter into a grant agreement with Equality Ohio Education Fund in order to provide record sealing assistance and connect eligible individuals with the Opportunity Port program; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the City Clerk is hereby authorized to enter into a grant agreement with Equality Ohio Education Fund, in an amount of up to $30,000.00, in support of re-entry services including record sealing assistance.
SECTION 2. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized and directed to appropriate $30,000.00 in the Job Growth subfund, fund 1000, subfund 100015, per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That per the action authorized in Section 1 of this ordinance, the expenditure of $30,000.00, or so much thereof as necessary, is hereby authorized in the Job Growth subfund, fund 1000, subfund 100015, per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
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 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 6. That this ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after the earliest period allowed by law.