Explanation
1. BACKGROUND
Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009, the city of Columbus was awarded $7,403,500 from the U.S. Department of Energy as a formula allocation of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG). The Department of Public Service received $1,571,650 of this award for Pedestrian Signal Upgrade to LED technology. The new pedestrian signals will comply with the latest standards promulgated by the Institute of Transportation Engineers specifying appearance criteria, energy-saving performance and expected service life.
These countdown displays will provide a clearer understanding of the meaning of pedestrian clearance intervals, increased customer acceptance of the proper operation of pedestrian signals and ultimately safer pedestrian environment. The project will replace a total of 3,698 pedestrian signals with an expected annual savings of 1,946,000 kilowatt hours upon project completion in the fall of 2012.
Appropriation of these grant funds was authorized in Ordinance 1511-2009. This ordinance will amend the previous ordinance with regard to appropriation between object level one codes and authorize expenditure from the General Government Grant Fund (Fund 220) for the Division of Planning and Operations within the Department of Public Service.
2. FISCAL IMPACT
This legislation allows $1,571,650 to be expended from the EECBG grant within the General Government Grant Fund. Costs will be reimbursed to the city by the U.S. Department of Energy as expended
3. EMERGENCY DESIGNATION
Emergency action is requested to allow the financial transactions to be posted in the City's accounting system as soon as possible. Up to date financial posting promotes accurate accounting and financial management.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Finance and Management to issue purchase orders from existing universal term contracts, authorize a transfer between objects levels, and to authorize the Director of the Department of Public Service to expend from the General Government Grant Fund $1,571,650 and to declare an emergency. ($1,571,650)
Body
WHEREAS, Ordinance 1511-2009 authorized the appropriation of funds for the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG), and
WHEREAS, there is a need to transfer appropriation between object levels in order to meet expenditure expectations, and
WHEREAS, there is a need to establish purchase orders through existing UTC contracts and expend grant appropriations, and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Division of Planning and Operations in that it is immediately necessary to expend the aforementioned funds for the replacement of pedestrian signals, thereby preserving the public health, peach, property, 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 Finance and Management is hereby authorized to establish purchase orders from existing universal contracts for the pedestrian countdown signals.
Section 2. That the Auditor's Office is hereby authorized to transfer appropriation of $147,920 within fund 220, grant number 459106, from object level 06 to object level 03, OCA number 599206.
Section 3. That the expenditure of $1,571,650, or so much thereof that may be necessary be and is hereby authorized and approved to be expended from the Division of Planning and Operations, Department of Public Service as follows:
Dept/Div Fund Grant No. OCA OL 03 Amount
59-11 220 459106 599206 1000 $314,330
59-11 220 459106 599206 3380 $147,920
59-11 220 459106 599206 6621 $1,109,400
Grand total $1,571,650
Section 4. That monies identified in Section 3 shall be paid upon order of the Director of Public Service; 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 for 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.