Explanation
This legislation authorizes the Director of the Department of Development to authorize the expenditure of $9,455.72 to the Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District (SID) to continue to enable employees who work in City buildings that are within the Capital Crossroads SID boundaries but do not pay SID assessments (Non-SID Assessment Employees) to participate in the Downtown C-Pass Program (the Program). These Non-SID Assessment Employees work in the following City buildings: 77 North Front Street, 345 South High Street, 373 South High Street, 375 South High Street, and 120 Marconi Blvd. The City will pay $18.23 per each eligible employee (currently 90) in the 345 South High Street, 373 South High Street, and 375 South High Street Buildings at a cost of $1,640.70.
The City will pay $0.27 per square foot of the entire building for the 77 North Front Street and 120 Marconi Buildings for all the employees to have access to the Program at a cost of $7,815.02.
The total cost for 2024 is $9,455.72 to cover the Program participation for Non-SID Assessment Employees.
Through Ordinance 2900-2020, The Department of Development entered into a 5 year agreement (2021-2025) with the Capital Crossroads SID to continue the City’s involvement with the Program. The Department of Development will seek Council approval to fund participation each year in 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024.
The cost to cover the remaining City employees who work within City buildings in the Capital Crossroads SID (90 North Front Street and 111 North Front Street) will be handled through the City’s annual Capital Crossroads SID assessments.
The Capital Crossroads SID created the Downtown C-Pass Program (the Program) for eligible employers and employees in downtown Columbus in partnership with the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) and the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) in 2018. The initial 3 year Program ended in 2020. The Capital Crossroads SID, COTA, and MORPC have agreed to extend the Program through the end of 2025.
The Program provides unlimited access to COTA transportation services at no additional cost to eligible employees.
Emergency action is requested in order to ensure continued participation in the Program without interruption.
FISCAL IMPACT: Funding is available in the Division of Administration’s 2024 General Fund budget. This ordinance is contingent on the passage of the 2024 Operating Budget, Ordinance 3011-2023.
EMERGENCY JUSTIFICATION: Emergency action is requested in order to ensure funds are available to provide support for the Non-SID Assessment Employees that work in the following City buildings: 77 North Front Street, 345 South High Street, 373 South High Street, 375 South High Street, and 120 Marconi Blvd by continuing access to the CPASS Program without interruption.
CONTRACT COMPLIANCE: the vendor number is 006946 and expires 10/13/2025
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Development to make a payment of $9,455.72 from the General Fund to the Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District to continue to enable employees who work in City buildings that are within the Capital Crossroads SID boundaries but do not pay SID assessments to participate in the Downtown C-Pass Program; to authorize the Director of the Department of Development to modify the Capital Crossroads SID C-Pass agreement to reflect the negotiated 2024 rates; and to declare an emergency. ($9,455.72)
Body
WHEREAS, this ordinance authorizes the Director of the Department of Development to Director of Development to make a payment of $9,455.72 from the general fund to the Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District (SID) to continue to enable employees who work in City buildings that are within the Capital Crossroads SID boundaries but do not pay SID assessments (Non-SID Assessment Employees) to participate in the Downtown C-Pass Program (the Program) and to authorize the Director of Development to modify the Capital Crossroads SID C-Pass agreement to reflect the negotiated 2024 rates; and to declare an emergency; and
WHEREAS, these Non-SID Assessment Employees work in the following City buildings: 77 North Front Street, 345 South High Street, 373 South High Street, 375 South High Street, and 120 Marconi Blvd; and
WHEREAS, The City will pay $18.23 per each eligible employee (currently 90) in the 345 South High Street, 373 South High Street, and 375 South High Street Buildings at a cost of $1,640.70.
WHEREAS, the City will pay $0.27 per square foot of the entire building for the 77 North Front Street and 120 Marconi Buildings for all the employees to have access to the Program at a cost of $7,815.02; and
WHEREAS, the total cost for 2024 is $9,455.72 to cover the Program participation for Non-SID Assessment Employees; and
WHEREAS, through Ordinance 2900-2020, The Department of Development entered into a 5 year agreement (2021-2025) with the Capital Crossroads SID to continue the City’s involvement with the Program; and
WHEREAS, the cost to cover the remaining City employees who work within City buildings in the Capital Crossroads SID (90 North Front Street and 111 North Front Street) will be handled through our annual Capital Crossroads SID assessments; and
WHEREAS, the Capital Crossroads SID created the Downtown C-Pass Program (the Program) for eligible employers and employees in downtown Columbus in partnership with the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) and the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) in 2018; and
WHEREAS, while the initial 3 year Program ended at the end of 2020, the Capital Crossroads SID, COTA, and MORPC have agreed to extend the Program through 2025; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Development in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director to enter into contract with the Capital Crossroads SID in order to continue the Program without interruption, such action being necessary for the immediate preservation of the public health, peace, property, and safety; 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 to make a payment of $9,455.72 from the General Fund to the Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District (SID), to continue to enable employees who work in City buildings that are within the Capital Crossroads SID boundaries but do not pay SID assessments (Non-SID Assessment Employees), to participate in the Downtown C-Pass Program and to authorize the Director to modify the Capital Crossroads SID C-Pass agreement to reflect the negotiated 2024 rates.
SECTION 2. That for the purpose stated in Section 1, the expenditure of $9,455.72, is hereby authorized in Fund 1000 (General Fund), Dept. 44-01 (Administration), in object class 03 (Services) per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That the contract authorizing these funds was awarded in accordance with the relevant provisions of City Code Chapter 329 relating to not-for-profit service contracts.
SECTION 4. Funds are hereby deemed appropriated and expenditures authorized to carry out the purposes of this ordinance 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. 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 the passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.