Explanation
BACKGROUND: The purpose of this ordinance is to allow the Director of Development and the City Auditor to remit grant funds received, associated with the Clean Ohio Assistance Fund (COAF) grant awarded to the former Jaeger Manufacturing and Union Fork and Hoe site, back to the Ohio Department of Development.
On June 9, 2008, Columbus City Council approved Ordinance Number 0841-08 to authorize the Director of Development to apply for a $750,000.00 COAF grant to clean up approximately 7.7 acres of the former Jaeger Manufacturing and Union Fork and Hoe site in consideration of Jaeger Commerce Park, LP constructing approximately 234 residential units with accompanying commercial space and a park. The COAF grant application was successful and Columbus City Council approved Ordinance Number 1814-08 authorizing the Director of Development to enter into agreements with the Ohio Department of Development and Jaeger Commerce Park, LP to receive the grant and apply it to site clean up.
Subsequent to executing agreements with the Ohio Department of Development and Jaeger Commerce Park, LP, the plans, as presented on the COAF grant application, had been changed by the developer without authorization from either the Ohio Department of Development or the City of Columbus to do so. As clean up work under the COAF grant had commenced, when the change in development plans had occurred, the Director of the Columbus Department of Development requested that expended funds of $98,873 be returned by Jaeger Commerce Park, LP, with the intent of refunding the expended funds returned to the Ohio Department of Development.
This ordinance allows for the refund of expended grant funds back to the Ohio Department of Development.
This ordinance is submitted as an emergency in order to allow for the immediate refund of expended grant funds associated with the COAF grant.
FISCAL IMPACT: The city will return an amount representing the refunded check for $98,873 to the Ohio Department of Development.
Title
To authorize and direct the Director of Development and the City Auditor to return an amount equal to $98,873.00 representing the amount of reimbursement for work performed under said grant to the Ohio Department of Development and refunded to the Columbus Department of Development by Jaeger Commerce Park, LP; to authorize the appropriation of $98,873.00 from the General Government Grant Fund to the Department of Development; to authorize the expenditure of $98,873.00 from the General Government Grant Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($98,873.00)
Body
Whereas, the Columbus Department of Development applied for a $750,000.00 Ohio Department of Development Clean Ohio Assistance Fund grant under the authority of Columbus City Council Ordinance Number 0841-08 for environmental clean of the former Jaeger Manufacturing and Union Fork and Hoe site in consideration of Jaeger Commerce Park, LP constructing approximately 234 residential units with accompanying commercial space and a park at said site, and
Whereas, the Columbus Department of Development was awarded the applied for $750,000.00 Clean Ohio Assistance Fund grant and entered into agreements with the Ohio Department of Development and Jaeger Commerce Park, LP to administer the grant at the Jaeger Manufacturing and Union Fork and Hoe site under the authority of Columbus City Council Ordinance Number 1814-08; and
Whereas, in partnership with the City of Columbus, Jaeger Commerce Park, LP was reimbursed for $98,873.00 of site clean up work under the Clean Ohio Assistance Fund grant and subsequently changed development plans for the site without prior approval whereupon the Columbus Department of Development requested and received a refund of $98,873.00 from Jaeger Commerce Park, LP for work performed; and
Whereas, it is the desire of the Columbus Department of Development to return $98,873.00 of the COAF grant for work performed to the Ohio Department of Development; and
Whereas, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the City of Columbus in that it is immediately necessary to return $98,873.00 of the COAF grant for work performed to the Ohio Department of Development for the preservation of public health, peace, property safety and welfare; now therefore,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
Section 1. That the Director of Development and the City Auditor is directed and authorized to return an amount equal to $98,873.00 representing the amount of reimbursement for work performed under said grant to the Ohio Department of Development and refunded to the Columbus Department of Development by Jaeger Commerce Park, LP.
Section 2. That from the unappropriated balance in the General Government Grant Fund, Fund 220, and from any and all sources unallocated for any other purpose during the fiscal year ending December 31, 2011, the sum of $98,873.00, be and hereby is appropriated to the Development Department, Economic Development Division, Division No. 44-02, Grant No. 449028, OCA 449028, Object Level Three 5515.
Section 3. That the expenditure of $98,873.00, or so much as may be necessary, be and is hereby authorized from the Development Department, Economic Development Division, Division No. 44-02, Fund 220, Grant No. 449028, OCA 449028, Object Level Three 5515.
Section 4. That for reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, the 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.