Explanation
BACKGROUND: In 2006 the City of Columbus and the Columbus Chamber entered into a contract to pursue an economic development strategy to attract and retain young professionals. Next Generation Consulting was hired to study the current trends of young people in Columbus. As part of the contract they also provided an action plan to retain and attract young professionals to the area. To date, the research has been completed, the recommendations have been presented and approved and successful program implementation is ongoing. In order to continue the implement of the action plan, the Columbus Chamber will continue employment of a person to be responsible for the Young Professional's component of the attraction and retention initiative.
This legislation authorizes the Director of the Department of Development to enter into an agreement with the Columbus Chamber for $70,000 as funding to continue employment of a manager of the Young Professional's, a component of the attraction and retention initiative. The Chamber will provide additional funding in the form of administrative costs associated with the Young Professional's position.
Emergency action is requested to allow the Columbus Chamber to continue providing program services without interruption.
FISCAL IMPACT: $70,000.00 has been allocated from the 2011General Fund budget for this initiative.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Development to enter into an agreement with the Columbus Chamber to continue support of the Young Professional's Initiative; to authorize the expenditure of $70,000.00 from the General Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($70,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, Next Generation Consulting (NGC) was hired to pursue an economic development strategy to attract and retain young professionals in the Columbus area; and
WHEREAS, to date, NGC completed the attraction and retention research, the recommendations have been presented and approved, and implementation needs to continue; and
WHEREAS, the Young Professionals initiative has been very successful; and
WHEREAS, the Columbus Chamber and the City of Columbus desire to continue employment of an individual to manage the Young Professional's initiative; and
WHEREAS, the City of Columbus will provide up to $70,000.00 to continue the employment of a manager of the Young Professional's initiative; and
WHEREAS, the Columbus Chamber will provide administrative costs to hire a manager of the Young Professional's initiative; and
WHEREAS, the person employed for this position will continue to be a Columbus Chamber employee and will be housed at the Columbus Chamber; and
WHEREAS, emergency action is necessary to allow the Columbus Chamber to continue employment of a Young Professional's manager in a timely manner; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the City of Columbus, in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director of the Department to enter into an agreement with the Columbus Chamber to continue providing program services without interruption, all for the preservation the 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 the Department of Development is hereby authorized to enter an agreement with the Columbus Chamber to fund the continued employment of a manager of the Young Professional's initiative.
Section 2. That the expenditure of $70,000.00 or so much thereof as may be necessary, be and is hereby authorized to be expended from the Development Department, Economic Development Division, Division 44-02, General Fund, Fund 010, Object Level One 03, Object Level Three 3337, OCA 440314.
Section 3. That this agreement is awarded in accordance with Chapter 329.15 of the Columbus City Codes, 1959.
Section 4. 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.