Explanation
Background:
This legislation will authorize the appropriation of $20,000.00 from the Criminal and Traffic Diversion Fund. This fund is generated by fees collected by the City Attorney's Traffic Diversion Program and will be used to pay for materials and supplies for the Appellate Section of the City Attorney's Office, whose staff administers the program.
The Traffic Diversion Program is designed to reduce the number of traffic cases that backlog the courts and to help offenders improve their driving skills via an online driving course. The staff of the Appellate Section works directly with offenders to resolve the matter and therefore keep the case out of the court system.
Fiscal Impact: The Traffic Diversion Program is entirely funded from collected fees. The case balance as of 6/3/2010 was $121,649.02.
Emergency: This legislation is requested to be an emergency so there is no interruption of the program.
Title
To authorize the appropriation and expenditure of Twenty Thousand Dollars from the fees collected by the City Attorney's Traffic Diversion Program for the purpose of purchasing materials and supplies for the Appellate Section of the City Attorney's Office; and to declare an emergency. ($20,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, administrative fees are imposed and collected by the City Attorney's Office for participation in the Traffic Diversion Program; and
WHEREAS, the cost of this program is solely supported by the fees collected; and
WHEREAS, the Appellate Unit of the City Attorney's Office is in need of materials and supplies for the program; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the City Attorney's Office in that it is necessary to immediately authorize the appropriation and expenditure of these collected fees for the continuation of the program and for the preservation of public health, peace, property, safety and welfare, and now therefore,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS, OHIO:
SECTION 1. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized and directed to appropriate Twenty Thousand Dollars ($20,000.00) from the Special Purposes Fund as follows: City Attorney's Office, department 24-01, Criminal and Traffic Diversion fund , fund 223, organizational cost account 223134, object level three 2201.
SECTION 2. That the monies appropriated in foregoing section shall be paid upon order of the City Attorney; 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 3. 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 (10) day after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.