Explanation
Background
This Ordinance authorizes an appropriation from the Recreation and Parks Operating fund to the Recreation and Parks Grant Fund in support of the Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging’s (COAAA) Title III-A Project Grant match, Housing Assistance Program (HAP), and Specialized Program Assessing Resource Connectivity (SPARC).
Title IIIA is a federal grant awarded from the Older American's Act. Title III grants include IIIA, IIIB, IIIC, IIID, and IIIE. The IIIA portion is awarded exclusively for Area Agency on Aging administrative expenses. The other Title III grants are primarily used for services provided to clients who are over 60 years of age. As a designated "Area Agency on Aging" the Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging is earmarked to receive these funds on an annual basis. The funds originate at the federal level and are passed to the Ohio Department on Aging, who then passes the monies to the 12 "AAA's" in the State of Ohio. There are over 600 "AAA's" in the United States.
The Department of Recreation and Parks, on behalf of the City of Columbus, is obligated to pay a portion (a match) of the Title III-A Grant which includes salaries of certain employees of the Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging. This ordinance transfers matching funds from the Recreation and Parks Operating Fund to the Recreation and Parks Grant Fund for the Title III-A Project so that both grant and matching expenditures will appear under the same project account in order to pay those salaries.
The COAAA Housing Assistance Program includes preventative efforts to reduce eviction, displacement, and homelessness for Columbus older adults. The focus is diversion, which is keeping older adults out of the shelter, as well as prevention, to keep from reaching a housing crisis. COAAA has staff working daily on supporting older adults through housing crises. With staffing already in place, these funds address needs such as a missed rent or mortgage, rent or utility deposit, housing violation moving expenses, or other hardships related to maintaining safe housing that can lead to displacement.
The SPARC partnership between the Columbus Division of Fire and COAAA began in 2018 with the intent to connect high-volume users of emergency medical service (EMS) to consistent medical care and supportive services. Along with RREACT, SPARC has served as the City’s first alternative crisis response. Recognizing that one EMS call for service was not enough to support residents in crisis, SPARC social workers and CFD Paramedics conduct follow-up visits, resource navigation, and wrap-around supportive services to residents in crisis.
Emergency Justification:
Emergency action is requested in order to make appropriated funds immediately available to continue the aforementioned programming to serve older adults without interruption.
Fiscal Impact
$532,489.00 is being transferred from the Recreation and Parks Operating Fund 2285 to the Recreation and Parks Grant Fund 2286.
Title
To authorize and direct the appropriation and transfer of $532,489.00 from the Recreation and Parks Operating Fund to the Recreation and Parks Grant Fund to support Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging programs that help older adults and individuals with disabilities remain safe and independent in their homes; and to declare an emergency. ($532,489.00)
Body
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize and direct the Director of the Recreation and Parks to transfer funds from the Recreation and Parks Operating Fund to the Recreation and Parks Grant Fund for the Title III-A Project, Housing Assistance Program, and Specialized Program Assessing Resource Connectivity; and
WHEREAS, it necessary to authorize and direct the Department of Recreation and Parks, which is obligated to pay salaries of certain employees of the Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging; and
WHEREAS, the Specialized Program Assessing Resource Connectivity or SPARC is a partnership between COAAA and the Columbus Division of Fire that connects high-volume users of emergency medical service (EMS) to consistent medical care and supportive services; and
WHEREAS, Columbus City Council supports the sustainability of the SPARC program in an effort to improve health outcomes for Columbus residents who rely on emergency medical service (EMS) as their primary form of healthcare; and
WHEREAS, Columbus City Council has designated funding to the COAAA Housing Assistance Program in order to provide an additional support mechanism to assist those older residents who face displacement or homelessness due to financial hardship; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Recreation and Parks Department in that it is immediately necessary to transfer and appropriate said funds, so there is no interruption of services to older adults, thereby preserving 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 Recreation and Parks be and is hereby authorized and directed to appropriate funds, and transfer matching funds from the Recreation and Parks Operating Fund to the Recreation and Parks Grant Fund for the Title III-A Project, so that both grant and matching expenditures will appear under the same project account in order to pay those salaries.
SECTION 2: That the Director of Recreation and Parks be and is hereby authorized and directed to appropriate funds in support of the Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging’s Housing Assistance Program and Specialized Program Assessing Resource Connectivity (SPARC).
SECTION 3. That the Department of Recreation and Parks is obligated to, and shall, pay salaries of certain employees of the Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging.
SECTION 4. That the Auditor be and hereby is authorized and directed to transfer $532,489.00 from the Recreation and Parks Operating Fund 2285 to the Recreation and Parks Grant Fund 2286 as follows:
See attached Funding Information
FROM:
|
Fund No. |
Dept. No. |
Project ID |
Main Acct. |
Amount |
|
2285 |
51-01 |
RP001 |
69101 |
$350,000.00 |
|
2285 |
51-01 |
RP018 |
69101 |
$182,489.00 |
TO:
|
Fund No. |
Dept. No. |
Project ID |
Main Acct. |
Amount |
|
2286 |
51-01 |
G518324 |
49001 |
$532,489.00 |
SECTION 5. That the funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are hereby deemed appropriated, and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 6. 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 legislation.
SECTION 7. 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.