Background
This ordinance will allow Lutheran Social Services to partner with the City of Columbus in the provision of Ohio Benefit Bank services to constituents who visit the Franklin County Courthouse. To provide these services, LSS will supply an on-site Ohio Benefit Bank coordinator during peak times at the Courthouse that will provide education and recruit clients, conduct checks to determine likelihood of benefit eligibility and refer constituents to other agencies as appropriate.
Previous analysis of Ohio Benefit Bank results at Lutheran Social Services indicate that for every dollar invested in the OBB program, LSS Counselors return $75 to low-income families in our community. While LSS cannot guarantee that the same return on investment will be generated for clients through the Courthouse, this investment will generate a significant return for our constituents and for our community.
Fiscal Impact Funding for this ordinance is made available from the city's Public Safety Initiatives Fund 016.
Title
To authorize and direct City Council to enter into contract with Lutheran Social Services for the provision of Ohio Benefit Bank services at the Franklin County Courthouse; to authorize the appropriation and expenditure of $65,000.00 from the Public Safety Initiatives Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($65,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS this Ordinance will allow Lutheran Social Services to partner with the City of Columbus in the provision of Ohio Benefit Bank services to constituents who visit the Franklin County Courthouse; and
WHEREAS, Lutheran Social Services will supply an on-site Ohio Benefit Bank coordinator during peak times at the Courthouse that will provide education and recruit clients, conduct checks to determine likelihood of benefit eligibility and refer constituents to other agencies as appropriate; and
WHEREAS, previous analysis of Ohio Benefit Bank results at Lutheran Social Services indicate that for every dollar invested in the OBB program, LSS Counselors return $75 to low-income families in our community; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the City in that it is immediately necessary to authorize a contract with Lutheran Social Services for the provision of Ohio Benefit Bank services at the Franklin County Courthouse for the preservation of 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 City Auditor be and is hereby authorized and directed to appropriate $65,000.00 in the Public Safety Initiatives Fund, Fund 016, to City Council Department No. 20-01, Object Level One 03, Object Level Three 3337, OCA Code 200116.
SECTION 2. That City Council is hereby authorized to contract with Lutheran Social Services in the amount of $65,000 for the provision of the Ohio Benefit Bank and to expend funds as authorized in Section 1.
SECTION 3. That this contract is awarded pursuant to the relevant provisions of City Code Chapter 329 relating to not-for-profit service contracts.
SECTION 4. That for the reason stated in the preamble here to, 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.