Explanation
Ordinance 1931-2023, approved by City Council on July 30, 2023 provided the Mayor’s Office of Education the authority to contract with certain early learning providers as part of the 2023-2024 Early Start Columbus school year program.
To continue this important work over the summer months, the Office of Education drafted Ordinance 0975-2024, erroneously providing the Office the authority to enter into new contracts with existing providers. The Office should have requested the authority to modify the original contracts established under Ordinance 1931-2023 - not establish new contracts.
Therefore, the Office of Education requests the authority to amend Ordinance 0975-2024 and modify the existing contracts established under Ordinance 1931-2024.
The considerations for the contract modifications include: the additional amount included for the contract modifications are $974,000.00, which funding was appropriated and encumbered under Ord 0975-2024; the need for additional programing was known at the time when the contracts were initially awarded, however the funding to provide the services was provided at a later date; it would not be in the city's best interests to have the additional contract requirements awarded through other procurement processes because the existing providers are already performing the contracted services serving children; the price for the continued programming is consistent with the funding provided in the original contracts.
FISCAL IMPACT: There is no new funding associated with this ordinance.
EMERGENCY DESIGNATION: An emergency action is requested to pay providers as quickly as possible for work they already completed.
Title
To amend Section 1 of Ordinance No. 0975-2024, passed by Columbus City Council on May 22, 2024, to correctly state that the purpose of that legislation was to modify existing contracts for the Summer 2024 Early Start Columbus Program, not to enter into contracts for that purpose; and to authorize all past, present and future contracts, contract modifications and payments referencing Auditor’s Certificate ACPO010479 authorized by Ord 0975-2024 to carry out the purposes of modifying contracts established under Ord 1931-2023 for the Summer 2024 Early Start Columbus Program; and to declare an emergency. ($0.00).
Body
WHEREAS, the Director of Education desires to modify 2023-2024 school year Early Start Columbus contracts to pay providers for their continued work over the summer; and
a
WHEREAS, the Director of Education desires to have authorized all past, present and future contracts, contract modifications and payments referencing Auditor’s Certificate ACPO010479 authorized by Ord 0975-2024; and
WHEREAS, this program constitutes a continuation of 2023-2024 school year programming, and the same providers are participating; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Office of Education in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director to modify 2023-2024 school year contracts to allow for the immediate approval of payments as the work has already been completed, all for the immediate preservation of the public health, peace, property, safety and welfare; and NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That Section 1 of Ordinance No. 0975-2024 is hereby amended to state that the Director is authorized to modify existing contracts for the 2024 Early Start Columbus Summer Program, as follows, with additions in underline and deletions in strikethrough:
Section 1. That the Director of the Office of Education be and is hereby authorized to enter into modify 2024 ESC summer programming contracts with high-quality prekindergarten organizations that provide high-quality educational services in the amounts deemed necessary to continue the Early Start Columbus initiative.
SECTION 2. That all past, present and future contracts, contract modifications and payments referencing Auditor’s Certificate ACPO010479 authorized by Ord 0975-2024 to carry out the purposes of modifying contracts established under Ord 1931-2023 for the Summer 2024 Early Start Columbus Program are approved.
SECTION 3. That this program constitutes a continuation of 2023-2024 school year programming, and the same providers, competitively chosen, are participating.
SECTION 4. 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 ordinance.
SECTION 5. That the funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are deemed appropriated, and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 6. That for 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 10 days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.