Explanation
Background: This ordinance authorizes a $2,831,000 supplemental appropriation within the General Fund to various departments to reflect City Council amendments to the 2008 operating budget (Ordinance 1968-2007, passed February 4, 2008). This ordinance also provides for supplemental appropriations of $289,350 within the Hotel Motel Tax fund, $493,958 within the Recreation and Parks Operating Fund, and $131,576 within the Health Special Revenue Fund.
Supplemental funding is provided as follows:
$687,000 to restore funding cuts to social service agencies
$432,575 to restore cuts to the Community Shelter Board and provide additional funding
$200,000 to restore cuts in part time hours in Recreation & Parks
$131,000 for the Franklin Park Conservatory
$188,000 to restore cuts to TechColumbus
$150,000 to reduce the vacancy credit applied to the Office of Clerk of Courts
$130,000 for Code Enforcement vehicles
$100,000 to reduce the vacancy credit applied to the Office of City Attorney
$83,000 to restore cuts to the Community Crime Patrol
$75,000 for Public Safety Initiatives Fund
$20,000 to support family violence prevention programs
$839,775 as a contingency within the Department of Finance, whose use is subject to City Council's discretion following continued monitoring of the City's financial situation and program review. This amount will be used to prevent proposed layoffs of fulltime employees included in the administration's proposed 2008 budget; and as determined by Council as needs dictate, provide additional support for the Community Shelter Board, the Communtiy Crime Patrol, and support recommendations of the Area Commission workgroup, etc.
Not reflected here but part of Council's amendments is the use of monies already appropriated within the Hotel Motel Tax fund in Ordinance 1957-2007. Expenditure legislation will be submitted at a later date to direct $800,000 to support cultural/arts activities in Columbus as per current City Code relative to the use of this portion of the bed tax.
This ordinance also provides supplemental appropriations to the operating funds of the Department of Recreation & Parks and the Department of Health, allowing each to retain their respective 2007 year-end cash carryover amounts, which exceeded that included in the mayor's proposed 2008 budget. In each case, such monies will enable the agencies to retain full time positions otherwise cut from the budget or to address other program needs.
Fiscal Impact: All of the funds included herein reflect current revenue estimates by the City Auditor and the Department of Finance and Management. This action reflects City Council's continued commitment to maintain critical City direct services of the highest quality while conscious of prudent financial management practices to maintain the City's "triple A" credit rating.
Title
To authorize a $2,831,000 supplemental appropriation within the General Fund to various departments and the subsequent transfer of $125,650 to the Recreation & Parks Operating Fund, to authorize an appropriation of $289,350 in the Hotel-Motel Tax Fund within the Office of City Council, to authorize a transfer of $16,000 in the Hotel-Motel Tax Fund within the Office of City Council and a subsequent transfer of said $205,350 to the Recreation and Parks Operating Fund, to authorize a $635,608 supplemental appropriation within the Recreation & Parks Operating Fund, to authorize a $131,573 supplemental appropriation in the Health Operating Fund, and to authorize a transfer of $75,000 to the Safety Initiative Fund, all to reflect City Council amendments to the 2008 operating budgets, and to declare an emergency.
Body
WHEREAS, following City Council's receipt of the administration's proposed 2008 operating budget on November 2007, the City Auditor identified additional general fund resources; and
WHEREAS, City Council subsequently held two public hearings of the full Council to review that proposed budget and several committee level hearings to provide information to the public and to solicit public comment regarding possible budget adjustments; and
WHEREAS, all of the funds included herein reflect current revenue estimates by the City Auditor and the Department of Finance; and
WHEREAS, this action reflects City Council's continued commitment to maintain critical City direct services of the highest quality while being conscious of prudent financial management practices to maintain the City's "triple A" credit rating; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the City in that it is immediately necessary to appropriate and transfer said funds 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 from unappropriated monies in the General Fund, and from all monies estimated to come into said fund from any and all sources and unappropriated for any other purpose during the fiscal year ending December 31, 2008, the sum of $2,831,000 be and is hereby appropriated to the General Fund, Fund 010, to various departments as follows:
City Attorney, Div.: 24-01, OCA 240101, Object Level One 01, Object Level Three 1101, $100,000; and Object Level One 03, Object Level Three 3337, $20,000 for a Family Violence Program.
Municipal Court Clerk, Div.: 26-01,OCA 260117, Object Level One 01, Object Level Three 1101, $150,000 to provide flexibility in staffing.
Public Safety Director, Div.: 30-01, OCA 300111, Object Level One 03, Object Level Three 3337, $83,000 to restore funding reductions for the Community Crime Patrol, and Object Level One 10, Object Level Three 5501, $75,000 to be transferred to the Safety Initiatives Fund.
Neighborhood Services, Div.: 44-10, Object Level One 03, Object Level Three 3337, $432,575 for the Community Shelter Board, OCA 440284; and $687,000 to restore Social Service agency reductions, OCA 440280.
Economic Development, Div.: 44-03, OCA 440314, Object Level One 03, Object Level Three 3336, $188,000 for TechColumbus.
Financial Management, Div.: 45-01, OCA 904508, Object Level One 10, Object Level Three 5501, $839,775, to the citywide account for possible transfer at a later date. These funds include up to $500,000 as contingency to avoid proposed layoffs in the General Fund. In all cases, transfers of these funds to other operating agencies will be at the sole discretion of City Council.
Fleet, Div. 45-05; OCA 451201, Object Level One 06, Object Level Three 6650, $130,000 for Code Enforcement vehicles.
Recreation & Parks, Div.: 51-01, OCA 900050, Object Level One 10, Object Level Three 5501, $125,650, and to authorize and direct the City Auditor to transfer said amount to the unappropriated balance of Fund 285.
SECTION 2. To authorize and direct the City Auditor to transfer $16,000 within the Hotel-Motel Tax Fund, Fund No. 231, (appropriated in Ordinance 1957-2007) within the Office of City Council, OCA 200214, from Object Level 1 03, Object Level 3 3000 to Object Level 1 10, Object Level 3 5501, and to authorize and direct the subsequent transfer of $16,000 from Fund 231 to the unappropriated balance of Fund 285.
SECTION 3. That from unappropriated monies in the Hotel-Motel Tax, Fund 231, and from all monies estimated to come into said fund from any and all sources and unappropriated for any other purpose during the fiscal year ending December 31, 2008, the sum of $289,350 be and is hereby appropriated to the Office of City Council, Div.: 20-01, OCA 200212, OL3 5501 and to direct the transfer of $189,350 From Fund 231 to the unappropriated balance of Fund 285.
SECTION 4. That from unappropriated monies in the Recreation and Parks Fund, Fund 285, and from all monies estimated to come into said fund from any and all sources and unappropriated for any other purpose during the fiscal year ending December 31, 2008, the sum of $635,608 be and is hereby appropriated to the Department of Recreation and Parks, Div.: 51-01 as detailed below:
OCA 510081, Object Level One 01, Object Level Three 1101, $304,608, representing the amount of cash within the department's operating fund at year-end 2007 which exceeded the amount projected in the mayor's proposed 2008 budget and shall be used to avoid layoffs and support other progam needs.
OCA 510081, Object Level One 01, Object Level Three 1112, $200,000, to restore part time hours.
OCA 516559, Object Level One 03, Object Level Three 3337, $131,000, to support the Franklin Park Conservatory.
SECTION 5. That from unappropriated monies in the Health Operating Fund, Fund 250, and from all monies estimated to come into said fund from any and all sources and unappropriated for any other purpose during the fiscal year ending December 31, 2008, the sum of $131,573 be and is hereby appropriated to the Department of Public Health, Div.: 50-01, Fund 250, OCA 500934, Object Level One 01, Object Level Three 1101. These funds represent the amount of cash within the department's operating fund at year-end 2007 which exceeded the amount projected in the mayor's proposed 2008 budget and shall be used to avoid layoffs and support other program needs.
SECTION 6. To authorize the transfer of $75,000 from the General Fund, Fund 010, Public Safety Director, Div. 30-01, Object Level One 10, Object Level Three 5501 to the Safety Initiatives Fund, Fund 016.
SECTION 7. 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 ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves or vetoes the same.