Explanation
BACKGROUND:
City Council amended the 2005 and 2006 budgets to create a $2 million Job Growth Initiatives Fund to help create more jobs for Columbus residents. One strategy is to promote specific initiatives that attract more research and knowledge-based companies into the city. Recognizing that an intense grouping of world-class research, science and technology institutions and companies exist along the State Route 315, and the lack of a master strategy for compiling and developing the physical and "smart capital" resources within this important area, City Council launched the 315 Research and Technology Corridor project in 2005.
The Corridor concept relies on interaction among community, government, business, industry, and academia whereby quality research and training in higher education institutions is used to develop, attract and retain knowledge-based, high-technology companies, in order to create high paying jobs for Columbus residents. By utilizing existing resources, the City of Columbus and its partners are creating a new model for urban research areas - a cluster of linked, interdependent, public and private organizations melded into a seamless corridor located in close proximity to The Ohio State University.
The City, in partnership with many institutions, including The Ohio State University and Battelle, have now produced a master plan that catalogs the Corridor's physical and research assets, and a business plan to facilitate such interaction and to enable the community to market the Corridor on a national and international basis. Completion of the plans was announced on May 15th at a City Council Policy Forum held at COSI. The next phase of the project entails aggressive marketing, one aspect of which will include distribution of Corridor related information on CD-Rom.
This ordinance amends an existing contract with the Columbus Chamber of Commerce to develop and production of the Corridor CD-Rom. Council deems it an appropriate use of the Jobs Growth Fund to support this effort.
Emergency Action is requested so that the contract with the Columbus Chamber of Commerce can be executed immediately and they can continue to work to facilitate job growth in Columbus.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The funding for this contract will draw from the $2 million Job Growth Initiative Fund established by City Council.
Contract Compliance #: 31-4152950 (non profit)
Title
To authorize the appropriation of $15,000 within the Jobs Growth Fund to the Development Department; to authorize the Director of the Department of Development to amend an existing contract with the Columbus Chamber of Commerce pursuant to Ordinance 1245-2005, to produce a CD Rom-based version of the 315 Research and Technology Corridor master plan and business plan; to authorize the expenditure of $15,000 from the Jobs Growth Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($15,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS; City Council amended the 2005 and 2006 budgets to create a $2 million Job Growth Initiatives Fund; and
WHEREAS, the City of Columbus desires to create more jobs for its residents and desires to attract more research and knowledge-based companies into the city; and
WHEREAS, an intense grouping of world-class research, science and technology institutions and companies exist along the State Route 315; and
WHEREAS, in recognition of a lack of a master strategy for compiling and developing the physical and "smart capital" resources within this important area, City Council launched the 315 Research and Technology Corridor project in 2005; and
WHEREAS, the City of Columbus, in partnership with many institutions, including The Ohio State University and Battelle, have produced a master plan that catalogs the Corridor's physical and research assets, and a business plan to facilitate critical interaction among resident institutions, and to enable the community to market the Corridor on a national and international basis to realize critical job growth; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Development has an existing contract with the Columbus Chamber of Commerce pursuant to Ordinance 1245-2005, that engaged the Chamber as a partner on the Corridor project, and it is now practical to amend said contract for additional services to produce a CD-Rom-based version of the master and business plans to facilitate institutional interaction and better enable the community to market and promote the Corridor nationally and internationally; and
WHEREAS, Council deems it an appropriate use of the Jobs Growth Fund to support this effort; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Development Department in that it is immediately necessary to amend a contract with the Columbus Chamber of Commerce to create a CD-Rom version of the 315 Research and Technology Corridor master plan and business plan in a timely manner 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 is hereby authorized and directed to appropriate $15,000 in the Jobs Growth Fund, Fund 015 to the Development Department, Economic Development Division, Division No. 44-02, Object level One 03, Object level Three 3337, OCA Code 440215.
Section 2. That the Director of the Department of Development is hereby authorized to amend an existing contract with the Columbus Chamber of Commerce pursuant to Ordinance 1245-2005, for the purpose of creating a CD-Rom version of the 315 Research and Technology Corridor master plan and business plan, and to expend $15,000.00 or so much as may be necessary.
Section 3. That this contract is awarded in accordance with Chapter 329.15 of the Columbus City Codes, 1959.
Section 4. 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 passage and approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage of the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.