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. Council has used the funds to promote specific initiatives that attract more research and knowledge-based companies into the city. A major effort has been the 315 Research + Technology Corridor project launched in 2005. This project takes advantage of the intense grouping of world-class research, science and technology institutions and companies that exist along the State Route 315.
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.
The City, in partnership with many institutions, including The Ohio State University, Battelle and the Greater Columbus Chamber, produced a Master Plan that catalogs the Corridor's physical and research assets, and a Business Implementation plan to facilitate such interaction and to enable the community to market the Corridor on a national and international basis. Subsequent project phases entail aggressive marketing, one aspect of which will include distribution of Corridor related information on CD-Rom, and the launching of a new effort though the Chamber designed as a community-wide collaborative effort to attract and retain young professionals to the Corridor and Columbus.
This ordinance amends an existing contract with the Columbus Chamber of Commerce to support the Young Professionals effort. The Greater Columbus Arts Council and Experience Columbus are contributing $20,000 each as partner-funders. This action will increase said contract from $153,000 to $238,000.
Emergency Action is requested so that an existing contract with the Columbus Chamber of Commerce can be amended 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 $85,000 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 Ordinances 1245-2005 and 877-2006, to support a community-wide collaborative effort to attract and retain young professionals to the 315 Research + Technology Corridor and Columbus; to authorize the expenditure of $85,000 from the Jobs Growth Fund; and to declare an emergency ($85,000.00).
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 + Technology Corridor project in 2005; and
WHEREAS, many experts predict that the United States will suffer a severe labor shortage by 2025, suggesting that innovative companies will need to locate where highly skilled, technologically efficient workers exist if they wish to be competitive and successful in the future; and
WHEREAS, it is imperative that Columbus position itself to be considered as one of the nation's most attractive "smart capital" enclaves in the future by working to attract and retain what is currently the nation's second largest post-secondary education population; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Development has an existing contract with the Columbus Chamber of Commerce pursuant to Ordinances 1245-2005 and 877-2006 that engaged the Chamber as a partner on the Corridor project, and Council now desires that said contract be amended for additional services to support a Young Professionals' effort to attract and retain young professional in the Corridor and Columbus; 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 support a Young Professionals' effort to attract and retain young professional in the Corridor and Columbus 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 $85,000 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 and Ordinance 877-2006 for the purpose of supporting the Greater Columbus Chamber's Young Professional effort in concert with the 315 Research + Technology Corridor master plan and business plan, and to expend $85,000.00 or so much as may be necessary, increasing said contract from $153,000 to $238,000.
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.