Explanation
BACKGROUND: This ordinance authorizes the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a new five year agreement with the Capital Crossroads SID to continue to have employees who work in City buildings that are within the Capital Crossroads SID boundaries but do not pay SID assessments (Non-SID Assessment Employees) to continue to participate in the Downtown C-Pass Program (the Program); to authorize the expenditure of up to $12,000 from the General Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($12,000)
These Non-SID Assessment Employees work in the following City buildings: 77 North Front Street, 345 South High Street, 373 South High Street, 375 South High Street, and 120 Marconi Blvd.
The City will pay $20.25 per each eligible employee in 2021 and $40.50 from 2022-2025 per each eligible employee in the 345 South High Street, 373 South High Street, and 375 South High Street Buildings.
The City will pay $0.03 per square foot in 2021 and $0.06 per square foot of the entire building for the 77 North Front Street and 120 Marconi Buildings for all the employees to have access to the Program.
The cost for 2021 is up to $12,000 and estimated to be $25,000 annually from 2022-2025 to cover the Program participation for Non-SID Assessment Employees. The Department of Development will seek Council approval to fund participation each year in 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024.
Council previously supported the Program and provided Program access for Non-SID Assessment Employees in Ordinances 0817-2020, 0540-2019, and 1465-2018.
The cost to cover the remaining City employees who work within City buildings in the Capital Crossroads SID (90 North Front Street and 111 North Front Street) will be handled through our annual Capital Crossroads SID assessments.
The Capital Crossroads SID created the Downtown C-Pass Program (the Program) for eligible employers and employees in downtown Columbus in partnership with the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) and the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) in 2018. The initial 3 year Program ends at the end of 2020. The Capital Crossroads SID, COTA, and MORPC have agreed to extend the Program another 5 years.
The Program provides unlimited access to COTA transportation services at no additional cost to eligible employees.
The goal of the Program is to proactively address parking shortages within the Capital Crossroads SID that threaten the further development of Downtown Columbus. Since its inception, the Program has provided more than 1.6 million rides and enrolled more than 440 companies and 15,100 employees. In addition, a survey completed by the Capital Crossroads SID in May and June of 2019 found that:
• 34% of surveyed companies reported that the Program is helping them retain workers.
• 34% of surveyed companies the Program is helping them recruit employees.
• 17 companies reported that C-pass helped influence their decisions to renew or sign a lease in C-pass-eligible buildings.
Additionally, while transit usage has been dropping nationally over the last few years, prior to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Program has contributed to COTA having its highest ridership levels in 31 years.
Emergency action is requested in order to ensure continued participation in the Program without interruption.
FISCAL IMPACT: The costs to participate in the Program are fully covered within the 2020 Operating Budget and will be included in the subsequent 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 Operating Budgets.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a new five year agreement with the Capital Crossroads SID to continue to have employees who work in City buildings that are within the Capital Crossroads SID boundaries but do not pay SID assessments (Non-SID Assessment Employees) to continue to participate in the Downtown C-Pass Program (the Program); to authorize the expenditure of up to $12,000.00 from the general fund; and to declare an emergency. ($12,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, this ordinance authorizes the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a new five year agreement with the Capital Crossroads SID to continue to have employees who work in City buildings that are within the Capital Crossroads SID boundaries but do not pay SID assessments (Non-SID Assessment Employees) to continue to participate in the Downtown C-Pass Program (the Program); to authorize the expenditure of up to $12,000 from the General Fund; to declare an emergency; and
WHEREAS, these Non-SID Assessment Employees work in the following City buildings: 77 North Front Street, 345 South High Street, 373 South High Street, 375 South High Street, and 120 Marconi Buildings; and
WHEREAS, the City will pay $20.25 per each eligible employee in 2021 and $40.50 from 2022-2025 per each eligible employee in the 345 South High Street, 373 South High Street, and 375 South High Street Buildings; and
WHEREAS, the City will pay $0.03 per square foot in 2021 and $0.06 per square foot of the entire building for the 77 North Front Street and 120 Marconi Buildings for all the employees to have access to the Program; and
WHEREAS, the cost for 2021 is up to $12,000 and estimated to be $25,000 annually from 2022-2025 to cover the Program participation for Non-SID Assessment Employees; the Department of Development will seek Council approval to fund participation each year in 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024; and
WHEREAS, Council previously supported the Program and provided Program access for Non-SID Assessment Employees in Ordinances 0817-2020, 0540-2019, and 1465-2018; and
WHEREAS, the cost to cover the remaining City employees who work within City buildings in the Capital Crossroads SID (90 North Front Street and 111 North Front Street) will be handled through our annual Capital Crossroads SID assessments; and
WHEREAS, the Capital Crossroads SID created the Downtown C-Pass Program (the Program) for eligible employers and employees in downtown Columbus in partnership with the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) and the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) in 2018; and
WHEREAS, while the initial 3 year Program ends at the end of 2021, the Capital Crossroads SID, COTA, and MORPC have agreed to extend the Program another 5 years; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Development in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director to enter into contract with the Capital Crossroads SID in order to continue the Program without interruption, such immediate action being necessary for the preservation of the public health, peace, property and safety; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Director of the Department of Development is authorized to enter into a new five year agreement with the Capital Crossroads SID to continue to have employees who work in City buildings that are within the Capital Crossroads SID boundaries, but do not pay SID assessments (Non-SID Assessment Employees), to continue to participate in the Downtown C-Pass Program (the Program).
SECTION 2. That for the purpose stated in Section 1, the expenditure of up to $12,000 or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized in Fund 1000 General Fund in Object Class 03 Contractual Services per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That this contract is awarded in accordance with the relevant provisions of City Code Chapter 329 relating to not-for-profit service contracts.
SECTION 4. That the funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are hereby deemed appropriated, and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 5. 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 6. 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 its passage and approval by the Mayor or ten days after the passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.