Explanation
BACKGROUND
This ordinance funds the People and Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), a non-profit agency helping to coordinate the Columbus Coalition Against Family Violence 's initiative to strengthen linkages between the animal welfare and family violence communities. It is a continuation of Council's commitment to end family violence, whether taking the form of domestic violence, child abuse or animal cruetly. PAWS facilitates a multi-disciplinary response by increasing awareness and cross-training animal welfare, child welfare, and domestic violence professionals in how to team up to prevent, detect and effectively respond to all types of violence in the home. This initiative improves services to all the victims of abuse and leads to quicker intervention in the hopes of ultimately ending a cycle of violence that often develops if left unchecked. As victims of violence grow to adulthood, they often replicate the violent behavior experienced as youths. As well, perpetrators of violence sometimes accelerate abusive behavior, changing the target of abuse from pets to humans.
These Council funds primarily provide safe haven services for pets that are the target of abuse.
This program follows on the heels of City Council's funding the Capital Area Humane Society annually at $25,000 beginning in 2003 to support animal cruelty investor services. Similarly, that action recognized the connection between animal violence and violence to children and spousal abuse.
Title
To authorize and direct the appropriation of $86,000 within the Public Safety Initiatives Fund and to authorize and direct the City Clerk to enter into contract with the Columbus Coalition Against Family Violence for the purpose of effecting a multi-disciplinary response to the prevention of family violence, continuing Council's support for domestic violence initiatives, to authorize the expenditure of $86,000, and to declare an emergency ($86,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, City Council amended both the 2005 and 2006 budgets to create $2 million Public Safety Initiatives accounts for addressing specific public safety challenges; and
WHEREAS, family violence in all its forms is a critical public safety issue in Columbus; and
WHEREAS, considerable evidence exists showing strong linkages between animal and domestic violence, including a recent survey of Franklin County domestic violence victims, which confirmed that many violence victims resist leaving the home for fear that their pets have no appropriate foster care option; and
WHEREAS, the Columbus Coalition Against Family Violence works through the People and Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) to prevent such violence in a number of ways, including promoting awareness and cross-training welfare and violence professionals to prevent, detect and effectively respond to all forms of abuse, either against animals and/or humans, and to offer a "safety net" that includes providing foster care for animals that are the target of abuse; and
WHEREAS, such progams lead to quicker action with the hope of ultimately ending the cycle of violence; and
WHEREAS, City Council allocated $86,000 in 2005 from its Public Safety Initiatives fund for this important work, and deems it appropriate to continue support in 2006;
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the City, in that it is immediately necessary to support the Columbus Coalition Against Family Violence efforts through the People and Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) of Central Ohio to fight family violence and animal abuse for the immediate 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 to appropriate $86,000 within the Public Safety Initiatives Fund, 016, to City Council, Department No. 20-01, OL1 one 03, OL Three 3337, OCA Code 200116.
SECTION 2. That the City Clerk is hereby authorized to contract with the Columbus Coalition Against Family Violence for the purpose of fighting family violence and animal abuse, and to expend $86,000 for said purpose through the People and Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) of Central Ohio.
SECTION 3. This contract is awarded in accordance with the provisions of Section 329.15 of the Columbus City Codes, 1959.
SECTION 4. That for reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is hereby declared 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 nor vetoes the same.