Explanation
BACKGROUND:
This ordinance appropriates $200,000 to the Franklin County Municipal Court Judges from the Public Safety Initiatives Fund for 2014 to provide additional staff, equipment and a car to the Environmental Court. The Court needs the additional funds so that it may collaborate with the Mayor's newly created Pro Active Code Enforcement teams (PACE). The Mayor and City Council together are leading the charge to change legislation, increase criminal penalties for slumlords and be more responsive to our residents living among these nuisance, vacant and abandoned properties. This Court supports this much needed expansion of the Code Enforcement Division and wants to work collaboratively with the City to ensure that these cases are effectively and efficiently managed and processed through the court system.
EMERGENCY ACTION
This legislation is considered an emergency measure to ensure the Court is properly staffed to handle the increase in cases.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The funds are to come from the Public Safety Initiatives Funds to support the requested appropriation level for 2014.
Title
To authorize the appropriation of $200,000.00 from the unappropriated balance of the Public Safety Initiatives Fund to the Franklin County Municipal Court Judges for additional environmental staff and equipment to work with the PACE teams; and to declare an emergency. ($200,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the appropriation of these funds are needed to increase staff in order to meet the increase in environmental case load; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Franklin County Municipal Court Judges in that it is immediately necessary to appropriate the aforementioned funds, thereby preserving the public peace, property, health, safety, and welfare; now therefore,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That from the unappropriated balance in the Public Safety Initiatives Fund (Fund 016), and from all moneys estimated to come into said fund from any and all sources and unappropriated for any other purpose during the 12 months ending December 31, 2014, the sum of $200,000 is hereby appropriated to Department 25; Fund 016, OCA 250016 as follows:
Object level OL1 - 01
Object level 1101 - $121,783
Object level 1150 - 30,912
Object level 1160 - 17,192
Object level 1171 - 1,781
Object level 1173 - 4,114
Total OL1: $175,792
Object level OL1 - 02
Object level 2140 - $4,900
Object level 2193 - 1,508
Total OL1: $6,408
Object level OL1 - 06
Object level 6650 - $17,800
Total OL1: $17,800
Total Appropriation: $200,000
SECTION 2. That the funds appropriated shall be paid upon order of the Administrative and Presiding Judge of the Franklin County Municipal Court and that no order shall be drawn or money paid except by voucher, the form of which shall be approved by the City Auditor.
SECTION 3. 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 if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.