Explanation
BACKGROUND:
Over the past year, City Council created a Jobs and Economic Development Committee devoted to job creation and economic growth. Council also set aside a $2 million Job Growth Initiatives Fund in the 2005 budget with the purpose of actively seeking key job creation investment opportunities that employ Columbus workers and strengthen the City's income tax revenues to pay for critical city services.
The Greater Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce has developed an economic development related website to serve as a regional information resource. Simultaneously, it is developing a prospect and contact management tool referred to as the Development Management System (DMA). The next step is to develop a specialized landing page that integrates the Website and the DMS. This is a critical step because the site selection process has changed dramatically over the last 5 years. A significant amount of research is performed by site selection consultants online without ever communicating directly with a State, Region, or City representative. If a consultant visiting the website is unable to quickly find the information they require or cannot easily identify an individual that can provide the information, they may remove the area from their list of possible locations. The landing page will be a one stop page designed to service the site selection professional.
This venture, funded by both public and private dollars, is deemed an appropriate use of the Jobs Growth Fund by City Council.
Emergency action is requested so that the contract with the Greater Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce can be executed immediately and continue its work to facilitate job growth in Columbus.
Contract Compliance #: 31-4152950 (non profit)
FISCAL IMPACT:
The funding for this contract will come from the $2 million Job Growth Initiatives Fund.
Title
To authorize the appropriation of $10,000 to the Development Department within the Jobs Growth Fund; to authorize the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a contract with the Greater Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce to support its efforts to encourage prospective employers to locate in Columbus through a comprehensive website; to authorize the expenditure of $10,000 from the Jobs Growth Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($10,000.00).
Body
WHEREAS, City Council amended the 2005 budget to create a $2 million Job Growth Initiatives Fund; and
WHEREAS, numerous studies, including the latest by the Brookings Institute, report that job creation investments pay great dividends; and
WHEREAS, one such investment is on-going through the Greater Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce, which has developed an economic development related website to serve as a regional information resource and is developing a prospect and contact management tool referred to as the Development Management System; and
WHEREAS, if integrated, these two systems will better enable prospective employers to quickly find the necessary information sought to help them make a site selection decision that leads to economic growth in 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 Department of Development in that it is immediately necessary to enter into the contract with the Greater Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce to provide valued information to employers looking to make Columbus their business address and this step is necessary 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 be and is hereby authorized and directed to appropriate $10,000 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 Development is hereby authorized to enter into a contract with the Greater Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce to support its work in developing an integrated website to better enable prospective employers to find necessary information to help them make a decision to locate in Columbus.
Section 3. That the expenditure of $10,000.00 or so much thereof as may be necessary, be and is hereby authorized to be expended from the Department of Development, Economic Development Division No. 44-02, Jobs Growth Fund, Fund 015, Object Level One 03, Object Level Three 3337, OCA Code 440215.
Section 4. That this contract is awarded in accordance with Chapter 329.15 of the Columbus City Codes, 1959.
Section 5. 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.