Explanation
BACKGROUND: This legislation authorizes the expenditure of $50,000 to engage the professional services of Columbus Sister Cities International, Inc. to administer the Columbus Sister Cities International Program (CSCI) for the purpose of promoting business, government, and educational exchanges between our Sister Cities who are Ahmedabad in India, Dresden In Germany, Genoa in Italy, Hefei in China, Herzliya in Israel, Odense in Demark, Seville in Spain and Tainan in Taiwan for long-term economic development. City funding was provided in 2011 and 2012 to support staffing and administrative costs of CSCI. CSCI has worked diligently to raise capital for its overall operation but additional support is required to maintain a full-time executive director and to defray miscellaneous administrative costs.
Emergency action is requested to continue the administration of the above activity without interruption.
FISCAL IMPACT: $50,000.00 has been allocated from the General Fund budget for Columbus Sister Cities International.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a contract with Columbus Sister Cities International, Inc. to administer the Columbus Sister Cities International Program; to authorize the expenditure of $50,000.00 from the General Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($50,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Sister Cities International Program promotes business, government, and educational exchanges between out Sister Cities; and
WHEREAS, our current Sister Cities are Dresden, Germany; Genoa, Italy; Hefei, China; Herzliya. Israel; Odense, Denmark; Seville, Spain; Tainan, Taiwan; and Ahmedabad, India; and
WHEREAS, the funding for this project will be used for administrative costs associated with the Sister Cities International Inc. Program; and
WHEREAS, emergency action is necessary to allow Sister Cities International, Inc. to provide services to our Sister Cities uninterrupted; 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 of the Department of Development to enter into an agreement with the Columbus Sister Cities International, Inc., thereby continuing the City’s effort to promote cultural and economic exchanges with the City’s existing sister cities and to explore the possibility of recruiting new sister cities worldwide, all for the immediate preservation of the public health, peace, property, safety and welfare; and NOW THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
Section 1. That the Director of the Department of Development is hereby authorized to enter into an agreement with Columbus Sister Cities International, Inc. to administer the Columbus Sister Cities International Program.
Section 2. That the expenditure of $50,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary, be and is hereby authorized to be expended from the Department of Development, Economic Development Division, Division 44-02, General Fund, Fund 010, Object Level One 03, Object Level Three 3337, OCA Code 440314.
Section 3. That this contract is awarded pursuant to Section 329.15 of the Columbus City Codes, 1959, as amended.
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 for 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 the after is approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.