Explanation
This ordinance authorizes the City Clerk to enter into a grant agreement with the not-for-profit Choice Network, Inc. d/b/a/ JustChoice, Inc., in support of their JustChoice Fund.
Choice Network, Inc. ("Choice") is a not-for-profit organization whose purpose is to provide adoption services and support. Funding will support the operations of the organization by providing needed funds for staffing, space, marketing, and supplies. Choice does not provide any direct support for terminating a pregnancy; rather, it refers clients to other agencies who can provide that care.
No public funds shall be used to subsidize abortion procedures and associated services such as anesthesia, laboratory tests, or hospital services as proscribed by RC §§5101.55 and 5101.56.
The JustChoice Fund covers mutual aid to cover prohibitive expenses that cannot be paid by other forms of financial support. Examples include: 1) old rental debt that would have forced a family to forfeit their Section 8 housing opportunity, 2) a mattress that enabled a grandmother to move in and help care for the children, and 3) an Uber ride to drop kids at their grandparents’ house while their mother checked into a mental health facility.
Emergency action is necessary to provide immediate assistance to individuals who are victims of human trafficking.
Fiscal Impact: Funding is available within the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund.
Title
To authorize the City Clerk to enter into a grant agreement with Choice Network, Inc. d/b/a/ JustChoice, Inc., in support of their JustChoice Fund; to authorize an appropriation and expenditure within the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund; and to declare an emergency. ($20,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, Choice Network, Inc. ("Choice") is a not-for-profit organization whose purpose is to provide adoption services and support to women; and
WHEREAS, Choice does not provide any direct support to terminate a pregnancy; rather, they refer clients to other agencies who can provide that care; and
WHEREAS, JustChoice Fund covers mutual aid to cover prohibitive expenses that cannot be paid by other forms of financial support; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Clerk's Office in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the City Clerk to enter into a grant agreement with JustChoice Fund to provide immediate assistance to individuals of human trafficking thereby preserving the public health, peace, property, and safety; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the City Clerk is authorized to enter into a grant agreement with the not-for-profit Just Choice, dba Choice Network, in support of their JustChoice Fund.
SECTION 2. That the appropriation and expenditure of $20,000.00, or so much thereof as may be needed pursuant to the action authorized in SECTION 1, is authorized in the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund, fund 1000, subfund 100018, per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That the funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are deemed appropriated, and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 4. 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 5. That no public funds shall be used to subsidize abortion procedures and associated services such as anesthesia, laboratory tests, or hospital services as proscribed by RC §§5101.55 and 5101.56.
SECTION 6. That for the reason 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 passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.