Explanation
This legislation authorizes the Director of Public Safety to contract with the Buckeye Region Anti-Violence Organization (BRAVO) to provide services to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community, relating to hate crimes, sexual assault and same-sex domestic violence. BRAVO also offers an education and outreach program aimed at both violence prevention within the LGBT community and educating service providers to ensure the LGBT clients receive culturally competent services.
Council amended the 2007 operating budget to provide funding in the Public Safety Initiatives fund to accommodate targeted programming to enhance community safety. Councilmember Ginther, chair of Council's Public Safety Committee, sponsors this action as a reasonable use of those funds.
BRAVO will use City funds to continue and expand outreach efforts, and for training and client service programming. The agency serves over 3,000 clients each year and collaborates with other community organizations, including the Columbus Police Department, CHOICES, the Ohio Domestic Violence Network, the City Attorney's Prosecutor's Office, and Mount Carmel, among others. BRAVO reports that in 2006, 202 hate crime incidents occurred locally and 63 documented cases of same sex domestic violence.
This legislation is presented as an emergency so that services can commence at the soonest practicable time. BRAVO is a non-profit agency. This contract is awarded pursuant to Section 329.15 of the Columbus City Codes, 1959 as amended.
BRAVO's contract compliance number is 31-1461179.
FISCAL IMPACT: Funds to accommodate this contract exist within the Public Safety Initiatives fund pursuant to a City Council amendment earlier this year.
Title
To authorize and direct the appropriation of $30,000 within the Public Safety Initiatives Fund and to authorize and direct the Public Safety Director to contract with the Buckeye Region Anti-Violence Organization (BRAVO) to provide services to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, relating to hate crimes, sexual assault and same-sex domestic violence, and to authorize the expenditure of $30,000.00 from the Public Safety Initiatives Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($30,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Buckeye Region Anti-Violence Organization (BRAVO) is the only agency in Central Ohio that provides violence prevention services specifically for members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community; and
WHEREAS, BRAVO also offers an education and outreach program aimed at both violence prevention within the LGBT community and educating service providers to ensure the LGBT clients receive culturally competent services; and
WHEREAS, Council amended to the 2007 operating budget to provide funding in the Public Safety Initiatives fund to accommodate targeted programming to enhance community safety, and Councilmember Ginther, chair of Council's Public Safety Committee, sponsors this action to fund BRAVO as a reasonable use of those funds; and
WHEREAS, BRAVO will use City funds to continue and expand outreach efforts, and for training and client service programming; the agency serves over 3,000 clients each year and collaborates with other community organizations, including the Columbus Police Department, CHOICES, the Ohio Domestic Violence Network, the City Attorney's Prosecutor's Office, and Mount Carmel, among others; and
WHEREAS, BRAVO reports that in 2006, 202 hate crime incidents occurred locally and 63 documented cases of same sex domestic violence; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Public Safety, in that it is immediately necessary to contract with the Buckeye Region Anti-Violence Organization to enhance the safety of members of the LGBT community and for the preservation of the public 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 $30,000 within the Public Safety Initiatives Fund, 016, to the Public Safety Director, Department No. 30-01, OL One 03, OL Three 3337, OCA Code 300116.
SECTION 2. That the Director of the Department of Public Safety is hereby authorized to contract with the Buckeye Region Anti-Violence Organization (BRAVO) to provide services to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community, relating to hate crimes, sexual assault and same-sex domestic violence; the contract period being August 1, 2007 through July 31, 2008.
SECTION 3. That for the purpose as stated in Section 2, the expenditure of $30,000.00, or so much thereof as necessary, be and is hereby authorized to be expended from the Department of Public Safety, the Public Safety Initiatives Fund, fund 016, Public Safety Director, Department No. 30-01, OL One 03, OL Three 3337, OCA Code 300116.
SECTION 4. That this contract is awarded pursuant to Section 329.15 of the Columbus City Codes, 1959 as amended.
SECTION 5. That for the reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this Ordinance is 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 (10) days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.