Explanation
Background: The Public Service Department, Fleet Management Division, has operated a vehicle repair facility at 423 Short Street for at least forty years. The current vehicle repair facility was originally constructed as a refuse truck storage building and was converted to its present purpose. Due to growth in the size of the City's fleet, this facility is now inadequate for maintaining a modern fleet of approximately 3,600 vehicles. The Division began planning for the eventual relocation of this facility in the mid-1990's.
The Public Service Department, Transportation Division, also needs to construct a new east outpost facility to better service the eastern portion of the city. Proximity of manpower, snow and ice control chemicals, and road maintenance materials, will make for a more timely response to weather-related events and otherwise serve to increase the division's productivity.
A suitable 27 +/- acre site for a new joint Fleet Management/Transportation outpost facility has been identified at 4275 Groves Road. This site is desirable due to it being appropriately sized for current and future needs, properly zoned and in close proximity to interstate highway I-70. The Fleet Management Division will utilize approximately 16.0 acres for the new fleet maintenance facility. The remaining acreage can be utilized by the Transportation Division for the outpost facility (approximately 4 acres) as well as provide available land (approximately 7 acres) for use by other city division/departments to relocate or consolidate facilities. The purchase of the parcel from Hamilton-Grove Realty, Limited, is being pursued by the City Attorney's Office, Real Estate Division, on behalf of the Public Service Department. A purchase price of $775,000.00 (approximately $28,703/acre) has been negotiated and conditionally accepted. This ordinance provides for this purchase.
Fiscal Impact: The cost of the purchase will be split between the two divisions. The Fleet Management Division's share is $460,000.00; the Transportation Division's share is $315,000.00. Fleet Management's portion of the total expense will be certified against the Special Income Tax Fund. This funding method is a temporary measure and this amount will be restored to the Special Income Tax Fund with the next note/bond sale. This ordinance amends the 2004 Capital Improvements Budget to include this purchase and transfers the funding to and appropriates it within the Fleet Management Fund where it is authorized for expenditure.
The Transportation Division budgeted $2.95 million in the 2004 Capital Improvements Budget (CIB) for Facilities. Specifically, the Transportation Division budgeted $400,000.00 for land acquisition for an east outpost. The Facilities project within the Transportation Division capital fund has a cash balance of approximately $333,000 from the 2004 July bond sale. Therefore, funds remain in the 1995, 1999 Voted Streets and Highways Fund for the purchase of land for the Transportation Division.
Emergency action is requested to provide for the timely closing of this real estate transaction; this is a seller's condition of sale.
Title
To amend the 2004 Capital Improvements Budget; to appropriate and authorize the City Auditor to transfer $460,000.00 from the Special Income Tax Fund to the Fleet Management Services Fund; to authorize the Public Service Director to execute those documents necessary to purchase a 27 +/- acre site on Groves Road owned by Hamilton-Groves Realty Limited for the future location of the Fleet Management Division's main vehicle repair facility and the Transportation Division's east outpost; to authorize the expenditure of $460,000.00 and $315,000.00 from the Fleet Management Services Fund and the 1995, 1999 Voted Streets and Highways Fund, respectively, and to declare an emergency. ($775,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Fleet Management Division has planned for the eventual relocation of its facility for the last several years; and
WHEREAS, the Transportation Division has need of constructing a new east outpost facility to better service the eastern portion of the city; and
WHEREAS, a suitable 27 +/- acre site for a new joint Fleet Management/Transportation facility has been located at 4275 Groves Road; and
WHEREAS, the purchase of the parcel is being pursued by the City Attorney's Office, Real Estate Division, on behalf of the Public Service Department from Hamilton-Grove Realty, Limited; and
WHEREAS, this ordinance provides for the City Auditor to transfer $460,000.00 from the Special Income Tax Fund to the Fleet Management Services Fund; and
WHEREAS, the City will sell notes or bonds to fund this project and will reimburse the Special Income Tax Fund and this transfer should be considered as a temporary funding method; and
WHEREAS, the aggregate principal amount of obligations which the City will issue to finance this project is presently not expected to exceed $460,000.00; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operations for the Public Service Department, Fleet Management and Transportation Divisions, in that it is immediately necessary to purchase the said 27 +/- acre site to provide for the timely closing of this real estate transaction that is a condition of its sale; thereby preserving 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 2004 Capital Improvements Budget be and hereby is amended as follows:
Public Service / Fleet Management 59-05
Project Number/ Project / Fund #/ Current CIB / Amendment Amount / CIB Amount as Amended
550001/ Fleet Facility / 513/ $0/ $460,000 / $460,000
SECTION 2. That from the unappropriated monies in Fund 430, the Special Income Tax Fund, and from the monies estimated to come into said fund from any and all sources and unappropriated for any other purpose during the fiscal year ending December 31, 2005, the sum of $460,000.00 be and hereby is appropriated to the City Auditor, Department No. 22-01, Object Level One Code 10, Object Level Three Code 5500 and OCA Code 920023.
SECTION 3. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized to transfer said funds to Fund 513, the Fleet Management Services Fund, at such time as it is deemed necessary by the City Auditor and to expend said funds or so much thereof as may be necessary.
SECTION 4. That $460,000.00 be and hereby is appropriated within Fund 513, the Fleet Management Services Fund, Department No. 59-05, Fleet Management Division, Object Level One Code 06, Object Level Three Code 6601, OCA Code 591206, Project 550001 to purchase a suitable 27 +/- acre site for a new joint Fleet Management/Transportation facility.
SECTION 5. That the monies appropriated in the foregoing Section 4 shall be paid upon order of the Public Service Director 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 6. That upon obtaining other funds for this capital improvement, the City Auditor is hereby authorized to repay the Special Income Tax Fund the amount transferred under Section 3 above and said funds are hereby deemed appropriated for such purpose.
SECTION 7. That the City Auditor is authorized to make any accounting changes to revise the funding source for any contract(s) or contract modification(s) associated with the expenditure of the funds transferred under Section 3 above.
SECTION 8. That the City intends that this ordinance constitute an official intent for purposes of Section 1.150-2(e) of the Treasury Regulations promulgated pursuant to the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
SECTION 9. That the Public Service Director be and hereby is authorized to execute those documents approved by the Law Department, Real Estate Division, necessary to purchase 27 +/- acres at 4275 Groves Road from Hamilton-Groves Realty, Limited, 525 Kennedy Drive, Columbus, Ohio 43215 as the future location of the Fleet Management Division's main vehicle repair facility and the Transportation Division's east outpost at a cost not to exceed $775,000.00.
SECTION 10. That the expenditure of $460,000.00, or so much thereof as may be necessary, be and hereby is authorized from Fund 513, the Fleet Management Services Fund, Department No. 59-05, Fleet Management Division, Object Level One Code 06, Object Level Three Code 6601, OCA Code 642454 and Project 550001 to pay the cost thereof.
SECTION 11. That the expenditure of $315,000.00, or so much thereof as may be necessary, be and hereby is authorized from Fund 704, the 1995, 1999 Voted Streets and Highways Fund, Department No. 59-09, Transportation Division, Object Level One Code 06, Object Level Three Code 6601, OCA Code 644385 and Project 590130 to pay the cost thereof.
SECTION 12. 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 its passage and approval by the Mayor or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.