Explanation
Background: The Franklin County Municipal Court (FCMC) recently implemented an online payment process that enables members of the public, having access to the Internet, to pay ticket/citations, court fines, costs, and fees on a 24/7 basis. Members of the public that do not have Internet access must either mail payments or appear at the Clerk's office during normal business hours. The Municipal Court Building is open to the public on a limited schedule. The public lobby of the adjacent Franklin County Court Building located at 373 S. High Street is open to the public twenty-four hours per day, seven days per week. In order to improve service to the public and offer all full access for payment of ticket/citation, court fines, costs, and fees on a 24/7 basis, the FCMC desires to install and operate up to two (2) Web-enabled payment kiosks, outside of the Municipal Court Building, in the public lobby of the Franklin County Court Building. The Franklin County Commissioners have agreed to allow this use of County building space.
This ordinance authorizes the Director of Finance and Management to execute those documents necessary to enter into a License Agreement with the Franklin County Commissioners for the placement of up to two Web-enabled payment kiosks in the public lobby of the Franklin County Court Building located at 373. S. High Street.
Fiscal Impact: This License Agreement will be at no cost to the City and may support other customer service applications for both the City and the County at a future date.
Emergency Justification: Emergency action is requested to allow for the immediate implementation of 24/7 service for the payment of ticket/citations, court fines, costs, and fees to the Franklin County Municipal Court.
Title
To authorize the Director of Finance and Management to execute those documents necessary to enter into a license agreement with the Franklin County Commissioners for the placement of up to two Web-enabled payment kiosks in the public lobby of the Franklin County Court Building located at 373 S. High Street; and to declare an emergency.
Body
WHEREAS, the Franklin County Municipal Court desires to improve service to the public by enabling the payment of ticket/citations, court fines, costs, and fees due to the Court twenty-four hours per day, seven days per week; and
WHEREAS, the Municipal Court Building is open to the public on a limited schedule; and
WHEREAS, the City, now desires to enter to enter into a license agreement for the placement and operation of up to two (2) Web-enabled payment kiosks in the public lobby of the Franklin County Court Building located at 373 S. High Street to provide 24/7 access to the public for payment of ticket/citations, court fines, costs, and fees owed to the Municipal Court; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operations of the City that it is necessary for the Director of Finance and Management to immediately enter into a license agreement with the Franklin County Commissioners to allow for the immediate implementation of 24/7 service for the payment of ticket/citations, court fines, costs, and fees to the Franklin County Municipal Court 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 Director of Finance and Management be, and hereby is, authorized to execute those documents, as approved by the Department of Law, Division of Real Estate, necessary to enter into a license agreement by and between the City of Columbus, Ohio and the Franklin County Commissioners for the placement and operation of up to two (2) Web-enable payment kiosks in the public lobby of the Franklin County Court building located at 373 S. High Street.
SECTION 2. 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.