Explanation
Background: This legislation authorizes the Director of the Department of Finance and Management to enter into a Real Estate Purchase Contract (“Contract”) with the Franklin County Board of Commissioners (“County”) that outlines the mutually agreed terms for the purchase of 410 South High Street, Columbus Ohio {Franklin County Parcel Numbers 010-066874 and 010-066679} commonly known as the Karnes Building and Dorrian Commons Park (“Real Estate”). The City, pursuant to Ordinance Number 0726-2021, entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) with the Franklin County Board of Commissioners on March 24, 2021 outlining the terms of the Contract and the parties now desire to enter in to the Contract. Pursuant to the MOU, the City and County intend to enter in the Contract within 90 days of executing the MOU. The City will acquire the site for the future construction of a new facility to house operations of the Franklin County Municipal Court and Municipal Court Clerk and other City offices associated with the Court.
Fiscal Impact: No funding is required for this legislation. However, the City and County have mutually agreed to a purchase price of $7,000,000.00 for the Real Estate. Payment of the purchase price is contingent upon the future appropriation by Columbus City Council of funds sufficient to pay the first half of the purchase price ($3,500,000.00) on or before March 1, 2022 and the future appropriation by Columbus City Council of funds sufficient to pay the second half of the purchase price ($3,500,000.00) on or before September 1, 2024.
Emergency action is requested in order to allow the parties to enter into the Contract at the earliest available time to allow the City and County to meet their goal of executing the Contract within 90 days of the MOU and to allow the City to move forward with the necessary contracts for the design and construction of the new Municipal Court facility.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Finance and Management to enter into a Real Estate Purchase Contract with the Franklin County Board of Commissioners that outlines the mutually agreed terms for the purchase of the Karnes Building and Dorrian Commons Park located at 410 South High Street, Columbus, Ohio for the future construction of a new building to house the Franklin County Municipal Court and City offices associated with the Court; and to declare an emergency.
Body
WHEREAS, pursuant to Ordinance Number 0726-2021, the City and the Franklin County Board of Commissioners entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on March 24, 2021 that outlined their mutual understanding of the terms for the future Real Estate Purchase Contract (“Contract"); and
WHEREAS, the terms of the MOU specified that the City and County intend to enter into the Contract within 90 days of the MOU; and
WHEREAS, the City and the Franklin County Board of Commissioners now desire to enter into the Contract outlining their mutual understanding and the terms for the purchase of the Real Estate; and
WHEREAS, the City and County have mutually agreed to a purchase cost of $7,000,000.00; and
WHEREAS, Payment of the purchase price is contingent upon the future appropriation by Columbus City Council of funds sufficient to pay the first half of the purchase price ($3,500,000.00) on or before March 1, 2022 and the future appropriation by Columbus City Council of funds sufficient to pay the second half of the purchase price ($3,500,000.00) on or before the earlier of substantial completion of the design of the new municipal court facility or September 1, 2024 and, as such, no current appropriation is necessary to enter into contract; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Finance and Management, in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director to enter into the Contract without delay to allow the City to meet the goal of executing the Contract within 90 days of the MOU and in order to allow the City to move forward with the necessary contracts for the design and construction of the new Municipal Court facility, 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. The Director of the Department of Finance and Management is hereby authorized and directed to execute those documents, as approved by the Department of Law, Real Estate Division, with the Franklin County Board of Commissioners necessary for the purchase of that real property identified as Franklin County Parcels 010-66679 and 010-066874, located at the southeast corner of Mound and High Streets, commonly known as the James A. Karnes Building and Dorrian Commons Park, for the future construction of a new municipal court facility.
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.