Explanation
Background: This ordinance authorizes the various fiscal actions needed as a result of various emergency expenditures for labor, materials, and equipment which are directly related to the remediation of storm damage at Barack Community Center, Busch Park, Berliner Park, and the Fran Ryan Center. Per the attached Mayor’s Emergency Letter and accompanying commitment to draft this ordinance, there is a need to appropriate, transfer, and amend the Capital Improvement Budget (CIB) as a result of this emergency.
In order to expedite the efforts needed to get all of these locations back up and running as soon as possible, a total of $2,500,000.00 was immediately needed to meet the obligations for various expenditures for labor, materials, and equipment which are directly related to the remediation of storm damage at Barack Community Center, Busch Park, Berliner Park, and the Fran Ryan Center. This amount was not appropriated and/or in a suitable project for the expenditures, at the time it was needed, so the Recreation and Parks Department committed to submitting this ordinance which is intended to authorize the appropriation and transfer these funds as soon as possible. A CIB Amendment is also necessary. In accordance with the emergency provisions of the Columbus City Codes, Title Three, Chapter 329, Section 329.15, a Mayor’s Letter of Emergency was executed, authorizing the City Auditor, on behalf of the Director of the Recreation and Parks Department, to set up certificate ACPO013806, in the amount of $2,500,000.00, for the remediation of storm damage at Barack Community Center, Busch Park, Berliner Park, and the Fran Ryan Center.
Barack Community Center, located within Lincoln Park in the South Side Community of Columbus, experienced major damage as a result of the storms. There is extensive roof and HVAC damage at this facility. There is also significant damage as a result of water infiltration. While the long term plans to rebuild the damaged portions of Barack Community Center are put together, it was crucial for the Recreation and Parks Department to immediately work with a builder contractor to mitigate all water in the facility and accomplish other critical remediation related tasks that will lead to the eventual restoration of the facility. There is also a need to work with design professionals to help assess the overall damage to the building, finalize a scope of work for the builder’s restoration of the center, and begin efforts to procure permits from Building and Zoning Services. Schooley Caldwell Associates, Inc. has been identified from Recreation and Parks’ prequalified list of vendors, as authorized by 2486-2024 and 1951-2025, to perform this assessment due to their extensive experience working on older buildings that have needed emergency renovations. This contract, with Schooley Caldwell Associates, Inc., is to be completed using the existing funding, certificate ACPO012342, authorized by 1951-2025.
The Recreation and Parks Department has worked with three builders on the initial assessment of the storm damage and asked each for a Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) proposal. A ROM is an early, high-level estimate used to approximate a project's cost, timeline, and resources needed before detailed planning begins. Elford, Inc., Smoot Construction Company of Ohio, and 2K General Co. have all submitted ROM proposals. The Recreation and Parks Department is recommending entering into contract with 2K General Co. to stabilize and restore Barack Community Center. The most significant reason that the Recreation and Parks Department is recommending entering into contract with 2K General Co. for this project is due to the fact that they have proposed JB Roofing LLC as a sub-contractor. JB Roofing LLC is a vendor who has always performed well on Recreation and Parks’ roofing projects and they are also the vendor who’s staff renovated this roof in 2006, demonstrating direct experience with this type of roof. 2K General Co. has provided a rough order of magnitude (ROM) that estimates it will cost approximately 5 million dollars to restore the facility.
In order to perform emergency mitigation and remediation at Barack Community Center immediately, it was necessary to authorize the associated expenditures so that work can be completed as soon as possible. Barack Community Center is used for community programming, including after school programs and food programs. The center is also used as a cooling and warming center. The emergency response and services authorized will help keep the impact to customers, events, and programming to a minimum as the Recreation and Parks Department looks to restore the facility as soon as possible. For the immediate need to mitigate water in the facility, accomplish other critical remediation related tasks, and fully determine the extent of the damage at Barack Community Center, the Recreation and Parks Department has entered into contract with 2K General Co., in the amount of $2,000,000.00. This will allow critical tasks to begin and have materials procured. The additional funds to complete the project will be requested in the future, once the full facility assessment is complete, the estimates are verified, and the plans approved.
Other Recreation and Parks locations that have experienced extensive damage include Busch Park’s recently constructed pickleball complex, Berliner Sports Park, and the Fran Ryan Center. Lighting and the electrical panel at Busch Park has been destroyed and is in need of replacement so the complex can be reopened. At Berliner Sports Park, the storm events destroyed a large number of light poles and electrical infrastructure that will need to be replaced in order to resume programming at this highly used sport park. An exterior “hot box” at the Fran Ryan Center was also ripped to shreds by the storm. This structure is a small heated weatherproof building that houses the main water supply valves and backflow to the building. This structure was custom built and will need to be custom built again, resulting in a long lead time. The hot box needs heat prior to freezing temperatures, making this especially urgent. Early estimates for restoring these items at these locations are roughly $100,000.00 for Busch Park, $400,000.00 for Berliner Park, and $50,000.00 for the Fran Ryan Center. Other than the initial $2,000,000.00 intended for the contract with 2K General Co. for the efforts at Barack Community Center, the emergency letter and this accompanying ordinance does not identify specific contractors or vendors for the expenditure purposes authorized herein and hereby delegates sole and final contracting decisions relative to the determination of lowest, best, most responsive and most responsible vendor(s) to the Director of Recreation and Parks so that these facilities can be reopened to the public as soon as possible.
Benefits to the Public: These emergency remediation services will benefit the community by helping to ensure that the impacted locations are safe and reopened to the public as soon as possible.
Community Input Issues: The community has expressed the desire for these locations to be restored as soon as possible through social media and direct contact with City staff.
Area(s) Affected: Citywide (99)
Master Plan Relation: This project will support the Recreation and Parks Master Plan by helping to ensure that facilities remain safe.
Emergency Justification: Emergency action is being requested in order to have the various fiscal actions needed as a result of this emergency expenditure executed immediately in order to correct budget errors that exist as a result of the emergency expenditure.
Fiscal Impact: The expenditure of $2,500,000.00 has been authorized from the Recreation and Parks Permanent Improvement Fund 7747 and Voted Bond Fund 7702 to meet the financial obligations of these emergency remediation efforts via certificate ACPO013806. This ordinance will authorize the transfers and CIB amendments needed to correct budget errors that exist as a result of the emergency expenditures.
Title
To authorize the various fiscal actions needed as a result of emergency expenditures authorized for the remediation of storm damage at Barack Community Center, Busch Park, Berliner Park, and the Fran Ryan Center; to authorize the appropriation of $500,000.00 within the Recreation and Parks Permanent Improvement Fund; to authorize the transfer of $2,500,000.00 within the Recreation and Parks Permanent Improvement Fund and Voted Bond Fund; to authorize the amendment of the 2025 Capital Improvements Budget; and to declare an emergency. ($2,500,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the various fiscal actions needed as a result of various emergency expenditures authorized for labor, materials, and equipment which are directly related to the remediation of storm damage at Barack Community Center, Busch Park, Berliner Park, and the Fran Ryan Center via certificate ACPO013806; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the appropriation of $500,000.00 within the Recreation and Parks Permanent Improvement Fund 7747; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the transfer of $2,500,000.00 within the Recreation and Parks Permanent Improvement Fund 7747 and Voted Bond Fund 7702; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the amendment of the 2025 Capital Improvements Budget Ordinance 1790-2025 in order to provide sufficient budget authority for this and future projects; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operations of the Recreation and Parks Department in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the various fiscal actions needed in order to correct budget errors that exist as a result of the emergency expenditure, all for the immediate preservation of the public health, peace, property, and safety; and NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That it is necessary to authorize the various fiscal actions needed as a result of various emergency expenditures authorized for labor, materials, and equipment which are directly related to the remediation of storm damage at Barack Community Center, Busch Park, Berliner Park, and the Fran Ryan Center via certificate ACPO013806.
SECTION 2. That the emergency purchase of labor, materials, and equipment is necessary for remediation of storm damage at Barack Community Center, Busch Park, Berliner Park, and the Fran Ryan Center. In accordance with the emergency provisions of the Columbus City Codes, Title Three, Chapter 329, Section 329.15, the Director of the Recreation and Parks Department has entered into contract with 2K General Co., in the amount of $2,000,000.00, to allow critical tasks to begin and have materials procured for the efforts at Barack Community Center. The emergency letter and this accompanying ordinance does not identify specific contractors or vendors for the expenditure purposes authorized for the efforts at Busch Park, Berliner Park, and the Fran Ryan Center, using the remaining $500,000.00 on certificate ACPO013806. This ordinance hereby delegates sole and final contracting decisions relative to the determination of lowest, best, most responsive and most responsible vendor(s) to the Director of Recreation and Parks so that these facilities can be reponed to the public as soon as possible. The full extent of the remediation at these locations is ongoing and informal competitive bids will be obtained for each service needed as necessary.
SECTION 3. 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 4. That the appropriation of $500,000.00 is authorized within the Recreation and Parks Permanent Improvement Fund 7747 per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 5. That the transfer of $2,500,000.00, or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized between projects within the Recreation and Parks Bond Fund 7747 and Voted Bond Fund 7702 per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 6. That the 2025 Capital Improvements Budget Ordinance 1790-2025 is hereby amended as follows in order to provide sufficient budget authority for this ordinance and future projects.
Fund / Project / Project Name / Current Revised Authority / Current Remaining Authority / Change / Amended Revised Authority / Amended Remaining Authority
Fund 7702 / P512005-100001 / Fran Ryan Center (Voted Carryover) / $0 / $0 / $1,008,404 / $1,008,404 / $1,008,404 (to match cash)
Fund 7747 / P747999-100000 / Unallocated Balance Fund 7747 (Carryover) / $256,001 / $256,001 / $91,451 / $347,452 / $347,452 (to match cash)
Fund 7747 / P514047-100000 / Sports Facilities Improvements (Carryover) / $448,554 / $448,554 / $348,025 / $796,579 / $796,579 (to match cash)
Fund 7702 / P512005-100001 / Fran Ryan Center (Voted Carryover) / $1,008,404 / $1,008,404 / ($1,000,000) / $8,404 / $8,404
Fund 7702 / P513000-100000 / Acquisition - Misc. (Voted Carryover) / $1,021,737 / $1,021,737 / ($1,000,000 / $21,737 / $21,737
Fund 7747 / P747999-100000 / Unallocated Balance Fund 7747 (Carryover) / $347,452 / $347,452 / ($100,000) / $247,452 / $247,452
Fund 7747 / P514047-100000 / Sports Facilities Improvements (Carryover) / $796,579 / $796,579 / ($400,000) / $396,579 / $396,579
Fund 7702 / P510804-100000 / Storm Damage Response - August 2026 (Voted Carryover) / $0 / $0 / $2,000,000 / $2,000,000 / $2,000,000
Fund 7747 / P510804-100000 / Storm Damage Response - August 2026 (Carryover) / $0 / $0 / $500,000 / $500,000 / $500,000
SECTION 7. That the funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are hereby deemed appropriated, and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 8. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized to transfer the unencumbered balance in a project account to the unallocated balance account within the same fund upon receipt of certification by the Director of the Department administering said project that the project has been completed and the monies are no longer required for said project.
SECTION 9. 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.