Explanation
BACKGROUND:
The City of Columbus, through the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) was awarded a grant on March 12, 2007, from the United States Environmental Protection Agency. The grant is to fund the Mid-Ohio Public Diesel Fleet Initiative, a collaborative partnership between the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission, the Ohio Environmental Council (OEC), the City of Columbus, and the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA). The grant will fund Fleet Management's portion of the "Mid-Ohio Public Diesel Fleet Initiative: Leading the Way to Cleaner Air" project. Ordinance #2128-2006 was passed on December 11, 2006, authorizing the Public Service Director to apply for this grant. This ordinance is now needed to accept and appropriate $79,164 in grant money to fund this project.
The City's portion of the grant will be used to purchase twenty-one (21) hydraulic heaters to be installed on refuse collection vehicles. Currently, when temperatures drop below twenty degrees Fahrenheit, automated side loading refuse collection vehicles must idle for an extended period of time in order for the engines and the hydraulic oil to sufficiently warm. Hydraulic heaters will reduce idle time, fuel consumption, emissions, staff overtime, and labor costs by permitting immediate use of the vehicle without a prescribed warm-up period. The grant will also be used to install nine (9) diesel oxidation catalysts (DOC's) on select diesel vehicles. DOC's are estimated to reduce particulate matter by 25 percent, carbon monoxide by 50 percent, and hydrocarbons by 50 percent.
This grant is for the period January 1, 2007 through September 30, 2008.
Emergency action is requested to allow the financial transaction to be posted in the City's accounting system as soon as possible. Up to date financial posting promotes accurate accounting and financial management.
FISCAL IMPACT: This program is entirely funded by the U.S. EPA and does not generate revenue or require a City match. The Fleet Management Division resources that will be dedicated to managing/implementing this grant are and will be included in the Division's 2007 and 2008 operating budget.
Title
To authorize the Finance and Management Director to accept a grant award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, through the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission, for a Midwest Clean Diesel Initiative grant under the project heading "Mid-Ohio Public Diesel Fleet Initiative: Leading the Way to Cleaner Air"; to appropriate $79,164 from the unappropriated balance of the General Government Grant Fund to the Department of Finance and Management, and to declare an emergency. ($79,164).
Body
WHEREAS, the City been awarded a grant in the amount of $79,164 from the U.S. EPA, through the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission, for a Midwest Clean Diesel Initiative to fund Fleet Management's portion of the "Mid-Ohio Public Diesel Fleet Initiative: Leading the Way to Cleaner Air" project; and
WHEREAS, it is in the best interest of the City of Columbus for the Department of Finance and Management to accept this grant, to appropriate the expenditure of the grant funds; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Finance and Management in that it is necessary to accept and appropriate a grant from the U.S. EPA in order to preserve 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 Finance and Management Director be and is hereby authorized and directed to accept a grant award from the U.S. Environmental Projection Agency (EPA) for a Midwest Clean Diesel Initiative grant under the project heading "Mid-Ohio Public Diesel Fleet Initiative: Leading the Way to Cleaner Air" for the Finance and Management Department, Fleet Management Division for the period January 1, 2007 through September 30, 2008.
Section 2. That from the unappropriated monies in the General Government Grant Fund, Subfund No. 220, and from any and all sources estimated to come into said fund and unappropriated for any other purpose during the fiscal year ending December 31, 2007, the sum of $79,164 is appropriated in the Department of Finance and Management, Fleet Management Division, as follows: Dept-Div: 45-05, OL31: 02; Fund: 220, OCA Code: 457010 , Grant Number 457010.
Section 3. That the monies in Section 2 shall be paid upon order of the Mayor; 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 4. 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 passage and approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.