Explanation
Background: This ordinance authorizes the City Auditor to make payment to Pitney Bowes Inc. for goods and services rendered and to declare an emergency. This ordinance also authorizes the transfer of $11,448.60 between object classes within the Mail Services Operating Budget to ensure sufficient appropriation within the correct object of expense.
Fiscal Impact: Funding in the amount of $30,748.20 is available and appropriated for the payment of this expenditure in Mail Services Operating Budget Fund within the Department of Finance and Management Mail Services as noted in the attached “Then and Now Certificate” as approved by the City Auditor . This ordinance also authorizes transfer of $11,448.60 between object classes within the Mail Services Operating Budget to ensure sufficient appropriation within the correct object of expense.
Emergency action Immediate action is requested to complete payment for the goods and services and maintain uninterrupted postage-machine services for City operations. Waiting through the normal effective period of this ordinance could delay resolution of the outstanding invoice and create a risk of disruption to the Department’s postage services, which could affect the timely processing and delivery of official City mail.
Title
To authorize and direct the City Auditor to authorize payment to Pitney Bowes Inc. per invoices approved by the Department Director (or designee) in an amount not to exceed $30,748.20 from Mail Services Operating Budget Fund; and to authorize the transfer of $11,448.60 between object classes within the Mail Services Operating Budget; and to declare an emergency. ($30,748.20)
Body
WHEREAS, Pitney Bowes Inc., provided goods and services to the City of Columbus, and,
WHEREAS, after these goods and services were rendered, the City received an invoice for which a purchase order, with a prior certification of availability of funds by the City Auditor attached, had not been obtained; and,
WHEREAS, it is necessary to transfer $11,448.60 from object class 03 of the Department of Finance, Mail Services Division 2026 budget to object class 02 to ensure funding availability; and
WHEREAS, Section 5705.41 (D)(1) of the Ohio Revised Code provides that in certain circumstances a political subdivision may authorize payment on a contract executed without prior certification by the City Auditor; and,
WHEREAS, the City Council now has before it a certificate from the City Auditor certifying there was at the time of making the contract and at the time of the execution of such certificate a sufficient sum appropriated for the purpose of such contract and in the treasury or in process of collection to the credit of an appropriate fund free from any encumbrances (a “then and now certificate”); and,
WHEREAS, less than thirty days have passed since the City Council’s receipt of the certificate from the City Auditor; and,
WHEREAS, the City Council desires to satisfy the obligations of the contract; and,
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the daily operations of Department of Finance and Management Mail Services in that it is immediately necessary to authorize payment of the outstanding invoices and maintain uninterrupted postage-machine services necessary for the continued processing and distribution of official City correspondence. Delaying authorization during the normal effective period of this ordinance could delay resolution of the outstanding invoice and create a risk of interruption to postage-machine services, which could affect the timely processing and delivery of official City mail, thereby preserving the public health, peace, property, to present this ordinance for the City Auditor to issue a warrant in accordance with the Ohio Revised Code Section 5705.41 (D)(1) all for the preservation of the public peace, property, health safety and welfare; NOW, THEREFORE
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That City Council hereby acknowledges receipt of the “then and now certificate” from the City Auditor and authorizes and directs the City Auditor to authorize payment to Pitney Bowes Inc. per invoice approved by the Department Director (or designee) in an amount not to exceed $30,748.20.
SECTION 2. That the transfer of $11,448.60, or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized within Mail Services Operating Budget Fund between Object Class 03 - Contractual Service to Object Class 02- Materials & Supplies, per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. 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 approved by the Mayor or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.