Explanation
Background: This ordinance authorizes the City Auditor to establish a certificate in the amount of $850,000.00 to fund a Spring 2025 community grant program implemented by the Office of Violence Prevention. Encumbering funds in 2024 is necessary as the grant application process will begin in early 2025. This will ensure that community violence prevention programming is effective on or before Spring 2025. The Office of Violence Prevention will utilize a competitive Request for Proposals (RFP) process to solicit grant proposals from community organizations.
After proposals have been accepted, The Office of Violence Prevention will submit ordinances seeking Council authorization to enter into related grants agreements. This ordinance also authorizes the expenditure of $850,000.00 for the purposes described above.
EMERGENCY DESIGNATION: Emergency action is being requested so that a certificate can be established prior to the City Auditor’s 2024 year-end deadline.
Fiscal Impact: $850,000.00 was expressly budgeted, and is available in the 2024 General Fund operating budget to undertake the project outlined above.
Title
To authorize and direct the City Auditor to establish a certificate in the amount of $850,000.00 to develop and implement a Spring 2025 community violence prevention grant program on behalf of the Office of Violence Prevention; to authorize the transfer of $850,000 within the General Fund; to authorize the expenditure of $850,000.00 from the General Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($850,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, The Office of Violence Prevention plans to solicit proposals from community organizations, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the City Code Chapter 329, for a Spring 2025 community violence prevention grants program; and
WHEREAS, funds totaling $850,000.00 were budgeted in the Office of Violence Prevention 2024 operating budget for the purposes noted above; and
WHEREAS, to ensure the availability of moneys budgeted in the 2024 for the above-noted purposes in 2025, it is necessary to authorize the City Auditor to establish a certificate in the amount of $750,000.00; and
WHEREAS, the Office of Violence Prevention will submit future ordinances seeking Council authorization to enter into grant agreements with the selected grantees; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Office of Violence Prevention in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the City Auditor to establish a certificate in the amount of $850,000.00 to ensure the availability of funds in the upcoming months to implement a Spring 2025 community violence prevention grant program, thereby preserving the public health, peace, property, safety, and welfare; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS, OHIO:
SECTION 1. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized to establish a certificate in the amount of $850,000.00 to ensure the availability of funds to implement a Spring 2025 community violence prevention grant program. The Office of Violence Prevention will submit future ordinances seeking Council authorization to enter into related grant agreement with selected grantees.
SECTION 2. That the transfer of $850,000.00, is hereby authorized within the General Fund 1000, per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
See Attached File: Ord 3474-2024 Legislation Template.xls
SECTION 3. That the expenditure of $850,000.00, or so much thereof as may be needed in regard to the action authorized in Sections 1, is hereby authorized from the General Fund 1000, per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
See Attached File: Ord 3474-2024 Legislation Template.xls
SECTION 4. That the monies in the foregoing Sections shall be paid upon order of the Director of the Office of Violence Prevention, 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 5. 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 6. 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 7. 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.