Explanation
BACKGROUND: This ordinance authorizes and directs the city auditor to transfer $836,000 from the Special Income Tax fund to the voted 95/99 Safety bond fund, and to further authorize the transfer of said funds from the Safety bond fund to Public Safety's Interoperable Communications Technology Grant fund. The city of Columbus has been awarded grant funds of approximately $2.5 million by the United States Department of Justice, Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) for the purchase of radio consoles, radio system interconnect device and portable radios for the Police and Fire communications center. This equipment is needed for connecting city and county talk groups at the dispatching level for interoperability between city and county systems.This transfer allows the city's twenty-five percent share of the total project expenditure to be certified against the special income tax fund as a temporary measure until bonds are sold. This ordinance also amends the 2003 Capital Improvement Budget (CIB).
EMERGENCY ACTION is requested in order to enter into contract before the end of the year and realize savings of about $150,000 in software upgrade fees.
FISCAL IMPACT: The transfer amount of $836,000 is part of the recommended 2004-2009 CIP. This transfer from the special income tax is only a temporary measure until bonds are sold in 2004, at which time the SIT will be reimbursed for this transaction.
Title
To authorize and direct the City Auditor to transfer $836,000 from the Special Income Tax Fund to Public Safety's voted 95/99 bond fund; to transfer said funds from Safety's bond fund to the COPS Interoperable Communications Technology grant fund for the purchase of Police and Fire Communications equipment; to amend the 2003 Capital Improvement Budget, and to declare an emergency. ($836,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the need exists to provide matching funds of 25% to supplement a grant of $2.5 million awarded by the United States Department of Justice, and
WHEREAS, These funds are needed for the purchase of radio consoles, radio system interconnect device and portable radios for the Police and Fire communications system, and
WHEREAS, These equipments are needed to connect the city and county talk groups at the dispatching level for interoperability between city and county systems, and
WHEREAS, a transfer of funds from the special income tax fund to Safety's voted 95/99 bond fund and from the bond fund to a grant fund established for this project, and
WHEREAS, this transfers is seen as a temporary measure and that the city will issue bonds to reimburse the special income tax fund for this transaction, and
WHEREAS, an aggregate principal amount of obligations, which the city will issue to finance this purchase, is presently expected not to exceed $836,000
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Public Safety Department, Communications Division, in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the transfer of said matching funds from the special income tax fund, 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. That the sum of $836,000 is hereby appropriated from the unappropriated balance of the special income tax fund, fund 430, and from all monies estimated to come into said fund from any and all sources and unappropriated for any other purpose during the fiscal year ending December 31, 2003 to the City Auditor Department 22-01, Object Level One 10, OCA Code 902023, Object Level Three 5502.
SECTION 2. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized to transfer said funds to the Division of Communications safety voted bond fund at such time as is deemed necessary by the City Auditor, and so much thereof as may be necessary.
SECTION 3. That the amount of $836,000 is hereby appropriated to the Communications Division 30-02, Safety Voted 95/99 Bond Fund 701, COPS Interoperability Communications Technology Project 320010, OCA Code 320010, Object Level Six Code 6644
SECTION 4. That the City Auditor is further authorized to transfer said funds of $836,000 from the Safety Voted Bond Fund 701, Project 320010 as identified above to Communications Division 3002, Grant Fund 220, Grant number 324001, OCA Code 324001.
SECTION 5. That the funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are hereby deemed appropriated.
SECTION 6. That the 2003 Capital Improvement Budget, Ordinance No. 1643-03, is hereby amended as follows: Fund No. 701, Project Name: COPS Interoperable Communications Technology, Current CIB: $0, Amended CIB: $836,000.
SECTION 7. That upon obtaining other funds for the COPS Interoperability Project, the City Auditor is hereby authorized and directed to repay the special income tax fund the amount transferred under section 2 above.
SECTION 8. That the City Auditor is authorized to establish proper accounting project numbers and to make any accounting changes to revise the funding source for any contract or contract modification associated with the expenditure of funds transferred in Section 2, above.
SECTION 9. That the City intends that this ordinance constitutes an "official intent" for purpose of Section 1.150-2(e) of the Treasury regulations promulgated pursuant to the internal revenue code of 1986, as amended.
SECTION 10. 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.