Explanation
BACKGROUND: Columbus Public Health has been awarded a grant from the Ohio Department of Health. This ordinance is needed to accept and appropriate $6,802,930.00 and any additional funds to fund the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) grant program, for the period of October 1, 2024 through September 30, 2025. The primary objective of the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program is to provide nutritionally desirable food and nutrition education to pregnant and lactating women, infants, and children at nutritional risk in Franklin County who meet categorical, income and nutritional risk requirements for eligibility.
This ordinance is submitted as an emergency so a delay in service and rental contracts do not occur due to the grant start date of October 1, 2024.
FISCAL IMPACT: The Women, Infants and Children Program is entirely funded by the Ohio Department of Health. This program does not generate any revenue or require a City match.
Title
To authorize and direct the Board of Health to accept a grant from the Ohio Department of Health for the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Program in the amount of $6,802,930.00 and any additional funds; to authorize the appropriation of $6,802,930.00 from the unappropriated balance of the Health Department Grants Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($6,802,930.00)
Body
WHEREAS, $6,802,930.00 in grant funds have been made available through the Ohio Department of Health for the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Program for the period of October 1, 2024 through September 30, 2025; and,
WHEREAS, it is necessary to accept and appropriate these funds and any additional funds from the Ohio Department of Health for the continued support of the WIC program; and,
WHEREAS, it is necessary to allow the City Auditor to transfer appropriations between object classes for the WIC grant program as needed upon request by the Columbus Public Health department.; and
WHEREAS, this ordinance is submitted as an emergency so a delay in service and rental contracts does not occur due to the grant start date of October 1, 2024; and,
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Health Department in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Board of Health to accept these grant funds from the Ohio Department of Health and to appropriate these funds to the Health Department to prevent a delay in service and rental contracts do not occur due to the grant start date of October 1, 2024, for the immediate preservation of the public health, peace, property, safety and welfare; and NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1.That the Board of Health is hereby authorized and directed to accept a grant award totaling $6,802,930.00 and any additional funds from the Ohio Department of Health for the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Program for the period of October 1, 2024 through September 30, 2025.
SECTION 2. That from the unappropriated monies in the Health Department's Grants Fund, Fund No. 2251, and from all monies estimated to come into said Fund from any and all sources during the grant period, the sum of $6,802,930.00 and any eligible interest earned during the grant period is hereby appropriated to the Health Department, Division No. 5001, upon receipt of an executed grant agreement.
SECTION 3. That the monies appropriated in the foregoing Section 2 shall be paid upon the order of the Health Commissioner and that no order shall be drawn or money paid except upon voucher, the form of which shall be approved by the City Auditor.
SECTION 4. At the end of the grant period, any repayment of unencumbered balances required by the grantor is hereby authorized and any unused City match monies may be transferred back to the City fund from which they originated in accordance with all applicable grant agreements.
SECTION 5. 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 hereby authorized to transfer appropriations between object classes for the WIC grant program as needed upon request by the Columbus Public Health department.
SECTION 7. That for 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.