Explanation
BACKGROUND: This legislation authorizes the Director of Public Safety to pay the City of Columbus' proportionate share for the operation and administration of the Franklin County Emergency Management and Homeland Security program (FCEMHS) including the new countywide mass notification system. The FCEMHS is responsible for managing the outdoor warning siren system within Franklin County not only by coordinating siren locations but also for their maintenance, relocation, and activation. The Agency's operational activities also include planning for disaster recovery, public education and exercises.
The FCEMHS is also serving as the lead agency for the development of a new mass warning and notification system designed to meet the needs of forty-two jurisdictions and emergency partners in Franklin County. A mass notification system can reach residents in the form of phone messages, text messages and email. Other considerations include preferred languages, mechanisms to reach the hearing and vision impaired and other special needs within the community. The city's participation with FCEMHS is in accordance with State law. All activities of the agency are supported by local government funds and some federal grants.
Emergency Designation: Emergency designation will ensure timely payments to FCEMHS.
FISCAL IMPACT: This ordinance authorizes an expenditure of $773,558.00 from the 2015 General Fund operating budget for the administration of the Franklin County Emergency Management and Homeland Security program including new expense for the countywide mass notification system. The majority of this year's funds, or $533,657.00, represents operational and administrative support, $108,000.00 represents maintenance costs for the outdoor warning sirens and $131,901 for the mass notification system. The city spent $611,338.00 in 2014, $584,000.00 in 2013, and $553,440.00 in 2012 on the FCEMHS program. This is the first year of billing for the mass notification system.
Title
To authorize and direct the Director of the Department of Public Safety to pay the City's proportionate share for operational and administrative support activities of the Franklin County Emergency Management and Homeland Security program including the mass notification system; to authorize the expenditure of $773,558.00 from the General Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($773,558.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the FCEMHS is responsible for managing the outdoor warning siren system within Franklin County not only by coordinating siren locations but also for their maintenance, relocation, and activation; and
WHEREAS, at this time each year the FCEMHS provides local communities with the amount of their proportionate share for the operational and administrative support activities of the agency; and
WHEREAS, this year's expenditure includes the city's proportionate share for the development of a new mass warning and notification system designed to meet the needs of forty-two jurisdictions and emergency partners in Franklin County; and
WHEREAS, this ordinance is necessary to authorize the payment of the City's proportionate share and siren maintenance fees of $773,558.00 for the management of the agency according to State law; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Public Safety in that it is immediately necessary to pay the City's proportionate share for operational and administrative support activities of the Franklin County Emergency Management and Homeland Security program for the preservation of 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 Director of Public Safety be and is hereby authorized and directed to pay the Franklin County Emergency Management and Homeland Security for the City of Columbus' proportionate share of outdoor warning siren system maintenance costs.
SECTION 2. That the expenditure of $773,558.00, or so much thereof as may be necessary for said purpose, is hereby authorized from the Department of Public Safety as follows:
Division Fund. OCA Code Object Level 1 Object Level 3 Amount
30 - 01 010 300111 03 3337 $773,558.00
SECTION 3. That for the reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is 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.