Explanation
This ordinance authorizes the City Auditor to set up a certificate in the amount of $5,000,000.00 to fund reviews and updates to Public Safety’s Computer Aided Dispatching and Records Management Systems. These funds will also be used to support an officer wellness program by providing data analytics and related services.
Public Safety’s Computer Aided Dispatching (CAD) and Records Management Systems (RMS), both of which are primary operational systems, have evolved over time, with many iterations. Throughout this evolution, these systems have been customized in ways that are unique to the city. Understanding these customizations, which includes both out of the box customizations within the CAD or RMS platform, separate third-party integrations with CAD, RMS or both, is vital to the successful development and implementation of new integrated CAD and RMS platform. With a portion of the above-noted funds, the Department of Technology, via the solicitation of proposals, plans to conduct a needs assessment for the eventual upgrade or replacement of both systems.
DoT also plans to use these funds to help support the city’s “officer wellness” program. As part of this effort, DoT will work with Public Safety to identify and integrate data from multiple sources into a data analytics platform geared towards enhancing the wellness of its officers. As with the CAD and RMS projects, DoT plans to solicit proposals for this project with the funds on the certificate authorized by this ordinance.
After proposals have been accepted, DoT will submit ordinances seeking Council authorization to enter into contracts. This ordinance also authorizes the expenditure of $5,000,000.00 for the purposes described above.
Emergency Justification: Emergency action is being requested so that a certificate can be established prior to the City Auditor’s 2021 year-end deadline.
Fiscal Impact: $5,000,000.00 was expressly budgeted, and is available in the 2021 Information Services operating fund to undertake the projects outlined above.
Title
To authorize and direct the City Auditor to set up a certificate in the amount of $5,000,000.00 to develop and implement various projects, including a new integrated Computer Aided Dispatching (CAD) and Records Management Systems (RMS), on behalf of the Department of Public Safety; to authorize the expenditure of $5,000,000.00 from the Information Services Operating fund for the purpose described above, and to declare an emergency. ($5,000,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, Department of Technology (DoT), on behalf of the Department of Public Safety, plans to solicit proposals for professional services, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the City Code Chapter 329 for needs assessments to upgrade or replace Public Safety’s Computer Aided Dispatching and Records Management Systems and to develop a data analytics platform in support the city’s “officer wellness” program; and
WHEREAS, funds totaling $5,000,000.00 were budgeted in the Department of Technology’s 2021 operating budget for the purposes noted above; and
WHEREAS, to ensure the availability of moneys budgeted in the 2021 Information Services Operating Fund for the above-noted purposes in 2022, it is necessary to authorize the City Auditor to establish a certificate in the amount of $5,000,000.00; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the expenditure of $5,000,000.00 from the Information Services Operating fund for the purposes described in this ordinance; and
WHEREAS, DoT will submit ordinances seeking Council authorization to enter into contracts with the selected consultants; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Technology in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the City Auditor to establish a certificate in the amount of $5,000,000.00 to ensure the availability of funds in the upcoming months to upgrade or replace Public Safety’s Computer Aided Dispatching and Records Management Systems and develop a data analytics platform in support the city’s “officer wellness” program, for the preservation of public health, peace, property, safety, and welfare; NOW, THEREFORE
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized to establish a certificate in the amount of $5,000,000.00 to ensure the availability of funds to contract with qualified vendor(s) to upgrade or replace Public Safety’s Computer Aided Dispatching and Records Management Systems and develop a data analytics platform in support the city’s “officer wellness” program. The Department of Technology will submit future ordinances seeking Council authorization to enter into contracts with selected consultants.
SECTION 2. To authorize the expenditure of $5,000,000.00 from the Information Services Operating fund for the purpose stated in Section 1. (See attachment 3028-2021EXP)
SECTION 3. 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 4. 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 5. 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 10 days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.