Explanation
Background
This ordinance authorizes the Director of the Department of Neighborhoods to enter into grant agreements with The Columbus Urban League for the purposes of providing summer youth employment and programming. This ordinance authorizes an expenditure from the general fund. Grant funding for programming including the purchase of food and/or beverage items, which serve the public for the purpose of administering summer youth employment and programming. Food and/or beverage purchases will be subject to what is allowable in the respective grant agreements. Costs will not exceed $15 per person and any purchase of alcohol is strictly prohibited.
The City of Columbus intends to provide young people with safe opportunities to learn, grow, and form healthy, positive relationships can reduce the likelihood of their involvement in and/or being impacted by crime, violence, and other unsafe behaviors. As such, the City is keenly focused on supporting summer programs that are most likely to serve vulnerable, at-risk, and/or underserved youth who are disproportionately impacted by crime, violence, and related challenges as well as young people who are not often afforded opportunities to participate in high-quality programming.
The services included in agreement cannot be provided by existing city employees because these services are beyond the City’s current responsibility and capacity to provide.
Emergency Designation: Emergency action is requested to ensure that students can benefit from summer employment and programming opportunities.
Fiscal Impact: This ordinance authorizes the expenditure of $200,000.00 from the General Fund.
Contract Compliance:
The Columbus Urban League CC-006073 valid thru 6/9/2025
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Neighborhoods to enter into advance-pay grant agreements with The Columbus Urban League in support of summer youth employment and programs; to authorize the expenditure from the General Fund for programming, including the purchase of food and/or non-alcoholic beverage items, which serve the public for the purpose of administering summer youth employment and programming; to authorize reimbursement for reasonable food and non-alcoholic beverage expenses; and to declare an emergency. ($200,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, The Mayor and City Council are committed to creating safe opportunities for youth to learn, grow, and form healthy positive relationships over the summer; and,
WHEREAS, the grant funding of $200,000.00 by passage of this ordinance will be used to support not-for-profit agencies to provide support youth employment and programming; and
WHEREAS, such expenditure of funds has been accounted for within the 2025 Budget; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Neighborhoods in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director to enter into advance-pay grant agreements to allow the agency to immediately provide summer employment opportunities, for the immediate preservation of the public peace, property, health, and safety; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1: That the Director of the Department of Neighborhoods is authorized to enter into advance-pay non-profit grant agreements with the agencies below to support summer youth initiatives:
The Columbus Urban League $200,000.00
SECTION 2: That the expenditure of $200,000.00 or so much thereof as may be needed is authorized in Fund 1000, Dept-Div 48-01, in object class 05 (Grants) per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance, and that the reimbursement of food and non-alcoholic beverage expenses are hereby authorized, and declared to be a proper public purpose; provided, however, that such food and beverage expenses do not exceed $15 per person per meal.
SECTION 3: That the funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are 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 legislation.
SECTION 5: That for 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.