Explanation
BACKGROUND: This legislation authorizes the Director of Development to enter into a grant agreement with Columbus Sister Cities International Inc. (CSCI) in an amount up to $150,000.00 to administer the Columbus Sister Cities International Program for the purpose of promoting business, government, cultural, educational and environmental exchanges between the Columbus Sister Cities as well as long term economic development.
The ten Sister Cities are: Accra in Ghana, Ahmedabad in India, Curtiba in Brazil, Dresden in Germany, Genoa in Italy, Hefei in China, Herzliya in Israel, Odense in Denmark, Seville in Spain and Tainan in Taiwan. City funding has been provided in previous years to support staffing and administrative cost of CSCI. CSCI has worked diligently to raise capital for its overall operation. Additional support is required to maintain a full-time executive director and to defray miscellaneous administrative cost.
Emergency action is requested to allow Columbus Sister Cities International Inc. to continue to provide uninterrupted services in the promotion and implementation of international projects.
FISCAL IMPACT: $150,000.00 is available in the Department’s 2021 General Fund budget, $50,000.00 in Administration and $100,000.00 in Economic Development. Funding will be transferred from Administration to Economic Development.
CONTRACT COMPLIANCE: The vendor number is 005482 and expires on 6/16/2023.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a grant agreement with Columbus Sister Cities International Inc. in an amount up to $150,000.00 for the purpose of promoting business, government, cultural, educational and environmental exchanges between the Columbus Sister Cities; to authorize the transfer of $50,000.00, within the General Fund, from the Department of Development Division of Administration to the Division of Economic Development; to authorize the expenditure of $150,000.00 from the 2021 General Fund Budget; and to declare an emergency. ($150,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Columbus Sister Cities International Program promotes business, government, cultural, educational and environmental exchanges between the Sister Cities; and
WHEREAS, the ten Sister Cities are: Accra, Ghana; Ahmedabad, India; Curtiba, Brazil; Dresden, Germany; Genoa, Italy; Hefei, China; Herzliya, Israel; Odense, Denmark; Seville, Spain; Tainan, Taiwan; and
WHEREAS, the funding for this project will be used for administrative costs associated with the Columbus Sister Cities International Inc.’s program; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Development desires to enter into a grant agreement with Columbus Sister Cities International, Inc. for the purpose of continuing to promote long term economic development with the sister cities; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Development, in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a grant agreement with Columbus Sister Cities International Inc., to continue to provide uninterrupted services in the promotion and implementation of international projects for the preservation of the public health, peace, property and safety; NOW THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the transfer of $50,000.00, or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized within Fund 1000 (General Fund), from Dept-Div 44-01 (Administration), object class 03 (Services) to Dept-Div 44-02 (Economic Development), object class 03 (Services) per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 2. That the Director of Development is authorized to enter into a grant agreement with Columbus Sister Cities International Inc. in an amount up to $150,000.00 to administer the Columbus Sister Cities International Program for the purpose of promoting business, government, cultural, educational and environmental exchanges between the Columbus Sister Cities as well as long term economic development.
SECTION 3. That for the purpose stated in Section 2, the expenditure of $150,000.00, or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized in Fund 1000 (General Fund), Dept. 44-02 (Economic Development), in Object Class 03 (Contractual Services) per the accounting codes in the attached to this ordinance.
SECTION 4. That this grant agreement is awarded in accordance with the relevant provisions of City Code Chapter 329.
SECTION 5. Funds are hereby deemed appropriated and expenditures and transfers authorized to carry out the purposes of this ordinance and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 6. That the City Auditor is authorized to make any accounting changes to revise the funding source for all agreements or agreement modifications associated with this ordinance
SECTION 7. 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 the passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.