Explanation
BACKGROUND: This legislation authorizes the Director of the Department of Development to enter into contract with the Columbus Compact Corporation. This contract will provide $66,744.00 from the Community Development Block Grant Fund to support the administrative activities and responsibilities of the Columbus Empowerment Zone. The Columbus Compact Corporation is the governing body and implementation agent for the Columbus Empowerment Zone. The 14 square mile Empowerment Zone received in 1999 an U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development designation because it met federal criteria for "pervasive poverty, unemployment, and general distress." The activities and responsibilities of the Columbus Compact Corporation focus primarily on the promotion of economic opportunity, neighborhood life, and community values and cultural life.
This ordinance is presented as an emergency to ensure the continuation of the activities and responsibilities administered by the Columbus Compact Corporation. The City is required to provide a cash-match to the Compact as part of the requirements of maintaining the HUD-Empowerment Zone grant.
FISCAL IMPACT: Funds for this contract are allocated from the 2007 Community Development Block Grant Fund that was previously approved by City Council by Ordinance 0039-2007 in February 2007.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Development to enter into contract with the Columbus Compact Corporation to support the administrative activities and responsibilities of the Columbus Empowerment Zone; to authorize the expenditure of $66,744.00 from the 2007 Community Development Block Grant Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($66,744.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded Empowerment Zone designation to the City of Columbus in January 1999; and
WHEREAS, the City of Columbus agreed to carry out the Columbus Empowerment Zone Strategic Plan in the Memorandum of Agreement executed on June 16, 1999 between the City of Columbus, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; and
WHEREAS, the City of Columbus has entered into contract with the Columbus Compact Corporation on June 24, 1996 whereby the Compact agreed to implement, allocate, monitor and evaluate the activities and strategies of the Columbus Enterprise Community; and
WHEREAS, the Director of the Department of Development now desires to enter into contract with Columbus Compact Corporation to support the administrative activities and responsibilities of the Columbus Empowerment Zone; and
WHEREAS, the activities and responsibilities of the Columbus Compact Corporation focus primarily on the promotion of economic opportunity, neighborhood life, and community values and cultural life; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Development, Economic Development Section, in that it is immediately necessary to enter into a contract with Columbus Compact Corporation, all for the preservation of the public peace, health, safety, and welfare; and NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
Section 1. That the Director of the Department of Development is hereby authorized to enter into contract with the Columbus Compact Corporation to support the administrative activities and responsibilities of the Columbus Empowerment Zone.
Section 2. That this contract is awarded pursuant to Section 329.15 of the Columbus City Codes, 1959, as amended.
Section 3. That for the purpose as stated in Section 1, the expenditure of $66,744.00 or so much thereof as necessary, be and is hereby authorized to be expended from the Community Development Block Grant Fund, Fund 248, Department No. 44-02, OCA Code 497024, Object Level One 03, Object Level Three 3337, Subfund 248001.
Section 4. That in 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.