Explanation
1. BACKGROUND
Community Improvement Grants are available on a competitive basis from Keep America Beautiful (KAB) for 2022. The Keep America Beautiful comprehensive grant application is designed to support the KAB Affiliate network, other nonprofit organizations, and community groups to implement programs or projects designed to build clean, green, and beautiful places for all to thrive and enjoy. The comprehensive grant application allows the applicant to receive eligibility for any Keep America Beautiful grant programs administered in the 2022 calendar year.
This legislation will authorize the Director of Public Service to apply for the Keep America Beautiful Unify & Beautify Community Grant programs and to appropriate and expend grant funds in accordance with the conditions of the grant award. It also authorizes the execution of agreements in connection with the application for the grant, the award of the grant, the expenditure of grant funds, and the return of unused grant funds if any should remain at the end of the grant.
2. FISCAL IMPACT
Approval of this legislation will authorize the Director of Public Service to appropriate and expend grant funds received from Keep America Beautiful.
3. EMERGENCY DESIGNATION
Emergency action is requested to allow the Department of Public Service to apply for the grant before the application deadline of January 22, 2021, and to expend the grant funds in accordance with the conditions of the awarded grant from Keep America Beautiful.
Title
To authorize the Director of Public Service to apply for a grant with Keep America Beautiful; to authorize the execution of grant agreement and other requisite agreements related to the grant; to appropriate and expend grant funds awarded by the Keep America Beautiful Unify & Beautify Community Grant program and refund any unused funds; and to declare an emergency.
Body
WHEREAS, Community Improvement Grants are awarded on a competitive basis by the Keep America Beautiful for projects designed to build clean, green, and beautiful places for all to thrive and enjoy; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the Director of Public Service to apply for and accept the Keep America Beautiful Unify & Beautify Community Grant in accordance with the conditions of the grant award; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the Director of Public Service to execute a grant agreement with Keep America Beautiful; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the Department of Public Service to utilize grant funds from Keep America Beautiful to fund community improvement initiatives and programs; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to appropriate the grant funds so they can be expended on these important programs; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists within the Department of Public Service in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director of Public Service to apply for the grant before the application deadline of January 22, 2021, and to expend grant monies from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency to fund community improvement initiatives and programs as soon as possible, thereby preserving the public health, peace, property, safety and welfare; now, therefore; now therefore
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Director of Public Service be and is hereby authorized to submit an application for a grant from Keep America Beautiful Unify & Beautify Community Grants and to accept said grant, if awarded.
SECTION 2. That the Director of Public Service be and hereby is authorized to execute any agreement or other documents necessary to effectuate applying for and receiving Keep America Beautiful Unify & Beautify Community Grant funding.
SECTION 3. That the Director of Public Service be authorized to appropriate and utilize grant funds from the Keep America Beautiful Unify & Beautify Community Grant programs in accordance with the terms and conditions of said grant to fund litter control and community improvements.
SECTION 4. That, at the end of the grant period, or upon request of the grantor, any repayment of unencumbered balances required by the grantor is hereby authorized and any unused City match monies may be transferred back to the City fund from which they originated in accordance with all applicable grant agreements.
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 ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.