Explanation
Mayor Ginther’s vision for Columbus, America’s Opportunity City, is that every 4-year-old in Columbus has access to a high-quality prekindergarten education. To meet this goal, the City must engage organizations that are positioned to assist in this effort.
Therefore, the Department of Education requests permission to contract with FutureReady Columbus, a public/private organization focused on supporting a “cradle through career” approach to education and workforce excellence in the Columbus region. Their mission is to know and support every child by coordinating existing services, empowering families, and promoting innovation.
FutureReady Columbus will help to implement a kindergarten readiness success strategy that focuses on prekindergarten awareness, prekindergarten expansion, prekindergarten research, and a universal prekindergarten funding strategy.
This contract is being awarded pursuant to Section 329.30, which allows for the City to negotiate not-for-profit service contracts. This organization was selected due to their prior experience and success in providing the same services in 2016.
FISCAL IMPACT: Funding for this contract ($700,000.00) is budgeted and available within the 2017 Department of Education General Fund budget.
EMERGENGENCY JUSTIFICATION: Emergency designation is requested so that a funding strategy can be developed so that more children can receive a high-quality prekindergarten experience in the City of Columbus.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Education to enter into contract with FutureReady Columbus for activities related to the achievement of the Mayor’s goal that every 4-year-old in Columbus has access to a high-quality prekindergarten education, to authorize the expenditure of seven hundred thousand dollars ($700,000.00) from the General Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($700,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, Mayor Ginther’s vision for Columbus, America’s Opportunity City, is that every 4-year-old in Columbus has access to a high-quality prekindergarten education; and
WHEREAS, FutureReady Columbus is a public/private organization focused on supporting a “cradle through career” approach to education and workforce excellence in the Columbus region; and
WHEREAS, the mission of FutureReady Columbus is to know and support every child by coordinating existing services, empowering families, and promoting innovation; and
WHEREAS, FutureReady Columbus will collaboratively work to employ an innovative strategy to achieve the Mayor’s goal; and
WHEREAS, this contract is being awarded pursuant to City Code Section 329.30, which allows for the City to negotiate not-for-profit service contracts; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the City in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director of the Department of Education to enter into a contract with FutureReady Columbus and expend such funds for the preservation of public health, peace, property, and safety; NOW, THEREFORE:
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Director of the Department of Education is authorized to enter into a contract with FutureReady Columbus for the implementation of a kindergarten readiness success strategy that focuses on pre-kindergarten awareness, pre-kindergarten expansion, pre-kindergarten research, and a universal pre-kindergarten funding strategy.
SECTION 2. That the expenditure of $700,000.00 or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized to be expended from the General Fund as follows:
(See attachment 0594-2017 -2017 EXP)
Div.: 42-01 | Fund: 1000 | SubFund: 100010 | Obj. Class: 03 | Main Acct: 63050 | Program: CW0001 | Amount: $700,000
SECTION 3. That the funds neccessary to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are hereby deemed appropriated, and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as neccessary.
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 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.