Explanation
BACKGROUND: The City of Columbus has been awarded a Federal Fiscal Year 2024 Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Award from the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office of Justice Programs via the Franklin County Office of Justice Policy and Programs. The JAG program provides funding to allow states and local governments to support a broad range of activities to prevent and control crime and improve the criminal justice system. The FY24 JAG award will provide funds based off of the proposal submitted for this grant; The Organized Crime Bureau’s Drug Task Force for the Columbus Police Department (CPD), will use the funds to acquire a handheld Mass Spectrometry (MS) chemical detection system, capable of analyzing gases/vapors, liquids, and solids. This cutting-edge technology will significantly enhance our capabilities in environmental monitoring, public safety, and scientific research to ensure that our first responders are able to detect the prevalence of harmful matter. The FY24 JAG award will also provide funds for the Mounted Police Unit, to purchase a four-horse gooseneck trailer. The existing equipment is old, outdated, and in need of replacement to ensure the safe transportation of horses to community and neighborhood events. The City will act as subgrantee to the Franklin County Office of Justice Policy and Programs. Therefore, the Mayor is required to sign a subgrantee award on behalf of the City.
Emergency Designation: Emergency legislation is necessary to make funds available to acquire the MS chemical detection system and the four-horse gooseneck trailer. The grant award period started January 1, 2025 and we need to start the procurement process immediately so we do not lose the funds.
FISCAL IMPACT: All appropriated funds will be reimbursed by the grant award.
Title
To authorize the Mayor of the City of Columbus to accept a subgrantee award through the FY24 Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program from the Bureau of Justice Assistance via the Franklin County Office of Justice Policy and Programs; to authorize an appropriation of $149,400.00 from the unappropriated balance of the General Government Grant Fund to the Division of Police to cover the costs associated with the FY24 Justice Assistance Grant; and to declare an emergency. ($149,400.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the City of Columbus, Division of Police, was awarded funding through the FY24 Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program to fund the MS chemical detection system and the four-horse gooseneck trailer; and,
WHEREAS, Lt. Gregory Sanderson and Sergeant John Blubaugh have been identified as the official representative to act in connection with this FY24 Justice Assistance Subgrant and to provide information as required; and,
WHEREAS, the grant award period began on January 1, 2025 and ends June 30, 2027; and,
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Public Safety, Division of Police, in that it is immediately necessary to accept and appropriate the FY24 Justice Assistance Grant award in order to make funds available for the grant award period which began January 1, 2025 and to avoid the possibility of losing the grant funds, all for the immediately preservation of the public health, peace, property, safety and welfare; and NOW, THEREFORE:
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Mayor of the City of Columbus be and is hereby authorized to accept a FY24 Justice Assistance Grant.
SECTION 2. That from the unappropriated monies and from all monies estimated to come into said fund from any and all sources and unappropriated for any other purpose during the Project Period, the sum of $149,400.00 is appropriated in Fund 2220 General Government Grants in Object Class 06 per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That the monies in the foregoing Section 2 shall be paid upon the order of the Mayor; and that no order shall be drawn or money paid except by voucher, the form of which shall be approved by the City Auditor.
SECTION 4. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized to transfer appropriations between object classes for the FY24 Justice Assistance Grant, as needed, upon the request by the Department of Public Safety, Division of Police.
SECTION 5. That at the end of the grant period, 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 6. That the funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are hereby deemed appropriated.
SECTION 7. 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.