Explanation
Background:
This ordinance authorizes the Director of the Department of Development to renew a contract (renewal 2) with the Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District (Capital Crossroads SID) to participate in the Downtown C-Pass Program; to authorize the appropriation and expenditure of $33,088.50 from the Capital South Fund; to authorize the expenditure of $20,000.00 each from the General Fund for the Departments of Development and Finance and Management; to authorize the expenditure of $20,0000.00 from the Street Construction Maintenance Funds for the Department of Public Service; and to authorize the expenditure of $20,000.00 from the Development Services Fund for the Department of Building and Zoning Services.
The Capital Crossroads SID has developed a transit pass program called the Downtown C-Pass Program (the Program) for eligible employers and employees in downtown Columbus in partnership with the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) and the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC). The Program provides unlimited access to COTA transportation services at no additional cost to employees. Council approved city participation in the program pursuant to Ordinance 1465-2018, approved by Columbus City Council on May 21, 2018. The Program will last for 31 months from June 1, 2018, through December 31, 2020.
The goal of the Program is to proactively address parking shortages within the Capital Crossroads SID that threaten the further development of Downtown Columbus. Since June 2018, the C-pass program has provided 1.6 million rides and enrolled more than 440 companies and 15,100 employees. A survey completed by the Capital Crossroads SID in May and June of 2019 found that:
• 34% of surveyed companies reported that the Program is helping them retain workers
• 34% of surveyed companies reported that the Program is helping them recruit employees.
• 17 companies reported that C-pass helped influence their decisions to renew or sign a lease in C-pass-eligible buildings.
Additionally, while transit usage has been dropping nationally over the last few years, C-Pass has contributed to COTA having its highest ridership levels in 31 years.
The City is in the final year of a three year, $80,000 annual sponsorship commitment to the Program. Additionally, since some City employees work in buildings that are within the Capital Crossroads SID boundaries, but do not pay SID assessments, the City will pay an additional $40.50 per eligible employee in the following City buildings: 77 North Front Street, 345 South High Street, 373 South High Street, 375 South High Street, and 120 Marconi Buildings. There are 817 eligible employees in these facilities and the 2020 C-Pass enrollment cost for these employees is $33,088.50.
Original contract $112,845.00 Ord. 1465-2018
Renewal 1 $113,453.00 Ord. 0540-2019
Renewal 2 $113,088.50
$339,386.50
Emergency action is requested in order to ensure continued participation in the Program.
CONTRACT COMPLIANCE: the vendor number is 006946 and the contract compliance dates are 12/6/19-12/6/21.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The funding for this legislation is budgeted within Funds 1000, 2240, 2265, and 4481 accordingly.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Development to renew a contract with the Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District (Capital Crossroads SID) to participate in the Downtown C-Pass Program; to authorize the appropriation and expenditure of $33,088.50 from the Capital South Fund; to authorize the expenditure of $20,000.00 each from the General Fund for the Departments of Development and Finance and Management; to authorize the expenditure of $20,0000.00 from the Street Construction Maintenance Funds for the Department of Public Service; and to authorize the expenditure of $20,000.00 from the Development Services Fund for the Department of Building and Zoning Services; and to declare an emergency. ($113,088.50)
Body
WHEREAS, Ordinance 1465-2018, approved by Columbus City Council on May 21, 2018, gave the Director of the Department of Development, the authority to enter into an agreement with the Capital Crossroads SID for the City to participate in the Downtown C-Pass Program; and
WHEREAS, the Director of the Department of Development entered into the Downtown C-Pass Program Agreement on May 24, 2018; and
WHEREAS, the Capital Crossroads SID has developed a transit pass program called the Downtown C-Pass Program for eligible employers and employees in downtown Columbus in partnership with COTA and MORPC; and
WHEREAS, the Program will last for 31 months from June 1, 2018, through December 31, 2020; and
WHEREAS, the goal of this program is to proactively address parking shortages in the Capital Crossroads SID that threaten the further development of Downtown Columbus; and
WHEREAS, the City is in the final year of a three year $80,000 annual sponsorship commitment to the Program; and
WHEREAS, the City will pay an additional $33,088.50, or $40.50 for each of the 817 eligible employees that work in City buildings that are within the Capital Crossroads SID boundaries but do not pay SID assessments; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the City that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director to enter into contact with the Capital Crossroads SID to continue the City’s sponsorship and participation in the Program; now, therefore
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Director of the Department of Development is authorized renew a contract with Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District to sponsor and participate in the Downtown C-Pass Program.
SECTION 2. That from the unappropriated monies in Fund No. 4481, and from all monies estimated to come into said fund from any and all sources and unappropriated for any other purpose during the fiscal year ending December 31, 2020, the sum of $33,088.50 is appropriated in Fund 4481(Capital South), Dept-Div 45-01 (Director’s Office), in object class 03 (Services) per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That the expenditure of $33,088.50 or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized in Fund 4481(Capital South), Dept-Div 45-01 (Director’s Office), in object class 03 (Services) per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 4. That the expenditure of $20,000.000 or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized in Fund 1000 (General Fund), Dept-Div 44-01 (Administration), in object class 03 (Services) per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 5. That the expenditure of $20,000.000 or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized in Fund 1000 (General Fund), Dept-Div 45-50 (Financial Management), in object class 03 (Services) per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 6. That the expenditure of $20,000.000 or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized in Fund 2265 (Street Construction Maintenance Fund), Dept-Div 59-11 (Infrastructure Management), in object class 03 (Services) per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 7. That the expenditure of $20,000.000 or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized in Fund 2240 (Development Services Fund), Dept-Div 43-01 (Building and Zoning Services), in object class 03 (Services) per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 8. That this contract is awarded in accordance with the relevant provisions of City Code Chapter 329 relating to not-for-profit service contracts.
SECTION 9. That the funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are hereby deemed appropriated and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 10. 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 ordinance.
SECTION 11. 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.