ExplanationTThis ordinance authorizes the City Clerk to enter into a service contract with The Participatory Budgeting Project, Inc. a non-profit corporation, in support of Columbus City Council’s capital budget participatory budgeting initiative, and to reappropriate funds as needed in support of the program.
Participatory Budgeting (PB) is a democratic process where community members directly give input on how to spend a portion of a public budget. The goal of establishing a Participatory Budgeting (PB) initiative in Columbus is to ensure public spending aligns with community values, strengthens democracy, and promotes equity across neighborhoods.
In July of 2025 Council added a $9 million appropriation to the city’s Capital Improvement Program for year 2026 to fund proposals solicited via a community engagement process titled participatory budgeting. In partnership with the Department of Finance and Management and various administrative departments, Council intends to execute a participatory budgeting process in 2026 to solicit proposals for the 2026 Capital Improvement Budget.
In October 2025, Council adopted ordinance 2826-2025 to appropriate funds in support of conducting the PB initiative. At year end, appropriations lapsed; there is therefore the need to reestablish appropriations. Additionally, this ordinance will authorize a service contract with the Participatory Budgeting Initiative (PBP). Council contracted with PBP in 2025 in a consulting capacity, and PBP will continue their work this year as a contracted consultant.
This ordinance is being entered into under the non-profit contracting provisions of Section 329 of Columbus City Codes. The services provided by the Participatory Budgeting Initiative cannot be provided by existing city staff because there are no staff with the requisite experience or expertise necessary to meet the needs of the initiative.
Fiscal Impact: Funding is available within the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund.
Emergency action is necessary to avoid a lapse in services with PBP, and to ensure that funds are available to support the non-contracted service costs associated with the participatory budgeting program.
Title
To authorize the City Clerk to enter into a service agreement with the Participatory Budgeting Project in support of the capital budget participatory budgeting initiative; to authorize an appropriation and expenditure within the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund; and to declare an emergency. ($215,700.00)
Body
WHEREAS, participatory budgeting is a democratic process where community members directly give input on how to spend a portion of a public budget; and
WHEREAS, in October 2025, Council adopted ordinance 2826-2025 to appropriate funds in support of conducting the PB initiative, and there is now a need to reestablish appropriations; and
WHEREAS, it is also necessary to enter into a service agreement with the Participatory Budgeting Project to provide expert consultation and support throughout the PB process; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily business of City Council in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the City Clerk to enter into a service contract with The Participatory Budgeting Project, Inc., in support of participatory budgeting to avoid any lapse in service or funds needed for the execution of the program, all for the immediate 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 City Clerk is hereby authorized to enter into a service agreement with the Participatory Budgeting Project in support of the capital budget participatory budgeting initiative, and that this contract is authorized under the non-profit contracting provisions of Section 329 of Columbus City Codes.
SECTION 2. That the Auditor is hereby authorized and directed to appropriate $215,700.00 within the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund, fund 1000, subfund 100018, per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That per the action authorized in Section 1 of this ordinance, the expenditure of $79,000.00, or so much thereof as is necessary, is hereby authorized in the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund, fund 1000, subfund 100018, per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 4. That the distribution of food and non-alcoholic beverages associated with the execution of any programming associated with this appropriation are deemed to be for a public purpose and hereby authorized. Food and beverage costs are authorized in an amount not to exceed the per-person, per-meal costs under the applicable per diem by meal established by location as set by the Federal General Services Administration.
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 approved by the Mayor or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.