Explanation
BACKGROUND: This legislation authorizes the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a grant agreement with Lifecare Alliance, a non-profit organization, in an amount up to $1,000,000.00, and to authorize payment of expenses starting January 1, 2024, to support the Meals-on-Wheels program.
Funds will be used to provide operational support for the Meal-on Wheels program. Nutritious meals to older adults and individuals living with a medical challenge and/or disability in central Ohio. At $5.00/meal, funding will pay for 200,000 meals for clients living in the City of Columbus. Meals-on-Wheels provides food and healthy meals to older adults and individuals living with a medical challenge and/or disability in central Ohio. The program has experienced significant expansion as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic because it serves those most vulnerable to the virus - seniors and individuals with a medical challenge. LifeCare Alliance serves approximately 5,000 home-delivered meals per day (7,000 during COVID-19), and is the largest provider of senior meals senior meals through community dining centers in both central Ohio and the state, according to the Ohio Department of Aging.
Emergency action is requested in order to avoid any disruption of meal delivery service for seniors and vulnerable residents.
FISCAL IMPACT: Funding is available within the general fund.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a grant agreement with Lifecare Alliance, in an amount up to $1,000,000.00, to support the Meals-on-Wheels program and authorize expenses starting January 1, 2024; to authorize a transfer of appropriations within the general fund; to authorize the expenditure of up to $1,000,000.00 within the general fund; and to declare an emergency. ($1,000,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Director of the Department of Development desires to enter into a grant agreement with LifeCare Alliance, a non-profit entity, to provide support of the Meals-on-Wheels program and authorize the payment of expenses beginning January 1, 2024; and
WHEREAS, LifeCare Alliance serves approximately 5,000 home-delivered meals per day (7,000 during COVID-19), and is the largest provider of senior meals senior meals through community dining centers in both central Ohio and the state; and
WHEREAS, funding will pay for 200,000 meals for clients living in the City of Columbus; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Development in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director to enter into a grant agreement with LifeCare Alliance to avoid any disruption of meal delivery service for seniors and vulnerable residents, in order to preserve the health, welfare, and safety of residents; 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 to enter into a grant agreement with LifeCare Alliance in an amount up to $1,000,000.00, for support of the Meals-on-Wheels program and is authorized to make payments for expenses incurred starting January 1, 2024.
SECTION 2. That the Auditor is hereby authorized and directed to transfer $1,000,000.00 of appropriations within the general fund, fund 1000, subfund 100010, per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That for the purpose stated in Section 1, the expenditure of $1,000,000.00 or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized in Fund 1000, Dept-Div 44-01 (Administration), in object class 05 (Other) per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 4. That Columbus City Council acknowledges and defines as operating costs inherent to the mission of this non-profit the purchase of food and non-alcoholic beverages for populations experiencing food insecurity. Any or all of the expenditure authorized by this ordinance may be spent toward payment of food and non-alcoholic beverage expenses for such populations. Expenses incurred prior to the creation of a purchase order may be reimbursed. However, in no case may food and non-alcoholic beverage expenses incurred prior to the effective date of this ordinance be reimbursed. City Council declares that the expenditure on food and non-alcoholic beverage expenses authorized by this ordinance to be for a proper public purpose.
SECTION 5. 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 6. 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 . 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 passage and approval by the Mayor or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.