City of Columbus - File #: 0083-2011

• File #: 0083-2011
• Version: 1
• Type: Ordinance
• Status: Passed
• File created: 1/11/2011
• In control: Judiciary And Court Administration Committee
• On agenda: 1/24/2011
• Final action: 1/26/2011
• Title: To authorize the appropriation and expenditure of $95,000.00 from the fees collected by the City Attorney's Bad Checks Diversion Program for the purpose of paying the salary of the Program Coordinator and the cost of professional facilitator services, and to declare an emergency. ($95,000.00)

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result
1/26/2011	1	CITY CLERK	Attest
1/25/2011	1	MAYOR	Signed
1/24/2011	1	Columbus City Council	Approved	Pass
1/24/2011	1	COUNCIL PRESIDENT	Signed
1/14/2011	1	Finance Reviewer	Reviewed and Approved
1/14/2011	1	FINANCE DIRECTOR	Reviewed and Approved
1/14/2011	1	Atty Drafter	Sent for Approval
1/14/2011	1	CITY AUDITOR	Reviewed and Approved
1/14/2011	1	CITY AUDITOR	Reviewed and Approved
1/14/2011	1	Atty Drafter	Sent for Approval
1/14/2011	1	CITY ATTORNEY	Reviewed and Approved
1/14/2011	1	Atty Drafter	Sent to Clerk's Office for Council
1/13/2011	1	Finance Reviewer	Reviewed and Approved
1/12/2011	1	Atty Drafter	Sent for Approval

Explanation

Background:
This legislation will authorize the appropriation of $95,000 from the Bad Checks Fund. This fund is generated by fees collected by the City Attorney's Bad Checks Diversion Program and used to pay the annual salary of the Bad Checks Program Coordinator and for the services of various professional facilitators.

The Bad Checks Program is designed to reduce the number of bad check cases that backlog the court and to help local merchants recover the money they are owed. Facilitators work directly with the merchant and the check writer to resolve the matter and therefore keep the case out of the court system.

In 2010 over 12,000 cases were diverted from the court system and over $301,000.00 was recovered for the merchants.

Fiscal Impact: The Bad Checks Diversion Program is entirely funded from collected fees. The 2010 year end cash balance was $95,108.58.

Title

To authorize the appropriation and expenditure of $95,000.00 from the fees collected by the City Attorney's Bad Checks Diversion Program for the purpose of paying the salary of the Program Coordinator and the cost of professional facilitator services, and to declare an emergency. ($95,000.00)

Body

WHEREAS, administrative fees are imposed and collected by the City Attorney's Office for participation in the Bad Checks Diversion Program, and

WHEREAS, the cost of this program is solely supported by the fees collected, and

WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the City Attorney's Office in that it is necessary to immediately authorize the appropriation and expenditure of these collected fees for the continuance of the program and for the preservation of public health, peace, property, safety and welfare, and now therefore,

BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS, OHIO:

SECTION 1. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized and directed to appropriate Ninety Five Thousand Dollars ($95,000.00) from the Special P...