Explanation
This ordinance establishes an appropriation in support of Columbus Youth Council activities and also authorizes a contract with Prime Tours for a student-oriented trip to Washington, D.C.
The Columbus Youth Council (CYC) program gives Columbus high school juniors and seniors an opportunity to immerse themselves in city government and learn how they can become stewards in their community.
Students selected participate in several sessions dealing with topics such as the structure of city government, city housing & development, public safety, and much more. Students interact with members of the Columbus City Council as well as other community speakers. Along with in-person sessions, students collaborate with other CYC students on one of the three teams available and have ongoing communication during the week, working on various tasks. The teams include social media, recruitment, and graduation.
The end-of-school-year engagement for the current CYC cohort includes a trip to Washington, D.C. Students will have an opportunity to leverage the knowledge they have gained during meetings with federal legislators in order to advocate for issues central to youth residents. The trip will be organized by Prime Tours. Columbus City Council conducted an informal bidding process by acquiring three quotes, and Prime Tours was selected for providing the lowest bid. City Council deems this use of funding to be for a public purpose in that it advances the civic education, awareness, and understanding of government and legislative process among students. The total cost of the trip will be $54,050.00, which includes travel, meals, admission for tours and museums, and other incidental expenses. The 18 Youth Council participants will be accompanied by 5 Columbus City Council employees as chaperones.
These funds will be used to accommodate program costs, including supplies, professional services, travel, and other related costs.
Fiscal Impact: Funding is available wit...
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