Explanation
BACKGROUND:
This ordinance repeals Ordinance 2135-2025, passed by City Council on July 28, 2025. The grant agreement authorized under said ordinance has not been executed, and since the passage of the ordinance, the desired grant amount has changed. In addition to the repeal, this ordinance authorizes the City Clerk to enter into a grant agreement with The Ohio State University in support of the Opportunity Port program operated by the Drug Enforcement and Policy Center.
The Drug Enforcement and Policy Center promotes and supports interdisciplinary, evidence-based research, education on illicit drugs and marijuana, and provide record relief services through two service engagement projects, Opportunity Port (sealing and expungement) and the Ohio Governor Expedited Pardon Project (clemency).
Opportunity Port's mission is to make sealing/expungement application assistance more consistently available and more accessible through mobile-friendly, remote-based services.
Opportunity Port expanded services statewide in January 2024, enabling its service providers to prepare (but not file) applications to seal/expunge criminal matters outside of Franklin County. Given this, Franklin County residents can therefore be provided with more comprehensive legal assistance through Opportunity Port.
The funding being requested from Council will support Franklin County operations only.
Emergency Designation: This legislation seeks to declare an emergency to ensure that there are no gaps or delays in the provision of record-sealing services given the delay in the execution of the grant agreement and to ensure that the services continue to be provided to the community without interruption.
FISCAL IMPACT: Funding is available within the within the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund.
Title
To authorize the City Clerk to enter into a grant agreement with The Ohio State University in support of the Opportunity Port program operated by the Drug Enforcement and Policy Cen...
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