City of Columbus - File #: 0723-2006

• File #: 0723-2006
• Version: 1
• Type: Ordinance
• Status: Passed
• File created: 4/3/2006
• In control: Safety Committee
• On agenda: 5/1/2006
• Final action: 5/1/2006
• Title: To authorize the Department of Public Safety to enter into contract with Ohio State University for an impact evaluation of the City's 311 Call Center and to authorize the expenditure of $29,900.00 from the Department of Justice COPS grant fund ($29,900.00).

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result
5/3/2006	1	MAYOR	Signed
5/3/2006	1	CITY CLERK	Attest
5/1/2006	1	Columbus City Council	Approved	Pass
5/1/2006	1	COUNCIL PRESIDENT	Signed
4/24/2006	1	Columbus City Council	Read for the First Time
4/13/2006	1	Safety Drafter	Sent to Clerk's Office for Council
4/11/2006	1	Safety Drafter	Sent for Approval
4/11/2006	1	Auditor Reviewer	Reviewed and Approved
4/11/2006	1	CITY AUDITOR	Reviewed and Approved
4/7/2006	1	Safety Drafter	Sent for Approval
4/7/2006	1	EBOCO Reviewer	Reviewed and Approved
4/7/2006	1	ODI DIRECTOR	Reviewed and Approved
4/6/2006	1	Finance Reviewer	Reviewed and Approved
4/6/2006	1	FINANCE DIRECTOR	Reviewed and Approved
4/6/2006	1	Safety Drafter	Sent for Approval
4/6/2006	1	CITY ATTORNEY	Reviewed and Approved
4/5/2006	1	SAFETY DIRECTOR	Reviewed and Approved
4/3/2006	1	Safety Drafter	Sent for Approval
4/3/2006	1	Safety Reviewer	Reviewed and Approved

Explanation

BACKGROUND: This legislation is needed to enter into an agreement with Ohio State University, a non -profit organization, for services related to an impact evaluation of the City's 311 Call Center; and to authorize the expenditure of Federal grant funds obtained from the Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Communities Policing Services (COPS), which originated through the passage of Ordinance 2438-2003.

On January 3, 2006, the Columbus Stat project accomplished its primary goal: establishing a centralized call center for residents to call for City services request. This call center was named the 311 Call Center, which was derived from the supporting 3-digit number, "3-1-1". This number was made available for the public's use on January 3rd, 2006.

Since the official opening, nearly 31,000 formal requests for City services have been published and sent to the appropriate City office for resolution. The City's 311 Call Center has received many favorable reports in the local media.

As previously mentioned, the City accepted a Department of Justice grant to assist in the implementation of the 311 Project. As a prerequisite for acceptance of these funds, an impact evaluation must be performed. The Ohio State University's Center for Collaborative for Enterprise Transformation and Innovation (CETI) has demonstrated that it can provide the evaluation services for the amount that DOJ has authorized for the evaluation. The ability to perform this evaluation is essential to meeting the requirements of the previously accepted Federal grant.

The 311 impact evaluation shall include, but not be limited to:

1. Determination as to whether and to what degree the goals and objectives outlined in the grant application proposal were realized.

2. Determining the impact of the 311 system on the 911 system through the reduction of non-safety calls to the 911 Call Center.

3. Determining the impact of the 311 system on the delivery of City s...