Explanation
BACKGROUND: The Finance and Management Department, Office of Construction Management, employs personnel that are engaged in overseeing various construction and building renovation capital projects for the City. The staffing costs for the Office of Construction Management are initially expensed to the General Fund; however the portion that is project-specific can be capitalized. Doing so is consistent with earlier efforts by the Office of Construction Management to reimburse the General Fund when the General Fund has incurred expenses more appropriate to capital improvement funding. Most recently, Ordinance Nos. 1624-2012, passed August 1, 2012 and 1628-2012, passed July 25, 2012, collectively authorized $656,200.00 for this purpose. The Office of Construction Management tracks the hours each employee works on individual projects and bills these hours to the proper capital project. This process reimburses the General Fund for the portion of staff time attributable to capital projects.
Emergency action is requested so that reimbursement of the General Fund can occur as quickly as possible. Up-to-date financial posting promotes accurate accounting and financial management.
Fiscal Impact: This expenditure is budgeted and available within the Construction Management Capital Improvement Fund. This ordinance authorizes the expenditure of $300,000.00, or so much thereof, as may be necessary for this purpose.
Title
To authorize the Finance and Management Director to expend $300,000.00, or so much thereof as may be necessary, to reimburse the General Fund for construction and building renovation expenses incurred by the Office of Construction Management; to authorize an expenditure from the Construction Management Capital Improvement Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($300,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Office of Construction Management employs personnel engaged in construction and building renovation activities; and
WHEREAS, these costs can be capitalized; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize this expenditure in order to provide adequate operating resources for the Office of Construction Management; and
WHEREAS, companion legislation has been drafted, via ordinance 2123-2013, which authorizes the Finance and Management Director to expend $72,573 from various Capital Funds to reimburse the General Fund for construction and building renovation expenses incurred by the Office of Construction Management for project-specific costs; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize this expenditure in the event that expenses occur that were not contemplated by ordinance 2123-2013, or such expenses exceed the projected amount(s); and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Finance and Management Department, Office of Construction Management, in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Finance and Management Director to reimburse the General Fund, thereby preserving the public health, property, safety, and welfare; now, therefore:
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Finance and Management Director is hereby authorized to expend $300,000.00, or so much thereof as may be necessary, to reimburse the General Fund for construction and building renovation expenses incurred in connection with the capital improvements program.
SECTION 2. That the expenditure of $300,000.00 from or so much thereof may be necessary in regard to the action authorized in SECTION 1, be and is hereby authorized and approved as follows:
Division: 45-50
Fund: 733
Project: 570030-100102
OCA Code: 733302
Object Level 1: 06
Object Level 3: 6620
Amount: $300,000.00
SECTION 3. 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 4. 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 5. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized to transfer the unencumbered balance in a project account to the unallocated balance account within the same fund upon receipt of certification by the Director of the Department administering said project that the project has been completed and the monies are no longer required for said project.
SECTION 6. That for 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 its passage and approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves or vetoes the same.