Explanation
BACKGROUND: This legislation authorizes the Director of the Department of Development to increase Purchase Orders to pay costs associated with tax foreclosures as a part of the Mayor’s Vacant and Abandoned Properties Initiative. In 2012, the Franklin County Treasurer, Franklin County Prosecutor, City Attorney, the County Land Bank, and Land Redevelopment office developed a process to expedite tax foreclosure cases for properties in need of demolition. As counsel for the Franklin County Treasurer, the Franklin County Prosecutor issued a competitive bid for Legal Services for these foreclosures, under County RFP# 2012-43-32. The Prosecutor selected three law firms, Alban and Alban, LP; Gingo Palumbo Law Group, LLC.; and Luper, Neidenthal and Logan as the lowest and best bids for the service and was authorized to enter into contract with these firms through Franklin County Resolution 0246-13. The work includes Legal Services that are typically paid by the City Land Bank Program, including title policy and recording fees. The existing purchase orders will be increased by a total of $30,000.
FISCAL IMPACT: Funds are available in the Development Taxable Bonds Fund.
EMERGENCY JUSTIFICATION: Emergency action is requested in order to continue ongoing activities with the Mayor’s Vacant and Abandoned Properties Initiative without interruption.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Development to increase Purchase Orders with Alban and Alban, LP, Gingo Palumbo Law Group, LLC., and Luper Neidenthal and Logan to pay costs associated with tax foreclosures as a part of the Mayor’s Vacant and Abandoned Properties Initiative; to authorize the expenditure of $30,000.00 from the Housing Preservation Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($30,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, in 2012, the Franklin County Treasurer, Franklin County Prosecutor, City Attorney, the County Land Bank and Land Redevelopment office developed a process to expedite tax foreclosure cases for properties in need of demolition; and
WHEREAS, as council for the Franklin County Treasurer, the Franklin County Prosecutor issued a competitive bid for Legal Services for these foreclosures, under County RFP# 2012-43-32; and
WHEREAS, the Franklin County Prosecutor selected three law firms, Alban and Alban, LP; Gingo Palumbo Law Group, LLC.; and Luper Neidenthal and Logan as the lowest and best bids for the service and was authorized to enter into contract with these firms through Franklin County Resolution 0246-13; and
WHEREAS, the work includes Legal Services that are typically paid by the City Land Bank Program, including title policy and recording fees and these services are inseparable from the underlying foreclosure work and in meetings with the Franklin County Prosecutor, the City agreed to pay for these expenses; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Development in that it is immediately necessary to increase these Purchase Orders to continue ongoing activities with the Mayor’s Vacant and Abandoned Properties Initiative without interruption, all for the preservation of the public health, peace, property, safety and welfare; and NOW THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Director of the Department of Development is hereby authorized to increase the following Purchase Orders to pay costs associated with tax foreclosures as a part of the Mayor’s Vacant and Abandoned Properties Initiative:
Alban and Alban, LP, (ED 049977)
Gingo Palumbo Law Group, LLC. (ED 049965)
Luper Neidenthal and Logan (ED 050407)
SECTION 2. That for the purposes stated in Section 1, the expenditure of $30,000 from the Housing Preservation Bonds Fund is hereby authorized as follows:
Fund: 782
Project: 782001-100000
Project Name: Housing Preservation
Object Level One: 03
Object Level Three: 6616
OCA Code: 782001
Amount: $30,000
SECTION 3. That the City Auditor is authorized to make any accounting changes to revise the funding source for any contract or contract modification associated with this ordinance.
SECTION 4. 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 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 the 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 passage and approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.