Explanation
BACKGROUND:
This ordinance authorizes the Franklin County Municipal Court Judges to accept additional services to the original proposal submitted by Deaf Services Center to provide sign language interpreter services. Formal bid SA005115 was done and closed on September 30, 2013. The contract with the Deaf Services Center was a three-year contract with an optional fourth year.
Deaf Services has requested a modification to the terms of the contract; specifically, to include foreign language services, some of which are not provided by the other five foreign language contracts. The rate would be $50 per hour for basic service and $55 per hour for request less than 24 hours’ notice. The Court has a need for Hakha Chin, Khmer, and Oromo which no other vendor can provide. The Court considers these rates fair and reasonable.
FISCAL IMPACT - using approximately 50 hours of basic services would cost the court $2,500 for the year.
EMERGECNY - Emergency legislation is requested to avoid an interruption in essential services and to ensure continued compliance with federal and state mandates regarding interpreting services.
Title
To authorize the Administrative and Presiding Judge of the Franklin County Municipal Court to modify its contract with the Deaf Services Center; and to declare an emergency.
Body
WHEREAS, it is necessary that the Franklin County Municipal Court provide foreign language interpreter services for non-English speaking persons that may come before the Court; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to modify its contract with the Deaf Services Center for these services because no other vendor currently under contract with the Court can provide interpreters for Hakha Chin, Khmer, and Oromo; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the city in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Administrative and Presiding Judge of the Franklin County Municipal Court to modify its contract with the Deaf Services Center for provision of foreign language interpreter services, thereby preserving the public health, peace, property, safety and welfare; Now, Therefore;
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Administrative and Presiding Judge of the Franklin County Municipal Court be and is hereby authorized to modify the contract with the Deaf Services Center to include foreign language services for Hakha Chin, Khmer, and Oromo.
SECTION 2. 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 its passage and approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.