Explanation
BACKGROUND:
This ordinance authorizes the appropriation and expenditure of $89,725 for fiscal year 2017 within the Franklin County Municipal Court’s Assisted Self Help indigent fund. Construction of the space for the Franklin County Municipal Court Self Help Resource Center was recently completed by Franklin County, and limited operations began in January 2016. The Self Help Resource Center will be operating full time within the next month. The program provides information about the court system and non-legal assistance to civil litigants qualifying as indigent and appearing pro se before the Court.
To support the program, the Franklin County Municipal Court instituted a special project cost, as authorized by Ohio Revised Code, § 1901.26(B)(1). The project cost is a $1.00 charge for all civil, traffic, and criminal cases. Funds are to be used for the Franklin County Municipal Court to pay the Moritz College of Law for services of an attorney to staff and provide services at the Self Help Resource Center.
Contract Compliance Number: Moritz College of Law (Ohio State University) 316025986
EMERGENCY: Emergency action is requested to have the contract in place by the start date August 10, 2017.
Title
To authorize the appropriation and expenditure of $89,725.00 for 2017 from the unappropriated balance of the Franklin County Municipal Court Judges assisted civil self-help fund and to contract with the Moritz College of Law; and to declare an emergency. ($89,725.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the term of the contract will be August 10, 2017 to November 12, 2018; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the Administrative and Presiding Judge to enter into this contract with Moritz College of Law to provide service for the Help Center; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Franklin County Municipal Court in that it is immediately necessary to enter into said contract and authorize the expenditures to Moritz College of Law so that the court can continue uninterrupted payments to the vendor, and for the preservation of the public health, peace, safety, and welfare; now, therefore;
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the sum of $89,725 be and is hereby appropriated from the unappropriated balance of the special revenue fund, fund 2226, subfund 222605, and from all monies estimated to come into said fund from any and all sources unappropriated for any other purposes during the fiscal year ending December 31, 2017, to the Franklin County Municipal Court Judges, department number 2501.
SECTION 2. That the Administrative and Presiding Judge of the Franklin County Municipal Court be and is hereby authorized to enter into contract with Moritz College of Law for the provision of Help Center services.
SECTION 3. That the expenditure of $89,725.00, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is authorized from the Franklin County Municipal Court, see attachment; to pay the costs thereof.
SECTION 4. That for the reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which 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.