Explanation
This ordinance authorizes Columbus City Council to enter into contract with Stonewall Columbus in support of the 2018 Columbus Pride Festival. This legislation will assist Stonewall Columbus in their effort to procure and install “Pride” banners along streets in the central downtown business district in 2018.
Funding for this request coincides with the culmination of the 2018 Pride Festival and Parade June 15-17, 2018. Organizers expect up to 500,000 people to be in Columbus for the weekend festivities. The Columbus Pride Festival is the second largest in the Midwest and one of the top five in the country, generating millions in direct and indirect spending. The 2018 event will feature 12,000 parade participants, 3 performance stages, 250 performers, and 500 volunteers on-hand to assist with executing the event. Experience Columbus and the Greater Columbus Sports Commission use the increased awareness of the city that results from the Pride celebration and the city’s growing gay-friendly reputation to reach out to LGBTQ tourists and events.
Emergency action is requested so that funding can be in place for the 2018 Pride Festival.
Title
To authorize a grant agreement between Columbus City Council and Stonewall Columbus for installation of banners in downtown Columbus for the promotion of the 2018 Pride Festival and Parade; to authorize the appropriation and expenditure of $10,000.00 from the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund; and to declare an emergency. ($10,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, more than 117,000 commuters drive through downtown Columbus every day and more than 44.3 million visitors come to Columbus on an annual basis, and the Downtown Banner Program allows local organizations to promote annual events via banners hung throughout the city which bring attention to these organizations in a highly visible manner; and
WHEREAS, Stonewall Columbus has a long-term goal to expand the banner program throughout the downtown, to raise sufficient resources to replace older, distressed flags, and sustain the program from year to year and;
WHEREAS, the investment proposed by City Council would provide significant support toward the 2018 funding goal, and allow Stonewall to leverage private resources to achieve the short- and long-term goal of installing Pride banners throughout the downtown and;
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the City in that it is immediately necessary to authorize a grant agreement with Stonewall Columbus so that funding can be in place in time for the 2018 Pride Festival and for the preservation of 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 City Auditor be and is hereby authorized and directed to appropriate $10,000.00 in the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund, fund 1000, subfund 100018, to the Department of Recreation and Parks, in Object Class 03 - Contractual Services, per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
See Attached File: Ord 1631-2017 Legislation Template.xls
SECTION 2. That Columbus City Council is hereby authorized to enter into a grant agreement with Stonewall Columbus in the amount of $10,000.00 and to expend said funds appropriated in Section 1 for the installation of banners in downtown Columbus for the promotion of the 2018 Pride Festival and Parade.
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 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.