Explanation
This ordinance authorizes Columbus City Council to enter into a grant agreement with the Bhutanese Community of Central Ohio (BCCO) to maintain services to the Bhutanese-Nepali refugee population in Columbus.
As a result of substantial changes to federal immigration policy and attributed funding, many refugee resettlement organizations have experienced dramatic reductions in operational support. Despite Central Ohio’s Bhutanese-Nepali refugee population increasing by nearly 400% in the last 8 years, the BCCO has lost approximately 90% of its federal funding with the non-renewal of its Office of Refugee Resettlement grant.
Despite these reductions in federal support, the needs of the growing immigrant populations have not diminished. The BCCO provides direct services via case management to nearly 2,000 refugees and their families, and annually impacts more than 5,000 individuals each year via many programs, trainings, and events. Council’s support will sustain BCCO’s operations while allowing the BCCO to focus on delivering the broader services and programs needed by the community, and on the strategic direction of the BCCO, including advocacy, building partnerships and increasing funding through philanthropy, grants and other revenue.
Fiscal Impact: Funding is available within the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund.
Emergency action is requested in order to avoid any risk of reduction or cessation of critical service provision by the BCCO to the Bhutanese-Nepali refugee population in Columbus.
Title
To authorize Columbus City Council to enter into a grant agreement with the Bhutanese Community of Central Ohio; to authorize an appropriation and expenditure within the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund; and to declare an emergency. ($45,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Bhutanese Community of Central Ohio provides direct services via case management to nearly 2,000 refugees and their families annually impacts more than 5,000 individuals each year via many programs, trainings, and events; and
WHEREAS, as a result of substantial changes to federal immigration policy and attributed funding, many refugee resettlement organizations have experienced dramatic reductions in operational support; and
WHEREAS, Council’s support will sustain BCCO’s operations while allowing the BCCO to focus on delivering the broader services and programs needed by the community, and on the strategic direction of the BCCO, including advocacy, building partnerships and increasing funding through philanthropy, grants and other revenue; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily business of the city in that it is immediately necessary to authorize a grant agreement with the BCCO in order to avoid any risk of reduction or cessation of critical service provision by the BCCO to the Bhutanese-Nepali refugee population in Columbus; now, therefore,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That Columbus City Council is hereby authorized to enter into a grant agreement with the Bhutanese Community of Central Ohio in support of the organization’s refugee and immigrant service programs.
SECTION 2. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized and directed to appropriate $45,000.00 in the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund, fund 1000, subfund 100018, to Columbus City Council, in Object Class 03 - Contractual Services, per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That the expenditure of $45,000.00 or so much thereof as may be needed pursuant to the actions authorized in SECTION 1, is hereby authorized in the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund, fund 1000, subfund 100018, in Object Class 03 - Contractual Services, per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
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 legislation.
SECTION 5. That for the reasons stated in this ordinance's preamble, which are made a part of this ordinance, this ordinance is declared to be an emergency measure and is effective and in force from and after its passage and approval by the Mayor or ten (10) days after its passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes this ordinance.