Explanation
This ordinance authorizes a grant agreement between Columbus City Council and the Simon Kenton Council, Boy Scouts of America, in support of its Refugee and Immigrant Outreach program.
The Boy Scouts of America seeks to expand its outreach to the refugee and immigrant community in the Hilltop and Wedgewood neighborhood. This includes growth in organizational partnerships related to this effort, and include My Project USA, ETSS, New Bridge and Bridge Gate schools, Eakin Elementary school and area mosques. The goal is to provide positive mentorship and experiences for youth who are otherwise at risk of negative community influences like drugs, trafficking, and crime.
In 2017, Columbus City Council provided funding to initiate the programming in West Side neighborhoods. Through the continued support of Council, the Simon Kenton Council will expand Scouting to these youth at no cost to their families. They will be provided registration, uniforms, weekly activities, field trips to camp and other outdoor adventures, and stipend program leaders to serve as mentors. The focus is on boys ages 6-18. Through Scouting they will learn about citizenship, be provided with community service opportunities, and work on their reading and language skills. Close to 250 youth will be served through this effort with programs already running through My Project USA, and early stages of programs with ETSS and the area elementary schools.
Fiscal Impact: Funding is available within the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund.
Emergency action is requested in order to avoid any reduction in current service provision levels or delays in expanding the program.
Title
To authorize Columbus City Council to enter into a grant agreement with the Simon Kenton Council, Boy Scouts of America, in support of its Refugee and Immigrant Outreach program; to authorize an appropriation and expenditure within the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund; and to declare an emergency. ($15,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, for over 100 years, the Boy Scouts of America have provided programming to boys that instills independence, promotes citizenship, offers community service opportunities, and provides a sense of belonging in a structured environment; and
WHEREAS, the Simon Kenton Council, one of the largest Boy Scouts councils in the nation, delivers the Scouting program to more than 18,000 youths in 18 counties throughout Ohio and northern Kentucky; and
WHEREAS, the Simon Kenton Council plans to offer the Scouting experience to youths living among the refugee and immigrant communities in central Ohio; 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 Simon Kenton Council, Boy Scouts of America, in order to avoid any reduction in current service provision levels or delays in expanding the program; 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 Simon Kenton Council, Boy Scouts of America, in support of its Refugee and Immigrant Outreach program.
SECTION 2. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized and directed to appropriate $15,000.00 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 $15,000.00 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.