Explanation
BACKGROUND: This legislation authorizes the expenditure of $140,000 to engage the professional services of Columbus Sister Cities International, Inc. (CSCI) to administer the Columbus Sister Cities International Program for the purpose of promoting business, government, cultural, educational and environmental exchanges between the Columbus Sister Cities as well as long term economic development. The ten Sister Cities are: Accra in Ghana, Ahmedabad in India, Curtiba in Brazil, Dresden in Germany, Genoa in Italy, Hefei in China, Herzliya in Israel, Odense in Denmark, Seville in Spain and Tainan in Taiwan. City funding has been provided in previous years to support staffing and administrative cost of CSCI. CSCI has worked diligently to raise capital for its overall operation. Additional support is required to maintain a full-time executive director and to defray miscellaneous administrative cost.
FISCAL IMPACT: $140,000 in the 2019 General Fund Budget has been allocated for Columbus Sister Cities International, Inc.
Emergency action is requested to allow Columbus Sister Cities, International, Inc. to continue to provide uninterrupted services in the promotion and implementation of international projects.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a contract with Columbus Sister Cities International, Inc for the purpose of promoting business, government, cultural, educational and environmental exchanges between the Columbus Sister Cities; and to authorize the appropriation and expenditure with the Neighborhood Initiatives Subfund; and to authorize the expenditure of $140,000.00 from the 2019 General Fund Budget; and to declare an emergency. ($140,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Columbus Sister Cities International Program promotes business, government, cultural, educational and environmental exchanges between the Sister Cities; and
WHEREAS, the ten Sister Cities are: Accra, Ghana; Ahmedabad, India; Curtiba, Brazil; Dresden, Germany; Genoa, Italy; Hefei, China; Herzliya, Israel; Odense, Denmark; Seville, Spain; Tainan, Taiwan; and
WHEREAS, the funding for this project will be used for administrative costs associated with the Columbus Sister Cities International Inc.’s Program; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Development desires to enter into contract with Columbus Sister Cities International, Inc. for the purpose of continuing to promote long term economic development with the sister cities; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Development, in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director of the Department of Development to enter into contract with Columbus Sister Cities International, Inc., thereby, continuing the City’s effort to promote educational, governmental, cultural economic and environmental exchanges with the City’s existing sister cities and to explore the possibility of recruiting new sister cities worldwide for the preservation of the public health, peace, property and safety;
NOW THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
Section 1. That the Director of the Department of Development is hereby authorized to enter into contract with Columbus Sister Cities International, Inc. for the purpose of promoting educational, governmental, cultural, economic and environmental exchanges with the City’s existing sister cities.
Section 2. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized and directed to appropriate $57,500.00 in the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund, fund 1000, subfund 100018, to the Department of Development per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
Section 3. That for the purpose stated in Section 1, the expenditure of $140,000 or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized in Fund 1000 General Fund in Object Class 03 Contractual Services per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
Section 4. That this contract is awarded in accordance with the relevant provisions of City Code Chapter 329 relating to not-for-profit service contracts.
Section 5. 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 6. For 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 approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.