Explanation
BACKGROUND: The City of Columbus health statistics show an increase in disease associated with obesity and an unhealthy lifestyle. To encourage healthy and active living Columbus Public Health with the support of City Council has budgeted $10,000.00 in the Neighborhood Initiatives Fund.
The purpose of this ordinance is to authorize the expenditure from the Neighborhood Initiatives Fund and to authorize the payment of $10,000.00 to The Columbus Foundation, Foundation for Active Living for the management of the 2020 Community Gardening Project.
The City’s Community Garden Initiative supports the City’s effort to build a fair and sustainable food system. As part of the Local Food Action Plan, community gardens improve access and education for healthy, affordable, and local food. But beyond improving food access, community gardens provide the space for powerful neighborhood-level social change. Since 2010, Columbus City Council has supported 256 gardens with funding of $171,280. In 2018, 34 gardens were supported by this grant including 6 new community gardens. In an effort to promote equitable healthy food access and social support networks, 74% of funded gardens were located in CelebrateOne priority neighborhoods in 2018.
The Foundation for Active Living is a donor-advised fund that was established by the Columbus Board of Health with The Columbus Foundation in 2008 under the authority of Ordinance No. 1210-2008, approved by City Council on July 14, 2008. Ordinance No. 0493-2011, approved by City Council on April 4, 2011, amended the agreement with The Columbus Foundation by authorizing The Columbus Foundation, Foundation for Active Living to accept funds from the City.
This ordinance is submitted as an emergency so as to allow the expenditure to be received by The Columbus Foundation, Foundation for Active Living as soon as possible for the development of community gardens.
FISCAL IMPACT: Funding for this ordinance is available in the amount of $10,000.00 in City Council’s Neighborhood Initiatives Fund.
Title
To authorize Columbus Public Health to make an expenditure of $10,000.00 from the Neighborhood Initiatives Fund to pay The Columbus Foundation, Foundation for Active Living for the management of the 2020 Community Gardening Projects; and to declare an emergency. ($10,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the City of Columbus would like to encourage healthy and active living to address the increase in diseases associated with obesity and sedentary lifestyle; and,
WHEREAS, community gardens are a great way to promote healthy foods and to offer local youth a way to learn something new about food and gardening; and,
WHEREAS, $10,000.00 from the Neighborhood Initiatives Fund will be expended to The Columbus Foundation, Foundation of Active Living for the management of the 2020 Community Gardening Project; and,
WHEREAS, the Foundation for Active Living, a donor-advised fund established at The Columbus Foundation by the Columbus Board of Health under the authority of Ordinance No. 1210-2008 and modified by Ordinance No. 0493-2011, is qualified and able to direct the funds for the management of the community gardens in Central Ohio; and,
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of Columbus Public Health in that it is immediately necessary to allow the appropriation and expenditure of City monies to The Columbus Foundation as soon as possible to distribute funding to local community gardens to ensure a successful start to the 2020 growing season and for the immediate 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 Columbus Public Health is authorized to expend $10,000.00 from the Neighborhood Initiatives Fund, Fund No. 1000, Subfund No. 100018 to pay The Columbus Foundation, Foundation of Active Living, for the management of the 2019 Community Gardening Project, as specified in the ordinance attachment.
SECTION 2. That for reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is 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.