Explanation
1. BACKGROUND
This legislation authorizes the City Auditor to transfer appropriation in the amount of $1,192,077.23 within the 2016 USDOT Smart City Award grant for the Smart City Program Office to be able to seek reimbursement of up to $1.25 million in personnel expenses estimated to be eligible for reimbursement under this grant for the remainder of the grant term.
On June 23, 2016, the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) awarded the City of Columbus up to $40 million in federal funds for the Smart City Challenge. The purpose of the funding is to assist in implementation of the City’s proposal to demonstrate how advanced data and intelligent transportation systems technologies and applications can be used to reduce congestion, keep travelers safe, protect the environment, respond to climate change, connect underserved communities, and support economic vitality.
Ordinance 2824-2016 authorized the City Auditor to appropriate funds within the 2016 USDOT Smart City Award for estimated expenses for the first and second years of the Smart City Challenge program. $1.25 million in personnel expenses are estimated to be eligible for reimbursement for the remaining term of the grant. This legislation is transferring appropriation within the 2016 USDOT Smart City Award to pay for the personnel expenses while awaiting reimbursement from USDOT for them.
2. FISCAL IMPACT
This is a reimbursable budgeted expense of $1,250,000.00 for this project within Fund 7768 (Smart City Grant Program), Grant G591610 (2016 USDOT Smart City Award). The grant currently has $57,922.77 in available appropriation in Object Class 01 (Personnel) and $1,227,905.55 in available appropriation in Object Class 03 (Purchased Services). (Object Class 03 currently shows $1,617,905.55 in available appropriation. Ordinance 3148-2019 currently going through approvals transfers $390,000.00 of this appropriation to Object Class 02.) It is necessary to transfer appropriation in the amount of $1,192,077.23 from Object Class 03 to Object Class 01 to have sufficient appropriation for the personnel expenses.
3. EMERGENCY DESIGNATION
Emergency action is requested to allow the personnel expenses to be reimbursed by USDOT as quickly as possible.
Title
To authorize the City Auditor to transfer appropriation in the amount of $1,192,077.23 within the Smart City Grant Program to pay for personnel expenses eligible to be reimbursed by the United States Department of Transportation in relation to the Smart City program; and to declare an emergency. ($0.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) awarded the City of Columbus up to $40 million in federal funds in a reimbursable grant for the Smart City Challenge; and
WHEREAS, some City personnel expenses are eligible for reimbursement under the terms of the award; and
WHEREAS, Ordinance 2824-2016 appropriated funds for personnel costs in an amount estimated to be needed for the first two years of the Smart City Challenge; and
WHEREAS, additional appropriation is needed to pay personnel costs estimated to be $1.25 million for the remainder of the grant term; and
WHEREAS, appropriation is available within the 2016 USDOT Smart City Award grant fund but needs to be transferred between object classes; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Public Service in that it is immediately necessary to authorize a transfer of appropriation to allow the personnel expenses to be reimbursed by USDOT as quickly as possible, thereby preserving 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 transfer of appropriation in the amount of $1,192,077.23 is hereby authorized within Fund 7768 (Smart City Grant Program), from Dept-Div 5912 (Design and Construction), Grant G591610 (2016 USDOT Smart City Award), Object Class 03 (Purchased Services) to Dept-Div 5912 (Design and Construction), Grant G591610 (2016 USDOT Smart City Award), Object Class 01 (Personnel) per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 2. 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 3. 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 10 days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.