Explanation
BACKGROUND: Columbus City Council, through the office of Councilmember Rob Dorans, has been awarded a $25,000 grant from The Ohio State University Alliance for the American Dream, a collaboration with Schmidt Futures, in support of Columbus City Council’s efforts to simplify the record expungement application process and expand access to legal support services for Columbus residents with a criminal record. The grant award is made available through January 1, 2021. The funds will be used to cover any costs to fully develop and complete the grant proposal, including to pay necessary expenses, administrative or technical assistance, related to the task of developing a grant proposal and associated projects for possible consideration of further investment by Schmidt Futures.
This ordinance is submitted as an emergency so as to allow the financial transaction to be posted in the city's accounting system as soon as possible. Up to date financial posting promotes accurate accounting and financial management.
FISCAL IMPACT: A total grant award of $25,000 from The Ohio State University Alliance for the American Dream, a collaboration with Schmidt Futures, is being awarded to Columbus City Council, through the office of Councilmember Rob Dorans. An acceptance and appropriation of said grant is required. Should expenses post to the grant that are not reimbursed, a transfer of funding from another source will be necessary.
Title
To authorize and direct Columbus City Council to apply for and accept a grant from The Ohio State University Alliance for the American Dream, a collaboration with Schmidt Futures; to authorize the appropriation of $25,000.00 from the unappropriated balance of the private grant fund; and to declare an emergency. ($25,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the existence of criminal records hinders the equitable growth and success of Columbus as a whole; and
WHEREAS, according to the Ohio Justice and Policy Center, 1.3 million Ohio jobs are either completely or partially off limits to Ohioans with previous criminal convictions; and
WHEREAS, Ohio Revised Code 2953.32 “Sealing of conviction record or bail forfeiture record,” allows eligible offenders to apply to the sentencing court if convicted in this state, or to a court of common pleas if convicted in another state or in a federal court, for the sealing of the record of the case that pertains to the conviction; and
WHEREAS, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, approximately 1 in 3 American adults have a criminal record; and
WHEREAS, according to the same study, among all individuals with criminal records, communities of color are most affected by incarceration and most put at a disadvantage by their criminal histories when seeking future employment ; and
WHEREAS, the goal of this grant is to fully develop and complete the grant proposal, including to pay necessary expenses, administrative or technical assistance, related to the task of developing a grant proposal and associated projects for possible consideration of further investment by Schmidt Futures; and
WHEREAS, The Ohio State University Alliance for the American Dream aims to generate innovative ideas to increase economic opportunities for local families; and
WHEREAS, $25,000.00 in grant funds have been made available through The Ohio State University Alliance for the American Dream, a collaboration with Schmidt Futures, in support of the city’s efforts to simplify the record expungement application process and expand access to legal support services for Columbus residents with a criminal record for a period through January 1, 2021; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to accept and appropriate these funds from The Ohio State University Alliance for the American Dream, a collaboration with Schmidt Futures, to Columbus City Council; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Mayor’s Office in that it is immediately necessary to accept these grant funds from The Ohio State University Alliance for the American Dream, a collaboration with Schmidt Futures, and to appropriate these funds to Columbus City Council 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 City Council is hereby authorized and directed to accept a grant award of $25,000.00 from The Ohio State University Alliance for the American Dream, a collaboration with Schmidt Futures, in support of the city’s efforts to simplify the record expungement application process and expand access to legal support services for Columbus residents with a criminal record for a period through January 1, 2021.
SECTION 2. That from the unappropriated monies in the private grant fund, Fund No. 2220, and from all monies estimated to come into said fund from any and all sources during the grant period, the sum of $25,000.00 is hereby appropriated upon receipt of an executed grant agreement in Fund No, 2220, Dept-Div 20-01, Grant to be determined by the Auditor, Object Class 03 to Columbus City Council, per the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That the monies appropriated in the foregoing Section 2 shall be paid upon the order of Columbus City Council and that no order shall be drawn or money paid except upon voucher, the form of which shall be approved by the City Auditor.
SECTION 4. That at the end of the grant period, any repayment of unencumbered balances required by the grantor is hereby authorized and any unused city match monies may be transferred back to the City fund from which they originated in accordance with all applicable grant agreements.
SECTION 5. That the funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are hereby deemed appropriated upon receipt of a signed agreement between the parties, and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 6. That 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 its passage and approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.