Explanation
BACKGROUND: The Federal Fiscal Year 2018 STOP Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Program Subgrant Award (ORD 0679-2019) from the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women and the Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services via the Franklin County Board of Commissioners, Office of Justice Policy and Programs has been fully expended. The VAWA program provides funding to allow states and local governments to support a broad range of activities to reduce domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking by strengthening services to victims and holding offenders accountable. The Office of Justice Policy and Programs has recently re-allocated funding to increase the VAWA award and to extend the project period from December 31, 2019 to March 31, 2020. The original awarded amount of $28,524.92 to the City of Columbus has been increased by $9,936.87, to equal a modified total of $38,461.79. The Columbus Division of Police (CPD) will increase the original $1,501.26 required local cash match amount by $3,312.30, to equal a modified total of $4,813.56. Therefore, the original VAWA Project Total of $30,026.18 will be increased by $13,249.17, for a modified VAWA Project Total cost of $43,275.35.
The CPD Identifying and Managing High-Risk DV Offenders Project objective is to increase the knowledge level of the justice agencies participating in the group project to ensure the most swift and coordinated community response for victims of domestic violence. With this additional funding, CPD can continue its grant project collaboration with Franklin County Municipal Court, Department of Pretrial and Probation Services and Columbus City Attorney’s Office Domestic Violence Unit to further develop processes to better identify and manage high-risk domestic violence offenders as they move through probation services, through the extended grant effective period of March 31, 2020.
The Director of Public Safety is required to authorize acceptance of the increased subgrantee award and appropriate the additional funding on behalf of the City. The official City program contact authorized to act in connection with the Identifying and Managing High-Risk DV Offenders Project is Special Victims Bureau CPD Domestic Violence Unit Sergeant Richard Ketcham.
Emergency Designation: Emergency legislation is necessary to make the increase of appropriation immediately available in order to continue the grant project activities through to the extended grant award expiration date of March 31, 2020.
FISCAL IMPACT: There is no fiscal impact on the General Fund. Drug Seizure Funds will be used for the required cash match increase. The remaining appropriated funds will be reimbursed by the grant award.
Title
To authorize the Director of Public Safety of the City of Columbus to accept a subgrant award funding increase and award period extension to the FY18 STOP Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Program Subgrant Award; to authorize Sgt. Richard Ketcham as the official City representative to continue to act in connection with the VAWA Subgrant; to authorize the appropriation of funds from the Division of Police's Seizure Fund and transfer to the General Grant Fund; to authorize additional appropriation from the unappropriated balance of the General Government Grant Fund to the Division of Police; and to declare an emergency. ($13,249.17)
Body
WHEREAS, the City of Columbus, Division of Police, was awarded a funding increase and award period extension for the FY18 STOP Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Program Subgrant Award for overtime costs for the Division of Police’s Identifying and Managing High-Risk DV Offenders Project; and,
WHEREAS, the CPD Identifying and Managing High-Risk DV Offenders Project objective will continue to expand collaborative efforts between the project justice partners to better identify and manage high-risk domestic violence offenders as they move through probation services to ensure a swift and coordinated community response for victims of domestic violence; and,
WHEREAS, Sgt. Richard Ketcham will continue as the official City representative authorized to act in connection with the VAWA Subgrant; and,
WHEREAS, a required 25% grant match in the amount of $3,312.30 will be provided by the Division of Police’s Seizure Fund; and,
WHEREAS, emergency legislation is needed to continue grant project activities and to make grant funds available at the earliest possible time because the grant award period end date was extended through March 31, 2020; and,
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual and daily operation of the Division of Police, Department of Public Safety, in that it is immediately necessary to accept and expend an additional appropriation $13,249.17 amount for the FY18 STOP Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Program Subgrant Award for overtime costs to continue the Division of Police’s Identifying and Managing High-Risk DV Offenders Project through the extended grant award expiration date of March 31, 2020 for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, property, safety, and welfare; now, therefore:
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Public Safety Director of the City of Columbus be and is hereby authorized to accept a FY18 STOP Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Program Subgrant Award increase for overtime costs to continue the Division of Police’s Identifying and Managing High-Risk DV Offenders Project through the extended grant award expiration date of March 31, 2020.
SECTION 2. That Sgt. Richard Ketcham be and is hereby authorized to continue to act as the official City representative in connection with the VAWA Subgrant.
SECTION 3. That the sum of $3,312.30 be and is hereby authorized to be appropriated from the Division of Police’s Seizure Fund, per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 4. That the sum of $3,312.30 be and is hereby authorized to be transferred to the Division of Police’s General Government Grant Fund, per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 5. That from the unappropriated monies in the General Government Grant Fund and from all monies estimated to come into said fund from any and all sources and unappropriated for any other purpose during the Project Period, the sum of $13,249.17 is appropriated in Fund 2220 General Government Grants in Object Class 01 Personnel per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance. This appropriation is effective upon receipt of the fully-executed subgrant award modification.
SECTION 6. That the monies in the foregoing Section 5 shall be paid upon order of the Director of Public Safety, and that no order shall be drawn or money paid except by voucher, the form of which shall be approved by the City Auditor.
SECTION 7. 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 8. That the funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are hereby deemed appropriated.
SECTION 9. 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.