Explanation
BACKGROUND: The City of Columbus has been awarded a Federal Fiscal Year 2019 STOP Violence Against Women Act (V.A.W.A) Sub Grant Award from the Department of Justice, Office of Violence Against Women and the Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services via the Franklin County Board of Commissioners, Office of Justice Policy and Programs. 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 total FY19 VAWA sub grant award amount to the City of Columbus is $23,438.34. The Columbus Division of Police (CPD) will provide $7,812.76 as a grant match. The total project costs will be $31,251.10.
CPD will 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. The 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. To this end, FY19 VAWA sub grant funds will cover city CPD overtime costs for this grant cycle.
The City must act as sub grantee to the Franklin County Office of Justice Policy and Programs. Therefore, the Director of Public Safety is required to sign a sub grantee award 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 meet grant deadlines and to make the funds available at the earliest possible time. The grant award period start date was January 1, 2020.
FISCAL IMPACT: There is no fiscal impact on the General Fund. Drug Seizure Funds will be used for the match. The remaining appropriated funds will be reimbursed by the grant award.
Title
To authorize and direct the Director of Public Safety of the City of Columbus to accept a sub grantee award through the FY19 STOP Violence Against Women Act Grant (VAWA) program 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; to authorize Sgt. Richard Ketcham as the official City representative to act in connection with the VAWA sub grant; to authorize an appropriation of $31,251.10 from the unappropriated balance of the General Government Grant Fund to the Division of Police; to authorize the transfer of funds within the Division of Police's Seizure Fund; to authorize the transfer of funds from the Division of Police’s Seizure Fund to the General Grant Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($31,251.10)
Body
WHEREAS, the City of Columbus, Division of Police, was awarded funding through the FY19 STOP Violence Against Women Act Grant (VAWA) program for overtime costs for the Division of Police’s Identifying and Managing High-Risk DV Offenders Project; and,
WHEREAS, the Identifying and Managing High-Risk DV Offenders Project objective is 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 is the official City representative authorized to act in connection with the VAWA sub grant; and,
WHEREAS, a grant match in the amount of $7,812.76 will be provided by the Division of Police’s Seizure Fund; and,
WHEREAS, the Franklin County Office of Justice Policy and Programs will provide the remaining grant match balance to meet the sub grant’s match requirement, 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, appropriate, and expend the $31,251.10 amount of the FY19 STOP Violence Against Women Act Grant (VAWA) program for overtime costs for the Division of Police’s Identifying and Managing High-Risk DV Offenders Project 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 and directed to accept a FY19 STOP Violence Against Women Act Grant (VAWA) award for overtime costs for the Division of Police’s Identifying and Managing High-Risk DV Offenders Project.
SECTION 2. That Sgt. Richard Ketcham be and is hereby authorized to act as the official City representative in connection with the VAWA sub grant.
SECTION 3. That the sum of $7,812.76 be and is hereby authorized to be transferred between object classes within the Division of Police's Seizure Fund, per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 4. That the sum of $7,812.76 be and is hereby authorized to be transferred from the Division of Police’s Seizure Fund to the 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 $31,251.10 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 agreement.
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.