Explanation
BACKGROUND: The City of Columbus has been awarded the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) 2018- Southern District Grant (Violent Crime Apprehension Program) from the Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services. The OCJS program provides funding to allow states and local governments to support a broad range of activities to prevent and control crime and improve the criminal justice system. The 2018 PSN award will provide funds for the purchase of a commercial license plate reader (LPR) license and 2 fixed LPR poles. The LPRs will work in conjunction with the Shot Spotter program and will help the City to glean vital information from the vehicles leaving the areas when CPD is alerted by the Shot Spotter program. The City will act as subgrantee to the Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services. Therefore, the Mayor is required to sign a subgrantee award on behalf of the City.
Emergency Designation: Emergency legislation is necessary to make the funds available as soon as possible as the grant award start date was August 1, 2019.
FISCAL IMPACT: All appropriated funds will be reimbursed by the grant award.
Title
To authorize the Mayor of the City of Columbus to accept a subgrantee award from the Project Safe Neighborhoods 2018- Southern District Grant (Violent Crime Apprehension Program) from the Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services; to authorize an appropriation of $124,998.90 from the unappropriated balance of the General Government Grant Fund to the Division of Police to cover the costs associated with the Project Safe Neighborhoods 2018- Southern District Grant (Violent Crime Apprehension Program); and to declare an emergency. ($124,998.90)
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WHEREAS, the Columbus Division of Police seeks to enhance and expand their ability to track criminals and enhance and expand their technological footprint by purchasing the appropriate safety equipment; and,
WHEREAS, the City of Columbus, Division of Police, was awarded funding through the Project Safe Neighborhoods 2018- Southern District Grant (Violent Crime Apprehension Program); and,
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operations of the Division of Police, Department of Public Safety, in that it is immediately necessary to accept and appropriate the Project Safe Neighborhoods 2018 award in order to make funds available for the grant award period, thereby preserving 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 Mayor of the City of Columbus be and is hereby authorized to accept a Project Safe Neighborhoods 2018- Southern District Grant (Violent Crime Apprehension Program).
SECTION 2. That from the unappropriated monies 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 $124,998.90 is appropriated in Fund 2220 General Government Grants in Object Class 03 and Object Class 02 per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance. This appropriation is effective upon receipt of the fully executed agreement.
SECTION 3. That the monies in the foregoing Section 2 shall be paid upon the 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 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.
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. That this ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after the earliest period allowed by law.