Explanation
This ordinance authorizes Columbus City Council to apply for and accept a grant award from Welcoming America Inc. to support the city’s efforts around communications to the New Americans communities.
Columbus City Council has been awarded a $10,000 grant from Welcoming America Inc. in support of the city’s engagement efforts to improve transparency and communication for non-English speaking residents. The grant award is made available through September 30, 2020, and the funds granted will be used to develop a series of culturally-specific Public Service Announcement (PSA) videos targeting New Americans, immigrants, and refugees in Central Ohio. The videos will balance timely COVID-19 related content with general information regarding access to essential services and resources.
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 $10,000 from Welcoming America Inc. is being awarded to the City of Columbus, through Columbus City Council. An acceptance and appropriation of said grant is required. A total of 100% of the funds will be granted in advance. In addition, the $10,000 grant award will be supplemented with $10,000 from the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund.
Title
To authorize Columbus City Council to apply for and accept a grant from Welcoming America Inc.; to authorize an appropriation from the unappropriated balance of the private grant fund; to authorize an appropriation within the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund; and to declare an emergency. ($20,000.00) (REPEALED BY ORD. 2540-2020; PASSED 11/9/2020)
Body
WHEREAS, the success and vitality of Columbus as a whole is dependent upon critical information getting to the masses, no matter their level of English fluency; and
WHEREAS, with the funds, members will work on projects that improve access to lifesaving information, including making documents and information accessible to the visually impaired, text messaging services, non-digital strategies for emergency information dissemination, and more; and
WHEREAS, Columbus City Council won a competitive grant from Welcoming America, Inc. to create culturally-specific Public Service Announcement (PSA) videos targeting New Americans, immigrants, and refugees in Central Ohio; and
WHEREAS, the goal of this grant is to provide all residents with videos that will balance timely COVID-19 related content with general information regarding access to essential services and resources.
WHEREAS, Welcoming America Inc. provides members with training, shareable information, and a network of support. Columbus renewed its membership most recently in 2020; and
WHEREAS, $10,000.00 in grant funds have been made available through Welcoming America Inc. to Columbus City Council, in support of the city’s engagement efforts to develop a series of culturally-specific Public Service Announcement (PSA) videos targeting New Americans, immigrants, and refugees in Central Ohio for a period through September 30, 2020; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to accept and appropriate these funds from Welcoming America Inc. to Columbus City Council; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of Columbus City Council in that it is immediately necessary to apply for and accept these grant funds from Welcoming America Inc. and to appropriate these funds to Columbus City Council for the immediate preservation of 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 to apply for and accept a grant from Welcoming America Inc. in support of the city’s engagement efforts with New Americans, immigrants and refugees for a period through September 30, 2020.
SECTION 2. That from the unappropriated monies in the private grant fund, Fund No. 2291 and from all monies estimated to come into said fund from any and all sources during the grant period, the sum of $10,000.00 is hereby appropriated upon receipt of an executed grant agreement to Columbus City Council, Dept-Div 20-01 in Fund 2291, Grant No. to be determined by Auditor, Object Class 03 per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That the Auditor is hereby authorized and directed to appropriate $10,000.00 within the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund to Columbus City Council per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 4. That the monies appropriated in the foregoing Section 2 shall be paid upon the order of the Council President and that no order shall be drawn or money paid except upon voucher, the form which shall be approved by the City Auditor.
SECTION 5. 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 6. 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 7. 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.