Explanation
BACKGROUND: This legislation authorizes the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a grant agreement with Restoring Our Own Through Transformation (ROOTT) for the provision of services for a nine-month period that begins on March 1, 2020, and terminates on November 30, 2020. The total amount of this grant is $230,000.00 and will be funded from CARES Act funds.
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused unforeseen needs among Columbus and Franklin County residents. In addition, human service agencies working to meet those needs have been impacted by unforeseen and unbudgeted costs. As a result, many residents and nonprofit human service providers are experiencing economic instability. It is essential for the City of Columbus to invest in ways that increase their resilience and stability.
ROOTT is a Black women-led advocacy organization which offers doula services, health-care provider trainings and organizational consultation. These services provided by ROOTT cannot be provided by existing city employees because these services are beyond the City’s current staffing capacity to provide.
Emergency Designation: Emergency action is requested to ensure that Restoring Our Own Through Transformation (ROOTT) can begin providing additional services as soon as possible.
Fiscal Impact: Funding is provided to the City of Columbus from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act passed by Congress and signed into law March 27, 2020, and available in the Department of Development’s CARES Act budget (fund 2207, subfund 220702).
Title
To authorize the Director of Development to execute a grant agreement with Restoring Our Own Through Transformation (ROOTT), a Black women-led advocacy organization which offers doula services, health-care provider trainings and organizational consultation in an amount up to $230,000.00; to authorize an expenditure up to $230,000.00 from the CARES Act Fund; to authorize the payment of expenses starting March 1, 2020; and to declare an emergency. ($230,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the COVID-19 pandemic is causing unforeseen needs among Columbus and Franklin County residents and human service agencies working to meet those needs have been impacted by unforeseen and unbudgeted costs. As a result, many residents and nonprofit human service providers are experiencing economic instability; and
WHEREAS, expenditure of CARES Act funding will be used to provide assistance to eligible nonprofit human service agencies for eligible expenses and losses caused by, or in response to, the COVID-19 public health emergency; and
WHEREAS, the Director of the Department of Development desires to enter into grant agreement with Restoring Our Own Through Transformation (ROOTT) which will begin on March 1, 2020, and terminate on November 30, 2020; and
WHEREAS, the grant will be funded with Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act; and
WHEREAS, such expenditure of funds has not been previously accounted for in the 2020 Budget; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Development in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director to enter into a grant agreement with Restoring Our Own Through Transformation (ROOTT) so it can begin providing additional services as soon as possible, all for the 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 the Director of the Department of Development is authorized to enter into a grant agreement with Restoring Our Own Through Transformation (ROOTT), a Black women-led advocacy organization which offers doula services, health-care provider trainings and organizational consultation beginning on March 1, 2020, and ending November 30, 2020 in an amount up to $230,000.00.
SECTION 2. That for the purpose as stated in Section 1, the expenditure of $230,000.00 or so much thereof as may be necessary is hereby authorized in (fund 2207, subfund 220702 (CARES Act Fund), Dept. 44-01 (Administration), in Object Class 03 (Services) per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. Funds are hereby deemed appropriated and expenditures and transfers authorized to carry out the purposes of this ordinance, and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 4. That the City Auditor is authorized to make any accounting changes to revise the funding source for all contracts or contract modifications associated with this ordinance.
SECTION 5. That for the 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 approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.