Explanation
This ordinance authorizes the City of Columbus, Department of Technology, to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with Columbus Partnership (Partnership) to reimburse the Partnership $500,000.00 in CARES Act funding for the purchase of technology and services in support of remote learning for K-12 students. This is being done as part of the city and the Partnership’s efforts to provide remote connectivity for Columbus’ K-12 students.
K-12 public education statewide and within the City of Columbus in the midst of a teaching and learning paradigm shift that began before the Covid-19 pandemic. This shift expanded the traditional notion of the public classroom to an extended, or blended learning approach where a student’s education is augmented with rich K-12 content outside of the classroom.
The Covid-19 pandemic rapidly changed and reinforced the need to move to a virtual and blended learning approach to public education. In the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 school years, primary and secondary classrooms statewide were closed by executive order of the Governor due to Covid-19. Public schools across Ohio and the nation, continue to operate in a remote education or hybrid-learning models which require robust residential broadband connectivity to enable student access and learning.
With the on-going and ever-changing nature of Covid-19 locally, the need for various aspects of remote or blended learning for all K-12 students in Columbus continues.
As part of Community’s broadband outreach, and in order to provide residential connectivity for K-12 households, the City and Partnership are exploring alternative residential broadband connectivity technologies which may provide K-12 households with low-cost, affordable broadband options. To achieve this goal, with passage of this Ordinance, CARES Act funding will be used to support two (2) neighborhood broadband pilots as follows:
1. Internet equipment and services for up to 200 households $360,375
2. Fiber & Network Connectivity products and services $99,625
3. Project Management & Digital Literacy Outreach $40,000
Total: $500,000
In support of the efforts described above, and as further explained in the attached MOU, this ordinance authorizes the City to reimburse $500,000.00 in federal CARES Act funding to the Columbus Partnership. This reimbursement may be made in a single or in multiple disbursements.
FISCAL IMPACT
The City has received federal CARES act money to assist with the funding of municipal operations during and related to the COVID-19 pandemic. These funds are available to reimburse the Partnership for the above-described purpose.
EMERGENCY
Emergency status is requested so that these funds may be made available at the earliest possible date.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Technology to enter into an agreement/Memorandum of Understanding with Columbus Partnership to enable the reimbursement of federal CARES act funding so that Columbus Partnership can acquire broadband products and services in support of remote learning for K-12 students in Columbus City Schools; to authorize the expenditure of $500,000.00 in federal CARES act funding for the above-described purpose; and to declare an emergency. ($500,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the COVID-19 Pandemic has resulted in the need for K-12 students to learn virtually and/or in a hybrid learning model during the 2020-2021 school year; and
WHEREAS, it is important to provide residential broadband options that enable remote education and inform long-term options for remote education; and,
WHEREAS, the Partnerships estimates that $500,000.00 is needed to provide residential broadband for 200 K-12 households for 2020-2021 school year; and,
WHEREAS, the City has available federal CARES Act funding that can be used to reimburse the Partnership with this initiative; and
WHEREAS, expenditure of Cares Act funding to fund a residential broadband pilot project for up to 200 K-12 students is necessary to support remote learning, necessary due to the Covid-19 health emergency; and
WHEREAS, this ordinance authorizes the City of Columbus to enter into an agreement/ Memorandum of Understanding with Columbus Partnership so that the city can reimburse the Partnership for acquisition of broadband products and services to support remote learning for approximately 200 K-12 households; 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 Technology in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director to enter into an agreement/Memorandum of Understanding with the Columbus Partnership to enable the reimbursement to the Partnership for the purchase of broadband products and services in support of remote learning, for the preservation of the public health, peace, property and safety; now, therefore
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Director of the Department of Technology be and is hereby authorized to enter into an agreement, via a Memorandum of Understanding, with Columbus Partnership to enable the city to reimburse the Partnership $500,000.00 in federal CARES Act funding for the acquisition of broadband products and services to support remote learning for up to 200 K-12 Columbus City households.
SECTION 2. That the expenditure of $500,000.00 or so much thereof as may be necessary is hereby authorized to be expended from federal CARES act moneys as follows in the attachment to this ordinance. (see attachment 2527-2020 EXP)
SECTION 3: 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 4: That the funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are hereby deemed appropriated, and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
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 passage and approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.