Explanation
This ordinance authorizes Columbus City Council to enter into a grant agreement with Thurber House to support their operations in providing additional services during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Thurber House, through its museum and literary arts programming, provides opportunities for adults and children in the city of Columbus and beyond, to develop life-long skills of good communication, specifically reading and writing, and preserving the legacy of Columbus’ hometown humorist and arts hero, James Thurber.
Thurber House, as the only literary center in the City, has provided literary arts experiences to over 250,000 adults and children in the community for the last 35 years. It is a cultural gem that has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Since the onset of the pandemic, Thurber House experienced a temporary closure and loss of an estimated $82,000 of program revenue due to the cancellation of programs and moving some programs online at a low-to-no cost to the community. Thurber House has maintained employment of all 4.5 of its employees but has seen increased and unexpected expenses related to personal protective equipment (PPE) and technical/digital/virtual services to maintain organizational productivity.
Fiscal Impact: Funding is available within the CARES Act fund.
Emergency action is requested to ensure that Thurber House can begin providing additional services as soon as possible.
Title
To authorize Columbus City Council to enter into a grant agreement with Thurber House; to authorize a transfer of appropriations and an expenditure within the CARES Act fund; and to declare an emergency. ($18,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, during the ongoing pandemic, Thurber House continues its literary arts programming for children and adults in remote settings; and
WHEREAS, over 7,000 children and adults in Columbus depend on Thurber House each year to provide educational and entertaining arts programs that help build and expand their literacy, and fuel their creativity; and
WHEREAS, expenditure of CARES Act funding will be used to provide assistance to Thurber House for eligible expenses and losses caused by, or in response to, the COVID-19 public health emergency; 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 City in that it is immediately necessary to authorize City Council to enter into a grant agreement with Thurber House to provide the resources necessary to sustain agency operations and services to residents, for the preservation of the public health, 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 enter into a grant agreement with Thurber House to support their operations in providing additional services during the COVID-19 pandemic.
SECTION 2: That the City Auditor is hereby authorized and directed to transfer appropriations within in the CARES Act fund, fund 2207, subfund 220702, per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That for the purpose as stated in Section 1, the expenditure of $18,000.00 or so much thereof as may be necessary is hereby authorized in the CARES Act fund, fund 2207, subfund 220702, in Object Class 03 (Services) per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 4. 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 5. 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 6. 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.