Explanation
This legislation authorizes the Director of the Department of Development to execute a grant agreement with the Workforce Development Board of Central Ohio (WDBCO), in the amount up to $600,000.00 of Neighborhood Economic Development funds, for the purpose of supporting the Employer Workforce Training Investment Program, with a contract term start date of March 1, 2020.
Ordinance 2534-2020 authorized the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a grant agreement with the Workforce Development Board of Central Ohio (WDBCO) in an amount up to $1,000,000.00 for the purpose of supporting the Employer Workforce Training Investment Program.
During discussion of drafting the agreement, it was discovered that the department’s commitment to supporting some renovation of the Columbus-Franklin County OhioMeansJobs Center to allow for increased physical distancing and improved sanitation in response to COVID-19 was not included in the original ordinance. Additionally, the agreement authorized under Ordinance 2534-2020 is terminated as of November 30, 2020, and the Employer Workforce Training Investment Program has not yet been implemented so those expenses would not be eligible CARES Act expenses under current federal guidelines.
Because of these issues, it is necessary to put forth a new ordinance to fund the Employer Workforce Training Investment Program from non-CARES Act funds. A separate ordinance will be put forth to fund supporting some renovations of the Columbus-Franklin County OhioMeansJobs Center to allow for increased physical distancing and improved sanitation in response to COVID-19. The renovations will be funded from CARES Act funds.
These services provided by WDBCO cannot be provided by existing city employees because these services are beyond the City’s current staffing capacity to provide.
Emergency legislation is requested in order to implement the program as soon as possible to address negative impacts of COVID-19 on small businesses.
Contract Compliance: the vendor number is 018152 and contract compliance expires 11/19/2022.
Fiscal Impact: Funding in the amount up to $600,000.00 is available in Fund 2237.
Title
To authorize the Director of Development to execute a grant agreement with the Workforce Development Board of Central Ohio in an amount up to $600,000.00 for the purpose of supporting the Employer Workforce Training Investment Program; to authorize the appropriation and expenditure up to $600,000.00 from the Neighborhood Economic Development fund; to authorize the payment of expenses starting March 1, 2020; and to declare an emergency. ($600,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the City Council approved Ordinance 2534-2020 authorizing the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a grant agreement with the Workforce Development Board of Central Ohio (WDBCO) in an amount up to $1,000,000.00 for the purpose of supporting the Employer Workforce Training Investment Program; and
WHEREAS, during discussion of drafting the agreement, it was discovered that the department’s commitment to supporting some renovation of the Columbus-Franklin County OhioMeansJobs Center (Job Center) to allow for increased physical distancing and improved sanitation in response to COVID-19 was not included in the original ordinance, the contract authorized under Ordinance 2534-2020 expired on November 30, 2020, and the Employer Workforce Training Investment Program is not an eligible expense due to timing of the program (under current federal guidelines); and
WHEREAS, this ordinance funds the Employer Workforce Training Investment Program, with a contract term start date of March 1, 2020; and
WHEREAS, the Employer Workforce Training Investment Program seeks to increase skills of incumbent and newly hired workers in small to medium, minority owned, women owned, and veteran owned businesses within the city of Columbus to help with retention and engagement; and
WHEREAS, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in lack of funding in small to medium sized businesses for skills training and development of their workforce and skills development and training are important for individual and business stability; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Development in that it is immediately necessary to enter into grant agreement in order to implement the program as soon as possible to address negative impacts of COVID-19 on small businesses, such immediate action being necessary 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 Development is authorized to enter into a grant agreement with Workforce Board of Central Ohio for the purpose of supporting the Employer Workforce Training Investment Program beginning on March 1, 2020, in an amount up to $600,000.00.
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 fiscal year ended December 31, 2020, the sum of $600,000.00 is appropriated in fund 2237 (Neighborhood Economic Development), Dept. 44-02 (Economic Development), in Object Class 03 (Services) per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That for the purpose as stated in Section 1, the expenditure of $600,000.00, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby authorized in fund 2237 (Neighborhood Economic Development), Dept. 44-02 (Economic Development), in Object Class 03 (Services) per the accounting codes in the attachment to 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 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.