Explanation
BACKGROUND
This ordinance authorizes the Administrative and Presiding Judge of the Franklin County Municipal Court to accept a grant in the amount of $82,934.00 from the Columbus Bar Foundation, and a grant in the amount of $82,934.00 from the State Justice Institute, and to appropriate from the unappropriated balance of the general government grant fund to the Self-Help Center of Franklin County Municipal Court, the total amount of the grants, $165,868.00. Together these grants will provide support to pilot and officially integrate an innovative social work component into the Franklin County Municipal Court Self-Help Center. The Self Help Center was temporarily able to contract with a social worker through CARES Act funding provided by the City. It has been evidenced that by providing these services, the Self Help Center is better able to carry out its mission of improving access to justice, increasing court efficiency, and providing a positive point of contact between the Courthouse and the community. This funding assists The Center in continuing its mission to provide high quality customer service to its visitors as they struggle with housing and other major barriers to wellbeing and provides the stability for The Center to further develop and grow the foundation of a nationally recognized model of service. The grant funds will be used to fund a contract social worker and marketing to increase awareness of the Franklin County Self-Help Center.
Emergency Legislation is requested so the grant funds can be used as close to the start date as possible.
FISCAL IMPACT $165,868.00 will be accepted, appropriated, and expended from the General Governmental Grant Fund. An acceptance and appropriation within, and transfer from the private grant fund is also necessary.
Title
To authorize and direct the Administrative and Presiding Judge of the Franklin County Municipal Court to accept a grant award from the Columbus Bar Foundation in the amount of $82,934.00; to accept a grant award from the State Justice Institute in the amount of $82,934.00; to authorize a transfer from the private grant fund to the general government grant fund; to appropriate $165,868.00 in the general government grant fund to the Franklin County Municipal Court; and to declare an emergency. ($165,868.00)
Body
WHEREAS, it is in the best interest of the City of Columbus to provide social services in the Franklin County Municipal Court Self Help Center; and
WHEREAS, a grant from the Columbus Bar Foundation in the amount of $82,943.00 has been awarded to fund a cash match to a grant from the State Justice Institute, and
WHEREAS, a grant from the State Justice Institute in the amount of $82,943.00 has been awarded to fund the social services and the cash match will be funded by the grant from the Columbus Bar Foundation, and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize a transfer of $82,943.00 from the private grants fund to the governmental grant fund to provide a portion of the costs; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Franklin County Municipal Court in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Administrative and Presiding Judge to accept the aforementioned grants to continue social services in the Self Help Center and to appropriate and transfer the necessary funds for the program, thereby preserving 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 Administrative and Presiding Judge of the Franklin County Municipal Court be and is hereby authorized to accept a grant in the amount of $82,934.00 from the Columbus Bar Foundation (G252100). These funds will be used to fund the grant from the State Justice Institute.
SECTION 2. That the Administrative and Presiding Judge of the Franklin County Municipal Court be and is hereby authorized to accept a grant in the amount of $82,934.00 from the State Justice Institute (G252101). The cash match for this grant will be provided by the grant from the Columbus Bar Foundation as described in Section 1.
SECTION 3. That the transfer of $82,934.00 is authorized from Fund 2291 G252100, to the General Government Grant Fund 2220 for the cash match according to the accounting codes in the attachment.
SECTION 4. That from the unappropriated balance in the general government grant fund, fund 2220, the sum of $165,868.00 is appropriated to the Franklin County Municipal Court according to the account codes in the attachment.
SECTION 5. That the monies appropriated in the foregoing Section 4 shall be paid upon the order of the Administrative and Presiding Judge of the Franklin County Municipal Court and that no order shall be drawn or money paid except by voucher, the form of which shall be approved by the City Auditor.
SECTION 6. At the end of the grant period, any repayment of unencumbered balances required by the grant 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 7. 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.