Explanation
BACKGROUND: This legislation authorizes the Director of the Department of Neighborhoods to enter into a grant agreement with the Columbus City Schools for the Linden McKinley STEM Academy Agriculture Pathways Community Gardens program. This program will create community gardens in Linden at 1267-1269 25th Ave., Columbus Ohio 43211 and 1275-1277 25th Ave., Columbus Ohio 43211.
Community Planning Area is South Linden - 45
Columbus City Schools (CCS) is changing the way they provide instruction to meet the needs of the Linden McKinley school community. A CCS team has been working to take current programming and align it with new and innovative ways to engage the students and families. The Community Gardens program is aligned with a nationwide focus on broadening the scope of teaching in agriculture, beginning at the kindergarten level and extending through adulthood. At the high school level, there is a strong interest in shifting the curriculum towards agriculture aligned with college/career readiness pathways. The goal is to make the Linden McKinley Stem Academy the only one of its kind in Central Ohio that offers unique agricultural oriented programming to urban students who are talented in science and mathematics. In addition this innovative curriculum will serve as an additional way to prevent students from dropping out and motivate exceptional students.
Fiscal Impact: Funding for this agreement is budgeted within the 2020 Capital Improvement Budget within Fund 7739 Development Taxable Bonds. An amendment and transfer of funding is required.
Emergency Justification: Emergency action is requested to allow for the immediate execution of this contract in order to advance community plan implementation and begin construction
Title
To authorize the Director of Neighborhoods to enter into a grant agreement with Columbus City Schools for Linden McKinley STEM Academy Agriculture Pathways Community Gardens Program to create Community Gardens in the Linden neighborhood; to authorize the transfer of funding between projects with the Development Taxable Bond fund; to amend the 2020 Capital Improvement Budget; to authorize the expenditure of $50,000.00 from the Development Taxable Bond Fund 7739; and to declare an emergency. ($50,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the City is supportive of the Linden Community and wishes to expand programs and services to better serve the neighborhood; and
WHEREAS, the City commissioned a comprehensive community plan in an effort to revitalize the Linden community; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to amend the 2020 Capital Improvement Budget; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to transfer funds between projects within the Development Taxable Bond Fund; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Neighborhoods in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director to enter into a grant agreement with Columbus City Schools in order to advance community plan implementation and begin construction of the gardens during the spring season, 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 Neighborhoods is hereby authorized to enter into a grant agreement with the Columbus City Schools’ for the Linden McKinley STEM Academy Agriculture Pathways Community Gardens Program for the creation of Community Gardens in the Linden neighborhood
SECTION 2. That the 2020 Capital Improvement Budget be amended as follows:
Fund / Project / Project Name / Current / Revised / Change
7739/P480103-100000/Myrtle & Cleveland Community Plaza/$50,000/$0/($50,000)
7739/P480105-100000/Linden STEM Academy Community Garden/$0/$50,000/$50,000
SECTION 3. That the transfer of $50,000.00 or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized between projects within the Development Taxable Bond Fund 7739 per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 4. That the expenditure of $50,000.00 or so much thereof as may be necessary to pay the cost thereof, be and is hereby authorized from the Development Taxable Bond Fund 7739 in object class 06 Capital Outlay per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 5. 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 6. That the City Auditor is authorized to make any accounting changes to revise the funding source for all contracts or contract modification associated with this ordinance.
SECTION 7. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized to transfer the unencumbered balance in a project account to the unallocated balance account within the same fund upon receipt of certification by the Director of the Department administering said project that the project has been completed and the monies are no longer required for said project.
SECTION 8. 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.