Explanation
Background: This ordinance will authorize the City Auditor to set up a certificate in the amount of $200,000.00 for various expenditures for labor, material and equipment in conjunction with greenways trail system improvements managed by the Recreation and Parks Department. Improvements to the regional greenways trail system will include, but are not limited to, the Alum Creek Trail, Big Walnut Trail, Blacklick Creek Trail, Camp Chase Trail, Darby Creek Trail, Downtown Connector Trail, Olentangy Trail, and Scioto Trail. These are unanticipated expenditures that may include, but are not limited to, items such as site clearing, surveys, design, land acquisition, lighting, fencing, hard surfaces, drainage, signage, emergency repairs, and staff time. Contracts will be entered into in compliance with the procurement provisions of the Columbus City Codes Chapter 329.
Emergency Justification: Emergency action is requested to ensure that needed improvements are not delayed, allowing safety issues that arise to be addressed in a timely manner and keeping the impact on trail access to a minimum.
Benefits to the Public: Having this funding in place for unanticipated needs as they arise will benefit the community by helping to ensure that the regional greenways trail system remains accessible, safe, updated, and user friendly, keeping the impact on trail users to a minimum when unforeseen issues arise.
Community Input Issues: Many issues that this funding helps to address come straight from the community, through 311 and direct contact with the department. The community has expressed the desire for a well-kept trails through public workshops, social media, and direct contact with City staff.
Area(s) Affected: Citywide (99) - The entire City of Columbus and beyond is affected by having the funding in place to act efficiently on issues that arise throughout the regional greenways trail system.
Master Plan Relation: This certificate and resulting projects support the department’s Master Plan by helping to ensure that multi-use trails remain accessible, safe, updated, and user friendly.
Fiscal Impact: $200,000.00 is budgeted and available from within the Recreation and Parks Voted Bond Fund 7702 to meet the financial obligations of these various expenditures.
Title
To authorize and direct the City Auditor to establish an auditor’s certificate in the amount of $200,000.00 for various expenditures for labor, materials, and equipment in conjunction with greenway trail system improvements within the Recreation and Parks Department; to authorize the transfer of $200,000.00 within the Recreation and Parks Voted Bond Fund, to authorize the amendment of the 2020 Capital Improvements Budget; and to authorize the expenditure of $200,000.00 from the Recreation and Parks Voted Bond Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($200,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, it is necessary that the City Auditor establish an auditor’s certificate in the amount of $200,000.00 for various expenditures in conjunction with greenway trail system improvements within the Recreation and Parks Department; and
WHEREAS, funding is budgeted and available from within the Voted Recreation and Parks Bond Fund 7702 to meet the financial obligations of these various expenditures; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the transfer of 200,000.00 within the Recreation and Parks Voted Bond Fund 7702; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the amendment of the 2020 Capital Improvements Budget Ordinance 2521-2020 in order to provide sufficient budget authority for this and future projects; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operations of the Recreation and Parks Department in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the expenditure of $200,000.00 for various expenditures in conjunction with greenways trail system improvements so that safety issues that arise can be addressed in a timely manner and the impact on trail access kept to a minimum, all for the preservation of the public health, peace, property, safety, and welfare and, NOW, THEREFORE
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the City Auditor is authorized and directed to establish an auditor’s certificate in the amount of $200,000.00 for various expenditures for labor, materials, and equipment in conjunction with greenway trail system improvements within the Recreation and Parks Department.
SECTION 2. 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 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 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 5. That the transfer of $200,000.00 or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized between projects within the Recreation and Parks Bond Fund 7702 per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 6. That the 2020 Capital Improvements Budget Ordinance 2521-2020 is hereby amended as follows in order to provide sufficient budget authority for this ordinance and future projects.
Fund / Project / Project Name / Current / Change / Amended
Fund 7702; P512000-100000; New Development - Misc. (SIT Supported) / $5,227,200 / ($200,000) / $5,027, 200
Fund 7702; P512022-100000; Greenways Projects - Misc. (SIT Supported) / $0 / $200,000 / $200,000
SECTION 7. That the expenditure of $200,000.00 or so much thereof as may be necessary to pay the cost thereof, be and is hereby authorized from the Voted Recreation and Parks Bond Fund 7702 in object class 06 Capital Outlay per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 8. That this Council hereby recognizes that this ordinance does not identify specific contractors or vendors for the expenditure purposes authorized herein and hereby delegates sole and final contracting decisions relative to the determination of lowest, best, most responsive and most responsible vendor(s) to the Director of Recreation and Parks. All contracts will be entered into in compliance with the relevant procurement provisions of the Columbus City Codes Chapter 329.
SECTION 9. 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 10 days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.