Explanation
BACKGROUND:
This legislation authorizes the Director of Development to execute a grant agreement with She Has A Name, in an amount up to $25,000.00, to provide direct outreach services to victims of human trafficking.
Human Trafficking is the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring, or receipt of people through force, fraud, or deception with the aim of exploiting them for profit. Men, women, and children of all ages and from all backgrounds can become victims of this crime, which occurs in every region of the world. The State of Ohio ranks 5th in cases of human trafficking by the National Human Trafficking Hotline, with Columbus representing the largest sex trafficking market in the state.
Traditionally, communities have addressed the illicit sex industry by incorrectly and unfairly targeting sellers and victims of human trafficking with enforcement and incarceration. As City Council considers amending the Columbus City Code to focus enforcement and criminal liability on buyers, Council recommends attacking the complex issue of human trafficking through various approaches. First, there is a need for funding to support service organizations that provide shelter, counseling, and healthcare resources to victims of human trafficking. Oftentimes these services can be the difference between life and death for victims. Council is committed to setting aside funding from the Reimaging Safety fund to invest in victims' assistance organizations that serve communities with a high number of calls for service related to human trafficking and opioid overdoses. These organizations include The Salvation Army, She Has a Name, 1DivineLine2Health, Sanctuary Collective, and Out of Darkness. Each grant agreement shall have its own ordinance.
Emergency action is necessary to ensure program services continue without interruption.
FISCAL IMPACT: Funding is available in the General Fund’s Reimagine Safety Subfund.
CONTRACT COMPLIANCE: the vendor number is 035897 and expires on 6/1/2023.
Title
To authorize the Director of Development to execute a grant agreement with She Has A Name in an amount up to $25,000.00 to provide direct outreach services to victims of human trafficking; to authorize the appropriation of up to $25,000.00 within the General Fund Reimagine Safety Subfund; to authorize the transfer of funds between subfunds and departments within the General Fund; to authorize the appropriation and expenditure of up to $25,000.00 within the General Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($25,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, human trafficking is the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring, or receipt of people through force, fraud, or deception with the aim of exploiting them for profit; and
WHEREAS, men, women, and children of all ages and from all backgrounds can become victims of this crime, which occurs in every region of the world; and
WHEREAS, the State of Ohio ranks 5th in cases of human trafficking by the National Human Trafficking Hotline, with Columbus representing the largest sex trafficking market in the state; and
WHEREAS, communities have traditionally addressed the illicit sex industry by incorrectly and unfairly targeting sellers and victims of human trafficking with enforcement and incarceration; and
WHEREAS, Council recommends attacking the complex issue of human trafficking through various approaches; and
WHEREAS, there is a need for funding to support service organizations that provide shelter, counseling, and healthcare resources to victims of human trafficking; and
WHEREAS, Council is committed to setting aside funding from the Reimaging Safety fund to invest in victims' assistance organizations that serve communities with a high number of calls for service related to human trafficking and opioid overdoses; and
WHEREAS, She Has A Name will provide direct outreach services to victims of human trafficking; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Development in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director to execute a grant agreement with She Has A Name and to make the funds available so that program services can continue without interruption, 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 Director of the Department of Development is hereby authorized to enter into a grant agreement with She Has A Name in an amount up to $25,000.00 to provide direct outreach services to victims of human trafficking.
SECTION 2. That the Auditor is hereby authorized to appropriate $25,000.00 in the Department of Finance and Management within the General Fund Reimagine Safety Subfund in object class 10 Transfers, per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That the Auditor is hereby authorized to transfer $25,000.00 from the General Fund, fund 1000, Reimagine Safety subfund, 100019, to the General Fund, fund 1000, subfund 100010, per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 4. 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, 2021, the sum of $25,000.00 is appropriated in Fund 1000 (General Fund), Dept-Div 44-01 (Administration), in object class 03 (Services) per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 5. That the expenditure of $25,000.00 or so much thereof as may be needed is hereby authorized in Fund 1000 (General Fund), Dept-Div 44-01 (Administration) Object Class 03 (Services), per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 6. That the agency identified in Section 1 is awarded a grant agreement pursuant to Columbus City Codes, 1959.
SECTION 7. 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 8. 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 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 ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.