Explanation
BACKGROUND
This ordinance authorizes the Administrative and Presiding Judge of the Franklin County Municipal Court to accept a subsidy modification to increase the award amount and extend the expiration date of the original award from the Bureau of Criminal Justice for the five Specialized Dockets totaling $100,000, to enter into contract with Avertest DBA AverHealth, and to appropriate from the unappropriated balance of the general government grant fund.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, additional funding was made available in the amount of $20,000 per specialized docket. These additional funds will be used to supplement drug and alcohol testing costs incurred by the Court’s 5 specialized dockets: Changing Actions to Change Habits (CATCH), Learning to Identify and Navigate Change (LINC), Recovery Court, Helping Achieve Recovery Together (h.a.r.t.), and the Military and Veteran Service (MAVS) program.
There are two parts to the program: one is a random drug testing system. The court has specialty docket probationer’s names put into a system and then at random they are called monthly or weekly to come in for a drug test. The second part is if a defendant or a specialty docket probationer shows up for court and appears to be under the influence of drugs, they can be escorted to Avertest for an instant drug test.
RFQ017813 was done and closed on March 23, 2021. Two bids were received; Avertest and Recovery Trek. Avertest has the better pricing and won the bid.
Avertest DBA Averhealth federal tax id is 27-3929226.
FISCAL IMPACT
$100,000.00 will be expended from the General Government Grant Fund.
Emergency legislation is requested so funds can be utilized immediately.
Title
To authorize and direct the Administrative and Presiding Judge of the Franklin County Municipal Court to accept additional funding for five grants totaling $100,000.00 from the Bureau of Criminal Justice for the purpose of supplementing the costs of drug and alcohol testing for participants of the five specialized dockets; to appropriate $100,000.00 from the unappropriated balance of the general government grant fund to the Franklin County Municipal Court; to enter into contract with Avertest DBAAverHealth.; and to declare an emergency. ($100,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, it is in the city's best interest that the Franklin County Municipal Court continue to receive support for the specialized dockets; and
WHEREAS, additional subsidy monies from the Bureau of Criminal Justice, in the amount of $100,000, are available to provide for drug and alcohol testing for participants of the specialized dockets; and
WHEREAS, Avertest DBAAverHealth, as the lowest bidder, can provide instant drug tests for a defendant or a specialty docket probationer who shows up for court and appears to be under the influence of drugs; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the city in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Administrative and Presiding Judge of the Franklin County Municipal Court to accept the aforementioned grants to fund the programs 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 an additional subsidy award totaling $100,000 from the Bureau of Criminal Justice.
SECTION 2. Funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are hereby deemed appropriated. That from the unappropriated balance in the general government grant fund, fund 2220, and from all monies estimated to come into said fund from any and all sources and appropriated for any other purpose during the twelve months ending December 31, 2021, the sum of $100,000 is appropriated to the Franklin County Municipal Court, department number 2501, Grant 252011, and according to the account codes in the attachment:
SECTION 3. That the Administrative and Presiding Judge of the Franklin County Municipal Court be and is hereby authorized to enter into contract with AverHealth Inc. to provide drug and alcohol testing for participants of the specialized dockets.
SECTION 4. That the monies appropriated in the foregoing Section 2 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 5. 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 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 passage and approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.