Explanation
BACKGROUND: This ordinance amends the 2020 Capital Improvement Budget and authorizes the City Auditor to transfer funds within both the General Permanent Improvement Fund and the Division of Fire’s general fund budget. This ordinance also authorizes the Finance and Management Director, on behalf of the Division of Fire, to issue a purchase order to G&G Fitness Equipment, Inc. for commercial grade fitness equipment to replace aging equipment in City of Columbus Firehouses.
In May of 2017, a committee was convened to analyze the current inventory of fitness equipment across all City of Columbus fire stations and develop a long-term strategy for replacing aging equipment in a manner that is efficient, promotes consistency across locations, and supports current best practices in the field of exercise physiology. This committee consisted of representatives from the Division of Fire, the Public Safety Director’s Office, and the Department of Finance and Management. In the months following, the committee met several times to conduct firehouse visits and compile station footprint dimensions, and also conferred with an exercise physiologist to develop a standard set of equipment that would meet the safety, budgetary, and spatial needs of the project. A plan was developed and approved by the committee to replace aging equipment in existing firehouses in three (3) separate phases, subject to the availability of funding and Council approval, and this ordinance authorizes the expenditure necessary to complete the final phase.
Bid information: The Division of Fire, is in need to purchase this standardized commercial fitness/exercise equipment as specified in this ordinance as the final phase to replacing all venerable equipment within the City’s fire stations. The Division of Fire is requesting a Bid Waiver for said commercial fitness equipment purchases to satisfy the Columbus City Purchasing Code. G&G Fitness Equipment is the sole distributor for this region for Life Fitness commercial fitness equipment which has been standardized by the Fire Division, and has provided the equipment in the past two phases of this project; additionally, the manufacturer has agreed to waive the 6% surcharge on the elliptical equipment that commenced on August 1, 2021.
Contract Compliance: G&G Fitness Equipment, Inc. (#16-1365573) - (Vendor #000824)
Emergency Designation: This legislation is to be declared an emergency measure to make funding immediately available for the purchase of said commercial grade fitness equipment for existing firehouses in the final of a three phase process.
FISCAL IMPACT: This ordinance authorizes transfers of $170,000.00 and $7,765.90 within the General Permanent Improvement Fund and the General Fund, respectively, along with the total expenditure of up to $177,765.90 from the General Permanent Improvement Fund and the General Fund for the purchase of commercial grade fitness equipment necessary to complete the final of three (3) phases in replacing aging equipment in City of Columbus Firehouses.
Title
To authorize the City Auditor to transfer and appropriate $170,000.00 within the General Permanent Improvement Fund; to amend the 2020 Capital Improvement Budget; to authorize the City Auditor to transfer $7,765.90 within the General Fund; to authorize the expenditure of $177,765.90 from the General Permanent Improvement Fund and the General Fund; to authorize the Finance and Management Director, on the behalf of the Division of Fire, to issue a purchase order to G&G Fitness for commercial grade fitness equipment; to waive the competitive bidding requirements of the City Code; and to declare an emergency. ($177,765.90)
Body
WHEREAS, a committee was convened to analyze the current inventory of fitness equipment across all City of Columbus fire stations and develop a long-term strategy for replacing aging equipment; and,
WHEREAS, this ordinance authorizes the expenditure necessary to complete the final phase of a three (3) phase plan developed by the committee to replace aging firehouse equipment; and,
WHEREAS, the Department of Public Safety, Division of Fire, requests permission to waive competitive bidding for this purchase; and,
WHEREAS, it is necessary to transfer and appropriate funds within the General Permanent Improvement Fund in order to fund this purchase; and,
WHEREAS, it is necessary to transfer funds within the General Fund in order to fund this purchase; and,
WHEREAS, it is necessary to amend the 2020 Capital Improvement Budget; and,
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Public Safety, Division of Fire, in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Finance and Management Director to waive the competitive bidding requirements of the City Code and issue a purchase order to G&G Fitness Equipment, Inc. to complete the final phase in replacing aging equipment in City of Columbus Firehouses, for the immediate 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 City Auditor is hereby authorized to transfer and appropriate $170,000.00, or so much thereof as may be needed, within the General Permanent Improvement Fund per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 2: That the 2020 Capital Improvement Budget is hereby amended as follows:
Project No. | Project Name | Revised Authority | Remaining Authority | Change
P748999-100000 / Unallocated / GPIF Carryover / $6,376,438 / ($170,000) / $6,206,438
P340133-100000 | Fire Equipment - Exercise Equipment - All Stations | $0 | $170,000 | $170,000
SECTION 3: That the City Auditor is hereby authorized to transfer $7,765.90, or so much thereof as may be needed, within the Division of Fire’s general operating fund budget, per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 4. That the expenditure of $177,765.90, or so much thereof as may be necessary for the purchase of replacement firehouse fitness equipment, be and is hereby authorized from the General Permanent Improvement Fund and the General Fund, per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 5: That the City Auditor is hereby authorized to make any accounting changes to revise the funding source for all contracts or contract modifications associated with this ordinance.
SECTION 6: 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 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 this Council finds it is in the best interest of the City to waive the provisions of Chapter 329 of City Code relating to competitive bidding to permit the aforementioned purchases.
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 (10) days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.