Explanation
The Pathways to Purpose: Casey Goodson Jr. CDL (commercial driver’s license) program is an employment program in memory of Casey Goodson Jr., a community member and CDL driver who was taken way too soon. The focus of this program is to provide individuals with soft skills and commercial driver’s license training to help create a stable living environment through employment. There is need both nationwide and in the Central Ohio area for truck drivers. IMPACT Community Action will help advance this program by providing soft skills training to each of the participants as well as administering the program. Roads2Work will provide the commercial driver's license training for each of the participants.
Fiscal Impact: Funding is available within the Recovery fund, fund 2209.
Emergency action is requested in order to avoid any delay in providing the resources necessary to initiate the Pathways to Purpose: Casey Goodson Jr. CDL program.
Title
To authorize the Director of Public Service to enter into grant agreements with IMPACT Community Action and Roads2Work to provide funding for the Pathways to Purpose: Casey Goodson Jr. CDL program; to authorize an expenditure within the Recovery fund; and to declare an emergency. ($200,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, recognizing the need for stable employment is of paramount importance in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic; and
WHEREAS, this past year has underscored the critical role community services play in supporting the social well-being of vulnerable populations and communities; and
WHEREAS, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in disproportionate negative economic impacts in communities of color and low-income communities across the nation. These communities are experiencing overwhelming barriers to access basic needs like food, supplies and shelter during the pandemic; and
WHEREAS, expenditure of American Rescue Plan Act funding to provide essential frontline services, volunteers, and supplies to the City’s nonprofit organizations and public sector necessary to address the significant inequities in the accessibility and distribution of community resources in the City of Columbus’ most distressed neighborhoods, which have been left critically under-resourced caused by the COVID-19 public health emergency; and
WHEREAS, that there is a need for individuals with their commercial driver’s license in Central Ohio; and
WHEREAS, nationally, 40% fewer truck drivers were trained in 2020 than were trained in 2019 according to a report by the Society for Human Resource Management; and
WHEREAS, in memoriam of Casey Goodson Jr., a Columbus resident and commercial driver’s license holder whose life was taken way too soon; and
WHEREAS, the focus of this program is to provide individuals with soft skills and commercial driver’s license training to help create a stable living environment through employment. There is need both nationwide and in the Central Ohio area for truck drivers; and
WHEREAS, IMPACT Community Action will help advance this program by providing soft skills training to each of the participants as well as administering the program and Roads2Work will provide the commercial driver's license training for each of the participants; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Public Service in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director to enter into grant agreements with Impact Community Action and Roads2work in order to avoid any delay in providing the resources necessary to initiate the Pathways to Purpose: Casey Goodson Jr. CDL program, for the immediate preservation of the public peace, property, health, or safety; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Director of Public Service is hereby authorized to enter into a grant agreement with Roads2Work for up to $130,000.00 for the provision of commercial driver's license training.
SECTION 2. That the Director of Public Service is hereby authorized to enter into a grant agreement with IMPACT Community Action for up to $70,000.00 for the provision of soft skills training and the administration of the program.
SECTION 3. That the expenditure of up to $200,000.00 or so much thereof that may be necessary in regard to the actions authorized in Section 1 and 2 of this ordinance, be and is hereby authorized and approved from the Recovery Fund 2209 per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 4. That these agreements are entered into in alignment with the provisions associated with non-profit contracting in Section 329 of Columbus City Codes.
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 modifications associated with this ordinance.
SECTION 7. 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.