Explanation
This ordinance authorizes the City Auditor to establish an Auditor’s Certificate in the amount of $1,000,000.00 to fund support for the Columbus Promise Initiative.
The Columbus Promise Initiative is a partnership among the City of Columbus, Columbus State Community College, I Know I Can, and Columbus City Schools to support post-secondary school opportunities for Columbus City School graduates. Under this program, students who graduate from Columbus City Schools during phase one of the program (classes of 2022, 2023, and 2024), complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, and an application to Columbus State can attend Columbus State full-time or part-time for up to six semesters in order to complete a two-year degree or certificate program.
Once enrolled in Columbus State, students can obtain funding support by maintaining federal aid standards for satisfactory academic progress. In addition to covered tuition and fees, Columbus Promise Scholars will receive up to $1,000 annually for transportation, books, and other life expenses. Columbus State Community College will also implement a comprehensive set of wraparound career, academic, and financial support services to assist students, including dedicated Promise coaches with small student caseloads.
The Columbus Promise program is an opportunity to address equity disparities in higher education, invest in the City’s youth, and lower the burden of the costs associated with pursuing post-secondary education.
An ordinance is presently necessary for the City’s contribution. Once programmatic and partnership details are finalized, ordinance(s) seeking Council authorization to enter into contract(s) will be submitted.
Emergency Justification: Emergency action is being requested so that a certificate can be established prior to the City Auditor’s 2021 year-end deadline.
Fiscal Impact: $1,000,000.00 is budgeted and available in the 2021 General Fund budget in support of this initiative.
Title
To authorize and direct the City Auditor to establish an Auditor’s Certificate in the amount of $1,000,000.00 to fund the support of the Columbus Promise Initiative; to authorize the transfer of $1,000,000.00 within the General Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($1,000,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Columbus Promise is a partnership among the City of Columbus, Columbus State Community College, I Know I Can, and Columbus City Schools to support post-secondary school opportunities for Columbus City School graduates; and
WHEREAS, under this program, students who graduate from Columbus City Schools during phase one of the program (classes of 2022, 2023, and 2024), complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, and an application to Columbus State can attend Columbus State full-time or part-time for up to six semesters in order to complete a two-year degree or certificate program; and
WHEREAS, the Columbus Promise program is an opportunity to address equity disparities in higher education, invest in the community’s youth, and lower the burden of the costs associated with pursuing post-secondary education; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the City Auditor to establish an Auditor’s Certificate in the amount of $1,000,000.00; and
WHEREAS, once programmatic and partnership details are finalized, ordinance(s) seeking Council authorization to enter into contract(s) will be submitted; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Finance & Management in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the City Auditor to establish an Auditor’s Certificate in the amount of $1,000,000.00 to ensure the continued availability of these funds in the upcoming months to provide support for the Columbus Promise Initiative for the preservation of 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 establish an Auditor’s Certificate in the amount of $1,000,000.00 to ensure the continued availability of funds to contract with qualified vendor(s) to provide support for the Columbus Promise Initiative. Future ordinances seeking Council authorization to enter into contracts with selected partners will be submitted.
SECTION 2. That the transfer of $1,000,000.00, or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized within Fund 1000 General Fund, from Dept-Div 4501, Object Class 10 - Transfers Out to Dept-Div 4550 Finance and Management Director’s Office, Object Class 03 - Contractual Services per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
See Attached File: Ord 3203-2021 Legislation Template.xls
SECTION 3. 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 4. 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 5. 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.