Explanation
This ordinance authorizes the City Clerk to enter into a grant agreement with the Long Street Business Association to pilot a small business stabilization program.
In 2021, the City of Columbus closed down a portion of E Long Street and connecting roads in the King-Lincoln Bronzeville neighborhood to improve the streets. The project took nearly 7 months to complete and completely cut off consumers from businesses along this commercial thoroughfare. Beyond this devastating impact to businesses still working to survive a pandemic, the construction had additional impacts such as forcing the relocation of one business and cutting off utilities to certain commercial buildings.
Through the Long Street Business Association, the City of Columbus will pilot a small business stabilization program, providing business interruption payments to small businesses who were effectively not able to operate due to City construction.
As program administrator, the Long Street Business Association will develop a mechanism by which to determine the eligibility of a business and the level of funding it qualifies for based on its impact. The Association will make relevant business owners aware of the program, accept and review applications, and issue funding. The Association will also be responsible for reporting on the impact of the program.
While the Long Street Business Association will develop further eligibility requirements, these requirements will include that businesses must be located on E Long Street between the intersections of Elijah Pierce Avenue and N 17th Street. Businesses must be small businesses, must be for-profit, and must serve customers primarily through their storefront.
Emergency action is necessary to ensure the timely launch of this pilot and swift issuing of payments to impacted and eligible businesses.
Fiscal Impact: Funding is available within the Job Growth subfund.
Title
To authorize the City Clerk to enter into a grant agreement with the Long Street Business Association to pilot a small business stabilization program; and to authorize an appropriation and expenditure within the Job Growth subfund; and to declare an emergency. ($200,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, a pilot program evaluating the impact of business interruption payments to small businesses is relevant, timely, and needed along the E Long Street commercial corridor; and
WHEREAS, small businesses along E Long Street were not able to serve customers or operate at a normal level for over six months; and
WHEREAS, small businesses qualifying for the program must have been directly impacted by the construction and meet the eligibility requirements set forth by the program administrator; and
WHEREAS, the Long Street Business Association will administer such a pilot program and disburse business interruption payments to eligible small businesses for a 10% administration fee; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the City Clerk to enter into a grant agreement with the Long Street Business Association to ensure the timely launch of this pilot and swift issuing of payments to impacted and eligible businesses, for the 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 Clerk is hereby authorized to enter into a grant agreement with the Long Street Business Association for the creation of a small business stabilization pilot program.
SECTION 2. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized and directed to appropriate $200,000.00 in the Job Growth subfund, fund 1000, subfund 100015, to the City Clerk per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That the expenditure of $200,000.00 or so much thereof as may be needed pursuant to the action authorized in SECTION 1 of this ordinance, is hereby authorized in the Job Growth subfund, fund 1000, subfund 100015 per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
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 ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.