Explanation
Background: This ordinance authorizes the City Auditor to set up an auditor’s certificate in the amount of $250,000.00 for various expenditures for labor, materials, and equipment in conjunction with park improvements managed by the Recreation and Parks Department. These are unanticipated expenditures that may include, but are not limited to, items such as signage, lighting, landscaping, drainage, surveys, design, administrative fees, hard surfaces, equipment, fencing, and various emergency repairs. Contracts will be entered into in compliance with the procurement provisions of the Columbus City Codes Chapter 329.
Emergency Justification: Emergency action is requested to ensure that needed improvements are not delayed, keeping the impact on park users to a minimum and allowing safety issues that arise to be addressed in a timely manner. It is important to have this funding available to address unanticipated needs when they arise.
Benefits to the Public: Having this funding in place for unanticipated needs as they arise will benefit the community by helping to ensure parks are safe, accessible, and user friendly. This funding will also keep the impact on park visitors to a minimum when unforeseen issues arise.
Community Input Issues: Many issues that this funding helps to address come straight from the community, through 311 and direct contact with the department. The community has expressed the desire for well-kept parks and amenities through public workshops, social media, and direct contact with City staff.
Area(s) Affected: Citywide (99) - The entire City of Columbus is affected by having the funding in place to act efficiently on issues that arise in our parks.
Master Plan Relation: This certificate and resulting projects support the department’s Master Plan by helping to ensure that parks and their amenities remain safe and user friendly.
Fiscal Impact: $250,000.00 is budgeted and available from and within the Recreation and Parks Voted Bond Fund 7702 to meet the financial obligations of these various expenditures.
Title
To authorize and direct the City Auditor to establish an auditor’s certificate in the amount of $250,000.00 for various expenditures for labor, materials, and equipment in conjunction with park improvements within the Recreation and Parks Department; to authorize the expenditure of $250,000.00 from the Voted Recreation and Parks Bond Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($250,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, it is necessary that the City Auditor establish an auditor’s certificate in the amount of $250,000.00 for various expenditures in conjunction with park improvements within the Recreation and Parks Department; and
WHEREAS, funding is budgeted and available from within the Voted Recreation and Parks Bond Fund 7702 to meet the financial obligations of these various expenditures; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operations of the Recreation and Parks Department in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the expenditure of $250,000.00 from the Recreation and Parks Voted Bond Fund for various expenditures in conjunction with park improvements to ensure that needed improvements are not delayed, keeping the impact on park users to a minimum, and allowing safety issues that arise to be addressed in a timely manner, all 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 authorized and directed to establish an auditor’s certificate in the amount of $250,000.00 for various expenditures for labor, materials, and equipment in conjunction with park improvements within the Recreation and Parks Department.
SECTION 2. 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 3. 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 4. 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 5. That the expenditure of $250,000.00, or so much thereof as may be necessary to pay the cost thereof, be and is hereby authorized from the Voted Recreation and Parks Bond Fund 7702 in object class 06 Capital Outlay per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 6. That this Council hereby recognizes that this ordinance does not identify specific contractors or vendors for the expenditure purposes authorized herein and hereby delegates sole and final contracting decisions relative to the determination of lowest, best, most responsive and most responsible vendor(s) to the Director of Recreation and Parks. All contracts will be entered into in compliance with the relevant procurement provisions of the Columbus City Codes Chapter 329.
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 (10) days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.