Explanation
1. BACKGROUND
The purposes of this ordinance are: 1) to authorize the Director of the Department of Public Service to enter into agreements with and to accept funds from the Ohio State University (OSU) and the Franklin County Engineer’s Office (Franklin County) to advance the Roadway - North Knot/SR 315 project; and 2) to, as necessary, authorize the acceptance of additional funding from those entities or the return of any unexpended design funding to the same after final accounting has been performed or the Department of Public Service certifies that any remaining funds are no longer needed for the project and can be refunded without the need for additional legislative action.
Administered by the Department of Public Service, the Roadway - North Knot/SR 315 project encompasses the preliminary design of improvements to State Route 315 and the exit and entrance ramps between the SR 315 bridge, south of King Avenue, over the Olentangy River and Ackerman Road. The resulting traffic capacity improvements are needed to support existing and future development in the area.
Having recognized the public benefit of said improvements, both OSU and Franklin County have allocated funding to support the completion of the design phase of the aforementioned project, necessitating the execution of contribution agreements, any amendments or modifications thereto, with those entities to facilitate the acceptance and expenditure of said funds by the Department of Public Service for that purpose, and the refund of any funds that may be unused.
2. FISCAL IMPACT
Based on preliminary cost estimates, OSU and Franklin County have committed funding totaling $550,000.00 to subsidize the cost of professional engineering services necessary to the successful completion of the design phase of the Roadway - North Knot/SR 315 project. It may be necessary for the Department of Public Service to seek and accept additional funds from OSU and/or Franklin County if the initial funding provided by those entities prove insufficient to support their respective shares of actual design costs. Conversely, any unexpended funds will be refunded accordingly.
Separate legislation authorizing the expenditure of these funds and the City's share of funding for this project will be put forth at a later time.
3. EMERGENCY DESIGNATION
Emergency action is requested to authorize the execution of the requisite contribution agreements as soon as reasonably practicable so as to prevent unnecessary delays in the completion of the design phase of the aforementioned project.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Public Service to enter into agreements with and to accept contributions from the Ohio State University and the Franklin County Engineer’s Office to defray design costs incurred relative to the Roadway - North Knot/SR 315 project; to, as necessary, authorize the acceptance of additional funds from the Ohio State University and/or the Franklin County Engineer’s Office or to return any unexpended project funding to them; and to declare an emergency. ($0.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Department of Public Service is administering the Roadway - North Knot/SR 315 project, which will culminate in the preliminary design of various improvements to State Route 315 and the exit and entrance ramps between the SR 315 bridge, south of King Avenue, over the Olentangy River and Ackerman Road; and
WHEREAS, both OSU and Franklin County intend to contribute funding to subsidize the cost of professional engineering services necessary to the successful completion of the design phase of that project; and
WHEREAS, the Director of Public Service must execute contribution agreements, and any amendments or modifications thereto, with those entities to facilitate the acceptance and expenditure of funding totaling $550,000 by the Department of Public Service for the aforementioned purpose; and
WHEREAS, it may be necessary to accept additional funds from OSU and/or Franklin County if the actual design costs exceed the preliminary cost estimate; and
WHEREAS, it may be necessary to issue a refund to one or both of those entities after final accounting has been performed or after the Department of Public Service certifies that any remaining funds are no longer needed for the project and can be refunded, without the need for additional legislative action; 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 of Public Service to authorize the execution of the requisite contribution agreements as soon as reasonably practicable so as to prevent unnecessary delays in the completion of the design phase of the aforementioned project, thereby preserving 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 Director of the Department of Public Service be and hereby is authorized to enter into agreements with and to accept contributions from the Ohio State University and the Franklin County Engineer’s Office to defray design costs for the Roadway - North Knot/SR 315 project, and to modify those agreements if necessary to accept additional contributions from the Ohio State University or the Franklin County Engineer's Office for the design of the project.
SECTION 2. That the Director of Public Service be and hereby is authorized, as necessary, to accept additional funds from the aforementioned entities should the amounts of their initial deposits prove insufficient to support their respective share of actual design costs or to return any unexpended project funding to the same after final accounting has been performed or the Department of Public Service certifies that any remaining funds are no longer needed for the project and can be refunded, without the need for additional legislative action.
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 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.