Explanation
This ordinance authorizes the modification of a grant agreement between the Department of Public Safety and the Short North Alliance, a not for profit organization, for the purposes of further funding the Business District Safety Enhancement Program.
Through this program, the Department of Public Safety will work in conjunction with the Division of Police and the neighborhood business group Short North Alliance to develop plans to appropriately deter crime and improve safety in Columbus’ business districts. As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, the City of Columbus has experienced a significant uptick in violent crime throughout the community, notably in densely populated and visited business districts. In addition, the impacts of the pandemic have resulted in limited resources for small business owners to enhance safety features for their business and surrounding areas. There is a need to utilize funding from the City of Columbus to supplement safety enhancements in business districts throughout the City of Columbus. This organization will utilize this funding in support of their violent crime interdiction programs, which utilize law enforcement personnel serving in a special duty capacity, educational campaigns, and community outreach workers in an effort to prevent and address violent crime in their respective districts.
The modified grant agreement will provide the additional funding necessary to execute the Short North Alliance’s crime interdiction initiative.
FISCAL IMPACT: Funding for this modified agreement is available within the Reimagining Safety subfund for this purpose
EMERGENCY DESIGNATION: Emergency action is requested so that this organization can immediately take steps to make safety enhancements in their business district and the surrounding community.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Public Safety to modify a grant agreement with the Short North Alliance for the administration of the Business District Safety Enhancement Program, originally authorized under ordinance 1111-2022; to authorize an appropriation of $250,000.00 within the Reimagine Safety subfund; to authorize a transfer, appropriation, and expenditure within the general fund; and to declare an emergency. ($250,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the Director of the Department of Public Safety to modify a grant agreement with the Short North Alliance to administer a portion of the Business District Safety Enhancement Program; and
WHEREAS, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a negative impact on the economic health and safety of Columbus’ Downtown business district and other business districts throughout Columbus; and
WHEREAS, an expenditure of funding is necessary to ensure Columbus’ business districts remain safe for residents, business owners, employees, patrons, and visitors as our community continues to grapple with the uptick in violent crime attributed in part to the COVID-19 public health emergency; and
WHEREAS, this grant modification will allow the Short North Alliance to effectively execute its crime interdiction and safety enhancement programming; and
WHEREAS, there is funding available in the Reimagine Safety subfund fund 1000-100019 for this purpose; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operations of the Department of Public Safety in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director to modify the grant agreement with the Short North Alliance, for the preservation of the public health, peace, property, safety, and welfare of Columbus residents and visitors; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Director of the Department of Public Safety is hereby authorized to modify the grant agreement with the Short North Alliance, authorized by ordinance 1111-2022, to add an additional $250,000.00 to administer the Business District Safety Enhancement Program.
SECTION 2. That the Auditor is hereby authorized and directed to appropriate $250,000.00 within the Reimagine Safety subfund; fund 1000, subfund 100019, in Services-03 per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That the Auditor is hereby authorized and directed to transfer $250,000.00 in cash and appropriations within the general fund per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 4. That per the action authorized by Section 1 of this ordinance, the expenditure of $250,000.00 is hereby authorized per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
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.