Explanation
BACKGROUND
The purpose of this ordinance is to authorize the City Clerk to enter into a grant agreement with The Ohio State University College of Social Work to provide assistance for communications and outreach to senior residents, as well as to assist in a pilot program pertaining to climate resiliency among older adults (Age Friendly & Climate Smarter).
During the Big Table event co-hosted by Age-Friendly Columbus & Franklin County and Councilmember Barroso de Padilla, stakeholders discussed several issues with aging residents and access to services when climate change is affecting daily life more frequently. This amendment focuses on two issues: communications and outreach to older adults and climate resiliency for low-income seniors. Council had allotted $50,000 in the 2022 budget for communications and outreach, and Age-Friendly will use funding for strategies to ensure access to services for all older residents, especially difficult-to-reach populations. The second portion of the amendment is to partially fund a program called Age Friendly & Climate Smarter. This pilot project will result in the development of a toolkit for service coordinators and others to use in affordable housing properties for older adult residents to become more prepared for extreme weather events. This work will center on the lived experiences of older adults in one affordable housing community in Columbus. Through a community-based research approach, Age-Friendly hopes to gain an understanding of challenges, barriers, strengths, and opportunities to ensure the well-being of these residents as they age in a warmer world.
Columbus City Council is supporting these efforts with $60,000.00 in funding from the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund.
FISCAL IMPACT: Total appropriation is $60,000.00 and is available within the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund.
Title
To authorize the City Clerk to enter into a grant agreement with The Ohio State University College of Social Work, on behalf of Age-Friendly Columbus & Franklin County, in support of the organization’s communication and outreach efforts to older residents, as well as their Age Friendly & Climate Smarter pilot project; to authorize an appropriation and expenditure of $60,000.00 within the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund. ($60,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the goal of The Ohio State University College of Social Work and Age-Friendly Columbus & Franklin County is to assist low-income seniors in our City with basic social needs; and
WHEREAS, during stakeholder discussions, common issues of communication and resiliency were identified as common themes and items for Age-Friendly, City Council, and the Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging to address; and
WHEREAS, this budget amendment will fund OSU College of Social Work's and Age-Friendly's communications efforts, as well as a climate resiliency pilot to develop ways to age better in a warming world; and
WHEREAS, $60,000.00 is available in the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund for appropriation and expenditure to provide for this need; and
WHEREAS, this amendment will further Council's efforts to ensure access to services and programming to older adults in Columbus, as well as advance planning for improving aging in a warming world; now, therefore
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1: That Columbus City Council is hereby authorized to enter into a grant agreement with the The Ohio State University College of Social Work, on behalf of Age Friendly Columbus & Franklin County, in support of communications and outreach efforts, as well as their climate resiliency pilot.
SECTION 2. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized and directed to appropriate $60,000.00 in the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund, fund 1000, subfund 100018, to Columbus City Council per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That the expenditure of $60,000.00 or so much thereof as may be needed pursuant to the actions authorized in SECTION 1, is hereby authorized in the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund, fund 1000, subfund 100018, per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 4. Funds are hereby deemed appropriated and expenditures authorized to carry out the purposes of this ordinance and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 5. 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 6. That this ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after the earliest period allowed by law.