Explanation
Background: This ordinance authorizes the transfer of $245,000.00 from the existing Hotel/Motel Tax appropriation to the Recreation and Parks Department for expenditure to support: music licensing for various annual festivals and cultural arts programming; grant awards in support of the production of free community events; and the 42nd annual Columbus Jazz & Rib Fest.
All public performances of music, whether live, recorded or broadcast, must be licensed through either ASCAP, BMI, SESAC or GMR. The City holds a municipal license which covers events at facilities owned and/or operated by the city and any site engaged by the city for use by the city. In addition to Recreation and Parks’ programs and facilities, coverage is extended to: Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration, Columbus Commons productions, Veterans’ Day Parade, King Arts Complex, Lincoln Theatre, Franklin Park Conservatory, Columbus Zoo and all other city conducted programs and facilities that play or present music. Recreation and Parks will expend $30,000 for annual licenses.
A grant process for community events and festivals has existed since 1995 to support community groups and neighbors that host free events celebrating cultural, ethnic, and artistic diversity for the entertainment and enjoyment by the greater Columbus community. Through the grant application process the department will solicit funding requests for the following categories; First Time Impact, Neighborhood Impact, Community Impact, Citywide Impact, and Regional Impact. Established City processes (C.C. 111.14 & 329) shall be followed to expend $180,000 of Hotel Motel funding on sponsorship grants to a number of local not-for-profit organizations that will be determined through a documented and open grant application and committee award process. All grants shall be in support of community events held on public property using main account 65026 - Tax Reportable Grants to Others. No individual grant agreement shall exceed $50,000.00. Grants shall be paid out to awardees in advance. All grantees must meet the “community events and festivals” requirements under C.C. 371.02.
The Department will expend $35,000 of the allocated Hotel Motel funding to produce the 42nd annual Jazz & Rib Fest- one of the region’s largest free jazz festivals.
Areas Affected (Areas/Communities being affected by this project): All quadrants of the City where community groups and neighbors that host free events that celebrate cultural, ethnic, & artistic diversity for the entertainment and enjoyment by the greater Columbus Community.
How does this benefit the City and surrounding community and what input has the community had about this project? Funding support of community group special events promoting more vibrant and stronger neighborhoods.
Emergency Justification: Emergency action is requested as it is immediately necessary to transfer and appropriate funds for necessary expenditures which will begin in March.
Fiscal Impact: This ordinance will authorize the transfer and appropriation of $245,000.00 from the Hotel/Motel Tax Fund to the Recreation and Parks Operating Fund for expenditure as stated on the attached funding template.
Title
To authorize the transfer of $245,000.00 from the Hotel/Motel Tax Fund to the Recreation and Parks Operating Fund for the support of music licensing, community events and festivals, and Jazz & Rib Fest; to authorize the appropriation of $245,000.00 in the Recreation and Parks Operating Fund; to authorize the Director of Recreation and Parks to enter into Grant agreements for support of community special events totaling $180,000.00; and to declare an emergency. ($245,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, Columbus City Code Section 371.02 allows for the allocation of a maximum of 1.59 percent in relation to the 5.1 percent Hotel/Motel Tax receipts for use for said purpose of the advancement of the cultural development of the community - the equivalent of 31.18 percent of collections; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the transfer and the appropriation of $245,000.00 for expenditure by the Department of Recreation and Parks on annual municipal music licensing fees, support grants for various cultural events and festivals and for the production of the 42nd annual Jazz & Rib Fest; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the Director of the Department of Recreation and Parks to enter into grant agreements with local not-for-profit organizations for the production of regional, citywide, and community events and festivals, totaling $180,000.00, with no one individual grant exceeding $50,000, paid in advance; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Recreation and Parks in that it is immediately necessary to transfer and appropriate funds for necessary expenditures starting in late March; NOW, THEREFORE
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the City Auditor be and is hereby authorized and directed to transfer $245,000.00 from the Hotel/Motel Tax Fund, 2231, to the Recreation and Parks Operating Fund, 2285 per the attached funding template.
SECTION 2. That from the un-appropriated monies in the Recreation and Parks Department operating fund, 2285, and from all monies estimated to come into said fund from any and all sources and un-appropriated for any other purpose during the fiscal year ending December 31, 2023, the sum of $245,000.00 is hereby appropriated.
SECTION 3. That the Director of the Department of Recreation and Parks is hereby authorized to enter into grant agreements with not-for-profit organizations for the production of regional, citywide, and community events and festivals, totaling $180,000.00, with no one individual grant exceeding $50,000, paid in advance.
SECTION 4. That this Council hereby recognizes that this ordinance does not identify specific not-for-profit agencies or vendors for the grant expenditure purposes authorized herein and hereby delegates sole and final contracting/grant award decisions relative to qualifying under C.C.371.02 and the recommendation of the special event sponsorship award committee to the Director of Recreation and Parks.
SECTION 5. That the funds are hereby deemed appropriated and expenditures and transfers authorized to carry out the purposes of this ordinance necessary and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 6. 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.