Explanation
BACKGROUND: This ordinance authorizes the appropriation of $1,230,210.41 in the Health Department Grants Fund, Fund No. 2251, for fiscal year 2023. This is the annual appropriation ordinance for Columbus Public Health grants that allows for the continued operations of the various grant programs at the Health Department.
Emergency action is requested to allow the financial transaction to be posted in the City's accounting system as soon as possible. Up to date financial posting promotes accurate accounting and financial management.
FISCAL IMPACT: These grant projects are funded through State and County grant awards. Some grant projects collect fees and some are subsidized by donations.
Title
To make appropriation for the twelve months ending December 31, 2023, for the Health Department Grants Fund, to the Department of Health, in various projects and object classes, for the continued operation of grant programs; to authorize the Board of Health to accept grant awards; and to declare an emergency. ($1,230,210.41)
Body
WHEREAS, it is immediately necessary to appropriate funds for the Health Department’s grant programs for the 12 months beginning January 1, 2023, and ending December 31, 2023 that allows for the continued operations of the various grant programs in the Health Department; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to allow the City Auditor to transfer appropriations between object classes for the grant program as needed upon request by the Columbus Public Health department; and
WHEREAS, this ordinance is submitted as an emergency so as to allow the financial transaction to be posted in the City's accounting system as soon as possible. Up to date financial posting promotes accurate accounting and financial management; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Columbus Health Department in that it is immediately necessary to appropriate these funds to the Health Department as the funds are intended to cover the 12 months beginning January 1, 2023, and ending December 31, 2023 and it is already March making the funds necessary for the immediate preservation of 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 Board of Health is hereby authorized and directed to accept appropriation of $1,230,210.41 in the Health Department Grants Fund for fiscal year 2023.
SECTION 2. That from the monies in the fund known as the Health Department Grants Fund, Fund No. 2251, and from all monies estimated to come into said fund from any and all sources during the twelve months ending December 31, 2023, there be and hereby are appropriated to the Health Department, Department No. 50, Division No. 5001, per the accounting codes attached to this ordinance, for use during the twelve months ending December 31, 2023, and any eligible interest earned during the grant period and upon receipt of executed grant agreement:
TOTAL AMOUNT APPROPRIATED TO FUND 2251 IS: $1,230,210.41
SECTION 3. That the monies appropriated in the foregoing Section 1 shall be paid upon the order of the Health Commissioner except that small claims in an amount not to exceed Two Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($2,500.00) may be paid as authorized by Chapter 335 of the Columbus City Code, 1985, as amended; and except that payments or transfers between departments, divisions or funds of the City may be made by the City Auditor; and that payments for premiums for official bonds, depository commissions, employees' hospitalization, life insurance, pension, dental insurance and prepaid legal services, shall be made on the order and approval of the Director of the Department of Finance and Management or City Auditor; and that no order shall be drawn or money paid except upon voucher, the form of which shall be approved by the City Auditor.
SECTION 4. That, except in the matter of payrolls providing for the payment of salaries of officers and employees regularly employed by the City and extraordinary emergencies, no warrant shall be issued in liquidation of vouchers, unless the department contracting the expense shall have first obtained an order duly certified that there are sufficient funds appropriated to the credit of the proper fund from which the expenditure is to be made, which certificate must be obtained prior to the incurrence of the obligation, and the head of any department or division authorized to contract expenditures will be held personally responsible for any obligation incurred contrary to the provisions of this section. Such certificate shall not be issued for obligations pertaining to "Capital Outlay" in programs or activities funded by federal or state categorical grants without the prior approval of the Director of the Department of Finance and Management.
SECTION 5. That with the exception of the provisos (reasons) established in previous sections, as stated in the reason paragraphs following each sub-department's appropriation, it is understood that this Council is not making specific appropriations for each item of every classification hereinbefore contained but only for the total for each department and sub-department, as shown in the final column. The itemized classification shall, however, constitute limitations on the powers of the Health Commissioner as granted in Section 3 and no such officer shall make any expenditure for any other purpose in any amount beyond that of the particular classification, provided, however, that transfers may be made from one Object Level 1 to another, within any one department or division. Transfers of sums exceeding $100,000.00 shall be authorized only by resolution of Council. Transfers of sums of $100,000.00, or less, shall be approved by letter over the signatures of the Health Commissioner, the Director of the Department of Finance and Management, the City Auditor, and the Chairman of the Committee of Finance.
SECTION 6. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized and directed to pay obligations of various departments pertaining to preceding years' obligations from current appropriations up to a maximum of $25,000.00 per obligation.
SECTION 7. That the Board of Health is hereby authorized and directed to accept any additional grant awards for the period January 1, 2023 through December 31, 2023.
SECTION 8. That from the unappropriated monies and from all monies estimated to come into said fund from any and all sources and unappropriated for any other purpose during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 any additional awarded funds are appropriated in Fund 2251.
SECTION 9. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized to transfer appropriations between object classes for the grant program as needed upon request by the Columbus Public Health department.
SECTION 10. 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 11. 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 12. That at the end of the grant period, any repayment of unencumbered balances required by the grantor is hereby authorized and any unused City match monies may be transferred back to the City fund from which they originated in accordance with all applicable grant agreements.
SECTION 13. That the existing appropriations in grant projects in Fund No. 2251 at December 31, 2022, are hereby re-appropriated to the same grant, object class and purpose originally authorized by the Council and that the outstanding encumbrances in those grant projects at December 31, 2022, are hereby re-encumbered.
SECTION 14. That for 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.