Explanation
BACKGROUND: In 2005 the Northland Alliance, the Morse Road SID Exploratory Committee, and the City of Columbus Development Department initiated an effort with property owners on Morse Road from Indianola Avenue to Cleveland Avenue to create a Special Improvement District (SID). In 2006 the Morse Road SID was created for a term of ten (10) years. On March 14, 2016 a petition to reauthorize for another ten (10) years from 2017 to 2026 was accepted and approved by Columbus City Council by Ordinance No. 0611- 2016. Another action required by the Ohio Revised Code is the approval of the Plan of Improvements and Services and the inclusion of City owned property in said plan. This legislation was approved by Columbus City Council by Resolution No. 0043X-2016, passed March 21, 2016. The third piece of legislation was to declare the necessity to implement the Plan of Services adopted by the Morse Road SID, and to levy a special assessment for the services. This legislation was approved by Columbus City Council by Resolution No. 0098X-2016, passed May 2, 2016. A final piece of legislation, providing for the levy of assessment to property owners, was approved by City Council by Ordinance No. 1579-2016, passed June 20, 2016. Each assessment is to be returned to the SID for operational requirements as set forth in the Plan of Services.
This legislation appropriates and approves the expenditure of assessments collected in fiscal year 2023 that are to be returned to the SID. This legislation also allows the Director of Development to enter into a contract with the Morse Road Special Improvement District of Columbus, Inc. for disbursement of these funds in 2023.
FISCAL IMPACT: Funds for this expenditure will be received from the levy of assessments collected from property owners in the Morse Road Special Improvement District. These funds are deposited into and expended from Agency Fund 3309.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a contract with the Morse Road Special Improvement District of Columbus, Inc. for the implementation of services set forth in the District Plan; to direct the City Auditor to appropriate and expend up to $305,000.00 from assessments levied from property owners; and to declare an emergency. ($305,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, City Council approved the reauthorization and implementation of a plan for services for the Morse Road Special Improvement District of Columbus, Inc. for a period of 10 years from January 1, 2017 through December 31, 2026; and
WHEREAS, City Council has also levied assessments in accordance with the Ohio Revised Code, Chapter 1710 for such purposes, which funds are in the process of collection and are required by law to be distributed to the District by the City; and
WHEREAS, the assessment funds collected by the County and forwarded to the City for disbursement will be available in March 2023 and September 2023; and
WHEREAS, this legislation needs to be an emergency because the Morse Road SID needs this money to operate its organization and to fund its initiatives in a timely manner; and
WHEREAS, there is an emergency in the usual daily operation of the Department of Development as these critical payments are only released from the auditor bi-annually for continued cleaning and safety services, and are the sole source of employee payroll for the districts they serve, requiring the distribution of such funds, and for the further 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 Director of Development is hereby authorized to enter into a contract with the Morse Road Special Improvement District of Columbus, Inc. for the implementation of services for the operational requirements set forth in the District Plan previously approved by City Council pursuant to Resolution 0043X-2016, for an amount not to exceed $305,000.00.
SECTION 2. That for the purpose stated in Section 1, the expenditure of $305,000.00 or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized in Fund 3309 Morse Road SID under an assigned Object Class for Other Expenditures per the accounting codes.
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