Explanation
BACKGROUND: This ordinance authorizes the transfer of $860,000 from the Department of Finance General Fund, Citywide Account to the Sustainable Columbus Fund the for the purpose of further supporting a range of energy management and alternative energy, and sustainability initiatives to benefit the greater Columbus community.
Ordinance 1554-2021 established the Sustainable Columbus Fund to support initiatives that include but are not limited to the following: community education and outreach, grants, infrastructure investment, energy efficiency projects, training, workforce development, administrative costs incurred by the City, and other activities related to clean energy, energy efficiency, and sustainability initiatives.
This ordinance also authorizes the transfer and appropriation of $929,272.87 from the Sustainable Columbus Fund to the Department of Public Utilities Electricity Operating Fund for the purpose of further supporting a range of energy management and alternative energy, and sustainability initiatives to benefit the greater Columbus community. This ordinance will further support these initiatives under the purview of the Department of Public Utilities.
EMERGENCY ACTION: This ordinance is submitted as an emergency to assure the proper funding is aligned to support the Sustainable Columbus initiatives.
FISCAL IMPACT: This ordinance authorizes the transfer of $860,000 from the Department of Finance General Fund, Citywide Account to the Sustainable Columbus Fund; this ordinance also authorizes the transfer and appropriation of $929,272.87 from the Sustainable Columbus Fund to the Department of Public Utilities Operating Fund.
Title
To authorize the transfer of $860,000.00 from the Department of Finance Citywide Account to the Sustainable Columbus Fund; this ordinance also authorizes the transfer and appropriation of $929,272.87 from the Sustainable Columbus Fund to the Department of Public Utilities Electricity Operating Fund for the purpose of supporting energy management and alternative energy, and sustainability initiatives to benefit the greater Columbus community; and to declare an emergency. ($929,272.87)
Body
WHEREAS, Ordinance 1554-2021 authorized the establishment of the Sustainable Columbus Fund; and
WHEREAS, the purpose of this Special Revenue Fund is to provide support to a range of clean energy, energy efficiency, and sustainability initiatives to benefit the greater Columbus community. Some of these initiatives may include but are not limited to the following: community education and outreach, grants, infrastructure investment, energy efficiency projects, training, workforce development, administrative costs incurred by the City, and other activities related to clean energy, energy efficiency, and sustainability initiatives; and
WHEREAS, these activities will benefit the community by providing resources to enhance knowledge of and access to alternative forms of energy, providing community grants to provide economic assistance for alternative energy adoption, investments in local energy infrastructure, and other programs related to alternative energy and green/sustainability initiatives designed to reduce the community’s carbon emissions; and
WHEREAS, it has become necessary in the usual daily operation of the Finance and Management Department to authorize the transfer from the Department of Finance Citywide account in the amount of $860,000 to the Sustainable Columbus Fund to support energy management and energy alternatives.
WHEREAS, it has become necessary to also authorize the transfer and appropriation of $929,272.87 from the Sustainable Columbus Fund to the Department of Public Utilities Electricity Operating Fund for the purpose of further supporting energy management and alternative energy initiatives in the greater Columbus community; and,
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operations of the Department of Finance and Management and the Department of Public Utilities, in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the transfers and appropriations of funds to assure that proper funding is aligned to support the Sustainable Columbus initiatives thereby preserving 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 City Auditor is hereby authorized to transfer of $860,000 or so much thereof as may be needed, from the General Fund Citywide Account Fund 1000, Dept-Div 4501 to the Sustainable Columbus Fund 2260, Dept-Div 4501 and Dept-Div 4550 per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 2. That from the cash in the fund not encumbered for any other purpose, $929,272.87 is hereby appropriated within the Sustainable Columbus Fund, Fund 2260, per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized to transfer $929,272.87, from the Sustainable Columbus Fund 2260, Dept-Div 4501 to the Department of Public Utilities Electricity Operating Fund 6300, Dept-Div 6001 per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 4. That from the unappropriated monies in the Department of Public Utilities Electricity Operating Fund, Fund 6300, Subfund 000000, 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 ending December 31, 2023, the sum of $929,272.87 be and hereby is appropriated per the account 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 purpose of this transfer and appropriation of funds to the Department of Utilities Electricity Operating Fund is to further support energy management and alternative energy initiatives in the greater Columbus community.
SECTION 7. That for the reasons 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.