BACKGROUND: In 2021, the City of Columbus (“the City”) Department of Finance and Management entered into a grant agreement with the Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District of Columbus Inc. (“Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District”), authorized by Ordinance 0968-2021, for the Downtown Permanent Public Restrooms Project. The purpose of the project is to develop permanent public restroom facility structures in the City’s downtown area with funding provided to the City from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) supplemental Community Development Block Grant Coronavirus (CDBG-CV) funds through the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
Ordinance 0968-2021 authorized an expenditure of up to $875,000.00 from CDBG-CV funds. After reassessing funding and community needs related to CDBG-CV funding, Ordinance 1637-2022 authorized an increase in CDBG-CV funding by $403,635.00 for the Downtown Permanent Public Restrooms Project in order to construct three public restrooms in three locations in downtown Columbus, and authorized a modification to the existing subaward with Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District to increase the budget to a total $1,278.635.00.
Ordinance 1201-2021 authorized the City of Columbus to accept and appropriate approximately $187,030,138.00 of federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, as signed into law by the President of the United States on March 11, 2021.
This Ordinance authorizes the Director of the Department of Finance and Management to execute a second modification to the existing subaward with Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District for the Downtown Permanent Public Restrooms Project to increase the budget by $789,514.00 using ARPA funds, with a total project cost of $2,068,149.00 for the installation of three permanent public restrooms in the downtown area. This total cost includes soft costs for planning, design, and administration. Although substantial completion of the project is planned for November, due to potential construction delays, this Ordinance authorizes the Director of the Department of Finance and Management to extend the contract period of performance with Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District to December 31, 2023.
This Ordinance authorizes the expenditure of $789,514.00 from ARPA (Fund 2209) for the Downtown Permanent Public Restrooms Project.
FISCAL IMPACT: This Ordinance authorizes the expenditure of $789,514.00 from funding provided to the City of Columbus from the federal American Rescue Plan Act supplemental Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund through the United States Department of the Treasury, from Fund 2209 ($789,514.00).
EMERGENCY DESIGNATION: Emergency action is requested to allow the financial transaction to be posted in the City’s accounting system as soon as possible and to ensure immediate funding can be provided to Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District, in order for the City to meet federal expenditure deadlines.
Title
To authorize the expenditure of $789,514.00 from ARPA Fund 2209; to authorize the Director of the Department of Finance and Management to modify the existing subaward with Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District to increase the budget by $789,514.00; to authorize the Director of the Department of Finance and Management to extend the contract period of performance with Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District; and to and declare an emergency. ($789,514.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the City was awarded $9,357,365 in CDBG-CV funding from HUD for community development projects or programs that prevent, prepare for, and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic; and
WHEREAS, the City has received funds from the United States Department of Treasury from the American Rescue Plan Act passed by Congress and signed into law March 11, 2021; and
WHEREAS, the expenditure of Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund funding must support organizations providing services necessary to alleviate the negative impacts caused by the COVID-19 public health emergency; and
WHEREAS, the Downtown Permanent Public Restrooms Project supports public health and COVID-19 mitigation efforts; and
WHEREAS, the City opened a bid for the Downtown Permanent Public Restrooms Project on behalf of Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District; and
WHEREAS, on April 4, 2023, two (2) bids for the Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District’s Downtown Permanent Public Restrooms Project were received and publicly opened in the office of the Director of the Department of Finance and Management; and
WHEREAS, 2k General Company submitted a bid for $2,015,704.40; and
WHEREAS, Complete General Construction submitted a bid for $1,543,055.51; and
WHEREAS, Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District intends to contract with Complete General Construction, as the lowest and best bid; and
WHEREAS, this Ordinance allows for the modification of the subaward agreement with the Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District, in order to increase the total project budget and extend the period of performance; and
WHEREAS, this Ordinance authorizes the expenditure of ARPA funding in the amount of $789,514.00 be added to the total project budget for a subaward with Capital Crossroads Special Improvements District for the Downtown Permanent Public Restrooms Project; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Finance and Management in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the expenditure of $789,514.00 from ARPA Fund 2209 for the Downtown Permanent Public Restrooms Project, in order to address the impacts of the COVID-19 health emergency and meet federal expenditure deadlines, such immediate action being necessary for the preservation of 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 the Department of Finance and Management is hereby authorized to execute a second modification with Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District to add $789,514.00 from ARPA funds to the Downtown Permanent Public Restrooms Project budget.
SECTION 2. That, for the purpose stated in Section 1, the expenditure of $789,514.00 is hereby authorized in Fund 2209 (ARPA), per the accounting codes in the attachment to this Ordinance.
SECTION 3. That the Director of the Department of Finance and Management is authorized to modify the subaward agreement with Capital Crossroads Special Improvements District to increase the total budget and extend the period of performance.
SECTION 4. 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 5. That the City Auditor is authorized to make any accounting changes to revise the funding source for all modifications associated with this Ordinance.
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 approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.