Explanation
BACKGROUND: This legislation authorizes an amendment to Ordinance No. 1859-2023, passed by Columbus City Council on June 26, 2023, to allow for the a correction that reflects that the grant allows for food and non-alcoholic beverages to be served at events as well as allows for Designing Local LTD., to facilitate travel for select city employees and to pay for those expenses based on the contract which was authorized with Andrew W. Mellon Foundation grant funds. This language was inadvertently omitted and needs to be corrected and to be reflective of the effective date of the contract.
Ordinance No. 1859-2023, passed by Columbus City Council on June 26, 2023, authorized the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a professional service agreement with Designing Local Ltd., to serve as the City’s lead consultant for the “Reimagining Columbus” project.
The City proposed the Reimagining Columbus project to the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and was awarded a $2 million grant. As the lead consultant for project, Designing Local will be responsible project management, community engagement, landscape architecture, and oversight of subconsultants. Subconsultants will include experts in public engagement, cultural competency, public art, place making, and design and augmented with the perspectives of Advisory Committees composed of local residents and community leaders. The project will use conventional and restorative practices to glean insight and support the sharing of different perspectives and lived experiences. The grant allows for food and non-alcoholic beverages to be served during community engagement events, and the travel of the consultants and select city employees to other cities to participate in a learning exchange. The purpose of this learning exchange is to gain knowledge from others who are also engaged in similar initiatives or can otherwise provide contextual information related to cultural, legal, or procedural issues or concerns. These items are part of the existing budget for community engagement and learning exchange and have been approved by the Grantor.
On February 28, 2024, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation confirmed to the City, in writing, that food and non-alcoholic beverage expenses were authorized to be spent from the grant award funding.
Emergency action is requested in order to allow for the approval and reimbursement of those expenses incurred since the effective date of the agreement, to prevent Designing Local LTD from experiencing financial hardship.
CONTRACT COMPLIANCE: the vendor number is 020995 and expires 7/14/2024.
Title
To amend Ordinance No. 1859-2023, passed by Columbus City Council on June 26, 2023, to authorize the payment of food and non-alcoholic beverages expenses as well as the payment of travel expenses of select city employees in connection with the Reimagining Columbus project, managed by Designing Local LTD; and to declare an emergency. ($0.00)
Body
WHEREAS, Ordinance No. 1859-2023 passed by Columbus City Council on June 26, 2023, authorized the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a professional services contract with Designing Local Ltd., for the City’s “Reimagining Columbus” project that is funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation's “Monuments Project” program; and
WHEREAS, it was recently discovered that the legislation did not clearly state that food and non-alcoholic beverages would be an allowable expense as well as the facilitation and payment of select city employees travel by Designing Local LTD, as authorized per the budget and approval of the awarded grant; and
WHEREAS, on February 28, 2024, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation confirmed to the Department of Development, in writing, that the grant funds expenditure authorized in Ordinance No. 1859-2023 may be used, in part, on food and non-alcoholic beverage expenses; and
WHEREAS, the Director of the Department of Development requests that Ordinance No. 1859-2023 be amended in order to correct the inadvertent omission of those items: and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Development in that it is immediately necessary to amend Ordinance 1859-2023, passed by Columbus City Council on June 26, 2023, in order to reimburse for the approved expenses incurred since the effective date of the agreement, to prevent Designing Local LTD from experiencing financial hardship; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the title of Ordinance No. 1859-2023 is hereby amended as follows:
To authorize the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a contract with Designing Local Ltd in an amount up to $750,000.00 for the purpose of project management, community engagement, landscape architecture and facilitating the community in public discussion about the future disposition of the Christopher Columbus statue in accordance with the Monuments Project scope; to waive the competitive bidding requirements of Columbus City Code Chapter 329; to authorize the expenditure of $750,000.00 from the Department of Development’s Mellon Foundation Grant budget (Private Grant Fund); to authorize payment for travel costs for select City and vendor employees, and for reasonable food and non-alcoholic beverages for participants of the Reimagining Columbus project funded by the Monuments Project grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation; and to declare an emergency. ($750,000.00)
SECTION 2. That the existing title of Ordinance No. 1859-2023 is hereby repealed.
SECTION 3. That new Section 6 of Ordinance No. 1859-2023 is hereby adopted and that existing Section 7 of Ordinance No. 1859-2023 is hereby amended as follows:
SECTION 6. That Columbus City Council deems the expenditure of moneys for food and non-alcoholic beverages, as well as reasonable travel costs for select City and vendor employees, to be a public purpose, in that it facilitates the goals of the Reimagining Columbus project and aligns with the mission of the grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Food and non-alcoholic beverage related expenditures will only be allowable from the execution date of the contract and shall not exceed $20.00 per served individual. Travel costs shall be reimbursed in accordance with guidelines issued by the City Auditor.
SECTION 6 7. 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.
SECTION 4. That existing Section 7 of Ordinance No. 1859-2023 is hereby repealed.
SECTION 5. That all other sections of Ordinance No. 1859-2023 not expressly amended or repealed by this Ordinance shall remain in full force and effect.
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 which 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 it.