Explanation
This ordinance establishes an appropriation in support of Columbus Youth Council activities, and also authorizes a contract with Prime Tours for a student-oriented trip to Washington DC.
The Columbus Youth Council (CYC) program gives Columbus high school juniors and seniors an opportunity to immerse themselves in city government and learn how they can become stewards in their community.
Students selected participate in several sessions dealing with topics such as the structure of city government, city housing & development, public safety, and much more. Students interact with members of the Columbus City Council as well as other community speakers. Along with in-person sessions, students collaborate with other CYC students on one of the three teams available and have ongoing communication during the week working on various tasks. The teams include social media, recruitment, and graduation.
The end-of-school year engagement for the current CYC cohort includes a trip to Washington DC. Students will have an opportunity to leverage the knowledge they have gained during meetings with federal legislators in order to advocate for issues central to youth residents. The trip will be organized by Prime Tours. Columbus City Council conducted an informal bidding process by acquiring three quotes, and Prime Tours was selected for providing the lowest bid. City Council deems this use of funding to be for a public purpose in that it advances the civic education, awareness, and understanding of government and legislative process among students. The total cost of the trip will be $35,964.00, which includes travel, meals, admission for tours and museums, and other incidental expenses. The 13 Youth Council participants will be accompanied by 5 Columbus City Council employees as chaperones.
These funds will be used to accommodate program costs, including supplies, professional services, travel, and other related costs.
Fiscal Impact: Funding is available within the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund.
EMERGENCY DESIGNATION: Emergency action is requested in order to establish the appropriation in time to accommodate immediate program expenses, most notably being the travel to Washington D.C, currently scheduled for April 15th.
Title
To authorize an appropriation within the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund in support of Columbus Youth Council; to authorize the City Clerk to enter into contract with Prime Tours; to authorize an expenditure within the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund; and to declare an emergency. ($50,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Columbus Youth Council (CYC) program gives Columbus high school juniors and seniors an opportunity to immerse themselves in city government; and
WHEREAS, students selected participate in several sessions dealing with topics such as the structure of city government, city housing and development, public safety, and more; and
WHEREAS, these funds will be used to accommodate program costs, including supplies, professional services, travel, and other related expenses; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily business of the City Clerk in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the City Clerk to enter into an agreement with Prime Tours in order to establish the appropriation in time to accommodate immediate program expenses, most notably being the travel to Washington D.C., currently scheduled for April 15th, all for the immediate preservation of the public health, peace, property, safety and welfare; and now, therefore,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Auditor is hereby authorized and directed to appropriate $50,000.00 within the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund, fund 1000, subfund 100018, per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 2. That the City Clerk is hereby authorized to enter into an agreement with Prime Tours for the provision of student-oriented travel to Washington, D.C.
SECTION 3. That per the action authorized in Section 2 of this ordinance, the expenditure of $35,964.00 is hereby authorized in the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 4. That City Council deems this use of funding to be for a public purpose in that it advances the civic education, awareness, and understanding of government and legislative process among students.
SECTION 5. Funds are hereby deemed appropriated and expenditures and transfers authorized to carry out the purposes of this ordinance and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 6. 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 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 passage and approval by the Mayor or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.