Explanation
BACKGROUND: The Division of Police was awarded additional funding through the American Rescue Plan Funding 2022 Crime Lab Backlog from the Office of Criminal Justice. This federally supported program seeks to reduce the number of backlogged cases and to increase capacity. Funds have been awarded for additional equipment. The cost breakdown for these funds is as follows: equipment $567,000.00.
The official city program contact authorized to act in connection with this $567,000.00 grant is Crime Lab Manager, Angela Farrington. The grant award start date was May 1, 2022 and ends December 31, 2024.
Emergency Designation: Emergency legislation is necessary to make these additional funds available to purchase new crime lab equipment and instrumentation as soon as possible since the grant award was effective May 1, 2022 and expires December 31, 2024.
FISCAL IMPACT: This ordinance authorizes an acceptance of the $567,000.00 grant award and the appropriation of those funds from the Office of Criminal Justice to improve laboratory efficiency by replacing outdated equipment and instrumentation. This is a new award granting additional funds to the City of Columbus. No matching funds are required and all grant expenditures will be reimbursed by the grant awarded funding.
Title
To authorize and direct the Mayor of the City of Columbus to accept the American Rescue Plan 2022 Crime Lab Backlog award from the Office of Criminal Justice; to authorize the Crime Lab Manager as the official city representative to act in connection with this grant; to authorize an appropriation of $567,000.00 from the unappropriated balance of the General Government Grant Fund to the Division of Police to cover the cost of the American Rescue Plan 2022 Crime Lab Backlog Grant activities and expenditures; and to declare an emergency. ($567,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Division of Police was awarded funding through the American Rescue Plan 2022 Crime Lab Backlog Grant from the Office of Criminal Justice for equipment and instrumentation for the Crime Lab; and,
WHEREAS, the Columbus Police Crime Lab has a need to replace outdated incompatible equipment with new models that will improve efficiency by allowing analysts to review data from any network and prevent case backlog that would develop if the equipment and instruments were out of service; and,
WHEREAS, Crime Lab Manager Angela Farrington has been identified as the official city representative to act in connection with this American Rescue Plan 2022 Crime Lab Backlog Grant and to provide information as required; and,
WHEREAS, the grant award period begins on May 1, 2022 and ends December 31, 2024; and,
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operations of the Division of Police, Department of Public Safety, in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Mayor to accept and appropriate the American Rescue Plan 2022 Crime Lab Backlog Grant award in order to make funds available so equipment can be purchased and installed before the grants expiration date of December 31, 2024, thereby preserving the public peace, health, property, safety, and welfare; now, therefore
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Mayor of the City of Columbus is hereby authorized to accept an American Rescue Plan 2022 Crime Lab Backlog Grant for the Columbus Police Crime Lab.
SECTION 2. That Crime Lab Manager Angela Farrington is designated as the official city program contact, authorized to act in connection with the American Rescue Plan 2022 Crime Lab Backlog Grant, and is to provide any additional information required.
SECTION 3.That from the unappropriated monies in the General Government Grant Fund and from all monies estimated to come into said fund from any and all sources and unappropriated for any other purposes during the grant period, the sum of $567,000.00 is appropriated upon receipt of an executed grant agreement in Fund 2220 General Government Grants in Object Class 06 Capital Outlay, per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 4. That the monies appropriated in the foregoing Section 3 shall be paid upon order of the Mayor; and that no order shall be drawn or money paid except by voucher, the form of which shall be approved by the City Auditor.
SECTION 5. That, at the end of the grant period, any repayment of unencumbered balances required by the grantor is hereby authorized and any unused City match monies may be transferred back to the City fund from which they originated in accordance with all applicable grant agreements.
SECTION 6. That the funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are hereby deemed appropriated.
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.