Ordinance No. _________, Series 2020
Title
AN EMERGENCY ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NO. 081, SERIES 2019 RELATED TO THE FISCAL YEAR 2019-2020 OPERATING BUDGET BY APPROPRIATING $2,700,000 OF COMMITTED FUND BALANCE AS AUTHORIZED IN ORDINANCE NO. 187, SERIES 2019, SECTION IV TO THE OFFICE OF RESILIENCE & COMMUNITY SERVICES TO ESTABLISH AN EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE FUND TO PROVIDE COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE RELATED TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC (AS AMENDED).
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SPONSORED BY: PRESIDENT JAMES AND COUNCIL MEMBERS WINKLER, HOLLANDER, SHANKLIN, DORSEY, SEXTON SMITH, MCCRANEY, COAN, MULVIHILL, KRAMER, BLACKWELL, FOX, FOWLER, TRIPLETT, REED, PARKER, BENSON, GEORGE, ENGEL, PEDEN, FLOOD, AND YATES
WHEREAS, the Legislative Council of the Louisville/Jefferson County Metro Government (“Council”), in Ordinance No. 187, Series 2019, established a pension mitigation fund in the amount of $2,700,000 through a committed fund balance to address future pension obligations; and
WHEREAS, the Council wishes to instead establish an emergency assistance fund for the sole purpose of recapitalizing existing programs to provide community assistance with expenses related to the COVID-19 pandemic; and
WHEREAS, the Council has limited funds available but feels it proper to reappropriate these funds to answer immediate needs of those it represents; and
WHEREAS, citizens impacted financially by this pandemic should not be precluded from participating in qualified programs, regardless of previous eligibility; and
WHEREAS, this Ordinance requires emergency consideration as authorized by Council Rule 7.01 because it is essential that the government act expeditiously to make resources available to address this evolving public health crisis.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL OF THE LOUISVILLE/JEFFERSON COUNTY METRO GOVERNMENT (“COUNCIL”) AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION I: Part I., Revenues and Funding Sources, of Ordinance 081, Series 2019, is hereby amended as follows:
SECTION II: Part I., F. Chief of Community Building, 6. Office of Resilience & Community Services, of Ordinance No. 081, Series 2019, is hereby amended as follows:
6. OFFICE OF RESILIENCE & COMMUNITY SERVICES
a. General Operations
(1) General Fund 10,002,100 12,702,100
(2) Community Development 2,644,900
(3) Agency and Other Receipts 17,581,700
Total - Office of Resilience & Community Services 30,228,700 32,928,700
Included in Section II. 6.a. above is $2,700,000 to be administered by the Office of Resilience & Community Services to fund an emergency assistance fund to be designated as the COVID-19 Relief Fund (“CRF”), to assist with community expenses related to the COVID-19 pandemic, and to be administered in accordance with the provisions of this Ordinance.
SECTION III. The Office of Resilience & Community Services shall act as a fiscal agent for purposes of administering the CRF established under Section II of this Ordinance. The monies transferred to the CRF pursuant to this Ordinance shall not be used to create or establish any new programs or services, but shall be used solely for the purpose of recapitalizing existing programs that provide food assistance and emergency assistance for housing, including but not limited to such programs offered by Community Ministries, Dare to Care, and Neighborhood Place. The Office of Resilience & Community Services shall distribute CRF funds to any eligible entity for eligible programs only to the extent that demand and need at those entities for these eligible programs exceeds other funds available to those programs from other sources. Any funds allocated from the CRF by the Office of Resilience and Community Services to these existing programs shall not be used for any administrative costs associated with the programs, but shall be used by these programs solely to provide food assistance and emergency assistance for housing. The monies transferred to the CRF shall only be used to reimburse current External Agency Funding non-profits or fund current Metro administered programs. The monies shall be used solely for the purpose of recapitalizing existing programs that provide food assistance and emergency assistance for housing. An online application for reimbursement will be weekly reviewed for eligibility by a three-person panel consisting of a representative of the Mayor, the Metro Council President (or designee), and a representative of the Metro United Way. The panel will meet weekly to decide which requests receive funding reimbursement. Efforts will be made by the three-person panel to distribute monies equitably across Jefferson County. Monies will only be transferred to non-profits on a reimbursement basis, and the applicant must show increased demand for services due to the COVID-19 epidemic. External Agencies requesting reimbursement for emergency housing assistance must show evidence of loss directly associated with the COVID-19 epidemic and of individual need. The Office of Resilience & Community Services shall reimburse eligible entities only to the extent that demand and need at those entities exceeds other funds available to those programs from other sources. No funding shall be used for administrative costs associated with the programs, but shall be used solely to provide food assistance and emergency assistance for housing.
SECTION IV. The monies in the CRF are to be used as a fund of last resort, and only to the extent that other funds are not available to these programs from any other source to satisfy the purposes of this Ordinance. If Metro Government receives funding from any federal, state, or philanthropic source that may be used for the purposes set forth in this Ordinance, to the extent permissible by law, those funds shall first be used to reimburse the CRF for any distributions previously made to eligible programs pursuant this Ordinance. To the extent that any CRF monies are not needed for the purposes set forth in this Ordinance, regardless of the source of those funds, all remaining balances shall be returned to the pension mitigation fund.
SECTION V. The Office of Management and Budget shall make a written report to the Council with the allocation and distribution of every $250,000 of monies from the CRF. These reports shall include the name of the recipient, the amount allocated to the recipient, the date or the request and the allocation, the assistance to be provided by the program, and such other information as Council may require. Reports shall also include information on any reimbursements to the CRF as provided for in Section IV. The Office of Management and Budget shall make a final report to the Council once the CRF is finally closed.
SECTION VI: The Council has determined the funds requested in this Ordinance will be expended for a public purpose.
SECTION VII: This Ordinance shall take effect upon its passage and approval.
_________________________________ ______________________________
Sonya Harward David James
Metro Council Clerk President of the Council
__________________________________ _____________________________
Greg Fischer Approval Date
Mayor
Approved as to form and legality:
Michael J. O’Connell
Jefferson County Attorney
BY: _____________________________
O-128-20 - Emergency Assistance Fund - mhh - 3-16-20- docx