Budget, Finance & Governance Committee
Council Chambers, Room 300
Agenda — 32 items
- 1 ROLL CALL
- 2 AGENDA
- 4 COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT AREA AGREEMENT
- 1. ORDINANCE (EMERGENCY) submitted by Sheryl M. M. Long, City Manager, on 10/23/2024 APPROVING, AND AUTHORIZING the City Manager to execute a Community Reinvestment Area Tax Exemption Agreement (LEED or Living Building Challenge) with Hooper Cincy, LLC, thereby authorizing a fifteen-year tax exemption for 100 percent of the value of improvements made to real property located at 139 and 151 W. Fourth Street in the Central Business District of Cincinnati, in connection with the remodeling of an existing building into approximately 61,114 square feet of residential space, consisting of 102 residential units and approximately 4,636 square feet of commercial space, which remodeling shall be completed in compliance with Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Silver, Gold, or Platinum standards or Living Building Challenge standards, at a total remodeling cost of approximately $16,877,500. (Subject to the Temporary Prohibition List <https://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/law/ethics/city-business>).
- 7 GRANTS
- 2. ORDINANCE (EMERGENCY) submitted by Sheryl M. M. Long, City Manager, on 10/23/2024, ESTABLISHING new capital improvement program project account no. 980x232x252339, “Westwood Northern Blvd Corridor Grant,” for a comprehensive transportation project on the Westwood Northern Boulevard corridor from Beekman Street to Boudinot Avenue, which includes planning, engineering, design, and public engagement; AUTHORIZING the City Manager to accept and appropriate a grant of up to $2,275,000 from the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity program (ALN 20.933) awarded by the U.S. Department of Transportation to newly established capital improvement program project account no. 980x232x252339, “Westwood Northern Blvd Corridor Grant”; AUTHORIZING the Director of Finance to deposit grant resources into capital improvement program project account no. 980x232x252339, “Westwood Northern Blvd Corridor Grant”; and AUTHORIZING the City Manager to enter into any agreements necessary for the administration of these grant resources.
- 3. ORDINANCE (EMERGENCY) submitted by Sheryl M. M. Long, City Manager, on 10/23/2024, AUTHORIZING the City Manager to apply for a grant of up to $500,000 from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (ALN 15.916) awarded by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources to provide resources for improvements at Owl’s Nest Park.
- 11 EASEMENTS
- 4. ORDINANCE submitted by Sheryl M. M. Long, City Manager, on 10/23/2024, ACCEPTING AND CONFIRMING the grant of a public utility easement in favor of the City of Cincinnati for water mains and related fixtures, equipment, and appurtenances through certain real property in H.A. Meyer’s Subdivision of the City of Cincinnati, in the County of Hamilton, and State of Ohio in accordance with the plat entitled GCWW Easement Plat, Water Main Easement No. E-1117, CIN 337 Woodburn-DeSales, as recorded in Plat Book 500, Page 99, Hamilton County, Ohio Recorder’s Office.
- 5. ORDINANCE submitted by Sheryl M. M. Long, City Manager, on 10/23/2024, ACCEPTING AND CONFIRMING the grant of a public utility easement in favor of the City of Cincinnati for water mains and related fixtures, equipment, and appurtenances through certain real property in Section 22, Town 2, Fractional Range 2, Green Township, Hamilton County, and State of Ohio in accordance with the plat entitled Easement Plat WSL 3696 P1A, Village Phase 1A Easement No. E-1113, as recorded in Plat Book 498, Page 30-31, Hamilton County, Ohio Recorder’s Office.
- 15 TRANSFERS AND APPROPRIATIONS
- 6. ORDINANCE (EMERGENCY) submitted by Sheryl M. M. Long, City Manager, on 10/23/2024, AUTHORIZING the transfer of $91,000 within the General Fund from Lump Sum Payments non-departmental personnel operating budget account no. 050x924x7100 to City Manager’s Office non-personnel operating budget account no. 050x101x7400 to provide resources for sundry fixed charges, including additional resources for Access to Counsel for short-term emergency rental assistance; AUTHORIZING the transfer of $100,000 within the General Fund from Cincinnati Police Department personnel operating budget account no. 050x222x7100 to City Manager’s Office non-personnel operating budget account no. 050x101x7200 to provide resources for transit center safety; AUTHORIZING the transfer and appropriation of $200,000 from the unappropriated surplus of Convention Center Fund 103 to Duke Energy Convention Center non-personnel operating budget account no. 103x243x7200 to provide additional resources for Convention Center management during the ongoing renovation; AUTHORIZING the transfer and appropriation of $100,000 from the unappropriated surplus of Stormwater Management Fund 107 to Department of Buildings and Inspections personnel operating budget account no. 107x212x7100 to provide resources for the Private Lot Abatement Program and align eligible sources with eligible uses; AUTHORIZING the transfer and return to source of $100,000 from Department of Buildings and Inspections personnel operating budget account no. 050x211x7100 to the General Fund unappropriated surplus to align eligible sources with eligible uses for the Private Lot Abatement Program; AUTHORIZING the transfer of $150,000 within the Income Tax-Infrastructure Fund from Lump Sum Payments non-departmental personnel operating budget account no. 302x924x7100 to City Manager’s Office non-personnel operating budget account no. 302x101x7200 to provide resources for contractual services to assist with the initial planning and development of additional existing infrastructure projects financed with Southern Railway Trust disbursements; and AUTHORIZING the transfer and appropriation of $1,251,000 from the unappropriated surplus of Recreation Special Activities Fund 323 to Cincinnati Recreation Commission non-personnel operating budget account no. 323x191x7300 to provide resources for minibuses, fitness equipment, and utility expenses.
- 18 SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS
- 7. RESOLUTION (LEGISLATIVE) (EMERGENCY) submitted by Sheryl M. M. Long, City Manager, on 10/23/2024, DECLARING by legislative resolution the necessity of the special assessment project at 118 W. 9th Street in the City of Cincinnati, Ohio; APPROVING a petition for special assessments relating to the special assessment project at 118 W. 9th Street; and AUTHORIZING the City Manager to execute an agreement with the Ohio Air Quality Development Authority relating to the special assessment project at 118 W. 9th Street, pursuant to Ohio Revised Code Section 3706.051.
- 8. PETITION, submitted by the Clerk of Council, from Sheri Scott, requesting the levy of a special assessment at 118 W 9th St, LLC.
- 9. ORDINANCE (EMERGENCY) submitted by Sheryl M. M. Long, City Manager, on 10/23/2024, DETERMINING to proceed with the special assessment project at 118 W. 9th Street in Cincinnati involving the acquisition, construction, and improvement of an air quality facility.
- 10. ORDINANCE (EMERGENCY) submitted by Sheryl M. M. Long, City Manager, on 10/23/2024, LEVYING Special Assessments for the purpose of acquiring, constructing, and improving an air quality facility at 118 W. 9th Street in Cincinnati; and AUTHORIZING The City Manager to execute a Cooperative Agreement providing for the financing of an air quality facility project at 118 W. 9th Street in Cincinnati.
- 24 REPORTS
- 11. REPORT, dated 10/23/2024, submitted Sheryl M. M. Long, City Manager, regarding the Department of Finance Reports for the Month Ended July 31, 2024
- 12. REPORT, dated 10/23/2024, submitted Sheryl M. M. Long, City Manager, regarding the Department of Finance Reports for the Month Ended August 31, 2024.
- 28 CLOSEOUT
- 13. MOTION, submitted by Councilmember Cramerding, Parks, Jeffreys, Albi, Walsh, Owens and Johnson, WE MOVE that after completing the terms of the Stabilization Funds Policy and satisfying any operating exigencies, the Administration prioritize the following in allocating the Capital Project Reserve (aka “the final bucket” of the Waterfall) totaling $14,859,008. (BALANCE ON FILE IN THE CLERK’S OFFICE).
- 31 OPERATING BUDGET CONTINGENCIES
- 14. ORDINANCE (EMERGENCY), submitted by Vice Mayor Kearney, from Emily Smart Woerner, City Solicitor, AUTHORIZING the transfer of $29,000 from General Fund balance sheet reserve account no. 050x2535, “Reserve for Operating Budget Contingencies,’ to the unappropriated surplus of General Fund 050; AUTHORIZING the transfer and appropriation of $29,000 from the unappropriated surplus of General Fund 050 to City Manager’s Office non-personnel operating budget account no. 050x101x7400 to provide additional resources to allow Black Arts Speaks to complete its 2024 project for BLINK; and AUTHORIZING the disbursement of up to $40,000 from the City Manager’s Office General Fund non-personnel operating budget to Black Arts Speaks to provide additional resources to complete its 2024 project for BLINK.
- 15. ORDINANCE (EMERGENCY), submitted by Vice Mayor Kearney, from Emily Smart Woerner, City Solicitor, AUTHORIZING the transfer of $300,000 from General Fund balance sheet reserve account no. 050x2535, “Reserve for Operating Budget Contingencies,” to the unappropriated surplus of General Fund 050; and AUTHORIZING the transfer and appropriation of $300,000 from the unappropriated surplus of General Fund 050 to the City Manager’s Office non-personnel operating budget account no.050x101x7400 to provide leveraged support resources for the Advance Peace Gun Violence prevention program.
- 35 MOTIONS
- 16. MOTION (AMENDED), submitted by Councilmembers Albi, Walsh and Owens, WE MOVE that we allocate the remaining in the contingency operating fund in the following ways: *$275k for Advance Peace and $50k to Government Square safety initiatives.
- 17. MOTION, submitted by Vice Mayor Kearney, WE MOVE that City Council allocate the remaining 2024 Closeout Budget carryover funds in the Operating Budget Contingencies Accounts as follows: 1. $50,000 for the FreeStore FoodBank to provide food for students after school at transit centers, per a partnership created by Councilmember Anna Albi. (BALANCE ON FILE IN THE CLERK’S OFFICE) (STATEMENT ATTACHED).
- 18. MOTION, submitted by Vice Mayor Kearney, WE MOVE that City Council modify Ordinance # 2022-01471 (the 2022 “Waterfall Ordinance”) that allocates the annual Closeout Budget’s carryover funds as follows: 1. Delete the third paragraph of the Waterfall Ordinance that states, “WE FURTHER MOVE that City Deferred Maintenance Project be the top priority for spending of the surplus.” (BALANCE ON FILE IN THE CLERK’S OFFICE) (STATEMENT ATTACHED)
- 19. MOTION (AMENDED), submitted by Vice Mayor Kearney, WE MOVE that City Council allocate to BOC Development, LLC the amount of $65,000 from the *Capital Project Reserve of the 2024 Closeout Budget’s carryover funds for the West End Sports Bar and Grill. This amount is the gap financing needed for completion of the project. The West End does not have a sit-down family-friendly restaurant and the West End community has been in full support of this project.
- 20. MOTION, submitted by Vice Mayor Kearney, WE MOVE that the administration work with City Council to create a “Buy the Building (BTB)” program to assist small businesses in obtaining ownership of a building in which they will house this business. The City of Cincinnati’s Department of Community and Economic Development and the City’s Office of Equity would work together to create and then track the progress of the program, including participants’ demographics - race, gender and other factors - and report to Council on a quarterly basis. (BALANCE ON FILE IN THE CLERK’S OFFICE) (STATEMENT ATTACHED)
- 42 ADJOURNMENT