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To amend Ord. No. 2023-071, adopted May 8, 2023, which adopted the Fiscal Year 2023-2024 General Fund Budget and made appropriations pursuant thereto, to (i) transfer $40,000.00 from the Non-Departmental agency Reserve for Children’s Fund line item (ii) create a new line item entitled “Greater Richmond Fit4Kids (for Safe Routes to School Bicycling Programs)” in the Non-Departmental agency, and (iii) appropriate such $40,000.00 to such new line item in the Non-Departmental agency, for the purpose of assisting with the purchase of a vehicle to transport bicycles to and from elementary schools administered by the School Board of the City of Richmond.
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THE CITY OF RICHMOND HEREBY ORDAINS:
§ 1. That Article I, Section 1 of Ordinance No. 2023-071, adopted May 8, 2023, which adopted a General Fund Budget for the fiscal year commencing July 1, 2023, and ending June 30, 2024, and made appropriations pursuant thereto, is hereby amended by
(a) Transferring $40,000.00 from the Non-Departmental agency Reserve for Children’s Fund line item for the fiscal year commencing July 1, 2023, and ending June 30, 2024;
(b) Creating a new line item in the Non-Departmental agency entitled “Greater Richmond Fit4Kids (for Safe Routes to School Bicycling Programs)” and
(c) Appropriating the funds in the amount of $40,000.00 transferred by subsection (a) of this section to the new line item in the Non-Departmental agency created by subsection (b) of this section entitled “Greater Richmond Fit4Kids (for Safe Routes to School Bicycling Programs)” for the purpose of assisting with the purchase of a vehicle to transport bicycles to and from elementary schools administered by the School Board of the City of Richmond.
§ 2. This ordinance shall be in force and effect upon adoption.
O&R REQUEST
DATE: September 7, 2023 EDITION: 1
TO: The Honorable Members of City Council
THROUGH: The Honorable Levar M. Stoney, Mayor
THROUGH: J.E. Lincoln Saunders, Chief Administrative Officer
THROUGH: Sabrina Joy-Hogg, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for Finance and Admin-istration
THROUGH: Sheila White, Director of Finance
THROUGH: Jason May, Director of Budget and Strategic Planning
THROUGH: Traci Deshazor, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for Human Services
FROM: Eva Colen, Office of Children and Families
RE: FY23 Reserve for Children’s Fund Reappropriation for Greater Richmond Fit4Kids (for Learn to Bike Vehicle)
ORD. OR RES. No.
PURPOSE: To amend Ord. No. 2023-071, adopted May 8, 2023, which adopted the Fiscal Year 2023-2024 General Fund and made appropriations pursuant thereto, to (i) transfer $40,000 from the Non-Departmental agency, Reserve for Children’s Fund line item (ii) create a new line item entitled “Greater Richmond Fit4Kids (for Safe Routes to School Bicycling Programs), and (iii) appropriate such $40,000 to such new line item in the Non-Departmental agency, for the purpose of contributing to the purchase of a vehicle to transport bicycles to and from Richmond Public Schools elementary schools.
REASON: With this $40,000 allocation from the City’s Non-Departmental agency, Reserve for Children’s Fund, the City will partner with Greater Richmond Fit4Kids to support the purchase of a truck that will be used to transport bicycles to and from Richmond Public Schools elementary schools so that RPS students can participate in a “Learn to Bike” program as well as bicycling safety education programs.
RECOMMENDATION: Approval is recommended by City Administration
BACKGROUND: Greater Richmond Fit4Kids is a nonprofit organization focused on improving children’s health and wellness in the Richmond region. To improve children’s health and wellness, Fit4Kids offers programs that promote physical activity and healthy eating in schools and communities. Fit4Kids is a longstanding partner of the City through:
- The Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program, which is federally funded by pass-through grants from the Virginia Department of Transportation to the City of Richmond. SRTS serves 10 RPS schools by supporting children and families that use active transportation to travel to and from school and by supporting schools to ensure safe arrival and dismissal processes.
- Learning gardens and afterschool garden clubs at certain RPS schools.
- “Game On, Girl!”, an afterschool program offered through NextUp at certain RPS middle schools to empower adolescent girls to be physically active and nutritionally fit.
Fit4Kids intends to incorporate bicycling education into its Safe Routes to School programming. This will include “Learn to Bike” sessions as well as bicycling safety awareness and skill-building.
While Fit4Kids has successfully fundraised to purchase bicycles for these programs and will leverage existing personnel to administer these programs, the organization has not been successful in their efforts to raise funds to purchase a vehicle to transport the bicycles from one school to another. The vehicle purchase is vital to the sustainability and efficiency of the program, because it is cost-prohibitive to purchase bicycles for every participating school and logistically difficult to identify school-based storage spaces for each school. The total projected cost of a vehicle for this purpose is $50,000; Fit4Kids has secured commitments of $10,000 in individual contributions should the City approve this $40,000 allocation.
FISCAL IMPACT / COST: $40,000
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS: This will reduce the Reserve for Children’s Fund appropriation in the FY24 Non-Departmental budget category by $40,000
BUDGET AMENDMENT NECESSARY: Yes
REVENUE TO CITY: None
DESIRED EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon adoption
REQUESTED INTRODUCTION DATE: October 10, 2023
CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING DATE: November 13, 2023
REQUESTED AGENDA: Consent
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL COMMITTEE: Education and Human Services Standing Committee
CONSIDERATION BY OTHER GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES: N/A
AFFECTED AGENCIES: Finance, Budget and Strategic Planning, Human Services - Non-departmental Agency, Human Services - Office of Children and Families
RELATIONSHIP TO EXISTING ORD. OR RES.: Ord. No. 2023-071
REQUIRED CHANGES TO WORK PROGRAM(S): N/A
ATTACHMENTS: N/A
STAFF: Eva Colen, Office of Children and Families, x5454, Eva.Colen@rva.gov