Board of Estimate & Contract:
RESOLVED, that an Ordinance adopted by the City Council on January 14, 2026, and signed by the Mayor on January 15, 2026, authorizing the Mayor to Retroactively Enter into an Agreement with the Westchester County Youth Bureau to Accept Funds for the GEM Program and to Provide Required City Matching Funds - (commencing January 1, 2026, through December 31, 2028; $50,000.00 grant funds shall be accounted for in revenue code A2229.8 and appropriated to the following budget lines:
• A7327.101 - Salaries
• A6295.402 - Travel Expense
• A6295.405 - Contracted Outside Services
• A6295.458 - Miscellaneous
• A6295.467 - Program Supplies
This ordinance acknowledges that the GEM Program grant is reimbursable in nature, and the City’s cash match is required); be it so, and the same is hereby approved.
City Council:
AN ORDINANCE RETROACTIVELY AUTHORIZING
THE MAYOR TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT
WITH THE WESTCHESTER COUNTY YOUTH BUREAU
TO ACCEPT FUNDS FOR THE GEM PROGRAM AND
TO PROVIDE REQUIRED CITY MATCHING FUNDS
Whereas, in correspondence dated December 29, 2025, the Executive Director of the Youth Bureau formally requested authorization for the Mayor to retroactively enter into and execute an agreement with the Westchester County Youth Bureau, enabling the Mount Vernon Youth Bureau to accept grant funding in the amount of Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00) for the GEM Program; and
Whereas, the GEM Program is a three-year reimbursable grant, requiring a city cash match in the amount of Five Thousand Five Hundred Fifty-Six Dollars ($5,556.00) per year, for a total of three (3) years, commencing January 1, 2026, through December 31, 2028; and
Whereas, the GEM Program provides after-school and summer programming at two to three (2-3) middle schools within the Mount Vernon City School District, targeting 55 middle school girls aged 11-15 residing in Mount Vernon neighborhoods, with an emphasis on social, physical, mental, and emotional support; and
Whereas, the purpose of the program is to equip participating youth with character education, leadership skills, civic engagement, and core competencies that foster positive personal growth and lifelong skill development; and
Whereas, grant funds shall be accounted for in revenue code A2229.8, with appropriations allocated to budget codes A7327.101 (Salaries), A6295.402 (Travel Expense), A6295.405 (Contracted Outside Services), A6295.458 (Miscellaneous), and A6295.467 (Program Supplies); and
Whereas, this is a reimbursable grant which requires the City’s cash match of $5,556 per year, which shall initially be paid out of budget line A7312.405 - Contracted Outside Services; and
Whereas, the City Council finds that participation in this program supports the education, personal development, and civic engagement of Mount Vernon youth and advances the public interest;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MOUNT VERNON:
Section 1. Authorization. The Mayor of the City of Mount Vernon is hereby authorized and directed to enter into an agreement with the Westchester County Youth Bureau to accept grant funding in the amount of Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00) for the GEM Program for the period January 1, 2026, through December 31, 2028, in substantially the form presented to the City Council and on file with the City Clerk.
Section 2. City Match. The City is authorized to provide a cash match of Five Thousand Five Hundred Fifty-Six Dollars ($5,556.00) per year for each year of the grant, for a total of three (3) years. Initial matching funds shall be disbursed from budget line A7312.405 - Contracted Outside Services.
Section 3. Funding and Appropriations. Grant funds shall be accounted for in revenue code A2229.8 and appropriated to the following budget lines:
• A7327.101 - Salaries
• A6295.402 - Travel Expense
• A6295.405 - Contracted Outside Services
• A6295.458 - Miscellaneous
• A6295.467 - Program Supplies
Section 4. Reimbursable Grant. This ordinance acknowledges that the GEM Program grant is reimbursable in nature, and the City’s cash match is required as described herein.
Section 5. Severability. If any provision of this ordinance is adjudged invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, such judgment shall not affect or impair the validity of the remaining provisions.
Section 6. Effective Date. This Ordinance shall take effect immediately upon adoption by the City Council and subsequent approval by the Board of Estimate & Contract.