ORDINANCE amending Ordinance No. 2012-512 to increase the maximum contract amount for contract between the City of Houston and HOUSTON CENTER FOR LITERACY to support the Mayor’s Coalition for Literacy for the Houston Public Library Department - $335,000.00 - General Fund

The Director of the Houston Public Library requests that City Council approve an amending ordinance to increase the maximum contract amount for the contract between the City of Houston and Houston Center for Literacy (HCL) from $2,000,000 to $2,335,000 for professional literacy services.

The contract is in the final year of a five-year term with a maximum contract amount not to exceed $2,000,000. Over the last three years, we have had the opportunity to fund additional services under this contract which were paid for with Council District Service Funds. They have featured classes in citizenship, digital literacy, workforce readiness, GED, ESL and other adult education opportunities for low to moderate income adults and their families. As a result, it is necessary to request an increase in the maximum contract amount to enable the payment of $400,000 for the final year of the contract.

Established in 1984 by the Mayor and City Council, HCFL acts as the Mayor’s liaison to literacy programming in Houston, distributes the annual Mayor’s Challenge Grant to accredited literacy organizations across the City, and provides professional development courses and classroom resources to literacy providers. The COH has been supporting the Center with $400,000 annually since 1998.

Mary Hammond

Houston Public LIbrary

832.393.1368