City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
Meeting Date: 11/12/12 Item Number: C-2
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM: Approval of a Memorandum of Understanding with
the Culver City Chamber of Commerce Regarding the Parties Cooperation in
Community Events, Projects and the General Economic Development of the City.
Contact Person/Dept.: Todd Tipton, CDD
Phone Number: 310.253.5783
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [X] No []
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [] Attachments: [X]
Commission Action Required: Yes [] No [X] Date: _______________
Public Notification: Chamber of Commerce (10/25/12); (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas –
City Council (11/08/12); (E-Mail).
Department Approval:
Sol Blumenfeld: (11/06/12)
City Attorney Approval:
Carol Schwab (by H. Baker) (11/06/12)
Chief Financial Officer Approval:
Jeff Muir (by M. Noller) (11/07/12)
City Manager:
John M. Nachbar (11/08/12)
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the City Council approve a Memorandum of Understanding
(MOU) with the Culver City Chamber of Commerce (Chamber) for the purpose of
defining the Chamber’s organizational relationship with the City and delineating the
functions, duties and responsibilities of the parties with respect to their partnership in
community events and the general economic development of the City.
BACKGROUND:
The City and Chamber have a significant and long-standing interest in enhancing the
City’s economy and business environment by attracting business and investment to
the community. In cooperation with the Chamber, the City and former Culver City
Redevelopment Agency (“Former CCRA”) have expended significant resources
toward events and projects that serve to benefit the community and the economic
development of the City.
The Chamber has the expertise and ability to produce events and projects that
attract businesses to the City and improve the overall quality of life within the
community. The Chamber has provided a letter to the City summarizing its
experience and history regarding its cooperative relationship with the City
(Attachment 1). For the past several years, the City and Former CCRA have
sponsored and supported various Chamber events, which have benefited the
community and the economic development of the City. The purpose of the proposed
MOU is to continue to carry out these objectives.
City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
On February 19, 2008, the City Council adopted Resolution 2008-R011 approving
Policy 2008-01 relating to Community Organizations (the “Policy”) and establishing
objective criteria by which the City’s relationship with various organizations is
defined. At the time of the adoption of the Policy, City Council directed staff to begin
negotiations with various organizations, with which the City works closely to organize
civic events and/or activities sponsored by the, for the purpose of entering into
MOUs. In accordance with the intent of the Policy, the MOUs should set forth the
relationship between the parties and identify each party’s respective duties and
responsibilities with regard to such events and/or activities.
Per City Council’s direction, staff negotiated an MOU between the City, the Former
CCRA and the Chamber, which was approved by the City Council and former CCRA
Board on May 15, 2009 for a one-year term. On November 10, 2010 the City
Council and former CCRA Board renewed the MOU with the Chamber for a two year
term, which expires on December 31, 2012.
DISCUSSION:
Staff recommends a new MOU be executed between the City and Chamber (as the
Former CCRA is now dissolved), which will serve to supplement the City’s economic
development and public safety, health, and welfare efforts. By participating in this
MOU, the City is effectively sharing costs with the Chamber to provide services that
the City may not have the funds or staff resources to otherwise provide. The MOU
clearly defines the level of participation and costs borne by the City and the
Chamber.
The proposed MOU will provide for the following annual events to be designated as
City-sponsored events and set forth the respective duties and responsibilities of the
parties in the production of such events:
• Mayor’s Luncheon
• Public Safety Luncheon (at the request of the City)
• Business Expo (to be held at Veteran’s Memorial Complex Auditorium)
• Health Expo (at the discretion of the Chamber)
• Up to two additional events to be held at Veteran’s Memorial Complex
Auditorium (such events must benefit the general economic development of
Culver City)
For each of these events, City staff time may be allocated for the planning,
preparation and/or promotion of the events and the Chamber will be eligible for fee
waivers for facility rental and the installation of banners.* Such staff time and fee
waivers, if requested, would represent the City’s minimum financial contribution to
qualify the events as City-sponsored. (*Under the terms of the MOU, the Chamber
would be responsible for 50% of the rental fee for the use of Veteran’s Memorial
Complex Auditorium.) City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
Also, the MOU sets forth the terms of certain other joint projects that promote and
maintain Culver City as a healthy and growing area for commerce and business,
including the Business Directory and Chamber’s City Map.
The term of the proposed MOU would be for a two-year period expiring on
December 31, 2014, with the option of renewing the MOU for an additional two years
upon 60-days’ notice and mutual agreement of the parties. Staff recommends the
MOU provide the City Manager with the authority to approve the additional two-year
extension administratively.
FISCAL ANALYSIS:
For each designated Chamber event, 18 hours of staff time will be available for
preparation and promotional work, representing a City contribution equivalent to
$1,000 of in-kind staff cost (using total costing for a Management Analyst position).
The Chamber will be responsible for all hard costs for the subject events but will be
eligible for fee waivers as denoted in Policy 2008-01. Such fee waivers will vary
according to resources used. As the City Council has historically provided these in-
kind services and approved fee waivers/reductions, no additional fiscal impact will be
realized by approving the proposed MOU.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Letter from Culver City Chamber of Commerce
MOTION:
That the City Council:
1. Approve the two-year Memorandum of Understanding with the Culver City
Chamber of Commerce regarding the parties cooperation in community events,
projects and the general economic development of the City; and
2. Authorize the City Manager to approve the additional two-year extension of the
MOU administratively; and
3. Authorize the City Attorney to review/prepare the necessary documents; and
4. Authorize the City Manager execute such documents on behalf of the City.
MEETING DATE: 11.12.12
AGENDA ITEM: Approval of a Memorandum of Understanding with the
Culver City Chamber of Commerce Regarding the Parties
Cooperation in Community Events, Projects and the General
Economic Development of the City
ATTACHMENTS
Pages
1. Letter from Culver City Chamber of Commerce 1
Sincerely,
Steven J. Rose, A
President/CEO
culver city
mere chamber
Playing a leading role in our community
November 7,2012
Mayor Weissman and Members of the City Council,
City of Culver City
City Hall
9770 Culver Blvd
Culver City, CA. 90232
Dear Mayor Weissman and Members of the City Council,
We look forward to the extension of our MOU for the second time and working in
partnership with the City of Culver City on its economic future as well as providing
services for the city at little or no costs.
An example of this partnership is relieving the city's General Fund of financing the
annual Mayor's Luncheon. In the last four years with the Culver City Chamber leading
and managing the Mayor's Luncheon we have eliminated nearly $20,000 of taxpayer's
money from this annual event. While doing this we have consistently hosted our elected
officials of the City, Culver City Unified School District, Los Angeles County Supervisor
as well as our federal and state representatives, and all past city elected officials when
they are in attendance.
Economic development events such as the Culver Business EXPO, proposed Small
Business Fairs at the Veteran's Memorial Complex would add to the City's reputation as
a business friendly environment especially for small business.
The MOU represents a true partnership, where the city provides a few in-kind costs; the
Chamber produces events that highlight the City as a place to do business in a productive
manner.
We will be in attendance at the City Council Meeting of November 12,2012 to answer
any questions.
CC:
John Nachbar
Chamber Executive Committee
6000 S. Sepulveda Blvd. Suite 1260 I Culver City, California 90230-6425 I t 310.287.3850 f 310.390.0395 www.culvercitychamber.com