City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
Meeting Date: 10/22/12 Item Number: _A-4
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM: Consideration of 1) Financial Assistance for
Taste of the Nation 2013; 2) Designation of the Event as City-Sponsored; and 3)
Approval of a License Agreement with Share Our Strength Related to the Event.
Contact Person/Dept.: Jeremy Green Phone Number: (310) 253-5859
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [X] No []
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [X] Attachments: [X]
Commission Action Required: Yes [] No [X] Date: _______________
(E-Mail) Agenda and Meetings – City Council (10/18/12); Share Our Strength
(10/11/12).
Department Approval:
Martin Cole (10/09/12)
City Attorney Approval:
Carol Schwab (by H. Baker) (10/17/12)
Chief Financial Officer Approval:
Jeff Muir (by M. Noller) (10/17/12)
City Manager Approval:
John Nachbar: (10/17/12)
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the City Council consider: 1) in-kind financial assistance for the
proposed Taste of the Nation Los Angeles 2013 event on City-Leased Property
located at 9070 Venice Boulevard (Media Park) in Downtown Culver City; 2)
designating the event as City-sponsored; and 3) approval of a license agreement
with Share Our Strength related to the event.
BACKGROUND:
The Taste of the Nation event, a one-day fundraising event bringing together
gourmet chefs for a food and alcohol tasting, occurred at 9070 Venice Blvd (Media
Park) for seven years, until this past June, when a combination of timing and
unknown financial assistance from the City of Culver City (City), caused the
producers to move the event to a location outside of the City. The event’s goal is to
raise money to end childhood hunger throughout the United States and the Los
Angeles event benefits local recipients.
In 2010 support of the event by the City and former Culver City Redevelopment
Agency (the “Former CCRA”) included designation of Taste of the Nation as a City-
and Agency-sponsored event and authorization of up to $19,500 in expenditures and
waivers for out of pocket costs. Costs included payment for outside services and
equipment such as portable toilets; two three-compartment sinks; the
production/installation of street banners; security, fencing, and valet parking City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
services; as well as City staff and other fees. These costs were previously paid by
the Former CCRA to the outside organizations on behalf of Share Our Strength.
On March 7, 2011, City Council and the Former CCRA designated Taste of the
Nation Los Angeles a City- and Agency-sponsored event and approved the provision
of a cash sponsorship of $15,000 to the producers, from which all City costs and
outside costs were paid by Share Our Strength directly.
With the elimination of California redevelopment agencies in February 2012, the
funds that had provided past support are no longer available. Staff informed SOS of
the loss of funding and that the request for assistance would be considered in
March, at which time SOS decided to commit to another location.
The IndieCade Festival and the Culver City Car Show events were considered on
March 26, 2012 and the City Council waived the costs for City-owned property rental
fees, provision of in-kind equipment rental, and in-kind staff costs (for work done
during regular business hours). Any other costs were to be paid for by the event
producers and/or procured as a donation directly from the outside vendors/service
suppliers.
As part of that staff report, a thank you letter was provided by Share our Strength to
Council was included that further explained why the event was moved from Media
Park (Attachment 1.)
DISCUSSION:
Staff received an email on September 4, 2012 from Judy Walker, Western Regional
Director of Share our Strength, the producing organization for Taste of the Nation, to
see if sponsorship and/or in-kind financial assistance could be provided by the City if
the event returned to Media Park in May or June 2013. Ms. Walker wrote that it
“became pretty clear during the event in West Hollywood that folks missed the park
atmosphere” of Media Park.
Taste of the Nation Los Angeles takes place typically from 1-4pm on a Sunday,
when up to 2000 attendees and volunteer staff convene at Media Park to enjoy
tastings from the top chefs in Los Angeles County, usually including several from
Culver City, who have contributed product, staff for their tables and a participation
fee as a donation to Share Our Strength. The event is open to the public and tickets
typically range from $110 - $160 per person.
The event has become almost zero percent waste free, using biodegradable plates
and utensils and volunteer waste monitors who guide patrons to the correct recycle
bins. The cost for refuse disposal is quite high because approximately eight (8) 3-
cubic yard bins are filled within the 3 hour event.
City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
When the Former CCRA paid for the services, Modern Parking provided free valet
parking for approximately 200 VIP attendee cars. With the inability for the City to pay
for valet parking services, Share Our Strength will no longer provide VIP valet
parking and all attendees (approximately 600 cars) would be directed to park at the
downtown parking structures.
The event would follow the Media Park Policies and Procedures that were approved
on December 6, 2010 (Attachment 2.)
In the past, the event was specifically designated a City-sponsored event, which
allowed for banners to be placed in the public right-of-way. Although the event
producers have confirmed that they will not place banners in the public right-of-way,
the event would nevertheless qualify for City sponsorship if the City Council
approves a minimum of $1,000 in financial assistance, in funding and/or in-kind
services.
Share Our Strength is asking for whatever assistance that the City can provide so
that less money is spent on expenses, providing a larger sum to go to ending
childhood hunger in America. The City benefits because the event is advertised
extensively as taking place in Culver City (marketing for the City) and because it
attracts the County’s finest chefs, who may consider Culver City for their next
restaurant location.
If it is determined that the event will be held at Media Park, staff recommends the
City Council approve a license agreement with Share Our Strength related to the
use of Media Park for the event.
FISCAL ANALYSIS:
Share our Strength has received approximately $60,000 in assistance from the
Former CCRA and City between 2008 and 2011.
A table of costs is included as Attachment 3. It is broken down by expenditures that
that had been paid for by the Former CCRA in 2010 that would be assumed by
Share our Strength in 2013 (approximately $9,000). This year, based on the criteria
used to identify the waiver approvals for IndieCade and the Culver City Car Show,
the total amount of assistance requested is $5,900 in staff time, permit and property
rental fees that the Council could consider waiving. Ms. Walker indicated that they
would not put up banners nor have VIP parking for the 2013 event as they have in
the past, which is why those costs are not included in the table.
With two hours free parking and a three hour event, the City’s potential income
would be approximately $600, assuming 600 non-valet cars staying 3 hours at the
various parking structures.
City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Thank You Letter from Western Regional Director of Share Our Strength.
2. Media Park Policies
3. Costs for event
MOTION:
That the City Council:
1. Designate Taste of the Nation as a City-sponsored event and determine the
amount of in-kind financial assistance to provide for the event to be $________;
AND
2. Approve a license agreement with Share Our Strength related to the use of
Media Park for the event;
AND
3. Authorize the City Attorney to review/prepare the necessary documents;
AND
4. Authorize the City Manager to execute such documents on behalf of the City.
MEETING DATE: October 22, 2012
AGENDA ITEM: Consideration of Financial Assistance for Taste of the
Nation 2013.
ATTACHMENTS
Pages
1. Thank You Letter from Western Regional Director of 1
Share Our Strength.
2. Media Park Policies 2-12
3. Costs for event. 13
Honorable Mayor and Culver City Council Members:
On behalf of the volunteer committee and Share Our Strength, I’d like to take this opportunity
to thank you for your support over the past seven years.
Our success and the ability to give back to those that need it the most has been due to
committed, passionate partners such as you. It was exciting, intriguing as well as both
personally and professionally gratifying to be a part of the growth and success we experienced
over the last seven years. We grew the event in all aspects; from an increase in net proceeds to
number of attendees and restaurant participation. You can only imagine how thrilled we were
when the event sold out days in advance. We estimated a total of 2,000 people walked through
Media Park on those Sunday afternoons.
We are sad to leave Culver City, but understand that with all the economic turmoil, you have
been placed in an impossible situation. We are moving the event to The Lot in West Hollywood.
Financially it makes the most sense. As I‘m sure you can appreciate, I have to stay true to my
most important obligation… that no kid in LA County goes to sleep hungry.
We hope that you also feel positive about the role you played with Share Our Strength and
Taste of the Nation. We can only think that our event brought people into your city that might
not have experienced it otherwise. We trust that you see the last seven years as a win-win.
Again, many thanks for your support. We hope to see you at the event on June 10th.
Sincerely,
Judy Walker
Share Our Strength
Western Regional Director
ATTACHMENT 1
1ATTACHMENT 2
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Approximate Costs for the 2013 Taste of the Nation Event
Costs to be paid by SOS Based on actual 2010 costs
Outside Expenditures:
Portable toilets, Fencing, Sinks $4,442.30
Security 252.00
Valet Parking 2,822.00
Traffic Control 999.00
City Costs
Sanitation services 1,500.00
Total $10,015.30
Fees, Property Rental Costs, Staff Time to be Considered for Waiver
Treasury permits 40.00
Fire Prevention permit 212.00
Recycle/Waste Permit fee 125.00
Street closure permit 500.00
Coordination of event staff time during regular business h 1,100.00
Media Park rental 200.00
Parking spaces south of Media Park 800.00
Parking spaces for volunteers (up to 400) 2,400.00
Parcel B rental for oversized trucks 500.00
Total $5,877.00
ATTACHMENT 3
13