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CC - CONSENT ITEM: (1) Award of a $4,000 Off-Cycle Special Events Grant and Designation of the Walk N Rollers 11th Anniversary Celebration on March 18, 2023, as a City-Sponsored Event, as Recommended by the Special Events Grant Program City Council Ad Hoc Subcommittee; and (2) Authorization to the City Manager to Administratively Approve Applicable City Permits and Agreements Needed to Conduct the Event.
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Meeting Date: February 27, 2023
Contact Person/Dept.: Shelly Wolfberg/City Manager’s Office;
Francisca Castillo/Parks Recreation Community Services
Phone Number: (310) 253-6008; (310) 253-6645
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [X] No []
Attachments: Yes [] No [X]
Commission Action Required: Yes [] No [X]
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas - City Council (02/22/2023)
Department Approval: Armando Abrego, PRCS Director (02/15/2023)
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council (1) award a $4,000 off-cycle special events grant and designate the Walk N Rollers 11th Anniversary Celebration on March 18, 2023, as a City-Sponsored Event, as recommended by the Special Events Grant Program City Council Ad Hoc Subcommittee; and (2) authorize the City Manager to administratively approve applicable City permits and agreements needed to conduct the event.
BACKGROUND
On May 23, 2022, the City Council (1) awarded $36,700 in grants and designated nine events as City-sponsored through the Fiscal Year 2022/2023 Special Events Grant Program, as recommended by the Special Events Grant Program City Council Ad Hoc Subcommittee; (2) authorized up to $23,300 in contingency for special event liability insurance and off-cycle event support; and (3) authorized the City Manager to administratively approve applicable City permits and agreements needed to conduct the events, provided such permits and agreements are consistent with the scope of the event as set forth in the grant application. The nine events that received grants/City-Sponsorship are:
*Note: Since The Actors’ Gang Carnival was cancelled, the 2022 Special Events Grant Program City Council Ad Hoc Subcommittee has determined that the $3,000 awarded to the Actor’s Gang should be moved to the contingency amount.
Off-Cycle Event Support
One of the primary goals of the Special Events Grant Program is to consolidate requests, thereby limiting the number of off-cycle event support requests. However, Special Events Grant Program Policy 2017-R006 provides for City Council consideration of off-cycle Special Events Grant Program /City-Sponsorship requests. For Fiscal Year 2022/2023, the City Council approved a $23,300 contingency amount, of which approximately $4,500 is for supplemental special event liability insurance and $18,800 is for off-cycle event support.
Special Events Grant Program City Council Ad Hoc Subcommittee Recommendation
On January 23, 2023, the City Council referred Walk N Rollers, Inc.’s 11th Annual Celebration to the 2022 Special Events Grant Program City Council Ad Hoc Subcommittee (Subcommittee) for consideration as an off-cycle Special Events Grant Program/City-Sponsorship request.
The recommendation of the Subcommittee, Vice Mayor McMorrin and Council Member O’Brien, to the City Council is the award of a $4,000 off-cycle special events grant and designation as a City-Sponsored Event for the Walk N Rollers 11th Anniversary Celebration.
DISCUSSION
Walk N Rollers, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) charitable non-profit organization. Celebrating 11 years of creating awareness around pedestrian and bicycle safety, this free event will take place on Main Street in Culver City. The organization is planning a group walk in conjunction with the Culver City Historical Society and a group ride to highlight the MOVE Culver City bike lanes.
The event will have up to seven vendor booths, including registration, Co-Op Market’s Bike Blender, arts and crafts, bike swap meet, photo booth, and a bike valet hosted by Bike Culver City. Due to the usually scheduled Main Street closure on Saturdays, there will be no need for additional road closures, parking changes, traffic control, or bus re-routing.
Itemization of Estimated City-Related Expenses
Since these expenses are estimated, the Subcommittee is recommending a grant award not to exceed $4,000.
City Sponsorship
To be categorized as a “sponsored” event by the City, an event must meet the criteria set forth in City Council Policy No. 2502 (Special Events Grant Program), confirming that the City is (a) participating in an official capacity in the planning, preparation or promotion of the event or activity; and (b) contributing 25% of the total estimated costs of the civic event or activity or at least $1,000, whichever is less. This contribution may take the form of funds, labor, staff time, materials, a coverage of fees, or any combination thereof.
The Policy requires both (a) and (b) conditions be satisfied. Additionally, City Council Policy requires that in order for an event to be considered City-sponsored, the City Council determine, by specific action, that the above criteria have been met.
This event meets the criteria for City sponsorship. As a requirement for event sponsorship, the organizers for the events must identify the City of Culver City as a sponsor of the events in all promotional materials.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
As noted above, the City Council approved a $23,300 contingency amount for special event grants, of which approximately $4,500 is for supplemental special event liability insurance, $18,800 is for off-cycle event support (Special Event Grant Program Account Number 10116100.517560). The cancellation of The Actors’ Gang Carnival reduces the Fiscal Year 2022/2023 Special Event Grant Program (the Program) award amount by $3,000 and brings the total contingency amount up to $26,300, and the contingency amount for off-cycle event support up to $21,800. At the time of Council approval of the Special Event Grant Program on May 23, 2022, the Proposed Budget for Fiscal Year 2022/2023 included $60,000 for the Special Event Grant Program. This was a reduced amount that reflected COVID-era belt tightening by the City. In the Adopted Budget for Fiscal Year 2022/2023, $32,000 was added to the Special Event Grant Program account to return the account to pre-pandemic funding levels. That $32,000 is currently unallocated.
At the October 10, 2022, meeting, City Council awarded $2,200 from the off-cycle contingency amount to the Asian World Film Festival leaving the remaining balance of $19,600. At the February 13, 2023 meeting, City Council authorized up to $5,000 in hard costs and/or in-kind costs to the Culver City Pride Event and waived any fees that were waived in the prior year. $3,000 is available for the Pride event in Account #10130280 (Community Events and Excursions). Up to $5,000 of funds could come from the Special Events Grant Program account. This would leave a balance of $14,600 in the off-cycle contingency amount.
The City Council may wish to consider using $4,000 of the $14,600 in contingency for off-cycle event support for the Walk N Rollers event. If so awarded, the remaining amount available for other off-cycle Special Events Grant Program awards will be $10,600. Additionally, the $32,000 of unallocated funds remains available in the account.
ATTACHMENTS
None.
MOTIONS
That the City Council:
1. Award a $4,000 off-cycle special events grant and designate the Walk N Rollers 11th Anniversary Celebration on March 18, 2023, as a City-Sponsored event, as recommended by the Special Events Grant Program City Council Ad Hoc Subcommittee;
2. Authorize the City Manager to administratively approve applicable City permits and agreements needed to conduct the event;
3. Authorize the City Attorney to review/prepare any necessary documents; and
4. Authorize the City Manager to execute such documents on behalf of the City.