title
CC - CONSENT ITEM: (1) Award of a $1,000 Off-Cycle Special Events Grant and Designation of The Compass Group USA’s Summer Movie Vacation, which will take place on Saturdays between May 27, 2023, and July 29, 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 Licenses Needed to Conduct the Event.
body
Meeting Date: May 8, 2023
Contact Person/Dept.: Elaine Gerety-Warner/ED; Francisca Castillo/PRCS
Phone Number: (310) 253-5777; (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 (05/03/2023)
Department Approval: Armando Abrego, PRCS Director (04/26/2023)
______________________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council (1) award $1,000 off-cycle special events grant and designate The Compass Group USA’s Summer Movie Vacation, which will take place on Saturdays between May 27, 2023, and July 29, 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 licenses needed to conduct the event (such authority shall not apply to a special event permit, if needed, which shall continue to be issued in the usual course of business).
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 licenses needed to conduct the events, provided such permits and licenses are consistent with the scope of the event as set forth in the grant application (such authority shall not apply to the required Special Event Permit, which shall continue to be issued in the usual course of business). The 9 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. The three events that have received off-cycle grants/City-Sponsorship are:
DISCUSSION
The Compass Group USA is a corporation that owns The Culver Theater, located at 9500 Culver Boulevard and the company wishes this Downtown Culver City movie theater to be a go-to destination for the people and families of Culver City. As such, they plan to host the Summer Movie Vacation. This will be a 10-week program held every Saturday morning where the community will be able to enjoy a repertory of family titles on the Culver Theater’s state-of-the-art screens for a nominal price. The fee will be $3, and kids’ combos will also be available at a reduced price. Attendees will be able to earn incentives for attending multiple showings. These incentives include a free popcorn for attending four movies and a free movie voucher for attending eight movies.
The Saturday dates of the event are May 27, June 3, June 10, June 17, June 24, July 1, July 8, July 15, July 22, and July 29, 2023.
Itemization of Estimated City-Related Expenses
Since these expenses are estimated and dependent on staff time, additional funding may be incurred and approved by the Subcommittee.
City Sponsorship
To be categorized as a “sponsored” event by the City, an event must meet the criteria set forth in Culver City Municipal Code (CCMC) Section 17.330.040.B.7.b.ii and 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 CCMC and Policy require 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.
Special Events Grant Program City Council Ad Hoc Subcommittee Recommendation
The Subcommittee is composed of Vice Mayor McMorrin and Council Member O’Brien and recommend to the City Council the award of a $1,000 off-cycle special events grant and designation as a City-Sponsored Event for The Compass Group USA’s Summer Movie Vacation based on the original request.
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 and $18,800 is for off-cycle event support. The Revised Budget for Fiscal Year 2022/2023 includes this funding in (Account #10116100.517560 (Non-Departmental - Special Events Grant Program). The cancellation of The Actors’ Gang Carnival reduces the Fiscal Year 2022/2023 Special Event Grant 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 Events 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.
Having awarded a total of $8,800 for Off-Cycle Events as noted above, the remaining balance for the contingency is $13,000. The City Council may wish to consider using $1,000 of the $13,000 in contingency for off-cycle event support for this event. If so awarded, the remaining contingency amount available for other off-cycle Special Events Grant Program awards will be $12,000. Additionally, the $32,000 of unallocated funds remains available in the account.
ATTACHMENTS
None.
MOTIONS
That the City Council:
1. Award a $1,000 off-cycle special events grant and designate The Compass Group USA’s Summer Movie Vacation, which will take place on Saturdays between May 27, 2023, and July 29,2023 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 licenses needed to conduct the event (such administrative authority would not include a special event permit, if needed, which would continue to be issued in the usual course of business).