Agenda Report
Fullerton City Council
MEETING DATE: MAY 20, 2025
TO: CITY COUNCIL / SUCCESSOR AGENCY
SUBMITTED BY: ERIC LEVITT, CITY MANAGER
PREPARED BY: KIM CHAUDHRY, SENIOR ADMINISTRATIVE ANALYST
SUBJECT: STATE OF THE CITY 2025 EVENT UPDATE AND
EXPENSE OVERVIEW
SUMMARY
This report provides an update on the City of Fullerton 2025 State of the City event, including an overview of projected revenues and expenditures.
PROPOSED MOTION
Receive and file.
ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS
• Approve the Proposed Motion
• Other options brought by City Council.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the Proposed Motion.
CITY MANAGER REMARKS
This item presents a review of expenses as requested by City Council.
PRIORITY POLICY STATEMENT
This item matches the following Priority Policy Statement:
• Fiscal and Organizational Stability.
FISCAL IMPACT
State of the City 2025 Event Update and Expense Overview May 20, 2025 - Page 2
Staff anticipates no impact to the City General Fund for the 2025 State of the City event with all costs including video production covered by event sponsorships and ticket sales.
The City anticipates $41,250 total revenues and $26,250 total expenses. This marks a shift from past years when the North Orange County Chamber of Commerce (NOCC) hosted the event and the City did not retain any revenue but had costs associated with the event . The Summit House generous ly sponsored $28,505.10 in food and refreshments which significantly offsets traditional catering costs.
Staff may need to come back to request budget appropriation fully backed by additional revenues through sponsorships and ticket revenues.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
In the past years the NOCC has coordinated the annual Fullerton State of the City event.
However, this year the Chamber declined to host the event, citing in part financial losses in previous years.
The City of Buena Park runs , the NOCC’s other partner City, runs its own State of the City even, similar to Fullerton’s approach this year.
During i nitial discussions with Cal State Fullerton about hosting the event on their campus, CSUF requested that the City consider holding the event in the summer instead of the traditional March timeframe during the University spring break. As a result, the City planned to hold event in June this year to align with the Cal State Fullerton schedule. This shift also provided City staff with more time to plan and execute the event, which is particularly beneficial as the City assumes the role of lead organizer for the first time.
Moving the event to the summer and NOCC no longer hosting the event provided an opportunity to evaluate various venue options including the Muckenthaler Cultural Center, the Summit House and other sites on the Cal State Fullerton campus. Staff selected the Summit House due to its setting and ownership sponsoring the facility. This opportunity allowed the City to have no hard cost versus previous years with the State of the City and provided an opportunity to lower ticket prices to the event.
The 2025 State of the City reflects a new approach for Fullerton, with the City taking on a more active planning and hosting role. Strategic partnerships, community sponsorships and venue support have allowed staff to plan an impactful event without us ing General Fund dollars. For the first time, any revenue generated from the event will remain with the City, rather than a third- party host. Staff will provide a full financial reconciliation and summary of outcomes following the event.
Financial Overview
Category Amount
Sponsorships $25,000
Ticket Sales (250 Maximum) $16,250
Total Expected Revenue $41,250
State of the City 2025 Event Update and Expense Overview May 20, 2025 - Page 3
Category Amount
Event-Day AV, Signage, etc. $9,000
Video Production $17,250
Total Expenditures $26,250
Revenues
The City has secured $25,000 in sponsorships as of the date of this report:
• Jones & Mayer: $2,500
• Happy Jewelers: $2,500
• Kimley-Horn: $2,500
• Orange County Power Authority: $5,000
• Republic Services: $5,000
• Fullerton College: $2,500
• California State University, Fullerton: $2,500
• West Coast Arborists: $2,500.
Tickets cost reduced to $65 each from last year’s $85 price point. The City anticipates approximately 250 attendees, which would generate $16,250 in ticket revenue.
Expenditures:
Estimated costs for the 2025 State of the City event include:
• Video Production (Tripepi Smith): $17,250
o This costs approximately $3,700 less than the previous year video production cost. o The City can potentially utilize enterprise funds, such as Public, Educational and Government (PEG) funds, to cover this cost as the City will broadcast the final video on the City public access cable channel. Staff anticipates General Fund impact for this expense.
• Day-of Event Support, AV Coordination, Lighting, Sound, Signage and Promotional Materials (various vendors): Estimated $9,000.
cc: City Manager Eric J. Levitt