DATE: March 19, 2024
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: City Manager
SUBJECT: Response to Council Referral: Juneteenth Marquee Event
BACKGROUND
On February 28, 2023, Council Members Andrews and Roche submitted a Council Referral Memorandum regarding Juneteenth Hayward. The memo requests Council approval of the following:
Direct staff to provide in-kind support for planning and staffing for the event, including creating a task force with internal and external partners.
Include Juneteenth Hayward as a marquee event for the City, similar to the annual Martin Luther King Celebration event.
Provide a matching grant up to $15,000 to support logistics for the event.
This memo provides staff analysis in response to the above requests.
DISCUSSION
1. Direct staff to provide in-kind support for planning and staffing for the event, including creating a task force with internal and external partners.
Staff has met internally and is able to provide the following support for the 2024 Juneteenth event with existing resources. It is staff’s understanding that these are the highest priority items based on communications with CM Andrews. Due to competing priorities, staff does not have capacity this spring to create or lead a full taskforce, aside from the tasks listed below.
Support for vendors as they obtain any needed permits, both from the City and the County Consultation on the placement of amenities and setup of Heritage Plaza Communication with AC Transit about the possible closure of C Street Support for any street closures and road signage (this work is typically covered by the cost of the event permit, which staff is recommending waiving for this event) Coordination with the Library on the use of restrooms
2. Include Juneteenth Hayward as a marquee event for the City, similar to the annual Martin Luther King Celebration event.
Staff recommends holding a work session in August to provide a full analysis of City supported events, including funding and staffing impacts and a discussion of Council’s goals for the overall Special Events Program. Staff recommends holding off on making any decisions about upcoming years before that work session so Council can see the full analysis.
City supported events include:
“Marquee” events like Light Up the Season and Trunk or Treat City grants to privately-run special events
City “sponsored” events that waive fees and provide other types of support (there is currently no formal policy or definition of what it means for the City to sponsor an event) Currently, there is limited staffing for event support. There is half of a position in the City Manager’s Office focused on events (approximately 1,000 hours). Library supports events with existing staff, who have competing duties. Maintenance Services support events through overtime, which is typically paid for through special event permits.
For high-level context, staff recently completed a rough analysis of the staff hours required for a few sample events. In addition to the departments mentioned above, events often require hours of support from Planning, Purchasing, and other divisions. 2023 Trunk or Treat: 926 hours of planning over 6 months (including staff and volunteers from partner agencies) 2023 People’s Budget Night Market: 590 staff hours and 3 months of planning 2024 MLK Celebration: 340 staff hours and 11 months of planning
3. Provide a matching grant up to $15,000 to support logistics for the event.
If Council would like to appropriate one-time funding through this referral for the 2024 Juneteenth event, staff can work with event organizers to handle that contribution. For ongoing contributions to future Juneteenth events, staff recommends waiting until the August 20 work session to make any decisions. Staff will present the full range of events and funding options at that Work Session.
As a reminder, Council Members are also able to use their discretionary funds to provide additional funding support for events like this one. Each Council Member has $2,500 annually in their discretionary funds and the Mayor has $5,000. These funds can be used for professional development or to support community initiatives. There is no collective Council action needed to use these discretionary funds.
NEXT STEPS
Based on Council’s action on this referral, staff will provide in-kind support and arrange for any funding support for the 2024 Juneteenth event. Staff will return on August 20, 2024, for a work session on all City supported events.
Prepared by: Mary Thomas, Assistant to the City Manager Approved by:
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Kelly McAdoo, City Manager