STAFF REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
DATE: Regular Meeting of October 24, 2023 TO: Mayor and Members of the City Council
VIA: Dante Hall, City Manager
SUBMITTED BY: Christopher Roke, Parks and Recreation Director SUBJECT: Hercules Recognition Program – The Extra Mile RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the Hercules City Council receives, discusses, and provides direction regarding a Hercules Recognition Program that would celebrate individuals who have consistently gone above and beyond to make Hercules a better place. The distinction will be called “The Extra Mile”.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The Hercules City Council recently asked staff to develop a Recognition Program that would provide a way to honor the contributions of individuals or groups who have provided dedicated service to the City of Hercules. The goal is to recognize all of the amazing folks and what they do for the community. Staff is proposing to create an award called The Extra Mile.
The Extra Mile distinction will have (2) two categories: one to recognize employees, and the other to recognize community members, or a Hercules business owner. Staff will be setting up a mechanism to accept nominations via a button or link on the City of Hercules’ website. Nominations would be vetted through the City of Hercules Social Committee, and the winners would be recognized in the Parks and Recreation Activity Guide with (1) one employee and (1) community member each guide. At the end of the calendar year, these awardees would be recognized in front of Council at the December meeting.
A sample guideline is included in the report but will be fully defined before the program goes live.
BACKGROUND:
The City of Hercules has seen a number of awards in the past including a Firefighter of the Year, a Police Officer of the Year, a Citizen of the Year, and a Woman of the Year award. In each case the recipients of each award were all praised for consistently going above and beyond. This idea would bring back that concept, but in a new way.
In addition, every April there is a volunteer recognition event during National Volunteer Week. The Hercules Police Department just held their annual awards recognition at the Community Swim Center, and the City holds an annual awards luncheon during the holidays.
ANALYSIS:
The Extra Mile program gives City leaders, City staff, and members of the community an opportunity to nominate potential recipients who have proven to be an integral part of the success of the City. In addition to all of the hardworking dedicated employees, the City of Hercules has benefited from the many partnerships with the 14 City Recognized Nonprofit Groups, the group of dedicated volunteers at PD and the Senior Center, and those giving their time in the Adopt a Park program.
FISCAL IMPACT OF RECOMMENDATION:
There is minimal fiscal impact in creating this award, but the impact of pride, honor and good will is immeasurable. Staff proposes the design and purchase of an award for the recipients on an annual basis, and a perpetual employee plaque that will go up at City Hall.
ATTACHMENTS:
The Extra Mile Awards Recognition Program: Criteria and Process 2 Date Page 1