CITY OF MENIFEE
SUBJECT: Military Banner Program Policy Amendment
MEETING DATE: November 15, 2023
TO: Mayor and City Council
PREPARED BY: Mandy Stephens, Management Analyst
REVIEWED BY: Jonathan Nicks, Deputy City Manager
APPROVED BY: Rebekah Kramer, Acting City Manager
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RECOMMENDED ACTION
1. Review and approve the amended policy for the Military Banner Program.
DISCUSSION
In 2012, the Military Banner Program (“Program”) was established to recognize and celebrate Menifee residents or their immediate family members who served or are currently serving in the United States Armed Forces. At present, military banners are displayed on light poles throughout the City, with an average of 50 banners installed annually. With both active duty and retired service members able to participate, this Program stands apart from similar programs in neighboring cities (including the cities of Temecula, Murrieta, Perris, and Lake Elsinore) that only allow for the recognition of active duty military service members.
The approximate cost of a banner is $270.00, including Program administration and banner production (printing, installation, and removal). With the application fee set at $135, the cost of each banner is shared between the City and the applicant. With rising administrative and production costs resulting from increases in labor, fuel, and materials, staff have completed a thorough review of the Program to identify ways to contain costs and enhance the program without increasing banner application fees. Following this review, several Program changes were identified that would enable staff to manage the Program more efficiently, improve the visual impact of the banners in designated locations, and enhance the way in which military service members are recognized. The recommended changes to the Program summarized below include banner location, design, and submittal deadlines, along with incorporating a commemorative banner.
Location Parameters
Currently, banners are spread throughout the City. Without designated banner locations, it is difficult for staff to regularly inspect, hang and remove banners as needed. Additionally, by not
City of Menifee Staff Report
Military Banner Program Policy Amendment
November 15, 2023
1 8
6 6
having the banners clustered in high visibility locations, the visual impact of the Program is diminished. Consolidating the designated banner locations in major corridors through each of the City’s four council districts would heighten banner visibility and make it easier to manage the Program; enabling staff to inspect and maintain the banners more efficiently. As such, staff proposes clustering the military banners on Newport Road, Menifee Road and in the Sun City area on McCall Blvd., Sun City Blvd., and Cherry Hills Blvd. The identified locations are shown on the map contained within the attached Policy as Exhibit 2.
Additionally, the current Policy states that banners for World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam War veterans have priority for display on designated streets in the Sun City area (McCall Blvd., Sun City Blvd., and Cherry Hills Blvd.). Given that many applicants recognizing veterans of these wars seek to have their banners placed outside the designated streets, staff recommends amending the policy to allow banners for all active duty and retired service members to be displayed based upon the applicant’s location preference and availability.
Banner Design
Staff also recommends updating the military banner design to create a more cohesive look throughout the City. Utilizing a more vibrant color scheme would improve visual impact and help the banners to stand out in their designated locations. There are two standard banner designs included in the amended policy. These include a design for active duty and retired service members and a design for those who have died in the line of duty. There is also a design option presented for applicants that do not have a service member photo. These design options are outlined within the attached policy as Exhibit 1.
Commemorative Banner
Under the current Policy, banners are taken down, cleaned, and returned to applicants. Banners can be presented to applicants during the City’s Memorial Day or Veterans Day events, mailed, or picked up by the applicant from City Hall. These banners are often damaged and faded, and the large size (30 x 90 inches) is not ideal for home display. Additionally, staff are often unable to reach applicants to return banners due to outdated contact information. As part of the Program redesign, applicants would receive a smaller commemorative banner provided at the time of installation. This Program enhancement allows the applicant to have a banner they can display in their homes while reducing the administrative time and cost associated with cleaning, locating, and returning old, often damaged banners, to applicants by mail or in person. This enhancement also eliminates the need to store banners at City Hall when applicants cannot be located for banner retrieval.
Application Deadlines
The submittal deadlines have been updated to ensure that there is sufficient time to process applications for the Memorial Day and Veterans Day installations.
Collectively the proposed amendments to the Policy would enable the City to continue to operate a robust Military Banner Program, honoring our community’s military service members without increasing participant costs.
City of Menifee Staff Report
Military Banner Program Policy Amendment
November 15, 2023
1 8
6 6
STRATEGIC PLAN OBJECTIVE
Safe and Vibrant Community
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with the proposed policy amendments. The adopted operating budget for the City Executive Office (Account No. 100-4111-52430) includes sufficient funding to support the Program in Fiscal Years 2023/2024 and 2024/2025.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Amended Military Banner Program Policy
2. Amended Military Banner Program Policy - Redlined