October 3, 2023
Library and Community Services
DATE: October 3, 2023
TO: Mayor Martinez and Members of the City Council
FROM:
LaShonda White, Deputy City Manager, Community
Services
Ranjana Maharaj, Deputy Director for Community
Services-Recreation
Subject:
Request to Attend the National Recreation and Parks
Association Conference in Dallas, Texas
FINANCIAL IMPACT: No financial impact on the general fund. Travel expenses are paid by the National Recreation and Parks
Association grant funds. The funding is currently in the account number: 10651051-400201-5G11
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:
The City Council adopted Resolution 92-17 banning
travel to states that have enacted laws that discriminate against the LGBTIQQ community.
STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:
Approval by City Council is needed to authorize travel to Dallas, Texas as it is listed within Resolution 92-17 as one of the states that has enacted laws that discriminate against the LGBTIQQ community. An exception may
apply to allow travel to participate in training required by a grant.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
APPROVE travel requests for Ranjana Maharaj, Deputy
Director for Community Services-Recreation; Tetteh
Kisseh, Recreation Supervisor; Jene Levine-Snipes,
Development Project Manager, and Hope Lattell, Finance
Manager, to attend the National Recreation and Parks
Association conference in Dallas, Texas from October 9
to October 12, 2023 – (LaShonda White 510-620-
6828/Ranjana Maharaj 510-620-6972). This item was
continued from the September 19, 2023, meeting.
AGENDA
REPORT
October 3, 2023
DISCUSSION:
In 2022, Community Services-Recreation applied for and received grant funds in the amount of $90,000 from the National Recreation and Parks Association (NRPA) for the implementation of the project, Parks as Community Wellness Hubs programs. In accordance with the National Recreation and Parks Association grant requirement listed on page 2 D. of the Memorandum of Understanding executed between the National Recreation and Parks Association and the City of Richmond, City staff are required to attend one virtual and one in-person training in July/August of 2022 and October of 2023. City staff have been meeting virtually with the National Recreation and Parks Association grantors on a regular basis and have met the requirement for the virtual meeting. City staff are now seeking approval to attend the in-person conference and meeting in October 2023 to comply with the requirement to attend the in-person meeting.
The 2023 National Recreation and Parks Association Conference will be held in Dallas, Texas from October 9 through October 12 of this year. The National Recreation and Parks Association Conference will give City staff a unique opportunity to network with industry peers from across the country to exchange ideas, insights, best practices, and solutions to incorporate into the City of Richmond’s recreational programs.
Additional benefits of attending this educational event include:
Hundreds of educational and training sessions on recreation programs Networking opportunities with professional peers in similar roles across the country
Opportunities to seek grant fund information and application process, Continuing Professional Education (CPE) credits
Collaborating with NRPA to conduct community needs assessment and community engagement activities
Engaging in training and technical assistance opportunities Learning to promote and advance health equity strategies in recreation and parks through systems change approaches.
Resolution No 92-17, “Resolution Supporting the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex Queer and Questioning (LGBTIQQ) Community and Establishing a Policy to Prevent City-Funded Travel to States with Laws Discriminating on the Basis of Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity or Gender Expression” generally prohibits City staff from travelling to a state that discriminates against is requesting approval of this travel by the City Council since there is a ban on traveling to states that discriminate against the
October 3, 2023
LGBTIQQ community. The State of Texas is identified within the Resolution as one of the states subject to the policy.
Resolution 92-17 contains several exceptions to the policy. An exception to the policy applies if travel to a subject state is required for the following purpose:
“To participate in meetings or trainings required by a grant or required to maintain grant funding.”
City staff contend that the in-person training in October of 2023 is required under the grant. As part of the approval process to travel to the symposium, the City Manager will have to sign Travel Request Forms upon approval by the City Council. City staff would like the City Council to consider the above-mentioned exception and approve the staff’s request to travel to Texas to attend this conference and meeting.
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
Attachment 1 – Resolution No. 92-17
Attachment 2 – MOU between NRPA and City of Richmond
Attachment 3 – Request for Travel and Conference information