Mayor’s Nominating and Screening Committee
TO: MAYOR’S NOMINATING AND SCREENING DATE: JANUARY 10, 2023
COMMITTEE
FROM: CITY CLERK WARDS: ALL
SUBJECT: REVIEW CITY SPIRIT AWARD NOMINATION AND SELECTION PROCESS ISSUE:
Review the City Spirit Award nomination and selection process for honoring a community member or group for their extraordinary deeds and community spirit, good citizenship, and dedication to enhancing the quality of life in the City.
RECOMMENDATION:
That the Mayor’s Nominating and Screening Committee review the City Spirit Award nomination and selection process and recommend amendments to the Rules of Procedure and Order of Business resolution defining the nomination and selection process.
BACKGROUND:
On March 28, 1995, the City Council established an annual City Spirit Award and referred the selection of the recipient to the Mayor's Nominating and Screening Committee (Committee).
On September 26, 1995, Mayor Loveridge unveiled the City Spirit Award plaque to hang in the Art Pick Council Chamber and presented the first City Spirit Award to Dickey DeLoss.
The award continued perpetually through 2016, whereby the Mayor's Nominating and Screening Committee selected the City Spirit Award recipient from the nominations submitted by the Mayor and Councilmembers. Then during a ceremonial presentation at a regular City Council meeting, the recipient was presented with the award.
The process changed slightly in 2017, and the Mayor's Nominating and Screening Committee began forwarding their nominee recommendation(s) to the City Council for selection and approval.
An inscription containing the names of all past recipients is mounted on the City Spirit Award plaque in the Art Pick Council Chamber, commemorating their honor.
DISCUSSION:
On July 19, 2022, the Committee directed staff to bring back an item to discuss the selection process for the City Spirit Award and recommend options for an alternate award process. The Committee expressed a need for the nomination and selection process to require a biography for all nomination submissions and to establish a nomination submission deadline. Also, with the submission of multiple worthy and deserving nominees, the Committee discussed the ability to select Honoree(s) in addition to the City Spirit Award recipient and limiting nominations to one nominee per Council member, per Ward. Moreover, the Committee considered creating merit awards for various categories, including arts and innovation or recognitions based on the City's Envision Riverside Strategic Priorities.
Currently, the Mayor and Councilmembers may nominate one or more members or groups of the community at large whose contributions exemplify City Spirit through "extraordinary deeds and community spirit, good citizenship, and dedication to enhancing the quality of life in the City." The Rules of Procedure and Order of Business resolution states the “Mayor’s Nominating and Screening Committee (MNSC) shall recommend nominees to the City Council for the annual City Spirit award.” The resolution does not delineate the nomination or selection process.
Other Local Organization Community Awards
The City Clerk’s Office compiled a list (Attachment 1) of local citywide organizations that recognize community individuals or businesses for their achievements and/or contributions to the community, which include a Citizen of the Year award by the Greater Chamber of Commerce, various beautification awards by Keep Riverside Clean and Beautiful, several awards by the Pick Group including Young Professional of the Year, Civic, Community, and Business Impact Awards, and an Arts and Non-Profit Awards.
The Frank Miller, Civic Achievement Award by The Mission Inn, honors individuals, couples, or groups who have made significant contributions to the city and community of Riverside.
In addition, staff researched comparable community awards and the nomination, selection, and recognition process from the cities of Ridgecrest, Sonoma, Chino Hills, Santa Rosa, Torrance, and San Rafael (Attachment 2).
There were various names for their awards, such as “Citizen of the Year,” “Key to the City,” “Unsung Hero,” and some merit awards by category recognizing individuals for specific efforts. The nomination process also varied whether the Mayor, the City Council, or community peers submitted nominations. The common thread for these awards is the recognition of an individual or group whose dedication, contribution, leadership, and service have had a lasting impact on making their city a better place to live.
Staff recommends the Committee consider changes to the Rules of Procedure and Order of Business resolution establishing guidelines for nominees' submission and selection process as proposed to promote fairness, equity, and transparency in recognition of deserving community members.
Proposed Timeline and Requirements for City Spirit Award Nominations:
The Mayor and Councilmembers shall submit their nominees no later than February 1st of each year. The Committee shall convene in March and forward their recommendation(s) to the City Council by April. The Mayor shall present the award to the recipient at a subsequent City Council meeting and invite former City Spirit Award recipients for the presentation and unveiling ceremony.
February 1st
March
April
May
Deadline for submission of nominees including a biography Mayor’s Nominating and Screening Committee shall review nominees for recommendation to City Council.
City Council approves City Spirit Award recipient(s).
City Council presents City Spirit Award to recipient(s) Nominations shall be limited to three nominees per Councilmember, and submissions shall include a biography to be published in accordance with the Sunshine Ordinance for the MNSC consideration. The MNSC shall recommend one but up to three nominees to the City Council to select one community member or group as the recipient of the City Spirit Award.
Other Ideas for Consideration:
Option 1:
Create merit awards for various categories to recognize individuals, organizations, or businesses for volunteering their time, resources, and energies to serve the community and improve the quality of life under any of the following sample categories:
Beautifying the City of Riverside through art or clean up Serving others
Fostering sustainability and the environment
Civic engagement
Rising to the Challenge: Unsung Hero
Option 2:
In addition to the monthly Riverside Prospers report highlighting a business or group at a City Council meeting, the Mayor and each City Council member could acknowledge a ‘Citizen of the Month’ for notable service to the community.
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT:
The Mayor’s Nominating and Screening Committee selection of a community member for consideration by the City Council for the City Spirit Award contributes to Strategic Plan Priority #5 – High Performing Government: Goal 5.3 - Enhance communication and collaboration with community members to improve transparency, build public trust, and encourage shared decision-making.
This item aligns with the 5 Cross-Cutting Threads as follows:
Community Trust – The selection process for the City Spirit Award recipient and the options presented are transparent and promote civic engagement by recognizing community members whose activities and actions serve the public interest, benefit the City’s diverse populations, and result in greater public good.
Equity – The City Spirit Award and the options presented promote equity as it is a citywide honor and nominees may be chosen from any and all Wards. The positive impact of the nominees’ extraordinary deeds and community spirit, good citizenship, and dedication to enhancing the quality of life in the City benefit the entire community.
Fiscal Responsibility – This item is neutral toward this Cross-Cutting Thread.
Innovation – The City Spirit Award and the options presented promote recognition of community members whose contribution include building collaborative partnerships and embracing adaptive processes to meet the community changing needs and preparing for the future.
Sustainability and Resiliency – The City Spirit Award and the options presented promote recognition of community members’ contribution to the community’s needs of the present without compromising the needs of the future and ensuring the City’s capacity to persevere, adapt and grow during good and difficult times alike.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact associated with this report.
Prepared by: Donesia Gause, City Clerk
Approved as to Form: Phaedra A. Norton
Attachments:
Awards by local City organizations
Awards by other Cities:
Ridgecrest – Key to the City Award
Sonoma – Celebrate Sonoma Program
Chino Hills – Unsung Heroes Awards
Santa Rosa – City Merit Awards
Torrance – Jared Sydney Torrance Award and Citizen of the Year San Rafael – Citizen of the Year Award
City Spirit Award – Page 2