Mayor’s Nominating and Screening Committee
TO: MAYOR’S NOMINATING AND SCREENING DATE: AUGUST 6, 2024
COMMITTEE
FROM: MEMBER FALCONE WARDS: ALL
SUBJECT: CITY SPIRIT AWARD NOMINATION PROCESS AND CRITERIA ISSUE:
Review the nomination process and criteria for the City Spirit Award limiting nominations to City of Riverside residents only and to one nominee each from the Mayor and Councilmembers.
RECOMMENDATION:
That the Mayor’s Nominating and Screening Committee consider limiting City Spirit Award nominations to City of Riverside residents only and no more than one each from the Mayor and City Councilmembers and recommend that the City Council amend the Rules of Procedure and Order of Business resolution defining the nomination process and criteria.
BACKGROUND:
On March 28, 1995, the City Council established an annual City Spirit Award to honor a community member with a City Spirit Award for their extraordinary deeds and community spirit, good citizenship, and dedication to enhancing the quality of life in the City.
The award continued perpetually through 2016, whereby the Mayor's Nominating and Screening Committee (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.
On January 10, 2023, the Committee recommended amendments to the Rules of Procedure and Order of Business resolution defining the nomination and selection process as described below:
Timeline and Requirements for City Spirit Award Nominations:
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 award City Spirit Award to recipient(s) 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.
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 Mayor’s Nominating and Screening Committee consideration. The Mayor’s Nominating and Screening Committee shall recommend one but no more than three nominees to the City Council to select one community member or group as the recipient of the City Spirit Award.
DISCUSSION
The Mayor’s Nominating and Screening Committee is requested to consider limiting City Spirit Award nominations to City of Riverside residents only with no more than one nomination each from the Mayor and City Councilmembers and recommend that the City Council amend the Rules of Procedure and Order of Business resolution defining the nomination process and criteria.
To avoid excessive lists of nominations and to ensure the award nomination process is efficient, the Mayor and City Councilmembers should vet and parse-down their respective list of nominees to one nominee for each Councilmember and the Mayor prior to submission to the Mayor's Nominating and Screening Committee. While many are worthy of such an honor, only one person can be bestowed the award each year. More concise lists of nominations will result in a more efficient process.
Numerous city awards exist to honor those who live and do not live in Riverside. The City Spirit Award--by nature of its name--should honor only a resident of the city. Other equally prestigious awards--such as Citizen of the Year, Frank Miller Civic Achievement Award, Innovation Award--bestowed by the city and local organizations can honor noteworthy people who do not live in Riverside but have made a difference in the city.
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 and 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 a City Spirit Award recipient is transparent and promotes 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 promotes 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 promotes recognition of community members whose contribution includes 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 promotes 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:
_____________________________
PHILIP FALCONE
Councilmember, Ward 1
City Spirit Award – Page 2