TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Philippe Eskandar, City Manager
BY: Nicole Tibbet, Community Engagement Manager
DATE: June 28, 2024
SUBJECT: ACCEPTANCE OF A $150,000 DONATION FROM THE
HUNTINGTON LIBRARY, ART MUSEUM, AND BOTANICAL
GARDENS FOR RECEIPT IN THE CAPITAL PROJECTS
FUND
STRATEGIC PLAN CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS
Efficient, Responsive, and Effective City Services
Well-Maintained Infrastructure
Fiscally Responsible and Transparent City Government
Inviting and Relevant City Facilities
BACKGROUND
The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens (Huntington) opened publicly to visitors in 1928 and has grown over the past century to become an internationally renowned collections-based nonprofit institution that supports and promotes the humanities, the arts, and botanical science.
The Huntington, at approximately 207 acres in size, encompasses just under 10% of the City’s land mass and hosts more than one million visitors each year. Additionally, the Huntington is the City’s largest employer with more than 400 full and part time staff, and an additional approximately 1,000 volunteers.1 As such, the Huntington is a key role player in the local community, economy, need for services, and the like.
In order to maintain strong relationships with the City and community, the Huntington has made periodic donations to the City. A recent history of the Huntington’s donations include: $150,000 in Fiscal Years 2017-18 and 2018- 1 https://huntington.org/sites/default/files/2024-05/The-Huntington-InFact-FY23.pdf Steven W. Huang, DDS, Mayor
Gretchen Shepherd Romey, Vice Mayor
Tony Chou, Council Member
Calvin Lo, Council Member
Steve Talt, Council Member
19, and $100,000 each in Fiscal Year 2019-20, 2020-21, 2021-22 and 2022- 23, for a total of $700,000 in the last six fiscal years.
DISCUSSION
Honoring this tradition, the Huntington is again interested in making a donation to the City. Following recent conversations with City staff, the Huntington would like to make an increased donation in the amount of $150,000 this year. Given community concerns about the impact of the Huntington on our streets, staff recommends receiving this donation into the Capital Projects Fund where it will be used for infrastructure improvements.
FISCAL IMPACT & PROCUREMENT REVIEW
We will begin the next fiscal year with an estimated available balance in the Capital Projects Fund of $12,930,466. The addition of the $150,000 from the Huntington would render an estimated beginning fund balance of $13,080,466 in the Capital Projects Fund at July 1, 2024.
LEGAL REVIEW
The City Attorney's office has reviewed and approved as to form.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council accept the donation and apply the funds to capital projects, the appropriate motion would be:
“I move to accept the donation of $150,000 from the Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens; authorize the Finance Department to receipt the donation in the Capital Projects Fund; and amend the FY 2023-24 revenue budget to recognize revenue of $150,000 in the Capital Projects Fund (Account # 394-00-3601-0000).”
ATTACHMENTS
None