City of Santa Clara
Council Policy Manual
PROCLAMATIONS, COMMENDATIONS, AND
CERTIFICATES OF RECOGNITION
Rev. January 2021 CP 020 Page 1 of 5
Resolution No. 21-8932
PURPOSE The purpose of this policy is to identify the authority, criteria, and procedure for the recognition of individuals , groups, organizations, businesses, special periods of observance, or special occasions through the issuance of proclamations , comm endations, or certificates of recognition. All p roclamations, commendations, and certi ficates of recognition are ceremonial documents.
POLICY
It is the policy of the City of Santa Clara (City) that requests for proclamations, commendati ons, or certificates of recognition shall be prepared in accordance with the adopted guidelines of this policy. In accordance with the City Charter, the Mayor shall be the official head of the City for all ceremonial purposes.
PROCLAMATIONS
It is the pol icy of the City that proclamations may be issued to honor or highlight a special period of observance (e.g., days, weeks, months) , civic celebration, or recognition of a community, regional, state, or national occasion, and shall be made at the sole discretion of the May or in accordance with the criteria specified below:
1. The primary purpose of a proclamation is to give special recognition to issues, actions, and/or programs of significance to the citizens of Santa Clara.
2. Proclamations are issued to honor of special periods of obser vance (e.g., days, weeks, or mon ths), civic celebrations , or community, regional, state, or national occasions to cover issues that have widespread community interest with a primary emphasis on re quests in support of City Council’s goals and objectives. Citizens may call or petition to have a proclamat ion prepared, or the City Council may request one.
3. Only proclamations dealing with local, count y, or stat e issues that have a connection to the City will be processed. Proclamations must be consistent with the United States Constitution, the California State Constitution, the Santa Clara Municipal Code, and the various laws passed pursuant to those instruments.
City of Santa Clara
Council Policy Manual
PROCLAMATIONS, COMMENDATIONS, AND
CERTIFICATES OF RECOGNITION
Rev. January 2021 CP 020 Page 2 of 5
Resolution No. 21-8932
COMMENDATIONS
It is the po licy of the City that commendations may be iss ued to individuals, g roups, organizations, or businesses with a conn ection to the City for milestones or major achievements that have community - wide significance, and shall be issued at the sole discretion of the Mayor in accordance with the criteria specified below:
1. Commendations are issued t o honor individuals, groups, organizations, or businesses with a connection to the City for milestones or major achievements that have significant importance to the Santa Clara community, such as:
a. Local sports teams or individual athletes for winning regional, state, and/or national titles;
b. Local schools or students for winning competitions,
exhibitions, or c hampionships at the state , national , and/or international level, or educators for receiving recognition at the regional, state, national, and/or international levels. c. Santa C lara businesses or organizations upon the
commemoration of a milestone anniversary;
d. Community groups or organizations, upon the
commemoration of a milestone anniversary, whose work has benefited the City and/or Santa Clara residents; or
e. Recognition of Santa Clara residents on the occasion of their 100
th birthday.
2. Upon request, commendations shall be issued to retiring City or Santa Clara Unified School District employees who have served for twenty years or more.
CERTIFICATES OF RECOGNITION
It is the policy of the City that certificates of recognition may be issued to individuals, groups, organizations, or businesses with a connection to the City for individual or group achievement, exceptional c ontributions to the Santa Cl ara community, or commemorative events or occasions , and shall be issued at the sol e discretion of the Mayor in accord ance
City of Santa Clara
Council Policy Manual
PROCLAMATIONS, COMMENDATIONS, AND
CERTIFICATES OF RECOGNITION
Rev. January 2021 CP 020 Page 3 of 5
Resolution No. 21-8932
with the criteria specified below:
1. Certificates of recognition are used to acknowledge individual or group achievement, contributions to the community, or to recognize a commemorative event or occasion, such as:
a. Individuals, community groups, or organizations whose volunteer efforts and/or philanthropi c works have benefitted the Santa Clara community and/or Santa Clara residents; b. Santa Clara students for academic achievement at the local or regional level (e.g., school valedictorian, placement at regional competitions or exhibitions);
c. Individuals, community groups, or org anizations for winn ing City competitions (e.g., Hal loween Holiday Decorating
Contest, Home Decorating Contest, etc.); or
d. Local organizations or businesses for commemorative events or occasions in Santa Clara (e.g., ribbon cutting ceremonies, grand opening ceremonies, etc.).
PROCEDURE PROCLAMATIONS
1. Proclamation requests should be addressed to th e Office of Mayor and City Council and submitted at least fifteen (15) business days prior to the beginning of the proclaimed time period of observance for which the requester seeks such recognition, and may be faxed, mailed, emailed, or hand-delivered. Proclamation requests should include either a sample proclamation that can be used as a guide or provide sufficient information to assist the Executive Assi stant to the Mayor and City Council in preparing the proclamation.
2. Proclamation requests should include:
a. Information and/or example(s) of how the request meets the proclamation criteria outlined in this policy;
b. Any background or historical information that w ill assist the Mayor in arriving at a decision;
c. An estimate of the number of residents of Santa C lara that belong to the group(s) whic h would b e honored by such a proclamation;
City of Santa Clara
Council Policy Manual
PROCLAMATIONS, COMMENDATIONS, AND
CERTIFICATES OF RECOGNITION
Rev. January 2021 CP 020 Page 4 of 5
Resolution No. 21-8932
d. Notable qualities or characteristics of the group(s) which would be honored by such a proclamation; and
e. Other information pertinent to the proclamation request.
3. All proclamations require approval of the Mayor; however, if the proclamation has been previously approved, it is likely considered as routine and will be prepared for the Mayor’s signature. All first- time proclamati on requests r equire t he Mayor’s approval before processing.
4. If the request meets the above- mentioned criteria and is approved by the Mayor, the Executive Assistant to the Mayor and City Council will prepare the proclamation for the Mayor’s signature. If th e proclamation is not being presented at a Council meeting or at an event by the Mayor or a Councilmember, the requester will be able to pick up the c ompleted proclamation at Santa Clara City Hall or may request that the proclamation be mailed.
5. A report to Council (RTC) will be prepared annually by the Executive Assistant to the Mayor and City C ouncil, listing all proclamations prepared during the calendar y ear. A co py of the RTC and proclamation attac hments will be fo rwarded to the Local History Librarian.
COMMENDATIONS
1. Commendation requests should be addressed to the Office of Mayor and City Council and submitted at least f ifteen (15) business days in advance of the date the c ommendation is requested for, and may be faxed, mailed, emailed, or hand-delivered.
2. Commendation requests should include:
a. Information and/or example(s) of how the request meets the commendation criteria outlined in this policy;
b. Any background or historical information that will assis t the Mayor in arriving at a decision; and
c. Other information pertinent to the commendation request.
3. If the request meets the above-mentioned criteria and is approved by the Mayor, the Executive Assistant to the Mayor and City Council will prepare the commendation for the Mayor’s signature.
City of Santa Clara
Council Policy Manual
PROCLAMATIONS, COMMENDATIONS, AND
CERTIFICATES OF RECOGNITION
Rev. January 2021 CP 020 Page 5 of 5
Resolution No. 21-8932
4. If the commendation is not being presented at a Council meetin g or at an event by the Mayor or a Councilmember, the r equester will be able to pick up the completed commendation at Santa Clara City Hall or may request that the commendation be mailed.
5. A RTC will be prepared annually by the Executive Assistant to the Mayor and City Council, listing all retirement commendations issued to 20+ year City and/or Santa Clara Unified School District retirees during the calendar year and with copies of the retirement commendations attached. A copy of the RTC and commendation attachments will be forwarded to the Local History Librarian.
CERTIFICATES OF RECOGNITION
1. Certificate of recognition requests should be addressed to the Office of the Mayor and City Council and submitted at least fifteen (15) business days in advance of the date the certificate is requested for, and may be faxed, mailed, emailed, or hand-delivered.
2. Certificate of recognition requests should include:
a. Information and/or example(s) of how the request meets th e certificates of recognition criteria outlined in this policy; b. Any background or historical information that will assist the Mayor in arriving at a decision; and
c. Other information pertinent to the certificate of recognition request.
3. If the request meets the above-mentioned criteria and is approved by the Mayor, the Executive Assistant to the Mayor and City Council will prepare the certificate of recognition for the Mayor’s signature.
4. If the certificate or recognition is not being presented at a Council meeting or at an event by the Mayor or a Councilmember, the requester will be able to pick up the completed certificate of recognition at Santa Clara City Hall or may request that the certificate of recognition be mailed.