CITY OF SIMI VALLEY
MEMORANDUM
January 9, 2023
TO: City
Council
FRO
M: Office of the City Manager
SUBJE
CT: SELECTION OF RECIPIENTS TO RECEIVE 2023 SPECIAL EVENT
SUPPORT GRANTS AND AUTHORIZ E THE CITY MANAGER TO
EXECUTE GRANT CONTRACTS WITH RECIPIENTS
RECOMMENDATION
It i
s recommended that the City Council adopt the recommendation of the Special Event Support Review Committee regarding 2023 Special Event Support Grants and authorize the City Manager to execute grant contracts with the recipients.
BACKGROUND AND OVERVIEW
In Ja
nuary 2014, the City Council adopted a policy for City Support of Special Events (Attachment A, page 5) and an associated grant program, budgeting $25,000 per year for the program. The City accepted applications for events taking place in 20 23 and received twelve applications requesting $71,669 in grants.
In
accordance with the policy for City Support of Special Events, the City Council appointed a Special Event Support Review Committee on November 7, 2022. The Committee is comprised of one member from each of the City’s four Neighborhood Councils and one member from the Council On Aging. The Committee held a public meeting to review all applications and recommended that grants be awarded for ten of the twelve special events. It is recommended that the City Council adopt the recommendation of the Committee for funding in 2023 and authorize the City Manager to execute contracts for grants with those recipients.
FINDINGS AND ALTERNATIVES
Purs
uant to City Council -adopted policy, applicants for City Support of Special Events must meet several criteria. First, applicants must obtain a Specia l Event Permit from the City for their events. Applicants must also be non-profit organizations recognized by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). All applicants provided federal Employer Identification Numbers ( EINs) that staff verified as IRS -recognized non- profit organizations.
AGENDA I
TEM NO.
9A
All applicants must also have a Board of Directors, have meetings by those Boards of Directors open to the public (at the time of application), and agree to provide a report back to the City describing how the funds were used and containing the outcomes of anything described in the recipient’s application for funding. All 2023 applicants have a Board of Directors, have meetings open to the public, and have agreed to provide a report to the City as described.
The Special Event Support Review Committee met on December 14, 2022, to review the twelve applications received by the City and make funding recommendations to the City Council. Pursuant to the City’s policy, the Committee was directed to incorporate the following preferences into its recommendations:
• Preference to fund events where event proceeds are used locally within Simi Valley
• Preference to fund events with greater community/public benefits over events with lesser community/public benefits
After hearing presentations from the applicants and reviewing all applications, the Committee recommended funding applications as shown in the table below:
Applicant Event Request Recommended Page
Body Brain Train Poker and Bingo Night $9,669 $1,000
11 For the Need Foundation Rocket Launch Day $10,000 $0 13
Friends of the Simi Valley
Police Explorers – Post 2910 CopsNCruisers Car Show $5,000 $2,000 15 GiGi’s Playhouse GiGi Fit Acceptance Challenge
5K/Walk/Fun Run $5,000 $0 17
Kiwanis Club of Simi Valley Round-Up Country Music
Festival $5,000 $4,000 19
Kiwanis Club of Simi Valley Star-Spangled Jam & Fireworks Special $5,000 $5,000 21
Rotary Club of Simi Sunrise Happy Face Hill Music Festival $7,000 $4,000 23 Simi Valley Chamber of
Commerce Spring Street Fair $5,000 $2,500 25
Simi Valley Chamber of
Commerce Fall Street Fair $5,000 $2,500 27
Simi Valley Cultural Arts
Center Foundation 2023 Spotlight Awards $5,000 $2,000 29 Simi Valley Historical Society Dia de las Muertas Celebration $5,000 $1,000
31 Soaring Spirits International Share the Road Ride $5,000 $1,000
33 Total: $71,669 $25,000
The Draft Action Minutes for the Committee’s meeting are provided as Attachment B, page 7.
2 The City Council has the authority to modify any of the Special Event Support Review Committee’s recommendations, and all applications are provided as Attachment C, page 11.
The City’s adopted FY 2022-23 Annual Budget contains $25,000 in funding for the 2023 Special Event Support Grant Program. Pursuant to past City Council direction, grants will be paid out upon execution of a contract with a grantee , regardless of whether the event takes place in FY 2022-23 or FY 2023-24. Authorizing the City Manager t o execute the grant contracts will speed up the grant payment process, as approval of each contract would otherwise require action by the City Council at a subsequent meeting.
The following alternatives are available to the City Council:
1. Adopt the recommendation of the Special Event Support Review Committee for 2023 Special Event Support Grants and authorize the City Manager to execute grant contracts for those grants with recipients;
2. Modify the list of recipients recommended by the Special Event Support Review Committee to receive 2023 Special Event Support Grants, and authorize the City Manager to execute contracts with recipients;
3. Do not award grants for the 20 23 Special Event Su pport Grants, and provide staff with other direction.
Staff recommends Alternative No. 1.
SUGGESTED CITY COUNCIL MOTION
I move to adopt the recommendation of the Special Event Support Review Committee regarding 2023 Special Event Support Grants, and authorize the City Manager to execute grant contracts with the recipients.
SUMMARY
Each year, the City provides $25,000 in Special Event Support Grants to non- profit organizations. For 2023 events, the City received t welve applications requesting $71,669 in City support. The Special Event Support Review Committee reviewed the applications and recommended that ten applicants receive funding. It is recommended that the City Council select these ten recipients recommended by the Special Event Support Review Committee to receive 2023 Special Event Support Grants and authorize the City Manager to execute grant contracts with recipients.
____________________________________
Linda Swan, Assistant City Manager
Prepared by: Heidi DiNardo, Management Analyst
3 INDEX Page
Attachment A – Policy for City Support of Special Events .....................................5 Attachment B – Draft Action Minutes from Committee Meeting 12/14/2022 ..........7 Attachment C – 2023 Applications for City Support of Special Events ................ 11 4 CITY OF SIMI VALLEY
ADMINISTRATIVE POLICIES & PROCEDURES MANUAL
Subject: CITY SUPPORT OF SPECIAL EVENTS
Policy No.: A‐32 Effective: January 27, 2014
Originator: City Council Supersedes: n/a
POLICY
It is the policy of the City to support a limited number of special events through cash sponsorships to promote development of new and expansion of existing cultural, educational, and entertainment events taking place within Simi Valley, benefitting Simi Valley, and bringing people to Simi Valley.
PROCEDURES
1. To be eligible for City support of a special event, the event organizer must meet the following criteria:
a. The event organizer must obtain a Special Event Permit from the City for the event. b. The event organizer must be a non‐profit organization recognized by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
c. The event organizer must provide the City with a report describing how City funds were used and containing the outcomes of anything described in the recipient’s application for funding.
2. The amount of City support
shall be adopted as part of the City’s Annual Budget each year.
For calendar year 2014, the City Council intends for $25,000 to be made available. The City’s funding shall be made via cash sponsorships, subject to a written agreement between the City and the recipients.
3. A Special Event Support Review Committee shall be created to review applications for City support and make funding recommendations to the City Council, which will then review, edit
(as desired), and award funding. The Committee will be comprised of one member
ATTACHMENT A
5 CITY OF SIMI VALLEY
ADMINISTRATIVE POLICIES & PROCEDURES MANUAL
from each of the City’s four Neighborhood Councils and one member from the Council On Aging. In addition to publicly stating its own general guidelines about how applications will be evaluated, the Committee will incorporate the City Council’s following preferences into its recommendations:
a. Preference to fund events where event proceeds are used locally within Simi Valley. b. Preference to fund events with greater community/public benefits over events with lesser community/public benefits.
4. The City shall enter into written agr
eements with each recipient to ensure funding is used
as described in recipients’ applications for funding and to protect the City’s interests.
5. Nothing in this policy precludes the Cit
y Council from deciding to otherwise sponsor or
support any other special event by separate action.
HISTORY
January 27, 2014 Policy adopted by City Council.
6 S
pecial Event Support Review Committee
Wednesday, December 14, 2022, 6:30 p.m.
A
CTION MINUTES
1. Call to Order/Welcome/Pledge of Allegiance/Roll Call T
he meeting was called to order at 6: 31 p.m. with the following Committee Members and staff in attendance:
J
oe Piechowski, Chair
Julie Bershin, Vice Chair
Ted Andrews
Dalilia Minter
Gayle Sutton
Linda Swan, Assistant City Manager
Heidi DiNardo, Management Analyst
T
he Pledge of Allegiance was led by Committee Member Dalila Minter.
2. Agenda Review
T
he agenda was approved by consensus.
3. Public Statements Regarding the Action Minutes for the December 7 , 20 22 Meeting, or Items Not Listed on This Agenda
T
here were no speakers from the public on this item.
4. Approval of Action Minutes for the December 7, 2022 Meeting Chair Piechowski ask to amend the minutes to reflect his nomination to Chair with the second made by Committee Member Minter at the December 7, 2022 meeting,
Committee Member Sutton moved to approve the minutes, as amended, and Committee member Andrews seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
5. Public Statements/Comments Regarding Committee’s General Criteria to Rate Applications for Grant Funding for Special Events
7 ATTACHMENT B
Special Event Support Review Committee December 14, 2022, 6:30 p.m.
City Hall Community Room
Staff presented the background and overview of the Special Event Support Review Committee and emphasized the funding preferences outlined by City Council where proceeds are used locally within Simi Valley and where there is greater community/public benefit.
6. Public Statements/Comments Regarding Review of Applications
The following members of the public spoke:
1. Nikki Lian and Gabby Sifuentes, represented Body Brain Train
2. Tammy Jordan, represented For the Need Foundation
3. Russ McClellan, represented Friends of Simi Valley Police Explorers – Post 2910
4. Laurie Samaan, represented GiGi’s Playhouse Simi Valley
5. Donna Smith, represented Kiwanis Club of Simi Valley
6. Kathi Van Etten, represented Kiwanis Club of Simi Valley
7. Dr. Laura Berger and Steve Pietrolungo, represent ed Rotary Club of Simi Sunrise
8. Virginia Morgan, represented Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce
9. Larry Borovay, represented Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center Foundation
10. Kristy Grayson and Linda Bosley, represented Simi Valley Historical Society
11. Darryl Nind, represented Soaring Spirits International
8. Committee Review of Applications and Approval of Funding Recommendations for the City Council
Staff explained that the Committee Members must hold their discussion in the public setting and with vote that evening, the applicants would be aware of the Committee recommendations. The process of bringing the Committee recommendations to City Council for their approval would be on January 9, 2023.
Upon Council approval, contracts would be initiated.
The Committee Members discussed the applications. The discussion focused first on which applications would benefit the community most. Deliberation regarding the benefits to the community from event proceeds, number of those who would receive a benefit or who would be in attendance, and whether or not the non-profit was locally based only or was international was considered.
Staff was approached with an inquiry as to when the public could provide a statement. Although public was encouraged to speak during I tem 3, there was some confusion and no one spoke. Assistant City Manager Swan asked the Committee if they would be willing to open up the floor once again for public statements. Chair Piechowski consulted with the Committee and they agreed to allow the public to provide their statements.
The following members of the public spoke:
12. Carolyn Duncan, spoke in support of Body Brain Train
13. Dawn Cobalt, spoke in support of Body Brain Train
8 Special Event Support Review Committee December 14, 2022, 6:30 p.m.
City Hall Community Room
14. Jenny Allen, spoke in support of Body Brain Train
15. Cathy Rummell, spoke in support of Body Brain Train
16. Steve Benicovich, spoke in support of Body Brain Train
17. Bob Stotz, spoke in support of Body Brain Train
18. Frank Tomlinson, spoke in support of Body Brain Train
19. Debbie Jew, spoke in support of Body Brain Train
Upon the completion of Public Statements, the discussion then shifted to possible suggestions of the amount of funding to award to each applicant. Following the discussion with the final amounts stated by Chair Piechowski, Committee Member Andrews moved that the Committee make the following funding recommendations to the City Council:
Organization Event Request Committee
Recommendation
Body Brain Train Poker and Bingo Night $9,669 $1,000
For the Need
Foundation
Rocket Launch Day $10,000 $0
Friends of the Simi
Valley Police Explorers
– Post 2910
CopsNCruisers Car
Show
$5,000 $2,000
GiGi’s Playhouse GiGi Fit Acceptance
Challenge 5K/Walk/Fun
Run
$5,000 $0
Kiwanis Club of Simi
Valley
ROUND-UP Country
Music Festival
$5,000 $4,000
Kiwanis Club of Simi
Valley
Star-Spangled Jam &
Fireworks Special
$5,000 $5,000
Rotary Club of Simi
Sunrise
Happy Face Hill Music
Festival
$7,000 $4,000
Simi Valley Chamber of
Commerce
Spring Street Fair $5,000 $2,500
Simi Valley Chamber of
Commerce
Fall Street Fair $5,000 $2,500
Simi Valley Cultural Arts
Center Foundation
2023 Spotlight Awards $5,000 $2,000
Simi Valley Historical
Society
Dia de las Muertas
Celebration
$5,000 $1,000
Soaring Spirits
International
Share the Road Ride $5,000 $1,000
TOTAL: $71,669 $25,000
9 Special Event Support Review Committee December 14, 2022, 6:30 p.m.
City Hall Community Room
Committee Member Bershin seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
9. Adjournment
Chair Piechowski adjourned the meeting at 8:20 p.m.
10 ATTACHMENT C
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