10C
Date: February 10, 2026
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Aram Chaparyan, City Manager
By: Jin Chun, Public Engagement Manager | [email protected] Subject: City Manager – Discuss and Provide Direction on Proposed City Policy Updates Regarding Formatting of City Certificates and Proclamations. Expenditure: None.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation of the City Manager that City Council discuss and provide direction on proposed city policy updates regarding formatting of City Certificates and Proclamations.
FUNDING
None required.
DISCUSSION
On November 18, 2025, the City Council requested that staff return with options to:
1. Revise City policy to require all ceremonial and proclamation certificates to be signed by the full City Council; and
2. Place the Mayor’s signature at the top of the document, with Councilmember signatures displayed side-by-side below; and
3. Explore modest, low-cost design updates to accommodate this format.
Current Guidelines for Certificates and Proclamations:
The City currently issues the following recognition documents:
•Standard and Long-Format Certificates: Informal ceremonial recognition for individuals or organizations (e.g., student athletes, retirements, organizational milestones). •Proclamations: Ceremonial declarations to recognize or raise awareness of people, events, or causes (e.g., Small Business Week, heritage or awareness months). •Resolutions: Formal recognition adopted by the City Council to commend individuals or organizations for significant service or contributions.
Currently, certificates and proclamations include only the Mayor’s signature while resolutions already include full Council signatures.
1 City Council
February 10, 2026
While requests for ceremonial certificates, proclamations, and resolutions are encouraged to be submitted up to one month in advance, there is no formal minimum submission deadline. As a result, last-minute requests can be difficult to accommodate, particularly for longer-format documents that require specialty printing available only through Central Services, which operates during regular business hours and is closed on weekends. This limits Staff’s ability to plan and ensure timely production for time-sensitive requests.
Proposed Policy Updates:
In response to Council’s direction, Staff proposes revising City policy to:
•Require all ceremonial certificates, proclamations, and resolutions to include the signatures of the full City Council.
•Maintain the Mayor’s role as the primary signatory by placing the Mayor’s signature at the top, with Councilmember signatures displayed side-by-side below. •Update submission timelines to align with printing requirements by document format, recognizing that standard certificates (8.5” x 11”) may be printed on any City printer, while longer-format certificates, proclamations, and resolutions require specialty printing exclusively available through Central Services and therefore require advance notice. •Revise submission deadline to a minimum of three business days up to two weeks in advance reflecting Central Services’ operating hours and production capacity. •Revised that requests requiring specialty printing be submitted at least two weeks in advance.
•Continue to require Mayor approval for all requests prior to issuance.
Examples of proposed City Certificates and Proclamations are attached for City Council’s review and consideration.
ATTACHMENT
1. Proposed City Certificates and Proclamations Update
2 PROPOSED CITY CERTIFICATES &
PROCLAMATIONS UPDATE
OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
ATTACHMENT 1
10C
3 BACKGROUND
• November 18, 2025 – Council gave concurrence to bring back an item to consider the following actions:
1. Revise City policy to require all ceremonial and
proclamation certificates to be signed by the full City Council.
2. Place the Mayor’s signature at the top, with the remaining Councilmember signatures displayed side-by-side below.
3. Explore modest, low-cost design updates to the certificate format to accommodate this layout.
O F F I C E O F T H E C I T Y M A N A G E R
4 GUIDELINES FOR SPECIAL RECOGNITION
O F F I C E O F T H E C I T Y M A N A G E R
CERTIFICATES
• Informal ceremonial
certificates for individuals &
organizations for service,
achievements, or milestones
in the community.
• Ex: Student Athletes,
Retirements,
Organizational Milestone
• Mayor’s Signature Only
5 GUIDELINES FOR SPECIAL RECOGNITION
O F F I C E O F T H E C I T Y M A N A G E R
PROCLAMATIONS
• Ceremonial declaration to
recognize or bring public
awareness to a person, group,
event, or observation
• Ex: Small Business Week,
Heritage or Awareness
Months, Causes or
Campaigns
• Mayor’s Signature Only
6 GUIDELINES FOR SPECIAL RECOGNITION
O F F I C E O F T H E C I T Y M A N A G E R
RESOLUTIONS
• Formal recognition adopted by the City
Council to officially commend
individuals or organizations for service
or significant contributions to the
community.
• Ex: Grand Marshal of the Armed
Forces Day Parade, Retiring City
Employee
• Currently includes Full Council
Signatures
7 GUIDELINES FOR SPECIAL RECOGNITION
CURRENT STANDARD PRACTICE
• Certificates & Proclamation: Ceremonial recognition
issued by the Mayor; no Council action required
• Resolutions: Formal actions requiring City Council
approval and executed by the Mayor and Council
• Mayor traditionally serves as City’s ceremonial
representative.
• City Council traditionally serves as legislative body.
O F F I C E OF T H E C I T Y M A N A G E R
8 GUIDELINES FOR SPECIAL RECOGNITION
CURRENT SUBMISSION REQUIREMENT
• Requests are advised to be submitted 1 month in advance • Minimum requirement: 3 weeks notice
• Early submission helps ensure timely processing and
mailing
• All submissions must be approved by Mayor
O F F I C E O F T H E C I T Y M A N A G E R
9 GUIDELINES FOR SPECIAL RECOGNITION
PROPOSED UPDATED SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
• Requests are advised to be submitted 2 weeks in advance • Minimum requirement: 3 business days notice
• Early submission helps ensure timely processing and mailing • All requests must be approved by Mayor
• Maintain a consistent policy that preserves standard certificate imagery, branding, and format to ensure consistent presentation • All certificates approved will include full Council signatures
O F F I C E O F T H E C I T Y M A N A G E R
10 CERTIFICATES, PROCLAMATIONS & RESOLUTIONS
O F F I C E O F T H E C I T Y M A N A G E R
11 STANDARD SIZE 8.5 X 11 CERTIFICATE
O F F I C E O F T H E C I T Y M A N A G E R
CURRENT FORMAT PROPOSED NEW FORMAT
12 LONG FORMAT 11 X 17 CERTIFICATE
O F F I C E O F T H E C I T Y M A N A G E R
CURRENT FORMAT PROPOSED NEW FORMAT
13 PROCLAMATION FORMAT
O F F I C E O F T H E C I T Y M A N A G E R
CURRENT FORMAT PROPOSED NEW FORMAT
14 CURRENT RESOLUTION FORMAT – NO CHANGES
O F F I C E O F T H E C I T Y M A N A G E R
15 RECOMMENDATION
1. Provide direction on proposed certificate updates which include:
• Revising City policy to require that all ceremonial
certificates and proclamations include the signatures
of the full City Council and reaffirm that resolutions
will continue to have the full City Council’s signatures, with the Mayor’s signature at the top and
Councilmember signatures displayed side-by-side
below.
O F F I C E O F T H E C I T Y M A N A G E R
16 QUESTIONS?
O F F I C E O F T H E C I T Y M A N A G E R
17