REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Action on Donations to the City Policy and Related Budget Amendment
Report
BACKGROUND
At the September 11, 2017 Governance Committee meeting, the Committee recommended that the Gifts to the City Policy be updated to address gifts to elected and appointed officials, and that a separate Donations to the City Policy be drafted to address donations to the City as a whole; both policies were brought forward for City Council approval consideration at the September 11, 2018 City Council meeting.
After the Governance Committee recommendation, staff reviewed and amended the policies as discussed. In addition, staff added a streamlined appropriation process for monetary donations as discussed below, consistent with Charter Section 1305.
Section 1305 of the Charter of the City of Santa Clara (Attachment 1), entitled 'Budget - Appropriations,' states that, from the effective date of the budget, the several amounts stated therein as proposed expenditures shall be and become appropriated to the several departments, offices and agencies for the respective objects and purposes therein named; all appropriations shall lapse at the end of the fiscal year to the extent that they shall not have been expended or lawfully encumbered; and at any meeting after the adoption of the budget, the City Council may amend or supplement the budget by motion adopted by the affirmative votes of at least five members so as to authorize the transfer of unused balances appropriated for one purpose to another purpose, or to appropriate available revenue not included in the budget.
At the September 11, 2018 City Council meeting, both the Donations to the City policy and the Gifts to Elected and Appointed Officials policy were brought forward under one item for Council for approval; the City Council voted unanimously to defer taking action on the policies until the October 2, 2018 City Council meeting so that staff can notice the individual policies separately for...
Click here for full text