REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Action on Approving SVP’s Continuing Sponsorship of Annual Events and Activities and Delegation of Authority to City Manager to Approve Additional Sponsorships of up to $10,000
Report
BACKGROUND
For many years, the City’s Electric Utility department, Silicon Valley Power (SVP), has sponsored events and activities in and around the City of Santa Clara. Many supported events are organized by the City, such as the holiday tree lighting and ice rink, educational events at the Library and the 4th of July All City Picnic & Fireworks events. Other community events have included the Firehouse Fun Run and Arbor Day. SVP also supports City Council and City staff’s attendance to Joint Venture Silicon Valley’s annual State of the Valley Conference.
SVP’s purpose in providing the sponsorships and support is to meet the goals of its customer and community engagement plans. Sponsorships allows SVP to advertise itself as a community resource and service provider, to inform the public of the programs that are available to customers, to support the economic development goals of the City, to show the utility’s commitment to the benefit of its community, and to support educational opportunities of citizens and stakeholders within the City. Money is allotted in the budget as “Advertising and Community Promotion”.
On September 18, 2018, the City Council approved the Community Grant Policy (Attachment 1). The Community Grant policy established a standardized process to award grants to qualifying non-profit community organizations, athletic groups or organizations, educational groups or organizations, or individuals, for events, activities, and competitions that provide a public benefit to the City of Santa Clara and its residents. The Community Grant Policy list specific eligibility criteria and provides a detailed procedure for processing grant requests. The Silicon Valley Power Sponsorship Application process intends to include criteria and processes that are similar to the Community Grant Policy.
DISCUSSION
SVP is currently updating its FY 2019/20 customer and stakeholder engagement plans and activity calendars. Sponsorships of community events is part of those plans. Information on engagement plan activities will be provided during future updates to Council from SVP.
In support of long-standing events in the City, staff recommends that SVP, under the direction of the City Manager, continue to budget and appropriate funds to support the events which are listed on Attachment 2: Continuing SVP Sponsorship Events. This will assist staff as it updates the customer and stakeholder engagement plans.
Staff also recommends that the City Manager, or her designee, be granted authority to authorize additional sponsorships (beyond those in Attachment 2) of up to $10,000 per event for events that satisfy the following criteria:
• Promote SVP programs
• Provide a benefit to Santa Clara residents, students, or schools
• Contribute positively to the recognition and image of the City of Santa Clara
• Be open to the general public, and not discriminate against any protected characteristic under state or federal law
• Align with established Council goals
• Not be used for political or religious purposes
The aforementioned criteria will be used while SVP completes an updated marketing plan, and, as part of that process, formalize the SVP Sponsorship program and develop an application for sponsorships. Any requests over $10,000 would require City Council approval. Staff will share the marketing plan with Council and request any required Council authority for the sponsorship program.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This action being considered does not constitute a “project” within the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15378(a) as it has no potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment.
FISCAL IMPACT
SVP would continue to budget Advertising and Community Promotion as per past practice under the direction of the City Manager and with final overall budget approval of the City Council. In FY 2018/2019 and FY 2019/20, the approved budget item Advertising and Community Promotion in Administrative Service program is $125,000 for each fiscal year.
COORDINATION
This report has been coordinated with the Finance Department and City Attorney’s office.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Council agenda on the City’s official-notice bulletin board outside City Hall Council Chambers. A complete agenda packet is available on the City’s website and in the City Clerk’s Office at least 72 hours prior to a Regular Meeting and 24 hours prior to a Special Meeting. A hard copy of any agenda report may be requested by contacting the City Clerk’s Office at (408) 615-2220, email clerk@santaclaraca.gov <mailto:clerk@santaclaraca.gov> or at the public information desk at any City of Santa Clara public library.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
1. Approve Silicon Valley Power continuing annual sponsorship support of the events and activities listed in Attachment 2; and
2. Delegate authority to the City Manager to approve additional sponsorships of up to $10,000 per event that meet the criteria set forth in this Report, and the formal process and application to be developed by SVP.
Staff
Reviewed by: Manuel Pineda, Interim Chief Electric Utility Officer
Approved by: Deanna J. Santana, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1. Community Grant Policy
2. Continuing SVP Sponsorship Events