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Exh 3CAGENDA ITEM #3C OCTOBER 22, 2001 CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH CITY COMMISSION MEETING STAFF REPORT AGENDA ITEM: Chazitable Contributions Policy SUBMITTED BY: Jim Hansom{-~i~y-#Ian DATE: October 11, 2001 BACKGROUND: The City's ordinance prohibiting contributions for chazitable purposes has been discussed several times in recent Commission meetings. At the last meeting, the request of Patricia Goelz for a contribution to the Town Center Green Mazket Project was deferred pending further clarification of the City's policy. The present City ordinance reads as follows; City Code Section 2-2 Chazitable Contributions Prohibited; The City shall not contribute City funds to any chazitable, non-profit, or other worthy cause. Many Florida Cities contribute funds to chazitable causes, although staff was unable to fmd any City with a written policy. See the attached surmnary of responses from six cities that was completed by City staff and dated October 10, 2001. Also attached is a list of charitable requests made to the City of Atlantic Beach during two time periods. The first is from 1984 through 1991 which led up to the adoption of the present City ordinance on 10/28/91. Second is a list of more recent charitable requests. Several options are available to the City Commission concerning the ordinance, parameters to use in deciding which request to fund, and who to make the decision on these contributions; 1. Ordinance Change the ordinance to allow for some types of contributions, with expanded limits and possibly some parameters for decision making • Keep ordinance "as is"; make no charitable contributions as defined in the ordinance • .Eliminate ordinance entirely to allow more flexibility AGENDA ITEM #3C OCTOBER 22, 2001 2. Parameters for Decision Making • Events; It appears that most of the contributions approved by the City were to put on events that aze open to the public. The limitation of only providing funds for events may be an effective differentiator for future consideration. .Sponsorship; The City may choose only to put money into events that are jointly sponsored by the COAB. In this case, additional parameters would undoubtedly be needed prior to making the decision on sponsorship possibly including such criteria as whether they are open to the public, free of charge, or in Atlantic Beach. • Budget; The City Commission may choose to adopba single budget for a fiscal year and make contributions to organizations up to that budgeted amount but not more. Again, the additional questions of parameters may come up unless a "first come first serve" policy was adopted. Dollaz limit; The Commission may choose to place a maximum dollar amount that could be contributed unless the event is directly sponsored by the City. • Budget Cycle; Many of the. cities surveyed indicated that they make their chazitable contributions only through the budget process, meaning that the organizations had to file their requests ahead oftime for the following yeaz. 3. Who to Decide • City Commission • Boazd or Committee (Cultural Arts Board in effect is already making recommendations on funding requests for some events) • City Manager (only if the City establishes clear criteria) BUDGET: Establishment of Policy is not expected to cost the City any money. However, depending on the decisions made, funding for chazitable purposes or events could be considerable. RECOMMENDATION: Consider, debate and ultimately adopt an ordinance that reflects the Commission's desires on charitable contributions and guides decisions on individual requests in the future. ATTACHMENTS: (I) Staff Report on policies from other cities (2) List of chazitable contribution requests Requests for donations 1984-1991, and the actions taken by the Citv Commission Date Organization/Event Location Open to Admission Sponsored Funding Amount Who Action Public Charged by AB? from Requested benefits? other Beach cities? 10/08/84 Beaches Educational N. Beach No Unspecified Denied Foundation 8chooi 06110/85 New Beaches Library N. Beach Yes No No Yes $27,100 Beaches Deferred; residents no action taken later 11/11/85 BLES Foundation for Beaches Yes No No $190 Beaches Granted banner advertising residents Christmas Parade 04114/86 To advertise a party No No No $100 Navy Granted to recognize the crew of the USS Saratoga and su ort shi s 09/25/89 American Lighthouse Yes No $5,000 Lighthouse Denied Historical Socie Soc. 01/22/90 Youth of the Beaches Jax Bch. Yes Yes No $1,000. Granted Art Guild 03112/90 Dial-A-Ride Beaches No $1,000 Beaches Granted residents 05/29/90 Commissioning of Mayport No No No $2,500 Navy Granted USS Montere base 07/09/90 N,E. Florida Council No $100 No action on Alcoholism & taken Dru Abuse 07/23/90 Atlantic Beach Atlantic Yes $1,000 Granted Athletic Assoc. to Beach attend all-star state cham ionshi s 08/13/90 Atlantic Beach Men's Orlando No $500 Granted Tennis Team to attend state tournament in Orlando 11/19190 Pop Warner Football Jax Bch. Yes No $100 Beaches Denied DUtI I O~ n~ .a t~ oz trJ d ~~ N ~[/lJ N 7 O # O W t+ n Date OrganizationlEvent Location Open to Admission Sponsored Funding Amount Who Action Public Charged by AB? from Requested benefits? other Beach cities? 06/24/91 Atlantic Beach Atlantic Yes Yes No $2,500 Beaches Denied Athletic Assoc. Beach .Youth 06/24/91 Beaches Arts Beaches Yes No Unspecified Denied Foundation Ordinance prohibiting donations passed on October 28, 1991 Recent Charitable Contributions made or Considered bV the Citv of Atlantic Beach Agency/Event Location Open to Admission Sponsored Funding from Who Benefits Funded Public? Charged by AB7 other Beach by AB? cities? Air Show Jax. Beach Yes No Yes Yes All Duvai Count Yes Roosevelt Commissionin Ma ort base No No No Yes Nav Yes Ad in Fletcher Football NA Yes Yes No Yes High School Yes Pro ram O~ A G1 ~-3 [l7 oz o~ d z~ N y N ry N y O ~ O W "n AGENDA ITEM #3C OCTOBER 22, 2001 October 10, 2001 I have contacted the following cities to inquire if they contribute to any charitable organizations, non-profit organizations or worthy causes. Listed below are the results: - Indian Rocks Beach -They sometimes provide contributions to Meals on Wheels. However, Meals on Wheels usually provides written requests during their budget meetings. Not always able to support them. They are a very small city and therefore provide no written policy on donations. - Lauderdale-by-the-Sea -They have donated thus far a total of $18,000. They receive requests from many organizations, which are then reviewed and approved during their budget workshops.. They have no written policies or procedures. - Jacksonville Beach - They do not provide any donations: However, internally if there is a death in family the city employees contribute to the deceased's organization in lieu of flowers. - Niceville -Yes they do provide donations mainly to Elder Services, Guidance Services or Battered Women Organizations. All organizations wishing for donations must provide information in writing. During the budgetary process the councils then decide. which organizations personally affect their community and how it would benefit their city and citizens within. They also contribute $100 - $200 here or there for their educational activities. They have contributed anywhere from $25,000 - $30,000. They do not have any written policies and feel that if there was it would be inflexible and bureaucratic. I spoke with George Ireland. - Lake City -Yes they contribute to many different organizations. Some organizations they contribute to year after year. These groups the city even notifies them to have their request in by set timeframes: Other organizations are received by written requests and then approved or disapproved by city manager and council members. Some of the donations they give are: $10,000 to Sr. Citizens, $2,500 to museums, $3,500 for recreational centers, and $10,000 downtown Christmas decorations. To date this year they have contributed approximately $25,000. In past donations they have contributed as high as $50,000. They provide no written policies on donations, this way it allows them to pick and choose as to what's needed within their community. I spoke with Faye Billings. - St. Augustine -Does not make charitable donations but has no written policy.