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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01/17/2023 05.A. Review proclamation process s�---------- BUSINESS OF THE CITY COUNCIL YAKIMA, WASHINGTON AGENDA STATEMENT Item No. 5.A. For Meeting of: January 17, 2023 ITEM TITLE: Review proclamation process SUBMITTED BY: Robert Harrison, City Manager SUMMARY EXPLANATION: At the January 3, 2023 Council meeting, staff was directed to bring back a review of the process of adopting proclamations. ITEM BUDGETED: STRATEGIC PRIORITY: APPROVED FOR SUBMITTAL BY THE CITY MANAGER RECOMMENDATION: ATTACHMENTS: Description Upload Date Type 0 prou policy memo legal 1/6/2023 Corer Memo ID proclamation policy 1/4/2023 Corer Memo 2 (....„,---- _____,-7----x......,..,N.0Yy ,:4rry r r • ah +'1+1,,` OR FOR ATV, $ Office of the City Attorney City of Yakima MEMORANDUM January 6, 2023 TO: Honorable Mayor Janice Deccio and Councilmembers Bob Harrison, City Manager FROM: Sara Watkins, City Attorney SUBJECT: Proclamation Policy At its January 3, 2023, regular council meeting, the City Council placed on the January 17, 2023, council agenda a discussion of the recently-adopted amended Proclamation Policy. A copy of the current policy is included in your packet for your reference. 1. Current Policy The current proclamation policy requires organizations or persons requesting a proclamation be adopted by the City Council, and, in most cases, read by the City Council, to provide the proposed proclamation at least 3 weeks in advance of the requested date on which they would like the Proclamation to be read. The City Manager then determines if the proposal meets the intent of the proclamation policy, and if it does, it is placed on the City Council agenda. Once on the agenda, it is then approved by Council, through a vote, and then read. 2. Other Options There are a number of other options for the Council to consider if they would like to amend the policy. One option is that a proposed proclamation, once determined to meet the intent of the policy, could be placed on the next City Council agenda's consent agenda for approval. Then it could be placed on the agenda requested for official reading. Another option might be to have Proclamations on the agenda after the consent agenda. That way, proclamations could be placed on the consent agenda for approval and, if approved and 200 South Third Street,2"d Fl. I Yakima,WA 98901 P:509.575.6030 I F:509.575.6160 3 Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers City Manager Proclamation Policy Page 2 not removed, they could then be read and presented some time later in the agenda, perhaps before Other Business, or before or after Public Comment. Another option is to give the Mayor the authority to approve proclamations, after which they can be placed on the agenda for reading. For example, in Vancouver, "The Mayor's office reserves the right to approve or decline the production of a proclamation request and to edit any drafted material for final wording." Vancouver is a first-class city with a council-manager format similar to Yakima. If the Council wishes to give the Mayor the authority to approve proclamations on behalf of the City, this would be done through resolution. In all events, the proclamation policy would also need to be amended. 4 ., , ,.. .. • ffi 1,4 414 j';,f»;\f1VIt.: . ..., ,„ .. ,, .: #1„,,. ...... ��= City of Yakima Proclamation Issuance Policy Adopted October 18, 2022 via R-2022-142 1. Purpose The purpose of this Proclamation Policy is to establish guidelines for the orderly preparation and presentation of proclamations for potential City Council action, and to ensure proclamations reflect inclusiveness and issues that support City policies, goals and values. 2. Policy Proclamations issued by the City Council ideally provide an opportunity for the City Council to honor occasions of importance and significance to Yakima residents, increase public awareness of issues to improve the well-being of the residents of the City, and recognize and celebrate extraordinary achievements of Yakima residents and Yakima non-profit organizations. Proclamations requested by the public should have city wide significance and demonstrate relevance to the City of Yakima. A proclamation is government speech made on behalf of the City government. These procedures do not entitle any private person or entity a right to have their proposed proclamation adopted by the City Council or to have any particular issue addressed in a proclamation. This policy does not restrict the City Council's discretion to issue a proclamation for any purpose it deems appropriate. Proclamations are not legally binding and do not constitute an endorsement by the City. 3. Guidelines and Procedure a. The person(s) or organization(s) making the request for a proclamation must submit a completed application requesting a City proclamation and submit the application, any relevant background information Applicant believes would help in evaluating the proclamation, and the proposed language for the proclamation to the City Manager's office at least three (3) weeks in advance of the requested Council meeting. b. Submission of an application does not guarantee issuance. Due to the volume of submissions received, the City may not be able to grant every request. c. No individual or organization has exclusive rights to any day, week or month. d. Proclamations must fit on one page and must be under 300 words. 5 e. Only one proclamation can be issued per year per organization or individual. f. Proclamations do not automatically renew. Requests must be made on an annual basis. Each renewal request will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Persons and organizations seeking renewal are encouraged to provide new information about the topic or event rather than merely changing the date on a previously-approved proclamation. g. The City Council is unable to accommodate proclamations for out-of-city events or for- profit causes. h. National or International groups seeking proclamations must do so through an in-city sponsor. i. Proclamations will not be issued if they attempt to influence government policy, are for campaigns or events contrary to adopted City policy or mission; or are for personal activities that are not of a general public concern. Proclamations should not be partisan in matters of political, ideological or religious controversy. j. The City Manager will determine if the proposed proclamation satisfies the intent of this policy. If it does, the proclamation will be placed on the requested City Council agenda. The considerations include, but are not limited to: Is the purpose of the proclamation consistent with the City's vision, mission and goals? ii. Does the subject matter demonstrate respect for Yakima residents? Would the proclamation foster a sense of community? iv. Would the proclamation provide education, raise awareness or provide similar benefits for Yakima residents? v. Does the proclamation relate or connect the City to an organization within the city or to a statewide or national issue impacting Yakima? vi. Is the request similar to already issued proclamations? vii. Does the proclamation acknowledge significant community events or celebrations? viii. Will the proclamation have a significant, citywide impact and demonstrate relevance to Yakima? k. Alternatively, proclamations may be placed on a City Council agenda by a City Councilmember pursuant to the City Council Rules of Procedure. I. The City retains the right to modify, edit or otherwise amend the proposed proclamation. m. Proclamations must be adopted, by motion and unanimous vote of the Councilmembers present at the meeting. If proclamations are approved by the City Council,those which have requested that they be read during the City Council meeting will be read aloud. Proclamations will only be read aloud if the Applicant indicates they want it read aloud, and the Applicant, or a representative thereof, is present to accept the proclamation. Otherwise, proclamations will be mailed to the Applicant. 6 n. Applicants or their representatives are encouraged to be present at the City Council meeting to accept the proclamation if they have asked that it be read aloud. Proclamations are presented at the beginning of Council meetings. Recipients should arrive a few minutes before the start of the Council meeting. ii. Recipients who require accommodations are encouraged to contact the City Clerk at (509) 575-6037 at least two business days prior to the meeting. After the proclamation has been approved by the City Council, recipients will be provided a copy of the document and may be asked to provide comments to the Council at the podium. Comments are limited to a maximum of three (3) minutes. iv. If the Council does not read aloud the proclamation, or the Applicant does not request that the proclamation be read aloud, the proclamation will be mailed to the Applicant at the mailing address provided on the application. 4. Greetings and Other Recognition Greetings from the Mayor and/or City Council, or other forms of recognition, such as congratulatory letters, can be issued when a proclamation request does not meet the guidelines. Greetings and/or other recognition can be used to honor special events or individuals within the City of Yakima. This may include conventions, community celebrations, award ceremonies, college graduations, conferences, etc. Such greetings or other recognition may be made at the discretion of the Mayor.