TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Bruce Moe, City Manager
FROM:
Mark Leyman, Parks and Recreation Director
Linda Robb, Senior Management Analyst
SUBJECT:Title
Parks and Recreation Commission Recommendations for a Memorial for the Fallen and Options for a Memorial Day Event (Parks and Recreation Director Leyman).
(Estimated Time: 30 Mins.)
DISCUSS AND PROVIDE DIRECTION
Body
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RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council discuss and provide direction on the Parks and Recreation Commission recommendations for a Memorial for the Fallen and options for a Memorial Day event.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
If the City Council approves the Memorial for the Fallen concept, staff will create a Request for Proposals for design options, and return to City Council for approval and funding. There are no fiscal implications for a Memorial Day event at this time as the first such event will take place in May 2025 (costs for American flags for 2024 are already provided for in the current budget). If City Council approves moving forward with the Memorial for the Fallen monument, Memorial Day event costs will be developed and staff will return for approval.
BACKGROUND:
At the November 7, 2023 City Council meeting, Council directed staff and the Parks and Recreation Commission to research what other cities do to celebrate Memorial Day and make recommendations for Council consideration. This item aligned with the City Council work plan item: “Memorial for the Fallen,” which was discussed as part of the City Donation Policy at the February 13, 2024, City Council work plan meeting.
The Parks and Recreation Commission Ad-Hoc Committee met with staff on multiple occasions to develop options for Council consideration. Ad-Hoc Committee members include: Parks and Recreation Commissioners Laurie McCarthy and Stephen Doran, and Community Member Gary McAulay. These recommendations were approved unanimously at the March 25, 2024, Parks and Recreation Commission meeting.
DISCUSSION:
The Parks and Recreation Commission Ad-Hoc Committee developed the following recommendations for the Memorial for the Fallen and Memorial Day event.
Memorial for the Fallen
Purpose:
The Memorial for the Fallen will be established to remember and commemorate service members who died while on active military duty in service to our nation.
Criteria for Inclusion:
Those service members who were born, raised, lived in, enlisted from, or were in some other way significantly associated with Manhattan Beach.
Process:
• Applications submitted to the Parks and Recreation Department for review and subsequent presentation of qualified applications to Parks and Recreation Commission
• Parks and Recreation Commission to make recommendations to City Council
• City Council consideration for final approval of names
• Initial names to be approved as a group (Current estimate of 21 individuals identified to date)
• Additional names to be added over time on an annual basis
Application:
• Online one-page application form; available for pdf download/written submission or online submission process
• Short bios, to the extent available, to be provided on each name recommended
• Service member’s name, rank, branch of service, date birth/date for the memorial
• Name, address, phone, email, relationship to deceased of recommending party
• Documentation from the Department of Defense, branch of military service, or other appropriate historical documentation confirming loss of life while on active duty
• Short bio and description of association with Manhattan Beach, including relevant dates when available
Location:
Recommended locations in Civic Center plaza (attached)
• Central and visible to the community
• Provides a somber, dignified, and quieter civic location
• ADA accessible and easily accessible to older community members who represent an important constituency
• Parking is convenient and an elevator is available from the parking structure
• Appropriate for reflection
• Appropriate for honor ceremonies or Memorial Day ceremonies
• Size of space can accommodate a large number of people
Alternate location could include Veterans Parkway near the Veterans Monument.
Recognition of individuals on the memorial:
• Names to be on an individual plaque/bar to enable additions as needed over time
• Rank
• Branch of service
• Full dates of life and death consistent with Arlington National Cemetery format (Example: Feb. 2, 1922 - Aug. 15, 1945)
Appearance/design of the memorial:
Staff to work with Cultural Arts Commission to draft an RFP for a landscape architect design firm to redesign and reimagine the landscaping in the Civic Center courtyard area and develop a proposal for the actual memorial itself. The design concept would be simple and small. An obelisk design has been proposed (attached). Process will include:
• RFP to be developed by the Cultural Arts Commission, submitted for City Council consideration.
• Community outreach meetings to be held for landscape and design input
• Considerations for design should include:
• Form: statue/sculpture
• Solid marble or other material
• Polished or unpolished surface
• Whether the memorial is a general recognition with individual names on it, or whether there is a general memorial accompanied by smaller, separate pillar/stone/obelisks for each branch of service with related service members’ names on them.
• Words on memorial
• Words on the plaque/bar recognizing each fallen service member (e.g. name, rank, branch of service, dates of birth and death)
• Graphics or symbols used on memorial (e.g. flag, eagle, star, branch of service symbols)
• Ease of addition of additional names in the future
• Separate non-intrusive sign/plaque to explain memorial with a single QR code link to all bios, including service member’s association with Manhattan Beach
Memorial Day Event
The Ad-Hoc Committee evaluated a variety of local and regional Memorial Day events. The Ad-Hoc Committee provided the following recommendations for a Memorial Day event, which would be held at the site of the monument, if approved.
Our Proposed Commemoration:
• Length of ceremony: up to 45 minutes
• Invitees to include the public, South Bay veterans and ROTC groups, local Boy and Girl Scout troops, City officials and staff, and local senior military official(s)
• Speakers/Participants in Ceremony to include
• the MB Mayor/Councilmembers to emcee and make remarks
• local active duty service member(s) invited to speak
• local veteran to speak or provide a designated reading
• local distinguished community member invited to speak
• local chaplain or a faith representative on a rotating basis from the MB faith community
• moment of silence
• local Boy/Girl Scout troops or ROTC members to present colors and/or lead Pledge of Allegiance and retire the colors
• small group of local military or MB school musician(s) to play Taps at conclusion and possibly a musical interlude for reflection before and during the ceremony
• Needs:
• Podium
• Microphone
• AV Technicians for recording
• Flag stands
• Flags
• Chairs for seniors
• Security
Staff anticipates a 2025 start date for the Memorial Day event, if City Council approves moving forward with the Memorial for the Fallen. For 2024, Memorial Day event enhancements will include 30 American flags placed along the strand on either side of Manhattan Beach Boulevard, a “Thank You Veterans” street banner in a prominent location downtown, and a wreath placed at Veteran’s Monument. In addition, staff has been working with a new vendor to place 71 American Flags throughout the City on street poles and at Polliwog Park. The vendor is hoping to have the hardware shipped in time for Memorial Day for placement of the flags. As directed by Council, these flags will be installed two days prior to each designated event, and removed two days after. These events include: Memorial Day, Independence Day, Veterans Day, Patriot Day and the Salute to the Troops event at Polliwog Park.
Staff recommends that the City Council discuss and provide direction on the Memorial for the Fallen and Memorial Day event.
PUBLIC OUTREACH:
This item was discussed at the February 26, 2024 and March 25, 2024, Parks and Recreation Commission Meetings.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
The City has reviewed the proposed activity for compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and has determined that there is no possibility that the activity may have a significant effect on the environment; therefore, pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the State CEQA Guidelines the activity is not subject to CEQA. Thus, no environmental review is necessary.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney has reviewed this report and determined that no additional legal analysis is necessary.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Memorial for the Fallen proposed Locations
2. Memorial for the Fallen Obelisk Samples