TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Bruce Moe, City Manager
FROM:
Mark Leyman, Parks and Recreation Director
Melissa McCollum, Senior Recreation Manager
Kari Bell, Senior Recreation Supervisor
SUBJECT:Title
Consideration of Juneteenth Community Events in 2024 (Parks and Recreation Director Leyman).
(Estimated Time: 60 Mins.)
DISCUSS AND PROVIDE DIRECTION
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RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council discuss and provide direction regarding plans and funding for a Juneteenth Ceremony at Bruce’s Beach Park on June 19, 2024, and a Juneteenth Celebration at Polliwog Park on June 22, 2024.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
If City Council approves the proposed Juneteenth Ceremony and Juneteenth Celebration for 2024, staff recommends that City Council discuss and provide direction regarding funding options, including the possibility of an appropriation of $30,000 from the unreserved General Fund balance along with an adjustment of $15,000 in revenues to record a donation secured to facilitate the events. Future years will be budgeted according to direction from City Council.
BACKGROUND:
Juneteenth (June 19) is the oldest known celebration to commemorate the end of slavery in the United States. The holiday was first celebrated in Texas where on June 19, 1865, enslaved people finally received news from Union soldiers that they had been set free by the Emancipation Proclamation more than two years earlier. Juneteenth was recognized as a federal holiday in 2021.
In past years, residents and visitors informally gathered at Bruce’s Beach Park to celebrate Juneteenth. Prior to Juneteenth in 2023, the City received a number of requests from community members to host a Juneteenth Celebration at Bruce’s Beach Park.
On July 17, 2018, the City Council approved the City’s Special Events Policy which creates guidelines and procedures by which outside organizations apply to hold special events in public spaces. In 2022, the City Council considered a request to update the Special Events Policy to remove the exclusion of Bruce’s Beach and the 8th Street and Larsson Street Parkettes to allow for permitted events in those locations. The City Council chose not to update the Special Events Policy, so only the City may host organized events at those locations.
On April 18, 2023, City Council directed staff and the Parks and Recreation Commission to return to City Council with a robust plan to hold a citywide acknowledgement or celebration of Juneteenth in 2024 and to consider several possible locations for the event(s).
On December 5, 2023, City Council considered recommendations for two Juneteenth events in Manhattan Beach in 2024 - (1) Community Processional beginning at Bruce’s Beach Park on June 19, 2024; and (2) Juneteenth Festival at Polliwog Park on Saturday, June 22, 2024. The total estimated costs for both events is not to exceed $30,000.
City Council provided feedback about the proposed events and continued the discussion to January 16, 2024 in order to allow the public more time to review the proposals as well as clarifications to the staff report and attachments.
In response to City Council direction, updated plans for both proposed events are outlined below.
DISCUSSION:
Juneteenth Ceremony at Bruce’s Beach Park on June 19, 2024
The Parks and Recreation Commission recommends a small Juneteenth Ceremony at Bruce’s Beach Park on Wednesday, June 19, 2024 from 10:00-11:00 a.m. similar in size, location, and setup to the Bruce’s Beach Plaque Dedication on March 18, 2023. Speakers could include City Councilmembers, Police Chief Rachel Johnson, a local historian, and a representative from the Mira Costa Black Scholars Union to speak about the meaning and significance of Juneteenth. Additional elected officials could be invited if directed by City Council. Gospel music, a Juneteenth educational activity for kids, and refreshments are recommended event enhancements.
Based on City Council feedback on December 5, 2023, there are no longer plans for a processional as part of the event. According to the Manhattan Beach Unified School District, the Grand View Elementary parking lot is available for overflow parking before, during, and after the event on June 19, 2024 if needed.
A budget breakdown for the Juneteenth Ceremony at Bruce’s Beach Park follows.
|
Sound |
$3,000 |
|
Gospel Choir |
$500-$1,000 |
|
Refreshments |
$500 |
|
Promotion |
$1,000 |
|
Event Coordinator |
TBD (Proposals will be requested. Likely $100/hr or set price of approximately $500-$1,000) |
|
Total |
$5,500-$6,500 |
Juneteenth Celebration at Polliwog Park on June 22, 2024
The Parks and Recreation Commission also recommends a Juneteenth Celebration at Polliwog Park on Saturday, June 22, 2024, from 11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. similar in location and setup to the Summer Concerts in the Park series. Staff does not anticipate as large a turnout for the Juneteenth Celebration as it will be a new event for the City, but similar plans for parking, stage, sound, portable toilets, and staffing will be utilized. Plan approval from the City’s Special Events Committee consisting of department representatives from Police, Fire, Public Works, Community Development, Parks and Recreation, and Finance will be necessary. Due to the scope of the event at Polliwog Park and use of City resources, staff does not recommend having the Juneteenth Celebration at Polliwog Park on the same day as the Juneteenth Ceremony at Bruce’s Beach.
The Juneteenth Celebration at Polliwog Park commemorating the end of slavery in the United States and honoring and celebrating Black history and culture could include a professional jazz ensemble headlining the day as well as a DJ, dancing, art, family and educational activities, vendors, and food trucks. The Parks and Recreation Commission as well as participants at the community meetings emphasized the importance of partnering with Black business owners, musicians, and performers from Manhattan Beach and neighboring cities as an essential part of this cultural celebration. They also strongly recommend use of a local event coordinator with experience planning similar Juneteenth celebrations in order to leverage expertise, lessons learned, and connections for successful implementation of the first year of the City-sponsored event in Manhattan Beach.
A budget breakdown for the Juneteenth Celebration at Polliwog Park follows.
|
Stage and Sound$7,000 |
|
|
Performers - Jazz Ensemble and DJ |
$5,000-$7,000 |
|
Portable Toilets |
$3,000 |
|
Permits |
$500 |
|
Supplies and Signage |
$1,000 |
|
Promotion |
$2,000 |
|
Event Coordinator |
TBD (Proposals will be requested. Likely $100/hr or set price of approximately $2,500-$3,000) |
|
Total |
$21,000-$23,500 |
Funding for Juneteenth Events
An anonymous donation of $15,000 facilitated by the MBX Foundation is available to help fund the 2024 events if approved. The donor requests that the City match the $15,000 for an overall Juneteenth budget of $30,000. The City could allocate $15,000 from the General Fund and direct staff to solicit additional donations to off-set the costs. There are interested parties likely willing to donate $10,000 if the 2024 events are approved, but no additional donations have been secured at this time.
The donor also committed $30,000 through the MBX Foundation to support Juneteenth events in Manhattan Beach in 2025 and 2026 ($15,000 each year with requests for matching funds) in recognition of the importance of the holiday and the understanding that new community programs often take time to fully develop. The City could commit to a three year Juneteenth funding plan now.
Alternatively, if approved, staff will build in community evaluations for the 2024 Juneteenth events in anticipation of returning to City Council for direction on future Juneteenth celebrations.
City Sponsored Celebration Costs
In response to community inquiries, as well as a point of reference, staff has compiled the following City expenses for other holiday celebrations in Manhattan Beach.
|
• Pier Lighting (sound, entertainment, and Police, Fire, and Public Works staffing)* |
$37,500 |
|
• Flags for Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Veterans Day (71 flags, hardware, installation, and removal) |
$24,000 |
|
• North End and Downtown Holiday Decorations |
$21,400 |
|
• Flags for Polliwog Park (Salute to the Troops) |
$7,000 |
|
• Veterans Day Event (sound, wreath) |
$3,000 |
|
*Costs capture overtime staff costs only |
|
CONCLUSION:
Staff recommends that the City Council discuss and provide direction regarding plans and funding for a Juneteenth Ceremony at Bruce’s Beach Park on June 19, 2024 and a Juneteenth Celebration at Polliwog Park on June 22, 2024.
PUBLIC OUTREACH:
The significance of Juneteenth and ideas for a community celebration in 2024 were discussed at community meetings on July 22, 2023 and November 4, 2023. Additional input was gathered by Parks and Recreation commissioners and City staff in many individual and small group discussions and via a survey with 1,731 responses. Attachments to this staff report include: (1) survey responses from all 1,731, (2) 408 survey responses from only ages 18 and over, and (3) 1,318 survey responses from only ages 17 and under. Five survey respondents declined to share their age.
The Parks and Recreation Commission voted to support the proposed Juneteenth events at their meeting on November 27, 2023. The Juneteenth Ad Hoc Committee and/or staff provided updates about the Juneteenth Work Plan item during monthly Parks and Recreation Commission meetings in April, May, June, July, August, September, October, and December 2023.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
The City has reviewed the proposed activity for compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and has determined that the activity is not a “Project” as defined under Section 15378 of the State CEQA Guidelines; therefore, pursuant to Section 15060(c)(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. PowerPoint Presentation
2. Juneteenth Survey Results (All)
3. Juneteenth Survey Results (18 and Over)
4. Juneteenth Survey Results (17 and Under)