TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
David N. Carmany, City Manager
FROM:
Mark Leyman, Parks & Recreation Director
Idris Jassim Al-Oboudi, Recreation Services Manager
SUBJECT:Title
Request to Sponsor a Community Event on the History and Future of Manhattan Beach on December 7, 2013 at the Joslyn Community Center.
APPROVE
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Recommended Action
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the City Council approve Reflect on the Past, Give Meaning to the Future as a free to the public, City-sponsored community event at the Joslyn Community Center on Saturday, December 7, 2013.
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FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
The estimated cost of the event is $3,776, with an additional optional additional expense of $877, as follows:
Waiver of City facility rental fee: $582
Estimate of City staff support for the event: $483
Publicity: $1,454
Supplemental sound system equipment: $757
Supplies/Refreshments: $500
Optional - Estimated cost of video documentation by City staff: $877
BACKGROUND:
On December 1, 2012, the City of Manhattan Beach sponsored a free community event in connection with its 100th anniversary celebration. Titled Reflect on the Past, Give Meaning to the Future, the event encouraged awareness of the City's history and provided a forum for residents to discuss their vision for its future.
The 2012 event included speakers and multimedia presentations in the morning, opportunities to learn about local community organizations at lunchtime, and break-out sessions in the afternoon. The discussions focused on themes rather than political issues and were inter-generational. Longtime residents were featured in the morning presentations, high school students from the Mayor's Youth Council led break-out discussions in the afternoon, and residents of all ages were encouraged to engage with one another throughout the day. The brochure for the December 1, 2012 community event is attached as Attachment 1.
Organizers of the 2012 event included Mayor David Lesser, former Mayors Jan Dennis and Russ Lesser, former Manhattan Beach Unified School District Trustee and Mayor's Youth Council Director Nancy Hersman, retired Cal State Dominguez Hills Professor Judsen Grenier, retired Mira Costa High School teacher Kate Nelson, Manhattan Beach Historical Society President Gary McAulay, and City Recreation Services Manager Idris Jassim Al-Oboudi, and a Mira Costa High School student.
The cost to the City to present the 2012 event was $2,392.00, which included a waiver of the City facility fee for use of the Joslyn Community Center and City staff support. The exact number of attendees is unknown but was estimated to be between 150 and 200.
DISCUSSION:
The favorable reaction by residents to the 2012 community event has prompted its organizers to propose a follow-up event on Saturday December 7, 2013 at the Joslyn Community Center. The goal would be to further explore topics discussed at last year's event in a similar format where residents can learn about the City's past and exchange ideas about its future.
A volunteer planning committee for the proposed 2013 event has met five times to discuss potential dates, times, topics, and formats. The committee again consists of Mayor Lesser, former Mayor Jan Dennis, former Manhattan Beach Unified School District Trustee and Mayor's Youth Council Director Nancy Hersman, retired Mira Costa High School teacher Kate Nelson, Manhattan Beach Historical Society President Gary McAulay, and City Recreation Services Manager Idris Jassim Al-Oboudi. Manhattan Beach Parks and Recreation Commissioner Tom Allard has joined the planning group and additional residents are expected to be included in the coming weeks.
The committee proposes a City-sponsored community event which would be similar to last year's event, free to the public, and include the following elements:
Date:
Saturday December 7, 2013.
Time:
Begin at 9:00 a.m. and end by 3:45 p.m.
Location:
The Joslyn Community Center (excluding the OASIS Room)
Event Format
Subject to change, the format would consist of the following elements:
1. Morning Session (9:00 a.m. to 11:45 noon): The session will focus on the history of Manhattan Beach and include: A keynote presentation containing historic information about the City and a Then and Now photo presentation, a moderated panel discussion of historic themes and trends in the evolution of the City focusing on Art, Business, Community, Schools (the A-B-C'S), and audience questions. Speakers will be unpaid and include longtime residents, educators, and local business owners.
2. Lunch and Community Exchange (11:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.): A light lunch underwritten by an anonymous donor will be offered to encourage attendees to stay for the afternoon session and promote continued dialog. During the lunch, community organization will be invited to have representatives discuss their organizations at tables and chairs set-up around the perimeter of the Joslyn Community Center auditorium.
3. Afternoon Session (12:30 p.m. to 3:45 p.m.): The session will explore future possibilities for the City through break-out sessions where attendees will share ideas in a small group format where they will be encouraged to engage with other attendees. High school student participants in the Mayor's Youth Council will lead the sessions. Wrap-up and closing remarks will conclude the event at 3:45 p.m.
Publicity
Publicity for the event will include:
1. A news release;
2. A poster advertising the event;
3. Two half page advertisements in two issues of the Beach Reporter;4. An announcement in the Parks and Recreation Departments Fall 2013 MANHAPPENINGS publication;
4. A listing on the City website;
5. E-mail notice of event to the community through the Parks and Recreation Department's registration database; and
6. A letter inviting community organizations to participate.
Staffing
Participation by Parks and Recreation Department staff will be limited to offering ideas at planning sessions, assisting with graphic art work, marketing, and setting-up and breaking-down the Joslyn Center on the day of the event.
Volunteers
Volunteers will continue planning the event and work with City staff to set-up and break-down exhibits on the day of the event. Volunteer speakers will be included based on their expertise. Members of the Mayors Youth Council will lead the break-out sessions and encourage youth participation.
Supplies
Beverages and hospitality service will be provided. Lunch is anticipated to be provided through a generous donation from an event sponsor and will not be underwritten by the City.
Supplemental Sound System Equipment
Additional sound system equipment is suggested to supplement the equipment owned by the City to improve the audio quality for the audience. The supplemental equipment includes higher-caliber microphones and a mixing board to improve amplification when multiple speakers and the audience participate simultaneously. The improved equipment should address audio challenges experienced at last year's event.
Optional Video Documentation
The planning committee hopes students in the Mira Costa High School Media Arts program will record the event but it has not yet received confirmation from the program's faculty advisor. The budget therefore includes the estimated amount for City Information Services Department staff members to record, edit, and memorialize the event with a fixed video camera if Mira Costa High School students are unable to do so. The proposal responds to residents who were unable to attend last year's event and disappointed it was not recorded. One issue for Council to consider is how recorded copies of the event could be made available to the public. Alternatives include placing DVD copies on reserve at the Los Angeles County Express Library Services vehicle (aka Bookmobile) at City Hall, local school libraries, and the City Manager's Office. Another option is to place a link to the video of event on the City's web site.
The volunteers planning the 2013 event recognize its subject matter is ambitious for a one-day program. However, the group believes the lively conversations at last year's event suggest there is resident interest in the subject matter despite the time limitations. The topics are intended to inspire further study, promote engagement of Manhattan Beach community members, and encourage inter-generational discussions. The event is intended to attract older adults, high school students, and all those in between. It is anticipated attendees will come and go throughout the day as their schedules allow.
CONCLUSION:
Staff recommends the City Council approve Reflect on the Past, Give Meaning to the Future as a free to the public, City-sponsored community event at the Joslyn Community Center on Saturday, December 7, 2013.
Attachment:
1. 2012 Symposium Brochure