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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1999-05-25 - AGENDA REPORTS - ALL AMERICA CITY DELAGATION (2)AGENDA REPORT City Manager Approval Item to be presented by: CONSENT CALENDAR Stacy Miller DATE: May 25, 1999 SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR SUPPORT FOR THE ALL -AMERICA CITY AWARD COMPETITION DELEGATION DEPARTMENT: City Manager's Office RECOMMENDED ACTION Adopt Resolution Number 99-86 supporting the 1999 Santa Clarita All -America City Competition effort and delegation. Appropriate $35,000 from the Council Contingency Account #1240-7401 to Account 1811- 8110 to assist with All -America City Award expenses. BACKGROUND The All -America City Award, considered the most prestigious national recognition a City can receive, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year at their annual competition in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The goal of the award is to recognize outstanding communities whose citizens' work together to identify and tackle community -wide challenges and achieve outstanding results. The award is sponsored by the National Civic League, a 105 year old non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to strengthening citizen democracy by transforming democratic institutions. This year, the Allstate Insurance Company is underwriting the award for the National Civic League. The benefits to communities who have received this prestigious award are remarkable. In a recent survey conducted on past winning cities, eight out of ten winning communities believed the All -America City Award benefited them "a great deal" or "quite a bit" with the most significant benefits being community cohesiveness, civic pride and enhanced community identity. In addition, increased economic development and increased support for local programs have also been recognized as a direct community benefit of the award. Santa Clarita has applied for this award on three previous occasions and, this year, has received the distinction of being one of thirty communities to receive the All -America City Finalist Designation. Santa Clarita's winning application focuses on the community concerns associated with its growing youth population. The application highlighted three youth related programs, including the Investment in Youth Plan, the Community Arts Partnership, and the Foundation for Children's Dental Health. All of these programs exemplify the collaborative efforts that are so prevalent in our community. The application also focuses on Santa Clarita's efforts to develop Adopted:_ Agenda Item it tomorrow's leaders through programs and organizations that teach, encourage and prepare our young people to be the next generation of community leaders. A delegation of approximately 45-50 community members, including representatives from our youth population, as well as the public, private, and non-profit, sectors of our community will travel to Philadelphia to participate in the All -America City competition, June 24-27, 1999. The delegation will represent Santa Clarita at the All -America Civic Fair alongside 1,500 other delegates from across the country. In addition, each delegate will assist in the presentation of our application to the distinguished panel of civic leaders. Ten 1999 All -America City winners will be announced at the annual awards banquet on Saturday, June 26, 1999. Total expenses associated with the All -America City Award competition are estimated to be approximately $70,000. A fundraising committee has been established and is currently working toward raising $35,000. We are very interested in having broad community and corporate involvement in this process to bring national recognition to Santa Clarita. Expenses associated with the award finals include all travel -related expenses for the Santa Clarita delegates as well as a presentation video and graphics display. In addition, promotional items representing our community and its three highlighted programs will be developed and handed out to the 1,500 nation-wide representatives attending the conference. An All -America City Finalist Media Marketing Campaign aimed at encouraging local participation and highlighting our community on a regional basis is also being developed. The Santa Clarita All -America City Delegation believes the award jury will recognize what is already known throughout our community... Santa Clarita IS an ALL -AMERICA CITY. ALTERNATIVE ACTION • Appropriate entire amount required for the All -America City effort, with the understanding that the fundraising committee will make every effort to offset costs through community fundraising. • Appropriate a reduced amount required for the All -America City effort. • Do not support the Santa Clarita All -America City effort. FISCAL IMPACT • The All -America City effort is estimated to cost approximately $70,000. Staff is currently requesting $35,000 in City funds to support this effort. The remaining portion of the expenditure is expected to come from community fundraising efforts. ATTACHMENTS • Resolution Number 99-86 • All -America City Awards, Celebrating Fifty Years of the American Spirit at Work • All -America City Awards, Jury Process • All -America City Awards, 1999 Finalist City's SAM: S: /ms/sam/me/agnrpt. doe A PROGRAM OF THE NATIONAL CIVIC LEAGUE SUPPORTED BY THE ALLSTATE INSURANCE COMPANY ALL -AMERICA CITY AWARDS CELEBRATING FIFTY YEARS OF THE AMERICAN SPIRIT AT WORK In 1949, Gideon Seymour, managing editor of the Minneapolis Star -Tribune, assigned reporter Jean James to cover the annual National Conference on Government (now known as the National Conference on Goverance) in St. Paul. In addition to covering the event, Seymour charged James with asking Alfred Willoughby, chief executive of the National Municipal League, whether the League would support an award to recognize the best -governed cities in America. Willoughby responded that it would be an impossible thing to do, since so many factors determine whether a community is well governed. Instead, he suggested the League recognize cities where citizen action has succeeded in making the community a better place to live. Thus was born the All -America City Award. From the outset, the award was sponsored by publications owned by Cowles Publications, first the Star -Tribune, then Look Magazine, which remained sponsor until its demise in 1971. At the time, Look sponsored an annual All -America Football Team. In the same spirit, the first All -America Cities were called a "team" and eleven were named each year. George Gallup, Sr., the renowned public opinion pollster and Director of the American Institute of Public Opinion, played a key role in the early success of the awards. Gallup served as president of the National Municipal League and chairman of the jury that selected the winning cities. Until the early 1980s, competition for the award was held in conjunction with the League's annual meeting, the National Conference on Governance, held in November. Winners were announced by Look Sfagazine the following March, complete with articles and photographs of each winning city. Today, 30 finalist cities are named in April and ten winning All -America Cities are announced immediately following the competition in June after presentations to ajury of experts by the finalists. In the mid-1980s, when USA Todav sponsored the awards, the tradition of a White House ceremony to recognize the All -America Cities began. On December 15, 1998, Vice President Gore met with representatives of the 1998 All -America Cities. National Civic League • 1445 Market Street, Suite 300 *Denver, Colorado 80202-1717 * (303) 571-4343 • Fax (303) 571-4404 . ncl@ncl.crg *www.ncl.org/ncl AAC-History Page 2 Like America itself, the All -America City Award has changed over the years. In the beginning, the winning cities were often those that demonstrated local government reform and efficiency, as well as improvements in the city's infrastructure, including housing, public works and education. More recently, the focus has shifted to broader community initiatives such as economic development, health and social service projects and efforts to improve race relations. Following the President's Summit for America's Youth, Allstate, the current supporter of the All :America City Award, and the National Civic League (successor to the National Municipal League), the program's administrator, required that all winners be able to demonstrate community -wide youth enrichment initiatives. The first 50 years of the All -America City Awards program reflect the changing social, political and economic trends of post-war America. As the nation witnessed the Kennedv and Martin Luther King, Jr. assassinations, cities in Alaska were recognized for efforts to completely rebuild from a devastating earthquake. While LBJ made plans for his Great Society in the 1960s, Hazelton, Pennsylvania became an All -America City for making possible the first-ever Japanese factory on American soil. From Cleveland, Ohio, a five - time winner, to Fort Wayne, Indiana whose citizens have come together to ensure that victims of domestic violence have access to a safe haven, the more than 400 All -America City Award winners have conquered adversity with courage, involvement and more importantly, community spirit. The following snapshots of past All -America Cities illustrate the changing face of American society. Hayden, AZ (1958) —This town ofjust 2,000 people was put in an unusual situation when its owner, the Kennecott Copper Corporation, decided to move. Kennecott had owned the homes of its copper mill workers and provided municipal services in Hayden for 45 years. The company gave residents their first opportunity to buy their homes, which came with the responsibility of forming a new government and supporting a number of municipal services. By imposing a property tax, the citizens were able to fund a number of services including transportation, sewage and water systems, as well as a community school. In addition, they held town meetings and elected a teacher as their first mayor. AAC-History Page 3 Aztec, NM (1963) — Loss of business and rising unemployment can hurt both the psyche and appearance of a community. In 1963, Aztec, New Mexico was designated an All - America City for overcoming unemployment and bringing back business in an innovative way — the citizens worked together to build a road. Eager to bring tourists to local fishing and boating spas more quickly than the government would allocate the money for a new highway, the people of Aztec along with volunteers from surrounding communities began construction of a 19 mile two-lane highway to draw tourists into the San Juan Basin. Landowners gave up almost all of the needed land; school children and civic groups raised money; and businesses donated equipment, labor and funds. After only three and a half months, the road was completed. The citizens of Aztec donated the road to the state of New Mexico's highway system at an estimated value of 5250,000. Placentia, CA (1972) — Following a decline in employment, Placentia and the adjacent community of Atwood were faced with rapid deterioration, especially for the Mexican - American population. In Atwood, there were thirty-six Mexican -American families living in a depressed area lacking paved streets, lighting, sewer facilities and recreation opportunities for the residents. In response, residents formed the Atwood Steering Committee that successfully earned enough votes to have Atwood annexed by Placentia. Following the annexation, the first Teen Commissioner in the United States was appointed to organize the community's youth and enlist their support in improving the surrounding environment through ecology projects. The Beautification Commissioner, also a teenager, organized a community clean up and recycle drive. Over a period of three years, over 115 volunteers had donated a total of 34,000 hours to improving the community. Albany, Ore. and Harrisburg, PA (1984-1985) — Albany and Harrisburg were two All - America Cities where residents pulled together to develop solutions to problems that many communities faced during the 1980's. In Albany, residents had to work together to survive the recession of the early 1980's. By June 1984, unemployment in Albany had hit 12.8 percent and more than 11 percent of families had incomes below poverty level. AAC-History Page 4 Responding to the town's economic depression, more than 240 volunteer organizations worked to feed the hungry and the Albany Downtown Association joined forces with city officials to tum a 30,000 -square foot empty store into an enclosed mall. Five years before winning an All -America City award, Harrisburg, PA was recognized by a federal agency as one of the country's most depressed communities. Leading the state in crime, losing 33 percent of its population and a total of 800 businesses and still feeling the devastating effects of Hurricane Agnes, Harrisburg was a city in a state of severe urban decline. Led by then Mayor Stephen Reed, residents came together to begin to revitalize the city. The Urban League renovated 15 houses set for demolition and sold them to low- to moderate -income tenants and private companies began investing in their own projects. By 1985, residents had succeeded in halting Harrisburg's decline. Crime had dropped 18.3 percent, unemployment fell to its lowest rate in years, 5.2 percent, and 2,000 people moved back to the city. The Bronx, NY (1997) — As recently as 20 years ago, the Bronx represented urban decline at its worst, often being compared to the shelled out areas of World War II. In 1994, a series of town meetings convened by Bronx Borough President Fernando Ferrer brought forth the Safety Service Council, a partnership between local government, business and residents. Today, through an anti -litter campaign, beautification of vacant lots and an increase of city services, the Bronx has been revitalized. Colorado Springs, CO (1997) — During the late 1970s and 1980s, the Hillside Neighborhood of Colorado Springs experienced an urban decline that left the neighborhood dominated by slum lords, drug dealers, street protestation and gang graffiti. In 1987, the first meeting of what would become the Hillside Neighborhood Association attracted only four people. At the third meeting, there were 200-300 people in attendance. By 1995, the association had launched a massive "No Tolerance" campaign against crime that included a community vow encouraging involvement. Police immediately noticed a reduction in crime that continues today. Riverside, CA (1998) — The 1998 All -America City communities each demonstrated a strong. commitment to improving the quality of life for their youth, especially Riverside, California who had been shocked by three violent teen homicides in three months in its Eastside community. AAC-History Page S Riverside's residents regained control of its youth through a comprehensive program that included: The University/Eastside Community Collaborative — a partnership between local government, educational institutions and private industry to address poverty and crime among youth. • The Mayor's Youth Action Task Force — a task force that brought citizens and service providers together to create a "youth action plan' for all youth and family services. Passport to College Program — a nationally recognized program that has vowed to provide scholarships for every child in Riverside who wants to attend college. Sponsors Over the past 50 years, both media organizations and corporations have sponsored the All -America City Award program, including Allstate Insurance Company who has sponsored the program since 1988. Previous sponsors include: 1949-1951 — Minneapolis Star Tribune 1973-1976 — No recorded sponsor 1952-1971 — Look Maga:ine 1977-1985 — Various Corporate Sponsors 1972 — Saturdav Evening Post 1986-1987 — USA Todav A [1-A"_VLV1 oV G1 t X wGt✓v A PROGRAM OF THE NATIONAL CIVIC LEAGUE SUPPORTED BY THE ALLSTATE 'NT URA COMPANY ALL -AMERICA CITY AWARDS JURY PROCESS Led by the Hon. William Winter, former Governor of Mississippi, the12-person All -America City Jury reviews each of the thirty applications prior to arriving in Philadelphia. Part I of the All -America City Application asks the community to assess its strengths and weaknesses using the Civic Index, a 10 - component tool developed by the National Civic League to evaluate a community's civic infrastructure. Part II requires a description of three community -driven projects that have had significant positive impact since 1996. Presentations to the AAC Jury will begin on Friday morning, June 25 at 8:00 am and conclude at noon on Saturday. The communities will tell their stories to the AAC Jury members in ten-minute presentations. At the conclusion of each presentation, an additional ten minutes will be allowed for the AAC Jury members to ask questions of the community delegates. On Saturday at 12:00 noon, after all of the thirty AAC Finalists have presented their stories and answered the Jury's questions, it will be time for the AAC Jury to deliberate. Each application will receive a substantive review, so that National Civic League staff can provide a thorough evaluation to each finalist community. Based on information presented in the applications and verified by NCL staff, and the delegation's jury presentation, the finalist communities are evaluated based on the following criteria: All -America City Award Criteria >-Participation of the public, private, and nonprofit sectors and key constituencies to the maximum extent possible. >-Recognition and involvement of diverse segments (ethnic, racial, socio-economic, age, educational level, etc.) of the community decision-making. >-Creative use and leveraging of community resources. >-Significant and specific community achievements despite limited resources and difficult circumstances. >-Projects that address a community's most important needs. DCoopetanon across jurisdictional boundaries. >-Clear demonstration of project results and impacts --for example, dollars raised or number of people effected. )',Projects impacting the community significantly within the last three years. National Civic League � 1445 Market Street, Suite 300 • Denver, Colorado 9070]-1717 . (303) 571-4343 -Fax (303) 571-4404 . ncI@ncl.org . www.ncI.org/ncl 6 All-AU-A�trl'cw G&t��„�I A PROGRAM OF THE NATIONAL CIVIC LEAGUE SUPPORTED BY THE ALLSTATE INSURANCE COMPANY ALL -AMERICA CITYA WARD 1999 Finalists • Safford, Arizona • Scottsdale, Arizona • Fresno, California • Napa, California • Santa Clanta. California • Stockton. California • Union City. California • Lower Naugatuck Valley, Connecticut • Tallahassee. Flonda • Joliet, Illinois • Oak Park, Illinois • Wellington. Kansas • Wichita. Kansas • Shreveport, Louisiana • Greater Montgomery. Maryland • Lowell. Massachusetts • Brooklyn Park. Minnesota • Moorhead. Minnesota • Tupelo, Mississippi • Hickory, North Carolina • ``lorganton. North Carolina • Rocky Mount, North Carolina • Lancaster, Pennsylvania • Memphis, Tennessee • Tn-Cities (Bristol: Johnson City: Kingsport), Tennessee/Virginia • Bryan. Texas • Pearland. Texas • Taylor, Texas • Greater Green Bay, Wisconsin National Civic League • 1445 Market Street, Suite 300 • Denver, Colorado 80202-1717 . (303) 571-4343 *Fax (303) 571-4404. ncl@ncl.org • www.ncl.org/ncl