REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
SUBMITTED TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
SUBMITTED BY: Travis Hopkins, City Manager
VIA: Ashley Wysocki, Director of Community & Library Services
PREPARED BY: Carrie Gonzales, Management Aide
Subject:
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Approve and authorize execution of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the City of Huntington Beach and American Legion Huntington Beach Post 133 for the use of City facilities and provision of Veterans Services and terminate all previous MOUs effective upon the adoption of this MOU
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Statement of Issue:
The American Legion Huntington Beach Post 133 (POST 133) aids in the lives of veterans and provides assistance with the City’s annual patriotic and veteran orientated events.
CITY and POST 133 desire to terminate previous MOUs dated November 29, 2022, regarding use of Memorial Hall and June 4, 2024, regarding use of the Huntington Central Library and enter into a new a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
Financial Impact:
There is no impact to the City’s General Fund associated with approval of the proposed MOU.
Recommended Action:
recommendation
Approve and authorize the Mayor and City Clerk to execute the “Memorandum of Understanding between the City of Huntington Beach and the American Legion Huntington Beach Post 133 for the use of City facilities and provision of Veterans Services” and terminate all previous MOUs effective upon the adoption of this MOU.
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Alternative Action(s):
Do not approve the recommended action, and direct staff accordingly.
Analysis:
POST 133 is a non-profit corporation that provides valuable transitioning services to veterans within the City of Huntington Beach and its surrounding communities by assisting service members in the filing of claims and other benefit programs through the Department of Veterans Affairs and provides valuable service to veterans within the city and surrounding communities. In support of these valuable services, the City Council wishes to formally reestablish a longstanding partnership with POST 133 that began in 1923.
The purpose of this MOU is to combine two separate MOUs, addressing the responsibilities of each of the parties related to POST 133’s use of available space for the Veterans Resource Center (VRC) at Huntington Beach Central Library located at 7111 Talbert Avenue, and Memorial Hall located at 1718 Orange Avenue in 17th Street Park for veteran’s services. The proposed MOU has a ten (10) year term, to expire on December 31, 2035, with the option to renew for an additional ten (10) year period upon written mutual consent.
A summary of the main obligations of both the CITY and POST 133 are listed below.
Obligations of the CITY related to POST 133’s use of space at the Huntington Beach Central Library
• CITY shall provide, at no cost to POST 133, the use of a dedicated space at the Central Library, for the Veterans Resource Center (VRC).
• CITY shall support technological needs for the VRC including access to computer(s), fax, printer, etc., and any other technology provided for VRC needs, as applicable.
• CITY will provide, at no charge, meeting rooms for VRC programs.
• CITY shall support POST 133 and VRC volunteers in providing veteran focused programming, to include room facilitation, calendaring, and creation of promotional materials.
• CITY staff will assist POST 133 by providing in-house printing of brochures, flyers, and other printed promotional material for the VRC not to exceed a total amount of twenty-four thousand (24,000) four-color ink pages per calendar year. In the event that outsourcing of printing becomes necessary, POST 133 will become responsible for their own printing. Promotional material (such as bags, pens, notebooks, etc.) are at the sole cost and expense of POST 133.
• CITY shall provide basic office supplies as needed by VRC. Items beyond those provided are at the sole cost and expense of POST 133.
• CITY shall promote VRC through the Library website, calendars, and other CITY resources, with approval of content by the Director of Community and Library Services or their designee.
Obligations of the CITY related to POST 133’s use of space at Memorial Hall
• CITY shall provide, at no cost to POST 133, the use of a dedicated office space in the building known as Memorial Hall, to maintain its records and correspondence and conduct official POST 133 business and activities. All furnishings and office supplies for said office space are the responsibility of POST 133, at their sole cost and expense.
• CITY shall be responsible for all routine operations of Memorial Hall, including, but not limited to, scheduling of rentals and programming, routine facilities maintenance, utilities costs, and future capital improvements as needed.
• CITY shall provide POST 133’s designated representative(s) a keycard or other appropriate access method to enter Memorial Hall for use by POST 133. POST 133 shall not enter the building during non-scheduled hours and may not interrupt private rental events held at Memorial Hall. If POST 133 needs to enter the building during non-scheduled hours, arrangements must be made in advance with CITY in effort to avoid disruption of other scheduled events.
• CITY shall, upon confirmation of availability and at no cost, provide POST 133 with the use of meeting room space within Memorial Hall for holding twenty-four (24) monthly membership meetings in which to conduct routine POST 133 business each calendar year.
• CITY shall, with confirmation of availability and at no cost, provide POST 133 with the use of Memorial Hall for holding POST 133 other meetings and special events, up to twelve (12) times per calendar year.
• CITY shall, at no cost, provide POST 133 with the use of the Lake Park BBQ and Lake Park Clubhouse for one (1) day during the Labor Day holiday weekend, typically on the Labor Day holiday, plus three (3) additional uses of Lake Park each calendar year.
• CITY shall provide space and staffing resources when available to assist with additional events, including, but not limited to, Memorial Day, Patriot Day (9/11) and Veteran’s Day. CITY may ask POST 133 to participate in other CITY organized or sponsored events. Subject to POS 133’s availability.
• CITY shall consider, based on availability, additional event spaces for POST 133 at CITY-owned facilities, subject to standard CITY permit and reservation processes and City Council approved fees.
• CITY shall erect a historical plaque on the grounds of 1718 Orange Avenue, memorializing Memorial Hall, to include recognition oof the historic relationship between the CITY and POST 133. This plaque was installed and dedicated on December 3, 2022.
Obligations of POST 133 related to use of space at the Huntington Beach Central Library
• POST 133 shall provide volunteers and work with Library staff to train volunteers to assist veterans at the VRC.
• POST 133 shall work with Library staff to ensure volunteers complete applications and forms as required.
• POST 133 shall work with Library staff to design veteran focused programming.
• POST 133 shall attend special events to help promote the VRC and assist in promoting VRC events through veteran networks.
• POST 133 shall assist the Library in collecting statistics on volunteers and participants.
• POST 133 may directly collect contact information from patrons and event participants at VRC events. In keeping with California Law regarding public records and library patron confidentiality (CA Government Code 7297.105(c)), patron information including event registration names and email addresses will not be shared with non-Library staff.
Obligations of POST 133 related to use of space at Memorial Hall
• POST 133 shall maintain and replace the American flag and POW flag as needed.
• POST 133 shall maintain the appearance and cleanliness of the office space provided by CITY. POST 133 shall not use the office area for storage beyond items that can be maintained efficiently with the office space. Storage of event items and use of electrical cords, shall be maintained in a manner to comply with the CITY’s fire code regulations, and may not cause overcrowding of the space or overload of the electrical system. The office space is subject to Fire inspection. ICTY reserves the right to request stored items to be removed. CITY will make every effort to notify POST 133 before entering the POST 133 office area, but the CITY retains the right to enter the area at any time for inspections or to conduct maintenance. POST 133 may not add any additional locks to the office doors or change the existing locks.
• POST 133 shall conduct post-meeting/post-event clean-up and ensure the facility is returned to normal conditions after meetings and events, removing all items except tables and chairs from the meeting space. All POST 133 property must be contained within the office space after use and may not utilize common spaces outside of the provided office space.
• POST 133 shall obtain Director or their designee’s approval prior to scheduling events outside of normal membership meetings.
• POST 133 shall organize and coordinate standard annual patriotic and veteran oriented events, unless otherwise requested by CITY. These events include, but may not be limited to Memorial Day, Patriot Day (9/11), and Veterans Day events. CITY may request veteran and/or military related services at other events, subject to POST 133 availability.
• POST 133 shall have the right to use the official Huntington Beach City logo and CITY’s “Surf City Huntington Beach” trademark with the prior written approval of CITY’S Director of Community and Library Services or their designee. POST 133 will use neither logo for commercial purposes.
Environmental Status:
Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(5), administrative activities of governments that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment do not constitute a project.
Strategic Plan Goal:
Non Applicable - Administrative Item
Attachment(s):
1. RCA Contract Agreement Summary Form
2. Memorandum of Understanding between the City of Huntington Beach and the American Legion Huntington Beach Post 133 for the use of City facilities and provision of Veterans services.