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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 3a: Historical Museum Request to Use City's Hot Sheet Publication to Solicit Funds 4 40FO `99V k p lvvvrP r J Auvurt 3,1903 • 0 C O `' STAFF REPORT Office of the City Manager DATE: September 6, 2011 TO: Mayor and City Council FROM: Don Penman, City Manager By: Linda Garcia, Communications, Marketing and Special Projects Manage SUBJECT: REQUEST BY THE ARCADIA HISTORICAL MUSEUM FOUNDATION TO USE THE CITY'S HOT SHEET PUBLICATION AT NO CHARGE TO SOLICIT FUNDS Recommendation: Provide direction SUMMARY Consistent with City policy, the City Council previously approved the use of the water bills for a fundraising project by the Arcadia Historical Museum Foundation. The previous approval was given with the understanding that money raised would go toward construction of an Education Center adjacent to the Museum and that the Foundation would be responsible for all costs associated with the project. The project has yet to be initiated and the Foundation has now requested that they be allowed to use the Hot Sheet (a City publication mailed with the water bills) to promote the program at no charge, with the funds raised to be used at the Foundation's discretion. BACKGROUND In August 2009 the City Council approved the use of the water bills for ongoing donations to the Arcadia Historical Society Major Gift Committee to be used for the Historical Museum Education Center. In May 2011 the City Council approved the transfer of this approval such that the Arcadia Historical Museum Foundation, instead of the Society's Major Gift Committee, has the ability to use the water bills for fundraising for the Education Center. Both approvals were made with the understanding that the Historical Society/Museum Foundation would cover the cost of any increased postage and processing fees that might result from the inclusion of a flyer in the water bills. The project has not been implemented as of this date. DISCUSSION The fundraising effort proposed by the Museum Foundation is similar to that used by the Arcadia Public Library Foundation. An information flyer explaining the Foundation's purpose and need for fundraising would be included in the water bills and customers Mayor and City Council — Historical Museum Foundation's use of the Hot Sheet September 6, 2011 Page 2 would have the opportunity to sign up for ongoing donations to the Museum Foundation when paying their water bill. Although donations have slowed down significantly in recent years, overall this project has been very successful for the Library Foundation. The logistics of making a donation via the water bills are already in place and the ability exists to add a second donation mechanism to the system. As is done with the Library Foundation, Museum donations would be tracked by the City and a check would be issued on a periodic basis to the Museum Foundation. While the Historical Museum Foundation is at a point where they would like to pursue this fundraising project, the cost of such an endeavor is of concern and as such, they have asked for assistance from the City. Currently, two publications are included with the water bills: the City's Hot Sheet and the School District's News and Views. Any additional items would carry a .13 per bill postage and processing fee ($1,820 for 14,000 customers). To address the fact that there are limited funds available for fundraising, rather than producing a separate flyer the Foundation President approached the City about using one side of two editions of the Hot Sheet with the cost borne by the City ($561). There is precedent for this type of assistance in that the City Council approved the same for the Library Foundation in 2007. If approved, the cost of the Hot Sheet would be covered by the current budget, the downside being that less space is available for those two months for City use. If the use of the Hot Sheet is approved by the City Council, staff will prepare an informational flyer about the Museum Foundation and its need to raise funds. The flyer will include a form on which customers can sign up for one-time or ongoing donations to the Foundation. Please note that these donations are intended for general use by the Museum Foundation and while the talked-about Museum Education Center is currently the Foundation's main priority, the money raised through the water bills is not intended to be project specific. FISCAL IMPACT The fiscal impact to the City to allow the Museum Foundation to use one side of the Hot Sheet for two months is $561.00, which will come from the Communication and Marketing Division's operating budget. Although the money raised through this program goes to the Historical Museum Foundation, the City ultimately benefits from the financial assistance provided to the Museum by the Foundation either to fund construction of a Museum Education Center or to help pay for other supplies and activities. RECOMMENDATION Staff requests City Council direction on whether or not to allocate one side of two editions of the Hot Sheet to be used by the Arcadia Historical Museum Foundation at no charge for the purpose of raising funds for general Foundation activities.