HomeMy WebLinkAbout19 2021 Independence DayContract Nos. C37020A and C41260
STAFF REPORT
CITY OF PALM DESERT
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
MEETING DATE: April 8, 2021
PREPARED BY: Vanessa Mager, Management Analyst
REQUEST: Provide direction to staff on fireworks for Palm Desert’s 2021
Independence Day Celebration
Recommendation
By Minute Motion:
1. Provide direction to staff regarding fireworks for a Palm Desert 2021 Independence
Day Celebration;
2. If direction is given to proceed with planning the 2021 Independence Celebration
that complies with County and State tiers, guidelines and restrictions, pre-approve
and authorize expenditures in an amount not to exceed $60,000 ($40,000 to Pyro
Spectaculars, Inc. and $20,000 ancillary vendors) from the FY 2021/22 Budget for
production of the 2021 Independence Day Celebration;
3. Authorize City Manager to execute a contract extension with Pyro Spectaculars, Inc.
in the amount of $40,000 for the fireworks display; and
4. Authorize City Manager to execute any ancillary vendor contracts associated with
production of celebration in an amount not to exceed $20,000.
Strategic Plan
Approval of Palm Desert’s 2021 Independence Day Celebration would help address the
following priorities as specified in the 2013-2033 Strategic Plan, Envision Palm Desert –
Forward Together:
− Economic Development Priority 3: Create and attract entertainment and events to
enhance and expand the Palm Desert economy and lifestyle.
Executive Summary
Staff is requesting direction from Council regarding the City’s annual Independence Day
Celebration. Specific areas of feedback needed include:
• Whether or not to put down a deposit for the fireworks display. The deposit is due
April 15, 2021.
April 08, 2021 - Staff Report
Guidance on Palm Desert’s 2021 Independence Day Celebration
Page 2 of 3
• State guidelines currently prohibit group events such as this. In order to execute an
event, staff will need to know by May 1st whether such group events are allowable.
If not, is Council comfortable with having fireworks without an event?
• If direction is given by the State that group events are permissible by May 1st, is
Council comfortable with staff moving forward at that point with an event that meets
State criteria?
Background
For more than three decades the City of Palm Desert has produced a large-scale
Independence Day Celebration, which attracts over 10,000 spectators to Civic Center Park.
For most of those 30 years, the fireworks have been provided without incident by Pyro
Spectaculars, Inc. In 2018, the City entered a new three-year contract with Pyro Spectaculars
that authorized two one-year extensions. The final year of that contract was 2020 and no
extensions have yet been executed. The City traditionally budgets $60,000 for this event.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the City made the difficult decision to cancel the July 2020
fireworks to comply with State and County regulations. Pyro Spectaculars proved itself a
flexible partner under those circumstances and did not penalize the City for the cancellation.
Analysis
As July 2021 approaches, decisions regarding the City’s Independence Day Celebration need
to be made in order to meet looming deadlines. While Riverside County continues to see
positive progress with its COVID numbers, large gatherings such as Palm Desert’s
Independence Day Celebration are still prohibited and an update from the State is rumored
but not yet forthcoming. Nonetheless, staff has confirmed with our local Fire Marshal’s office
that the cities of Corona, Temecula and Coachella are planning to move forward with a
fireworks display in July 2021.
If the City would like to move forward with engaging Pyro Spectaculars for a fireworks display
on July 4, 2021, a deposit will be required by April 15th. Pyro Spectaculars has confirmed
that should the City later decide to cancel fireworks on the Fourth of July, this deposit could
be applied to a fireworks display at a future event later in the calendar year. Council should
be aware that one outcome of this decision may be that the City sponsors a fireworks display
without a corresponding event, depending on whatever State guidelines are in place at the
time.
In order to adequately plan an event for July 4th, staff would need to begin the process by
May 1st. This would allow time to coordinate with the College of the Desert and other vendors,
in order to ensure a successful event. If State guidance has not changed by that date,
executing an event will not be feasible.
Staff is requesting Council’s direction on whether or not to proceed with putting down a
deposit for a fireworks display. Other requested actions would lay the groundwork for moving
forward with an event should that be feasible by the May 1st deadline.
April 08, 2021 - Staff Report
Guidance on Palm Desert's 2021 Independence Day Celebration
Page 3 of 3
Fiscal Analvsis
Funding for this event in the amount not to exceed $60,000 will be included as part of the FY
2021/2022 Budget and available in City-Produced Events Account No. 1104416-4306101.
LEGAL
REVIEW
N/A
Robert W.
Hargreaves
City Attorney
DEPARTMENT
REVIEW
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Thomas Soule
Tourism and
Marketing
Manager
City Manager L. TODD HILEMAN
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DEPARTMENT FINANCIAL ASSISTANT
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Director of Janet M. Moore
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