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RESOLUTION NO. 2019-73
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA, ADOPTING A POLICY ON THIRD
PARTY SPONSORSHIPS OF CITY PRODUCED EVENTS
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Palm Desert seeks to establish general
guidelines through which the City will enter into sponsorship agreements with entities and
individuals for City produced events; and
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Palm Desert recognizes sponsorships
as an important tool to enhance and improve events for Palm Desert residents and
visitors; and
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Palm Desert identifies sponsorships as
a means of offsetting the costs of producing events, helping to maximize taxpayers'
money; and
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Palm Desert understands that
sponsorships can also provide opportunities for community involvement by local
businesses that desire to support and be associated with City events; and
WHEREAS, the decision to grant a sponsorship is optional and shall be considered
on a case -by -case basis.
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Palm Desert, California, is the final
approval body for all sponsorship of City produced events;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of
Palm Desert, California, as follows:
Section 1. Adoption of Recitals. The City Council hereby adopts the
foregoing recitals as its findings in support of the following guidelines for Sponsorship of
City Produced Events.
Section 2. Adoption of Policy on Third Party Sponsorships of City
Produced Events. The City Council hereby adopts the Policy for Third Party
Sponsorships of City Produced Events attached hereto as Exhibit "A".
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RESOLUTION NO. 2019-73
PASSED, APPROVED, AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the Palm Desert
City Council held on this 12th day of September 2019, by the following vote, to wit:
AYES: HARNIK, JONATHAN, KELLY, NESTANDE, and WEBER
NOES: NONE
ABSENT: NONE
ABSTAIN: NONE
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SUSAN MARIE WEBER, MAYOR
ATTEST:
4RA ELLE D. KLASSEN, CITY CLERK
CITY OF PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA
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RESOLUTION NO. 2019-73
Exhibit "A"
POLICY ON CITY EVENTS SPONSORSHIP
I. PURPOSE
This policy establishes general guidelines through which the City will enter into
sponsorship agreements with entities and individuals for City produced events.
Sponsorships are an important tool to enhance and improve events for Palm Desert
residents and visitors. Sponsorships can also provide opportunities for community
involvement by local businesses that desire to support and be associated with City
events. In addition, sponsorships offset the costs of producing events, helping to
maximize taxpayers' money.
Sponsorships for City produced events are maintained by the City as a non-public forum
and regulated by the City. The City reserves the right to exercise full discretion over the
placement, content, appearance, and wording of sponsorship affiliations and messages
in accordance with the terms of this policy.
II. SCOPE
This policy applies to all sponsorship agreements the City enters into with individuals
and entities for City produced events. This policy does not apply to naming rights or
advertising space made available by the City for paid advertisements. Nor does this
policy apply to City sponsorship support of external events where the City provides
funds to an outside organization. The decision to grant a sponsorship is optional and
shall be considered on a case -by -case basis. The City is under no obligation to approve
a requested sponsorship. The City Council and City Manager reserve the right to
deviate from the policy and criteria contained herein when they believe it is the City's
best interest to do so.
III. DEFIITIONS
For the purpose of this policy, the following definitions apply:
Advertising indicates the sale or lease of advertising or signage space on City owned
property. Unlike sponsorship, it involves the use of public advertising contracted at
pre -determined rates for a set period of time. Advertising does not imply any mutual
partnership arrangement since the advertiser is not entitled to any additional benefits
beyond access to the space.
Naming rights are a type of sponsorship in which an external partner receives the
exclusive right to name a City event. The naming right is sold or exchanged for cash
or other valuable consideration.
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RESOLUTION NO. 2019- 73
Sponsorship is a mutually beneficial business arrangement wherein an external party,
whether for profit or otherwise, provides cash and/or in -kind services to the City in
return for commercial advantage. This payback may take the form of publicity,
promotional consideration, merchandising opportunities, etc. Because of these
marketing benefits, a sponsorship does not qualify for a tax receipt.
IV. GENERAL
• This policy supplements existing City policies and guidelines. However, in the
event of conflict between this policy and other City policies, the existing policy will
prevail.
• City staff is free to solicit, accept and negotiate sponsorships, subject to this
policy.
• Sponsorship funding may only be accepted to supplement City Council -approved
initiatives. Sponsorships must be for purposes consistent with a sponsored event
and must be considered to be in the public interest.
• The City shall retain ownership and control over any sponsored property.
• Benefits to the sponsor are limited to those expressly stated in the sponsorship
agreement.
• City staff is not required to seek out competing bids when the sponsorship
opportunity is initiated by a third party.
• The City will not endorse the products, services, or ideas of any sponsor.
• All sponsorship relationships shall be confirmed by contract.
• Since sponsorships are only intended to supplement direct City funding and to
enhance City initiatives or properties, the City Produced Sponsorship funding
must not be displaced by the sponsorship arrangement.
• In order to expedite partnership development, a formal competitive process is not
required when soliciting sponsorship opportunities. While there is no obligation to
test the market, in order to maximize the contribution, it is expected that several
prospective sponsors will be approached when circumstances warrant.
• City staff is encouraged to bring forward recurring sponsorships through the
budget process. However, for new sponsorships, the City Manager (or his/her
designee) may, without prior City Council approval, approve and enter into
agreements where:
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o The total value of the sponsorship does not exceed $50,000 per year,
which aligns with the financial signatory authority of the City Manager.
o Cumulative sponsorships from a particular third party for the same
purpose do not exceed $50,000 in a given fiscal year;
o The sponsorship does not involve naming rights; and
o The sponsorship complies with this policy.
V. SPONSORSHIP CRITERIA
The City shall consider, but is not limited to, the following criteria, if applicable, when
evaluating a sponsorship proposal. In all cases the City shall have the ability to accept
or deny the proposal.
• The compatibility of the entity or individual's mission, products and promotional
goals with the City's community vision, mission, values, ordinances, and policies;
• The compatibility and appropriateness of the entity or individual's mission,
products, and promotional goals with the City event to be sponsored;
• The compatibility of the entity or individual's proposal with the standards,
aesthetic values, and visual integrity of City events and expectations of
attendees.
• The entity or individual's past record of involvement in the community and City
events.
• The timeliness or readiness of the entity or individual to enter an agreement;
• The actual value, in cash or in kind goods or services, of the proposal in relation
to the benefit of the entity or individual and the City;
• The City's operating and maintenance costs, including staff time or other
additional responsibilities associated with the proposal;
• The inclusion of conditions that would limit the City's ability to enter into
agreements with other sponsors or to carry out its functions fully and impartially;
• The potential for public perception of partiality, impropriety, or implied relationship
between the City and the individual or entity other than for the limited purpose of
the sponsorship.
• All sponsorship agreements must be arranged for a fixed term.
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RESOLUTION NO. 2019-73
VI. SPONSORSHIP ELIGIBILITY & RESTRICTIONS
• City staff shall decline sponsorship proposals from parties that are disqualified
from doing business with the City.
• The City reserves the right to decline any sponsorship that appears to be in direct
competition with services/products offered in or by the City of Palm Desert.
• To protect the privacy of Palm Desert residents, sponsors are not to have access
to personal information held by the City.
• Sponsors are prohibited from implying that their products, services, or ideas are
sanctioned by the City.
• There shall be no actual or implied obligation to purchase the products or
services of the sponsor.
• Entities or individuals involved in the advocacy or endorsement of political or
campaigns.
• Additional guidelines may be provided by the responsible City department as
needed for the specific sponsorship opportunity.
VII. SPONSORSHIP LETTER OF INTENT
A Sponsorship letters of intent can be submitted by individuals or entities responding to
sponsorship opportunities posted on the City's website and/or selected methods
deemed appropriate by the City. The City may also consider sponsorship proposals
initiated and submitted by individuals or entities, but is not obligated to do so.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the City shall not accept applications for sponsorships
within the period thirty (30) days prior to the subject event, unless otherwise specifically
authorized by the City Manager or his/her designee.
VIII. APPROVAL OF SONSORSHIPS
Approval of sponsorships shall be made within the sole discretion of the City. All
sponsorships must be in a written agreement, approved by the appropriate authority as
set -out herein. The City Manager or designee has the authority to seek and negotiate all
sponsorships with individuals and entities.
The City reserves the right to approve or reject messages or advertisements utilized in
association with the sponsorship and the content, wording, appearance, or copy thereof
for any reason whatsoever and shall not be liable for subsequent damages. The City
shall reject all proposed messages or advertisements that contain any one or more of
the following:
• Advocacy or endorsement of political candidates or campaigns;
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RESOLUTION NO. 2019- 73
• Depiction in any form of nudity or semi -nudity, profanity, obscenity, or lewdness
or characterizations that suggest, depict, or promote any such element or
sexually oriented products, activities, or materials;
• Promotion for the use or sale of firearms, explosives or other weapons, or the
depiction, suggestion or glorification of violence or acts of a violent nature;
• Promotion or depiction of discrimination or the use of hate speech against any
individual, group, company or organization;
• Implication of endorsement by the City or City employees;
• Content which is false, misleading, deceptive or which otherwise relates to an
illegal activity; or
• Language or descriptive material which, taken in form and context, is deemed to
be contrary to community standards.
• Sponsors are solely responsible for obtaining any necessary permission to use
photographs, trademarks, trade names, copyrighted material or any other legally
protected property.
Approval of a sponsorship does not relieve the sponsoring entity or individual from
complying with all other applicable City, state and federal laws and regulations
IX. ADMINISTRATION AND ENFORECEMENT OF POLICY
Review by the City Manager:
• The City Council designates the City Manager to administer the Sponsorship
Policy. This delegation is with the power of re -designation to appropriate staff.
• The City Manager or her/his designee shall review all Sponsorship letters of
intent and determine compliance with this policy.
• If the City Manager or her/his designee determines that the proposed
sponsorship does not comply, written notification of same shall be provided to the
entity or individual with a copy of this policy.
• On an as needed basis, the City Manager or her/his designee may refer any
controversial proposed sponsorship to the City Council for approval or rejection
with a majority vote.
• The City Council may override any decision by the City Manager on sponsorship
with a majority vote.
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