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CMO ADMIN 8M 8G F CMGR\STFRPRTS\NEIGHBS
Council Meeting October 14, 1997 Santa MOnica, California
TO Mayor and CIty Council
FROM City Staff
SUBJECT Recommendation to Donate and Loan Used Equipment from the
NeIghborhood Support Center to Neighborhood Groups and to Provide Free
Plannmg and Agenda Matenals to Those Groups
I ntrod uctlon
ThIs report recommends that Council waive the normal procedures for disposition of Clty
property and donate equipment purchased by the Neighborhood Support Center (NSC)
With City funds to Santa Monica neighborhood groups The report additionally proposes
that neighborhood groups be provided With the use of translatIng equipment and With
plannmg documents and agenda materials at no charge
Background
The City'S contract With the NSC was terminated thIs summer The agency had provided
admInistrative and organizing support to five of SIX non-profit neighborhood groups In the
City. In defundlng the NSC, Council decided agamst provldmg direct support to IndiVidual
neighborhood groups and expressed interest in exploring other models of community
outreach and Involvement Subsequently, Council acted to allow neIghborhood groups WIth
501 c3 status to meet at City faCilities at no charge.
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OCT 1 ,. 1997
The terms of the City'S contract with the NSC provide that equipment purchased with City
funds with a value of $1,000 or more reverts to the City Normally, any such equipment
which cannot be used by the CIty would be sold at auction A coalition of neighborhood
groups including Mid-Cities, OPCO, Wilshire/Montana and Friends of Sunset Park has
requested that the City donate thiS equipment for the groups' use In addition, these
neighborhood groups have expressed Interest In receiving copies of planning documents
and City agendas without charge A free copy of such documents was previously provided
to the NSC
The coalition of neighborhood groups has also requested that the City provide assistance
with notlcmg neighborhood association events that address City functions, and that
outreach and publiCity for neighborhood group activities be made available through City
media such as Seascape, GltyTV and Web pages These requests are under
consideration as part of a broader staff effort to develop procedures for entering Into
partnerships with community organizations of various types and Will be addressed at a later
date
DISCUSSion
Encouragmg Widespread public participation m local government IS a long held objective
of the City At Council's direction, staff IS developing an expanded range of outreach and
Involvement opportunities for the public EXisting neighborhood groups Will remain an
Important though not exclusive vehicle for Informing reSidents and proViding them a vOice
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In City business For that reason, staff believes that the donation of NSC equipment to the
groups IS appropriate and that the City should provide a designated representative of each
group with one free copy of planning documents such as EIR's and development
agreements and agenda matenals on request
A fair process for dlstnbutmg the available equipment must be developed SPAN and PNA
have not associated themselves wIth the coalition of groups and may also be mterested
In receiving the donation of NSC equipment Staff Will work With the neighborhood groups
on procedures for distribution of the equipment If CounCil authOrizes the donation
The available computer equipment, which Includes older and low performance Apple Mac
devices, a scanner and several printers With a total "book" value of approximately $5,500,
does not meet City Information Systems standards and would be sent to auction
Proceeds for computer equipment sold at auction have been mmlmal and It IS estimated
that the City would realize less than $1000 for the NSC equipment
Also available IS translation equipment which IS m good working condition Staff proposes
to retam the translation equipment for City use, making It available to neighborhood
groups for their meetmgs when not In use by the City
BudaeUFmanclaJ Imoact
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The City would forgo auction revenue of less than $1000 If the staff recommendation IS
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approved The total cost of provldmg free City documents for the SIX neIghborhood
organizations IS estimated at $4600 Funds are available In the Planning, City Clerk and
Non-departmental budgets for this purpose
Recommendation
It IS recommended that the City Council authorize the donation of used equipment from the
NSC to non-profit neighborhood groups, authorize staff to work out procedures for ItS
dlstnbutlon and authorize the loan of translating equipment for meetings of the groups In
addition, It IS recommended that Council endorse the routine provIsion of one free copy of
City planning documents and agenda materials to each non-profit neighborhood group on
req u est
Prepared by Susan McCarthy, ASSistant City Manager
Barbara Stinchfield, Actmg Director, Community and Cultural Services
Julie Rusk, Human Services Manager
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