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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08/26/2010, B2 - RESOLUTION DECLARING MEMORIAL SERVICES FOR FIRE CHIEF JOHN CALLAHAN AS A CITY EVENT AND ADOPTING FI u council8-26-10 acEnoa RepoRt 1.N.6 8 � II C I T Y O F S A N L U I S O B I S P O FROM: Katie Lichtig, City Manager SUBJECT: RESOLUTION DECLARING TMERIAL SERVICES FOR FIRE CHIEF JOHN CALLAHAN AS A CITAND ADOPTING FINDINGS OF PUBLIC PURPOSE RECOMMENDATION Adopt a resolution declaring the memorial services for Fire Chief John Callahan to be a city event and authorize City Manager to provide staff support and facilities resources to the memorial services to ensure the health, safety and welfare of the residents of San Luis Obispo. DISCUSSION Background Fire Chief John W. Callahan's life was committed to public service. Prior to joining the San Luis Obispo community, Chief Callahan served the City of Los Angeles Fire Department for 32 years, eventually retiring as a Deputy Chief. After retiring from the Los Angeles Fire Department, in 2005, former City Administrative. Officer Ken Hampian appointed Chief Callahan as the City's Fire Chief. Chief Callahan's commitment to public service also extended beyond serving as the City's Fire Chief. Chief Callahan served the San Luis Obispo community as a Board member of the local YMCA, as a volunteer for Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), and as a Board member of the Rotary Club of San Luis Obispo de Tolosa. Integrity, professionalism, vision, passion and humor were hallmarks of Chief Callahan's leadership in this community and made him a well-respected and well-liked community member and public servant. Unfortunately, on August 18, 2010, during a City softball game, Chief Callahan died unexpectedly. The loss of such a beloved leader has had a profound effect on the Fire Department, the City organization as a whole, and the community. There has been a tremendous out pouring of community support and condolences and a broad based community desire to honor Chief Callahan's lifetime of public service.. The City has been contacted by the Chamber of Commerce, community advocates, prominent business and non-profit leaders and community service group representatives expressing their sense of loss with John's passing and their desire to support and participate in his memorial services. A Public Purpose Determination Will Protect Public Health, Safety and Welfare This Friday, August 27, 2010, there will be a memorial service at the Cal Poly Performing Arts Center to honor Chief Callahan. There is expected to be large scale community involvement in the memorial service. Typically, an event of this magnitude would be planned over the course of several weeks, if not months, to make the necessary preparations. Given the short time frame that Chief Callahan's memorial service has been planned, the City would like to facilitate �. Declaration of City Event Page 2 management of Chief Callahan's memorial service, ensure the safe conduct of any subsequent private events and/or spontaneous gatherings, and maintain order during this emotional event to protect the public's health, safety and welfare. Adequate management of the event is particularly crucial given the anticipated magnitude of the events memorializing John's passing and the anticipated participation of statewide public safety personnel and apparatus and extensive community participation. In addition, providing a forum for and appropriate support of Chief Callahan's memorial services may facilitate the healing process for City employees and a sense of community for the many people and organizations throughout the City and County who John touched. In order for the City to provide these management services and for the event to be deemed a City event, the City Council must make a determination of public purpose, as is now recommended by the staff. Additional Reasons for a Public Purpose Determination There are several additional reasons why staff supports the proposed .public purpose determination. First, the proposed activities to honor Chief Callahan will provide support and assistance to employees to cope with stressful events, consistent with the City's Employee Assistance Program. The events will also support a community-wide memorial and encourage employee and community morale in furtherance of critical City functions, The City's involvement will also facilitate broad community participation in John Callahan's memorial service, which is appropriate where such a prominent community leader has died. Accordingly, staff recommends that Council adopt a resolution supporting findings of public purpose and declaring the memorial service at the PAC to be a City event. Although Council's adoption of the recommended resolution will result in the Callahan Memorial at the PAC becoming a City event, the City support of the event is limited to that necessary to facilitate the public purposes, i.e. use of the PAC facility and staff support and management. There are also many private aspects of the memorial service, which are family and community events. The cost of those associated events will be funded from a wide range of sources, including family and private contributions, offers of in-kind services, contributions from the SLO City Firefighters Local 3521 Los Angeles City Firemen's Relief Fund, local community service organizations, such as Rotary Club, and other sources. The City's financial contribution will primarily be in the form of salaries for public safety staff needed to provide continuous public safety coverage and for employees who are working that day to be able to attend this important memorial service. Hard costs to the City associated with the use of the PAC are currently estimated to be less than $5,000. CONCURRENCES The Police and Fire Departments, and all other City Department Heads, concur with this recommendation. �2.- z C C Declaration of City Event Page 3 FISCAL IMPACT Public entities are authorized to make expenditures in support of valid public purposes within their jurisdiction. The City's share of the total hard costs are not known at this time, however, they are expected to be well below the policy threshold for expenditures that can be approved by the City Manager ($25,000). There are currently sufficient funds available in the Support Services budget to cover the expected costs that will be borne by the City. ALTERNATIVES Do not adopt the resolution of public purpose. This is not recommended, given that the City's failure to provide resources to manage the significant events anticipated in connection with the memorial services could jeopardize the public's health, safety or welfare and have adverse effects on the morale of City employees, the efficiency of City operations, and the community's ability to come together to mourn and celebrate the life and service of this significant public figure. ATTACHMENT 1. Resolution Declaring the Memorial Services for Fire Chief John Callahan as a City Event and Authorizing Staff and Facilities Support of That Event. T:\Attorney\Fire Department\Callahan Memorial\CAR.Public P.urpose.doc ATTACHMENT RESOLUTION NO. (2010 Series) A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO DECLARING MEMORIAL SERVICES FOR FIRE CHIEF JOHN CALLAHAN AS A CITY EVENT AND AUTHORIZING THE USE OF CITY STAFF SUPPORT AND FACILITIES IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE MEMORIAL EVENT WHEREAS, on August 18, 2010, Fire Chief John Callahan died unexpectedly during a City softball game, surrounded by City employees and other community members; and WHEREAS, Chief Callahan has served the City as its Fire Chief for the past five years; and WHEREAS, during his tenure with the City, Chief Callahan also served the San Luis Obispo community through his leadership positions with local community organizations, and WHEREAS, prior to joining the City and the. San Luis Obispo community, Chief Callahan's public service included a 32-year career with the City of Los Angeles Fire Department, where he retired as Deputy Chief; and WHEREAS, Chief Callahan's life represents a commitment to public service with integrity, professionalism, vision, passion, and humor; and WHEREAS, since Chief Callahan's unexpected death, there has been a tremendous out pouring of community support and condolences and a broad based community desire to honor his lifetime of public service; and WHEREAS, various local organizations and leaders, as well as organizations that Chief Callahan has served in the past, have been collaborating to hold memorial services that appropriately honor Chief Callahan's service to both the City of San Luis Obispo, as an organization, and the San Luis Obispo community at large; and WHEREAS, the City Council finds that Chief Callahan's death has deeply impacted the Fire Department and City employees throughout the organization, as well as a broad base of community leaders and residents throughout the City; and WHEREAS, the City Council expects that there will be large scale community involvement in the ceremonies to celebrate Chief Callahan's life and community service and that the magnitude of community involvement in the planning and holding of Chief Callahan's memorial service will require City participation and support in order to ensure the health, safety and welfare of the community and its residents, to afford City employees and community members an appropriate forum to mourn the loss of Chief Callahan, and to memorialize his contributions to the City and the community. R Resolution No. (201 Series) Page 2 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of San Luis Obispo as follows: SECTION 1. The City Council hereby finds and declares that valid public purposes are served by City staff support and facilities expenditures related to memorial services to honor Chief John Callahan, including but not limited to: memorializing a significant public safety role model in our community; facilitating the healing of the City organization and community through an appropriate public safety memorial service; and providing for the health and safety of the citizenry of San Luis Obispo through City management of a large scale public event. SECTION 2. The City Council hereby finds and declares the memorial service to be held at the Cal Poly Performing Arts Center on August 27, 2010 in the honor of Fire Chief John Callahan is a City event and authorizes such commitment of staff support and City facilities as may be deemed necessary and appropriate by the City Manager to ensure the safe and orderly conduct of that event. SECTION 3. The City may provide such staff support services as are deemed necessary and appropriate by the City Manager to ensure the health, safety and welfare of the residents of San Luis Obispo relating to the conduct of private events and spontaneous gatherings anticipated to precede or follow the City memorial event. SECTION 4. The City Manager is hereby authorized to make expenditures related to the hard costs of the City's use of the Cal Poly Performing Arts Center as set forth in the Short Term License Agreement between the City and the Trustees of the California State University dated August 24, 2010 for the City's use of the Performing Arts Center. SECTION 5. The Citywill not assume.or be responsible for any costs, expenditures, or facilities use other than those authorized herein. Upon motion of , seconded by and on the following vote: AYES: NOES: ABSENT: Resolution No. (2010 Series) Page 3 The foregoing resolution was adopted this 26th day of August 2010. Mayor David F. Romero ATTEST: Elaina Cano City Clerk APPROVED AS TO FORM: Jstine Dietrick L., C7ityAlorney