HomeMy WebLinkAbout03/02/2010, C 2 - ACCEPTANCE OF CASH DONATIONS TO THE CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO'S GREENBELT PROGRAM AND APPROPRIATION O council
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C I T Y OF SAN L U IS O B I S P O
FROM: Shelly Stanwyck,Assistant City Manager
Prepared By: Neil Havlik,Natural Resources Manager
SUBJECT: ACCEPTANCE OF CASH DONATIONS TO THE CITY OF SAN
LUIS OBISPO'S GREENBELT PROGRAM AND APPROPRIATION
OF FUNDS
RECOMMENDATION
Accept several cash donations recently made to the City of San Luis Obispo's Greenbelt Program
and appropriate those funds to the Open Space Protection Capital Improvement Project.
DISCUSSION
On February 1, 2010, the City of San Luis Obispo received a generous and unsolicited donation
check of $10,000 from Donald and Mary Smith of San Luis Obispo. When contacted by the
City's Natural Resources Manager, Mr. and Mrs. Smith stated that they enjoyed the City's open
spaces and wanted to contribute to their further success. The donation was gratefully received by
staff and a thank you letter from the Mayor sent to the Smiths (Attachment). Under the City's
adopted Donation Policy, formal City Council action through a written agreement is required to
accept gifts of more than $5,000, in addition to making specific appropriations of such gifts.
However, this donation has been received unsolicited and reached the City in form of a check. In
order to properly formalize the acceptance of the donation, staff has therefore prepared the
current agenda item.
To ensure that other smaller gifts to the Greenbelt program are properly used, staff has included
several other smaller contributions made in recent months in the Council Action. These include a
donation of $500.00 from Michael Coss, and $100.00 from Dominic Perello, for a total of
$10,600.00.
Staff is actively fundraising to obtain the funds necessary to complete the Froom Ranch
acquisition, and recommends that Council formally appropriate the $10,600 to the City budget
item designated as "Open Space Protection Fund" in the City's Financial Plan. This
appropriation would be consistent with the donor's desire to assist in the City's open space
acquisition efforts.
gAzaWik/councilagenda/donation acceptance
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Council Agenda Report—Acceptance of Donation
Page 2
ALTERNATIVE
The Council could decide not to accept the funds. This is not recommended, however, as it
would appear to be in conflict with the wishes of those making the gifts.
ATTACHMENT:
Mayor's Letter to Mr. and Mrs. Smith
CO.—02
Y oJ, D _ ATTACHMENT
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city sAn WIS OBISPO
�lell �� OFFICE OF THE CITY COUNCIL
4!$ O 990 Palm Street a San Luis Obispo,CA 93401-3249 0 805!781-7119
February 4, 2010
Donald and Mary Smith
1111 Vista del Lago
San Luis Obispo, CA 93405
RE: Donation
Dear Mr. and Ms. Smith:
On behalf of the San Luis Obispo City Council, and of the citizens of our city, please
accept my deepest thanks for your gracious contribution of$10,000 to the City's
Greenbelt Program. Sincere and unsolicited gifts such as yours are especially appreciated
as they inform City staff as well as Council members that their efforts are noted and
appreciated..
We are currently working on an important greenbelt acquisition that is expected to be
completed this summer. Your gift will be used to help make that project a successful
one.
Again, please accept my deepest thanks for your,kind and generous gift.
Sincer
David F. Romero
Mayor
Ca -3