HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012-0221 Study Session PACKET CITY OF
ASHLAND
Important: Any citizen may orally address the Council on non-agenda items during the Public Forum. Any citizen may submit written
comments to the Council on any item on the Agenda,unless it is the subject of a public hearing and the record is closed. Time permitting,the
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Chambers. The chair will recognize you and inform you as to the,amoum of time allotted to you,if any. The time granted will be dependent to
some extent on the nature of the item under discussion,the number of people who wish to speak,and the length of the agenda.
AGENDA FOR THE STUDY SESSION
ASHLAND CITY COUNCIL
February 21, 2012
Council Chambers
1175 E. Main Street
6:00 p.m. Study Session
I. What questions and suggestions does City Council have regarding the new policy and
scoring approach for the City's annual economic, cultural, and sustainability grant
program? [30 Minutes]
AGENDA FOR THE REGULAR MEETING
ASHLAND CITY COUNCIL
February 21, 2012
Council Chambers
1175 E. Main Street
Note: Items on the Agenda not considered due to time constraints are automatically continued to the next
regularly scheduled Council meeting [AMC 2.04.030.E.]
6:30 p.m. Executive Session for Employment of a Public Officer or Employee pursuant to ORS
192.660(2)(a)
7:00 p.m. Regular Meeting
I. CALL TO ORDER
II. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
III. ROLL CALL
IV. MAYOR'S ANNOUNCEMENTS
V. SHOULD THE COUNCIL APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THESE MEETINGS?
(5 minutes)
1. Study Session of February 6, 2012
2. Executive Session of February 7, 2012
2. Regular Meeting of February 7, 2012
3. Council Goal Setting of February 11, 2012
VI. SPECIAL'PRESENTATIONS & AWARDS
None
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CITY OF
ASHLAND
Council Communication
Study Session - Economic, Cultural, and Sustainability Grant program
Meeting Date: February 21, 2012 Primary Staff Contact: Lee Tuneberg
Department: Administrative Servic s E-Mail: tuneberl @ashland.or.us
Secondary Dept.: None Secondary Contact: None
Approval: Larry Patt Estimated Time: 30 minutes
Question:
What questions and suggestions does City Council have regarding the new policy and scoring
approach for the City's annual economic, cultural, and sustainability grant program?
Staff Recommendation:
Staff recommends Council review the proposed policy, as updated, from the City Council's February
7, 2012, meeting and, in consideration of the attached memos submitted by the Mayor and Councilor
Voisin.
Background:
Staff submitted a procedure and scoring system for the Citizen Budget committee, sub-committee, to
use in evaluating grant applications for the Economic, Cultural, and Sustainability grants awarded by
the City from Transient Occupancy Tax proceeds. It went through reviews on October 17, 2011 and
February 7, 2012. Council approved the allocation amount and dollars or percentages for FY 2012-
2013 but elected to reconsider the policy for scoring grants and allocating grant dollars at a study
session.
This communication includes the previous documents and the score sheet expanded for the
recommendations as a starting point in the process. The language in the final procedure should agree
with that on the score sheet.
Related Council Policies:
Economic Development Strategy.
http://www.ashland.or.us/files/Ashland EconomicDevelopmentStrateay Final2.pdf
Council Options:
• Adopt the proposed policy
• Modify the proposed policy and then adopt it
• Request additional changes from staff prior to adoption
• Reject the proposed policy and keep the grant program the same as in prior years
Potential Motions:
• I move that the Council adopt the proposed policy
• I move to amend the proposed policy by
• I move to reject the proposed policy and use the same program as we have in prior years.
Pagel of 2
�r,
CITY OF
-ASH LAN D
Attachments:
• Memo from Councilor Voisin
• Memo from Mayor Stromberg
• Revised Draft Economic, Cultural, and Sustainability Grants Scoring Sheet
• Draft Resolution adopting Goals, Criteria and Requirements...
Page 2 of 2
LITAW,
TO: Larry
FROM: Carol
RE: Suggestions for criteria for the econ, cultural, sustainability grants
First, with respect to the scoring sheet, I would like to see the three tourism
criteria listed under economic development instead of as a separate category
at the end. These criteria are clearly related to economic development, and
we should encourage all applicants to think about economic development in
all its forms. If an applicant who applies for the cultural or sustainable
grants can tick off the tourism criteria, that is all for the good.
Second, I would like to see an equal number of points for each set of
criteria. With economic development with 70 points and sustainability with
40, that doesn't seem to insure equity in the application process. I would
like to see 80 points for each criterion while wrapping tourism into economic
development.
Finally, I suggest adding the following criteria under sustainability. The
points attached to these criteria would bring up the total for sustainability.
• Reduction of environmental pollution and economic impacts that follow
• Reduction of economic externalities that cause health problems
Educational programs that focus on "sustainability" efforts in our
community
Active encouragement to switch to using renewable resources
• Reduction of environmental collateral damage (e.g. Ashland Springs
Hotel's spills into storm drains)
• Encouragement of a "buy local first" paradigm especially from local
farmers
CITY OF
ASHLAND
Memo
TO: City Council
FROM: Mayor Stromberg
DATE: February 15, 2012
RE: Proposed revisions to the Sustainability Grant criteria
Below is the Sustainability Grant section of the"Policy for Economic, Cultural and
Sustainability Grants" from the Feb. 7, 2012 packet, with suggested modifications in
italics. Criteria are 'lettered' for purposes of discussion.
Note that I've reduced the first tourist criterion from 20 points to 10 because it allows
double-counting when combined with the third tourist criterion. Total possible points for
Sustainability = 120. Total for Cultural = 120. Total for Economic = 1 10.
C. Sustainability
The goal of the sustainability grants process is to support the exploration and expansion
of efforts to ensure that Ashland is an environmentally, economically, and socially
resilient community well into the future.
Eligible activities include:
1. Program development, education & training, and outreach related to: local renewable
energy supply, production and use; energy efficiency and conservation; water use
efficiency and conservation; local food supply; local natural resource or ecology;
resource reclamation, reuse and recycling
Page I of 3
ADMINISTRATION Tel:541-088-6002
20 East Main Street Fax 541-088-5311 =,
Ashland,Oregon 97520 TTY: 800-735-2900
w .ashland.or.us
2. Programs and activities that would directly assist local businesses in energy, water,
waste, and supply chain efficiencies and reductions
3. Programs and activities that increase local to local purchasing either by businesses or
by retail consumers.
Criteria for Evaluation.
Grant applications for sustainability monies will be evaluated based on the following.
A. Likelihood that the proposed activity will reduce consumption of a critical resource
by citizens or businesses in the community. Resources include fuel, electricity, water or
water quality, land, air quality, soil fertility, or other natural resources. (1 S points)
B. Likelihood the proposed activity will reduce environmental pollution and its resulting
economic or health impacts. (10 points).
C. Likelihood the proposed activity will increase or encourage localization of
agriculture, local agricultural markets and infrastructure, or development of the
community of individuals engaged in these activities (1 S points).
D. Likelihood that the proposed activity will contribute to the resiliency of the
community in the event of emergency situations of both short and long duration (10).
E. Likelihood the proposed activity will encourage a shift to the use of renewable
resources.(10).
F. Likelihood the proposed activity will promote environmental stewardship and related
research and policy formation. (10 points)
G. Likelihood that the proposed activity will be "transferable." That is, the lessons and
experiences gained through the program or activities can be transferred to another
resource, organization, or community. (10 points)
Page 2 of 3
ADMINISTRATION Tel:541-488-6002
20 East Main Street Fax:541 A88-5311
Ashland,Oregon 97520 TTY: 800-735-2900
w .ashland.or.us
Revised - Draft Economic,Cultural,and Sustainability Grants Scoring Sheet
Grant Applicant Name: (FILLED IN BY FINANCE STAFF)
Proposed Project Summary:(FILLED IN BY FINANCE STAFF) .
Committee Member Scoring the Application: (FILLED IN BY member)
NEI
JLikely to increase total employment 15 10
Likely to increase number of businesses in Ashland with a license 15 10
Likely to increase employment and number of enterprises in the target
industries 10 5
Likely to assist existing businesses to remain or expand 15 5
J Likely to result in jobs at or above the median income 15 10
Increase in hotel/motel occupancy or increase in local restaurant and
retail business sales 20
Increase in total number of toursim,hotel,restaurant,or retail jobs 10
Increased occupancy or restaurant/retail business will occur in October
through April 10
( r • t i E 0
Increase in number,type or availability of cultural events 20 20
Important to provide long-term access for residents to a particular
cultural institution or to the visual and performing arts 20 20
Significant collaboration with existing cultural program or leverage of
existing program 10 10
Significant_increase in access to people who might not otherwise have
access,e.g.,low income,children,minority groups 20 20
Increase in number of jobs in the local cultural arts sector 10 10
am @LTftmd
Reduction in consumption of fuel,electricity,water,land,air or other
natural resource 20
Activity is transferable to another situation,resource,or community 10
Reduction in dependency on food,good,or services shipped in from
outside the Rogue Valley 10
Reduction of environmental pollution and economic impacts that follow 13
Reduction of economic externalities that cause health problems 13
Educational proLrams that focus on"sustainability"efforts in our 13
Active encouragement to switch to using renewable resources 13
Reduction of environmental collateral damage(e.g.Ashland Springs
Flotel's spills into the storm drains 13
C4 Encouragement of a"buy local first"paradigm especially from local fanners Is
C � OiJ E•�
Increase in hotel/motel occupancy or increase in local restaurant and
` retail business sales 20 0
Increase in total number of toursim,hotel,restaurant,or retail jobs 10 0
U Increased occupancy or restaurant/retail business will occur in October
G through April 10 0
1
TOTAL NUMBER OF POINTS FOR APPLICATION1 230 1 240 0
RESOLUTION NO.
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ASHLAND
ADOPTING GOALS, CRITERIA, AND REQUIREMENTS FOR THE
ECONOMIC, CULTURAL, AND SUSTAINABILITY GRANT PROGRAM
THE CITY OF ASHLAND RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. That the City of Ashland collects a Transient Occupancy Tax. Revenues from the
Transient Occupancy Tax are used to fund General Governmental expenses, economic
development, tourism promotion and the City's Economic, Cultural, and Sustainability Grant
program.
SECTION 2. That the City of Ashland purchases services from non-profits that it might
otherwise provide directly through its Economic, Cultural, and Sustainability Grant. The grant
program has three basic goals:
• Economic Development.
• Cultural Development.
• Sustainability.
SECTION 3. That the City Council wishes to establish clear goals, categories, criteria, and
program requirements for the Economic, Cultural, and Sustainability Grant program. Therefore
the "Policy for Economic, Cultural and Sustainability Grants" attached as Exhibit A is adopted
and incorporated by this reference.
SECTION 4. That the City Council will allocate funds to the Economic, Cultural, and
Sustainability Grant program each year, by resolution, prior to soliciting applications from
nonprofits.
SECTION 5. This resolution was duly PASSED and ADOPTED this day of
2012 and takes effect upon signing by the Mayor.
Barbara Christensen, City Recorder
SIGNED and APPROVED this day of 12012.
John Stromberg, Mayor
Reviewed as to form:
David Lohman, City Attorney
Page I of 1
Exhibit A
Policy for Economic, Cultural and Sustainability Grants
Program Goals, Categories, Criteria, and Requirements
The City of Ashland collects a Transient Occupancy Tax, from people who stay in overnight
lodging within the City limits. Over half(58%) of those funds are reserved for the City's
General Fund and are used to support Police, Fire, Community Development, and Municipal
Court. Slightly more than a quarter(26.67%) of those funds are used to support the tourism
industry. The tourist funds are either allocated directly to groups that market Ashland to tourists
or are spent on capital facilities that enhance the tourism experience within the community. The
remaining funds are dedicated to the City's annual grant program. The amounts that go to each
of these programs are allocated prior to the beginning of each fiscal year by the Ashland City
Council, generally in February.
The City of Ashland reinvests a portion of the funds generated by the Transient Occupancy Tax
(TOT) in community non-profits through an annual grant program. Through the grant program,
the City is purchasing specific services from non-profits that it might otherwise provide directly.
The grant program has three basic goals:
• Economic Development. The grant program will support the creation, retention, and
expansion of businesses and other ventures that enrich our community by creating goods
and services that provide employment opportunities while maintaining and enhancing the
overall quality of life. The 2011 Economic Development Strategy provides both policy
level and action level guidance for eligible grant application programs and activities
• Cultural Development. The grant program will support increased diversity of and
accessibility to the creative arts and cultural opportunities in Ashland for citizens and
visitors and will support the visitor economy, maintain and promote job growth in this
sector and enrich the overall quality of life in the community.
• Sustainability. The grant program will create and support programs and activities to
further support efforts to ensure Ashland is environmentally, economically and socially
resilient as a community.
I. GRANT CATEGORIES
Non-profit organizations applying for these grants must identify the category of funds that their
application meets. Applicants may request funds from multiple categories, but the justification
for applying in multiple categories needs to be clearly spelled out in the application.
In addition, the City may identify a portion of any grant as one that serves tourists. That is, some
of the awarded funds will be used to attract visitors from over 50 miles away or to encourage
people to spend the night in a hotel, motel, or bed &breakfast inn within Ashland.
A. Economic Development
Grant allocations in the Economic Development category will be made to implementthe
City's Economic Development Strategy.
Economic, Cultural, and Sustainability Grant Program— 10/19/2011 Page 1
Eligible activities include:
1. Specific implementing actions or programs identified in the economic development
strategy. Those activities can be found at
http://ashland.or.us/files/Ashland EconomicDevelopmentStrategv Final.pdf, on pages 8
through 22.
2. Programs and activities that foster creation, expansion or retention of existing businesses
in the community that
• rely on and cam a competitive advantage from innovation, creativity, design, proto-
typing and technology
• produce specialty and value added goods or services with a market beyond our local
economy
3. Programs and activities that improve the coordination and collaboration among local and
regional economic development partners.
4. Programs and activities that increase the availability of investment capital for local
business
5. Programs and activities that improve local educational & technical skills to match local
business workforce needs
6. Specific programs and activities that increase tourism throughout the year.
Criteria for evaluation
The City seeks to accomplish the desired outcomes from the economic development strategy
(page 23) through the grants, and therefore these outcomes will be used to evaluate applications.
Applications for the Economic Development Grants will be evaluated based on the following
criteria:
• Likelihood that the proposed activity will increase total employment within Ashland (15
points).
• Likelihood that the proposed activity will increase the number of businesses obtaining a
business license in Ashland (15 points).
• Employment and businesses additions will be added in enterprises that rely on
innovation, creativity (etc.) or produce a specialty good or service for export. (10 points)
• Likelihood that the proposed activity will assist existing businesses within Ashland in
expanding or remaining in the community (15 points)
• Likelihood that the proposed activity would result in jobs that are at or above the median
income for Ashland (15 points).
• Likelihood that the proposed activity will increase the hotel/motel occupancy in Ashland
or will increase business at local restaurants and retail shops (20 points).
• Likelihood that the proposed activity will increase the total number of jobs in tourism,
hotels, restaurants, and retail businesses (10 points)
• Likelihood that the proposed activity will increase hotel/motel occupancy and
restaurant/retail business in the months of October through April. (10 points)
Economic, Cultural, and Sustainability Grant Program— 10/19/2011 Page 2
B. Cultural Development
Cultural development grants are intended to support the retention and growth of Ashland's
unique cultural offerings, both to residents and tourists alike. Leveraging and expanding
Ashland's cultural assets such creative, performing and visual arts, historic preservation and
education, brings creative community prosperity and adds to the overall quality of life of the
community. Ashland's visitor economy also thrives on the cultural and performing arts sector,
so increasing the diversity of cultural opportunities for visitors strengthens the tourism economy
overall. The City's grant program is designed to strengthen existing cultural activities, increase
the number and diversity of cultural activities, maintain and expand job growth in this sector, and
increase both resident and visitor access to these activities.
Eligible activities include:
1. Programs or activities that create of new cultural offerings unique from existing local
offerings, activities or programs
2. Programs or activities that ensure the long-term success of local cultural groups
3. Expansion in size or scope of an existing cultural offerings, activities or programs
4. Expansion of access by audiences to those existing offerings, activities or programs
5. Support services targeted to existing or proposed cultural offerings, activities or programs
Criteria for Evaluation.
Grant applications for cultural development monies will be evaluated based on the following.
• Amount that the proposed activity will diversify the number, type, or availability to
cultural service, activity or program proposed compared with existing local cultural
opportunities.(20 points)
• Amount that the proposed activity ensures long-term access to an important aspect of the
visual or performing arts or other local cultural attraction (20 points)
• Degree to which the proposed activity will collaborate with an existing cultural program
or will leverage another cultural opportunity.(10 points)
• Amount which the proposed activity will increase access to cultural programs or
activities, especially by those who may not otherwise have access such as low income
residents, children, or minority groups (20 points)
• Likelihood that the proposed activity will increase the total number of jobs in the local
cultural arts sector (10 points)
• Likelihood that the proposed activity will increase the hotel/motel occupancy in Ashland
or will increase business at local restaurants and retail shops in Ashland.(20 points).
• Likelihood that the proposed activity will increase the total number of jobs in tourism,
hotels, restaurants, and retail businesses in Ashland (10 points)
• Likelihood that the proposed activity will increase hotel/motel occupancy and
restaurant/retail business in Ashland in the months of October through April. (10 points)
Economic, Cultural, and Sustainability Grant Program — 10/19/2011 Page 3
C. Sustainability
The goal of the sustainability grants process is to support the exploration and expansion of
efforts to ensure that Ashland is an environmentally, economically, and socially resilient
community well into the future.
Eligible activities include:
1. Program development, education & training, and outreach related to: local renewable
energy supply, production and use; energy efficiency and conservation; water use
efficiency and conservation; local food supply; local natural resource or ecology;
resource reclamation, reuse and recycling
2. Programs and activities that would directly assist local businesses in energy, water,
waste, and supply chain efficiencies and reductions
3. Programs and activities that increase local to local purchasing either by businesses or by
retail consumers.
Criteria for Evaluation.
Grant applications for sustainability monies will be evaluated based on the following.
• Likelihood that the proposed activity will reduce consumption of a critical resource by
citizens or businesses in the community. Resources include fuel, electricity, water, land,
air, or other natural resources. (20 points)
• Likelihood that the proposed activity will be "transferable." That is, the lessons and
experiences gained through the program or activities can be transferred to another
resource, organization, or community. (10 points)
• Likelihood that the proposed activity will reduce citizen or business dependence on food,
goods or services shipped in from outside the Rogue Valley(10 points).
• Likelihood that the proposed activity will increase the hotel/motel occupancy in Ashland
or will increase business at local restaurants and retail shops in Ashland.(20 points).
• Likelihood that the proposed activity will increase the total number of jobs in tourism,
hotels, restaurants, and retail businesses in Ashland.(]0 points)
• Likelihood that the proposed activity will increase hotel/motel occupancy and
restaurant/retail business in Ashland in the months of October through April. (10 points)
Economic, Cultural, and Sustainability Grant Program — 10/19/2011 Page 4
11. GRANT APPLICATION AND AWARD REQUIREMENTS
Grant applicants and corresponding grant applications must adhere to the following program
requirements:
I. Grantee shall be registered as a 501(c) non-profit
2. Grantee shall be a non-government entity
3. Minimum grant award will be $1,000 per grant category and $2,500 per grant application
4. Grant award shall be utilized consistent with the associated applicant proposal and shall be
primarily oriented to the grantee's Ashland activities and programs. Grant funds may also be
utilized for a proportionate share of Grantee's overall administrative expenses.
5. An applicant can apply for grant funds from more than one category, however, it is the
responsibility of the applicant to specify the categories and funds requested for each category
and clearly describe how the proposal meets the criteria for each category.
6. Grantees must submit the application to the City prior to the deadline, which is established
each year by the City's Administrative Service Department. Absolutely no late applications
will be accepted. The City is aware that sometimes "life" intervenes, and therefore, we urge
grantees to have a back up plan to ensure that the application is not late.
III. GRANT REPORTING
Grant award re6pients shall submit a written report to the City of Ashland at the end of grant
period. Report requirements include:
RWort Content
1. Financial summary of the utilization of grant funds towards the objectives set forth in the
grant award application.
2. Statistical summary of the positive economic, cultural or sustainability impacts associated
with the utilization of grant funds based on the scoring categories used to make the grant
award. Applicants should provide actual data on one or more of the following outcomes:
• Number of actual jobs created as a direct result of the City grant
• Number of new business licenses issued as a direct result of the City grant
• Median wage of actual jobs created as a direct result of the City grant
• Number of people who travelled to Ashland from over 50 miles away as a direct result of
activities funded by the City's grant
• Number of additional overnight stays in Ashland transient lodging businesses as a direct
result of the City's grant
• Number of additional events offered in Ashland as a direct result of the City's grant
• Number of additional people who attended a cultural event in Ashland as a direct result
of the City's grant
• Number of additional children, seniors, or low income residents who attended a cultural
event in Ashland as a direct result of the City's grant
• Amount of conservation or reduction in use of a critical natural resource by Ashland
residents, businesses or visitors that is directly attributable to the grant. Document the
resource and the evidence that the grant activity resulted in its conservation.
Economic, Cultural, and Sustainability Grant Program— 10/19/2011 Page 5
3. Any other program or activity specific data associated with the grant award
Rgport Submittal
1. End of Grant report shall be submitted to the City Administrator's Office by October 1"
following the end of the grant award period (July 1-June 30)
2. Failure to submit an acceptable End of Grant report by the required due date disqualifies
the grantee from future grant application eligibility.
Economic, Cultural, and Sustainability Grant Program— 10/19/2011 Page 6
H. Likelihood that the proposed activity will reduce citizen or business dependence on
food, goods or services shipped in from outside the Rogue Valley (10 points).
1. Likelihood that the proposed activity will increase the hotel/motel occupancy in
Ashland or will increase business at local restaurants and retail shops in Ashland.(10
points).
J. Likelihood that the proposed activity will increase the total number of jobs in tourism,
hotels, restaurants, and retail businesses in Ashland.(]0 points)
K. Likelihood that the proposed activity will increase hotel/motel occupancy and
restaurant/retail business in Ashland in the months of October through April. (10 points)
Other Observations
1 . Disqualifying organizations "from future participation" for not filing reports on time
seems draconian. Perhaps the following would be better: organizations should have the
opportunity to apply for an extension and an organization that ultimately fails to meet the
requirement should only be disqualified for the subsequent year's process, for a 'first
offense' at least.
Also...
2. While applicants are allowed to be eligible for meeting criteria in any of the three
categories does this mean they can be credited for meeting the last three (identical)
tourism criteria in all three categories simultaneously? This seems to be putting a very
heavy weighting on tourism-related effects vs economic, cultural and sustainability ones.
Page 3 of 3
ADMINISTRATION Tel:541 488-6002
20 East Main Street Fax:541488-5311 W
Ashland,Oregon 97520 TTY: 800-735-2900 IF
w .ashland.or.us Iralk