8.1. SR 09-05-2017
Request for Action
To Item Number
Mayor and City Council 8.1
Agenda Section Meeting Date Prepared by
General Business September 5, 2017 Tina Allard, City Clerk, on behalf of Mayor Dietz
Item Description Reviewed by
Proclamation Policy Cal Portner, City Administrator
Reviewed by
Action Requested
Accept, by motion the Proclamation Policy.
Background/Discussion
This summer there has been more of a demand for proclamations and sometimes there may be
controversy over the type of proclamation requested. Mayor Dietz requested a policy in order to assist in
determining which proclamations to bring forward to Council.
Policy Highlights
Outlines type of proclamations that can and can’t be issued
Other options available in place of a proclamation, such as a letter or certificate
Notes proclamations are offered as a courtesy and the Council/city doesn’t necessarily endorse
them
How to make a request for a proclamation
Process at a Council meeting when not all members agree with a proclamation request
Financial Impact
N/A
Attachments
Proclamation Policy
The Elk River Vision
A welcoming community with revolutionary and spirited resourcefulness, exceptional
service, and community engagement that encourages and inspires prosperity
Proclamations Policy
Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to provide an avenue to encourage public awareness and recognition
for events, achievements, and activities significant to the community of Elk River through
recognition by the City Council. This policy also defines those types of events, achievements, and
activities that will not to be considered for recognition. Proclamations will be issued to acknowledge
the effort and commitment of the organization or individual but should not be interpreted as an
endorsement by either the Council or the City of Elk River. Conversely in making these
observances, the Council does not wish to offend or promote any other particular point of view.
Proclamations are strictly honorary and are issued as a courtesy. They are not legally binding. To
help assure proclamations are considered in this context, the following policy and procedure are
established.
Proclamations can be issued for:
Public awareness.
Charitable fundraising campaigns.
Arts and cultural celebrations.
School programs.
Promotion of service clubs in their furtherance of benevolent programs.
Special honors (on the recommendation of the Mayor).
Proclamations will not be issued for:
Matters of political controversy, ideological or religious beliefs, or individual conviction
Events or organizations with no direct relationship to the City of Elk River.
Campaigns or events contrary to city policies.
Causes supporting hatred, violence, or racism.
Commercial purposes, such as the opening of a new business, a new product, or a new
professional service. This includes business anniversaries of less than 50 years.
Proclamations will not be issued for deceased persons, non-city employee retirements,
birthdays, weddings, or family reunions.
The city reserves the right to approve or reject any request for a proclamation, to modify the
text for any requested proclamation and to read a summarized version of the proclamation if
time constraints warrant. All requests are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. The Council also
reserves the right to vary from the exact provisions of this policy when it finds it to be in the
public interest to do so.
Other:
An organization may request only one proclamation annually.
An organization does not have exclusive rights to the day, week, or month of their
proclamation.
At the Mayor’s discretion, a Certificate of Recognition or congratulatory letter is an
alternative where proclamation criteria are not met.
The city will review all requests and make the final decision on whether the proclamation is
placed on the Council agenda, in accordance with this policy.
If any Councilmember objects to the proclamation they should advise the Mayor in advance
of the meeting, then when the item is up for consideration request a vote on the
proclamation prior to its reading. If the measure fails to achieve the required majority, the
proclamation will not be read.
Who can make a proclamation request?
Requests must be made by a City of Elk River resident.
Proclamations must affect a broad group of people. The city will not issue proclamations for
individuals. For individuals, depending on the occasion or event, either a Certificate of
Recognition or a congratulatory letter may be provided at the Mayor’s discretion.
How should a proclamation request be made?
Requests must be made to the Office of the City Clerk.
All requests must be made in writing. Requests can be emailed, mailed, or hand-delivered.
Requests must be made a minimum of 20 days in advance of the date needed.
What must the request include?
Contact person’s first and last name, address, and phone number.
A brief summary and/or background of the event or organization.
The name and date(s) of the day, week, or month or event to be proclaimed.
Draft text for the proclamation, including 4-6 “whereas” clauses, which must fit to a single
page with room remaining for the Mayor’s signature.
Whether someone will be in attendance to receive the proclamation at the Council meeting
and the name of this individual.
Date of when the proclamation is needed.
City of Elk River
Proclamation Request Form
Proclamation Date:
Name of Organization:
Organization’s Address:
Contact Information:
Name: Title:
Phone Email:
Address:
Purpose of Proclamation (can be attached)
□ Proclamation Language attached. When possible it should be emailed to the Office of the City
Clerk in Word format.
Notification Preference
□ Call me when the proclamation is ready and I will pick it up
□ Email me when the proclamation is ready and I will pick it up.
□ Mail the proclamation to the address listed above.
□ The mayor will present the proclamation to me at an upcoming Council meeting. The City Clerk
will notify me of the meeting date.
Direct this form to:
City of Elk River
Office of the City Clerk
13065 Orono Parkway
Elk River, MN 55330
tallard@elkrivermn.gov