Subject
This action will direct the City Manager to engage with CGI Communications to develop and implement a decorative banner program downtown.
Summary and Background
This proposal was discussed at the February 8, 2021 City Council meeting. Additional background materials are available from that agenda here: https://hermiston.novusagenda.com/agendapublic/CoverSheet.aspx?ItemID=2653&MeetingID=532
City Council requested a few more items prior to approval of this concept specific to cost to the businesses, and banner maintenance.
CGI's annual sponsorship costs typically run between $495 and $995. As you would expect, that range exists because not all communities have the same potential sponsorship market.
As mentioned on Feb. 8, CGI contracts with local vendors to provide maintenance of banners. Most likely, they will request to contract with our Parks & Recreation Department, which makes sense since they already manage downtown tree lighting, hanging baskets, etc. In that arrangement, we will simply establish an hourly rate for our work, and invoice CGI. So in the unlikely event that a banner is ripped or blown off, the City will be in control of how quickly we can get the banner re-installed, and we will simply invoice CGI for that reinstallation cost.
Tie-In to Council Goals:
Goal #2: Exercise Fiscal Prudence. This Public-Private-Partnership is a very cost-effective way to achieve a long-term community goal of enhancing and beautifying the downtown commercial core.
Fiscal Information
This program will have no out of pocket cost to the City or Urban Renewal District.
Alternatives and Recommendation
Alternatives
1. Accept the Proposal.
2. Reject the Proposal.
Recommendation
Accept the proposal.
Requested Action/Motion
Direct the City Manager to engage with CGI Communications to develop and implement a decorative banner program downtown.
Submitted By: Mark Morgan