January 25, 2000

Mayor Vorreiter has proposed that this year's State of the City event celebrate the diversity of Sunnyvale residents as the City begins the new century. The event will include music and dancing from several ethnic groups represented in Sunnyvale. It will also have the traditional State of the City program, featuring the presentation of community awards and the Mayor’s State of the City address. The 2000 State of the City will be held Saturday, May 6 in the afternoon, tentatively set for 2-6 PM. The Mayor’s desire is to hold the State of the City in downtown Sunnyvale, but if excessive construction in the area makes that impractical, it will be at the Community Center. Specific details for scheduling, programming and community involvement will be developed during the course of regular event planning and production.

The State of the City event has been held each year since 1981 to provide an opportunity for the Mayor and Council to present the public with a review of issues affecting the community and an outlook for the future. The event also fosters community awareness and identity, while recognizing the achievements of outstanding individuals in the community. The traditional components of the State of the City event have included presentation of awards and the Mayor's annual State of the City address. Each year the Mayor recommends a theme or emphasis for the event, and specific plans are prepared for the program to carry out that theme.

The State of the City event has had many variations in format and theme, based on the theme selected by individual mayors. Over the years, this event has been presented in a variety of different formats. The past two years it has been held on a weeknight at the Palace on Murphy Street. It has also been organized as a Community Care Fair (1997), featuring volunteer opportunities with nearly 100 community organizations, and held on the lawn at City Hall; as a City services fair (1991) and a Technology Expo (1996), both of which were held at the Town Center Mall; in conjunction with the dedication of Sunnyvale Baylands Park (1993), in cooperation with the Santa Clara County Department of Parks and Recreation; with the Hands on the Arts Festival (1992 & 1995), in cooperation with the Santa Clara County Arts Council; as an Earth Day celebration and environmental fair (1990); arts showcases at the Community Center (1988 and 1989); and the celebrations on Murphy Avenue (1987 & 1994). Although event format and programming have varied, the basic elements including the annual awards and the Mayor's State of the City address, have been consistent.

The main focus of the 2000 State of the City event will be to recognize and celebrate the diversity of the citizens of Sunnyvale. It is anticipated that there will be about two hours of entertainment in the form of music and performances by ethnic groups and then the traditional program followed by a simple reception. The State of the City provides a venue for the Mayor to address citizens about community issues and the health and accomplishments of the City. Traditional State of the City awards will be given for "Distinguished Citizen," "Outstanding Business Person," "Outstanding High School Senior," "Outstanding Community Volunteer," and Public Safety awards for merit and valor. In addition, an "Award of Excellence" may be given to recognize an outstanding achievement in the community which might fall outside of established award criteria.

Award recipients are selected each year by the Mayor's Awards Selection Committee from nominations submitted by the public. The committee is comprised of the Mayor, a councilmember, and community members representing a broad range of diverse interests within Sunnyvale.

Staff will be working with the Chamber of Commerce, the business community, schools, and community organizations to continue to broaden and enhance both the citizen nomination process for awards in order to increase the pool and range of nominees, and participation at the event.

The State of the City, to be held Saturday, May 6, 2000, is free and open to the public. It will be publicized using The Quarterly Report, KSUN, news media, posters and direct mail invitations.

Resources for the State of the City have been provided in the Office of the City Manager budget, under Program 732. The current budget for direct expenses of this event is $37, 635 which covers staff time and other expenditures.

Copies of this report have been provided to the Sunnyvale Chamber of Commerce, and will also be available on the City’s web site and at the Library.

Prepared by:

Daniel Rich
Assistant to the City Manger

Approved by:

Amy Chan
Assistant City Manager

Robert S. LaSala
City Manager