June 8, 2004

SUBJECT: Agreement between City of Sunnyvale and SVL (formerly Sunnyvale Leadership Development Institute)

In accordance with City Council's policy governing "Relationships with Outside Groups," this report reviews a proposed agreement between the City and SVL, an independent, non-profit organization that provides leadership training for Sunnyvale community members.

These activities are consistent with the City of Sunnyvale's Community Participation Sub-Element, but are not offered by the City. SVL has expressed a desire to continue providing these services through a written agreement with the City for a period of two years. Please see Attachment A, SVL Agreement.

Staff recommends that Council approve the new SVL Agreement dated July 1, 2004, and authorize the City Manager to enter into said Agreement on behalf of the City.

Prior to 1999, the Sunnyvale Chamber of Commerce administered the Leadership and Education Foundation, which ran the Leadership Sunnyvale program. This community development program was designed to enhance the skills of those involved in our community. The program seeks to broaden its participants’ awareness of complex community issues, to strengthen their leadership skills, and to increase their effectiveness in both the community and the workplace. Since its inception, many participants in this program have become city councilmembers or board and commission members.

In 1999, the Chamber Board of Directors determined it would no longer administer the Leadership Sunnyvale program. In June 1999, SLDI was formed as an independent 501(c)3 non-profit organization, and took over administration of the Leadership Sunnyvale program. In 2003 SLDI changed its name to SVL. The SVL mission is to "strengthen our diverse community by developing empowered individuals to become effective leaders through training on the fundamentals of leadership and community awareness."

The SVL organization has been "co-sponsored" by the City for four years. In November 2003, the Council Co-Sponsorship Policy was replaced by the current Relationships with Outside Groups policy (Attachment B) in an effort to develop a more comprehensive, effective and efficient means of providing independent groups a reasonable level of support given the structure and role of city government. In accordance with this policy, a written agreement between the City and SVL is proposed to secure leadership-training skills, via the Leadership Sunnyvale program, for the Sunnyvale community.

Partnering with SVL to provide leadership training to Sunnyvale community members is supported by the following City policies:

Community Education

Goal 7.2A Achieve a community in which citizens and businesses are informed about local issues and City programs and services.

Policy 7.2A.1 Use community and business organizations and networks as a resource for community education and outreach.

Policy 7.2B.5 Partnerships -- Foster partnerships and relationships among public institutions, business and industry, community and services organizations and the City to address community issues.

Policy 7.2C.4 Citizen Involvement in Policy Making -- Assure that citizens and organizations are actively involved in the identification of community needs and the development of solutions.

7.2C.4a Enhance the ability of board and commission members to act as key policy advisors to Council through orientation, training, and communication.

Legislative Policy:
7.2.6 Relationships with Outside Groups Policy

The Relationships With Outside Groups Policy facilitates the provision of programs by outside groups that provide a community service, or promote an informed interest in the City's objectives, services, facilities and programs for the benefit of its residents and businesses, and/or have as its purpose the raising of funds and provision of financial support for the City's programs.

Staff proposes the City enter into a new agreement with SVL whereby SVL provides leadership training via the Leadership Sunnyvale program, to a minimum of 18 Sunnyvale community members. SVL students, staff and board members will also provide volunteer labor to assist with City events and activities. SVL will provide a minimum of 50 volunteer hours per year.

In exchange, the City will provide the following:

• As available, use of a Sunnyvale Community Center classroom 12 times per year for SVL Board of Directors' meetings, and 12 times per year for alumni meetings.
• As available, use of the following facilities for the Leadership Sunnyvale training sessions:
• Park building, once per year
• Dept. of Public Safety classroom (or similar classroom facility), nine times per year
• As available, City staff to provide presentations on City-related business, totaling approximately 24 presentation hours. City to determine appropriate staff.
• One City staff per year to enroll in the Leadership Sunnyvale program. City to pay tuition at the rate of $1,600 per student.

With the exception of decreasing from two to one the number of City staff who enroll in the program, this proposed agreement is consistent with the arrangement the City has had with SVL for the past four years of co-sponsorship. Staff provides the proposed new SVL Agreement dated July 1, 2004, for Council consideration (Attachment A).

Note: This report does not address requests for funding support, which in accordance with the City's Relationship with Outside Groups policy are handled through the City's Outside Group Funding process.

As identified below, the total value of in-kind contributions and tuition payments is $7,635:

Sunnyvale Community Center classrooms $3,240
Public Safety Classroom (valued at Community Center rate) $2,700
Murphy Park building $95
Tuition payments for one City staff participant $1,600

Total $7,635

Costs for facilities rentals will be absorbed in the proposed FY2004/05 Neighborhood and Community Services Program budget. The tuition cost for one City staff participant would be absorbed in proposed FY2004/05 training budgets. Staff costs for presentations to Leadership Sunnyvale will be absorbed in proposed FY2004/05 department budgets.

Public contact was made through posting of the Council agenda on the City’s official notice bulletin board, posting of the agenda and report on the City’s web page, and the availability of the report in the City Clerk’s office, and Library. A draft report was reviewed in advance by SVL representatives.

1. Approve the two-year SVL Agreement, depicted by Attachment A, to provide leadership training, via the Leadership Sunnyvale program, to the Sunnyvale community, and authorize the City Manager to enter into said Agreement, dated July 1, 2004.
2. Do not approve the SVL Agreement.
3. Other action as determined by Council.

Staff recommends Alternative No. 1.

Prepared by:
Coryn Campbell
Manager, Neighborhood and Community Services

Reviewed by:
Mary Bradley
Director, Finance

Approved by:
Amy Chan
City Manager

Attachment

A. SVL Agreement dated July 1, 2004. (pdf format)
B. Relationships with Outside Groups Policy (pdf format)