* WARNING: THIS IS AN UNOFFICIAL, INTRODUCTORY COPY OF THE BILL.
THE OFFICIAL COPY CONSIDERED BY THE CITY COUNCIL IS THE FIRST READER COPY.
INTRODUCTORY*
CITY OF BALTIMORE
COUNCIL BILL R
(Resolution)
Introduced by: President Young
A RESOLUTION ENTITLED
A COUNCIL RESOLUTION concerning
title
Corporate Sponsorship of City Assets
FOR the purpose of calling for a hearing to explore the City's current utilization of public/private partnerships, determine if sponsorship of City assets can legally be sold, and discuss which assets could best be used to increase corporate sponsorship of City activities.
body
Recitals
As Baltimore faces a continuing budget deficit it is incumbent on all levels of government to look for innovative strategies to balance the budget without higher taxes or cuts to vital city services. No possibility should be left unexplored.
Both in the past and more recently as the City wrestles with the current financial difficulties, private businesses have stepped up to assist Baltimore in maintaining important cultural events and social services in return for public recognition of their assistance. With interest in these types of partnerships anticipated to grow on both sides in the near future, it is important to consider instituting a regular system to create these relationships. Many municipalities have developed such corporate sponsorship initiatives, including San Francisco, Oakland, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Charlotte, and Des Moines.
Traditionally, public/private partnerships in Baltimore have not been addressed in a systematic way. Instead, they have been dealt with on a case-by-case basis, often by the agencies involved rather than any central authority. In order to fully explore the opportunities offered by partnerships with private industry, the City needs to come to a fuller understanding of both what types of arrangements have been successful for various agencies and exactly what current law allows the City to do.
Once the current and possible arrangements for partnerships with the private sector are more fully understood, the first step in creating a systematic approach to corporate sponsorships would be to audit specific City agencies to identify certain programs, events, and assets that could be supported by Baltimore's business community. The audit would include underwriting of health and fitness or cooking classes, use of facilities for corporate events, product demonstrations, sponsorship recognition at events, visibility on City vehicles, logo space in City mailings, and more.
Options to expand the City's legal authority to enter into particularly attractive arrangements with the business world should also be throughly explored.
This process of understanding how the City can best optimize the financial returns it could receive from creative partnerships with the private sector will require input from a broad cross section of Baltimore society. In particular, leaders from the business community, academia, and the public sector should work with the Department of Recreation & Parks, the Department of General Services, the Enoch Pratt Free Library, the Department of Transportation, the Office of the Comptroller's Department of Real Estate, the Department of Finance's Bureau of Purchasing, the Law Department, the Baltimore City Public School System, and Visit Baltimore to develop a list of assets that are appropriate for this initiative. Any new partnerships should only be created after the City works closely and responsibly with affected communities to ensure that potentially offensive deals are avoided.
Input should be solicited from throughout the City, including from:
· The Greater Baltimore Committee
· The Maryland Stadium Authority
· Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts
· Maryland Office of Sports Marketing
· Representatives from academia
· Representatives from the Department of Recreation & Parks, the Department of General Services, the Enoch Pratt Free Library, the Department of Transportation, the Office of the Comptroller's Department of Real Estate, the Department of Finance's Bureau of Purchasing , the Law Department, the Baltimore City Public School System, and Visit Baltimore
· The Mayor
· The City Council President; and
· The Comptroller.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF BALTIMORE, That the Council calls for a hearing to explore the City's current utilization of public/private partnerships, determine if sponsorship of City assets can legally be sold, and discuss which assets could best be used to increase corporate sponsorship of City activities.
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be sent to the Mayor, the Comptroller, the Greater Baltimore Committee, BOPA, the Executive Director of the Maryland Stadium Authority, the Maryland Office of Sports Marketing, the Director of Recreation & Parks, the Director of Transportation, the CEO of the Enoch Pratt Free Library, the City Solicitor, the CEO of Baltimore City Public Schools, the President & CEO of Visit Baltimore, the Director of General Services, the Director of Finance, and the Mayor's Legislative Liaison to the City Council.
dlr 10-1097(5)~intro/07Apr11
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dlr 10-1097(5)~intro/07Apr11
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