Sec. 191.121. - Council Member Hosted Neighborhood Community Events.

(a) Neighborhood Community Events. A council member may host a Neighborhood Community Event provided the following conditions have been met: (1) The Neighborhood Community Event complies with the procedures set forth in subsection (b) below; and (2) Sufficient funds are available in the Neighborhood Community Events Trust Fund pursuant to Section 111.105 (d) to pay for the internal City costs associated with such event. For purposes of this Section, "internal City costs" shall only mean the Neighborhood Community Event costs related to public safety standards, personal security, property safety, emergency medical services, event set up, maintenance and clean up pursuant to Sections 191.113 , 191.114 , 191.115 and 191.117 , Ordinance Code, and other costs, if any, related to the use of City facilities and equipment (e.g., stages, bleachers, audio, etc.). (b) Event Approval Procedures . A council member may host a Neighborhood Community Event in accordance with the following procedures: (1) Request Form. The Director of the Special Events Office, or his or her designee ("Special Events Director"), shall develop a Neighborhood Community Events request form to be used by council members requesting to host a Neighborhood Community Event. The request form shall include such information related to the event as requested by the Special Events Office, including a brief description of the Neighborhood Community Event (i.e., planned activities, estimated attendance, co-sponsorships, if any, and the governmental activity, program or project that the event will be promoting, etc.), the preferred event date, and a preliminary estimate of event costs. A council member desiring to host a Neighborhood Community Event shall submit a completed request form to the Special Events Director no later than 60 days prior to the preferred event date. A council member may not promote a Neighborhood Community Event until such event has been approved in accordance with this Section. The Special Events Director, within ten business days receipt of a completed request form, shall notify the council member if any additional information regarding the event is needed. If no additional information is needed from the council member, the Special Events Director shall forward the request form to the departments for review pursuant to subsection (b)(2) below. (2) Department Review. Upon receipt of the request form from the Special Events Director, the Directors of the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department, the Public Works Department, the Neighborhoods Department, the Fire Rescue Department, and the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office shall review the request form and indicate on such form the availability and costs of public safety personnel, equipment and facilities necessary to host the event. The Special Events Director shall also forward the completed request form to the Ethics Director and Risk Manager for review and approval. At such time that the review by the department directors listed above, the Ethics Director and the Risk Manager has been completed, the Special Events Director shall notify the council member of the total internal City costs necessary to fund the Neighborhood Community Event and route the request form to the Council President for approval. Upon the Council President's approval of the Neighborhood Community Event, the Special Events Director shall proceed with the verification of funds pursuant to subsection (b)(3) below. (3) Verification of Funds by Director of Finance. After the request form has been reviewed in accordance with subsection (b)(2) above, the Special Events Director shall route the request form to the Director of Finance to verify that sufficient funds are available in the Neighborhood Community Events Trust Fund to pay for the total internal City costs associated with the event as shown on the request form. Upon obtaining said verification, the Special Events Director shall provide the council member with a copy of the approved request form and the council member may proceed with hosting the Neighborhood Community Event. Subject to availability of funds, each council member shall be allocated $3,500 from the Neighborhood Community Events Trust Fund each fiscal year to use for Neighborhood Community Events in accordance with this Section. (4) Event Coordination. The Special Events Office shall assist the council member in coordinating and scheduling the use of City personnel, equipment and facilities in connection with any approved Neighborhood Community Event. (c) Co-Sponsorships. A person or entity may co-sponsor a Neighborhood Community Event and pay for all or a portion of the internal City costs related to a Neighborhood Community Event in the manner set forth in Section 602.701 (c), Ordinance Code, no later than 30 days prior to the scheduled event date. Any such payment shall constitute a "gift" to the City under Chapter 602 , Ordinance Code. Co-Sponsors may donate other items or personal property to the Neighborhood Community Event in accordance with Chapter 113 , Part 3, Ordinance Code. Such donations shall also constitute a "gift" to the City. (d) Open Meetings; Other Laws. Neighborhood Community Events, as applicable, shall be subject to Chapter 286, Florida Statutes, and Section 15.104(c), Ordinance Code. Neighborhood Community Events shall be subject to Chapter 350, Part III (Elections Code), Ordinance Code, as applicable. Council members hosting Neighborhood Community Events shall be subject to State and local ethics laws, including Chapter 602 (Ethics), Ordinance Code. Section 106.1202 (a), Ordinance Code, shall not apply to Neighborhood Community Events. (e) No Solicitation of Donations or Payments by Council Members for Neighborhood Community Events. A council member shall not solicit or accept a donation, payment or gift from a third-party for a Neighborhood Community Event. Solicitations or the acceptance of gifts by public officers and employees are expressly prohibited under F.S. § 112.313(2), and Chapter 602, Ordinance Code. (Ord. 2016-489-E , § 5)