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Home My WebLink About65A - MILITARY SRVS RECOGNITIONREQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: JULY 21, 2020 TITLE. CONSIDER OPTIONS TO RECOGNIZE SANTA ANA RESIDENTS WHO HAVE SERVED IN THE U.S. MILITARY AND PROVIDE DIRECTION TO STAFF /s/ Kristine Ridge CITY MANAGER CLERK OF COUNCIL USE ONLY: ❑ As Recommended ❑ As Amended ❑ Ordinance on 1 st Reading ❑ Ordinance on god Reading ❑ Implementing Resolution ❑ Set Public Hearing For �K•�►nl►m�.>rc. FILE NUMBER RECOMMENDED ACTION Accept informational report regarding options to recognize Santa Ana residents who have served in the U.S. military and provide direction to staff. DISCUSSION At the February 21, 2020 City Council meeting, members of the City Council directed staff to research options for consideration to recognize Santa Ana residents who have served in the U.S. military. This report provides an overview of some of the types of military recognition initiatives and programs for consideration by the City Council. Background According to the 2018 American Community Survey's 2018 1-Year Estimates, there are approximately 106,246 veterans in Orange County —approximately 4.3 percent of the adult population. Orange County has a long history of military presence in its communities. For example, a 1999 study by the Civil War Round Table of Orange County found that there are approximately 725 Civil War veterans interred in nine local cemeteries, including Fairhaven Memorial Park and Mortuary and the Santa Ana Cemetery in Santa Ana. In more recent times, Orange County was home to both the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station and the Santa Ana Army Air Base, in what is now Costa Mesa. Heroes Hall To celebrate the legacy of Orange County veterans, to honor their sacrifices, and to educate and inspire the community through their stories and personal experiences, in 2016 Orange County government officials established Heroes Hall —a free, permanent, year-round museum and education center with exhibitions, performances and educational programs that celebrate the legacy of Orange County veterans and others who have served in the U.S. military. The two-story exhibition space rotates themes semi-annually, with each focusing on an aspect of the personal stories and experiences of veterans. Housed in a renovated 1942 Santa Ana Army Air Base barracks building, Heroes Hall consists of 3,600 square feet of exhibition space, as well as the 65A-1 Options to Recognize Santa Ana Residents Who Have Served in the U.S. Military July 21, 2020 Page 2 Medal of Honor Courtyard and Orange County Walk of Honor (which was relocated from the Orange County Civic Center in 2016). Military Recognition Options Like other cities in Orange County, the City of Santa Ana is committed to honoring U.S. military veterans who have fought bravely for our freedom. Below is a consideration of initiatives and programs to pay tribute to Santa Ana residents who identify as U.S. military veterans. Incorporate Military Recognition into the Design of the Orange County Civic Center The Orange County Civic Center occupies approximately 75 acres of space in Downtown Santa Ana and comprises several City of Santa Ana, County of Orange, State of California, and Federal - owned and/or operated government buildings and open space. In February 2006, the County of Orange Board of Supervisors approved a Civic Center Facilities Master Plan (Master Plan). While the Master Plan primarily focuses on the functionality of the Civic Center as it relates to the use of County -owned buildings, the Master Plan relies upon the uses afforded by the entire Civic Center. Through a collaborative effort, the City of Santa Ana could partner with all of the Civic Center tenants, which would include engaging representatives of all of the government agencies at each level of government, to expand upon the County of Orange's Master Plan. Specifically, the City of Santa Ana could advocate for design elements for the Civic Center that incorporate military recognition. Such design elements could include physical enhancements like statues, monuments, memorial spaces (walks, plazas, fountains, walls, etc.) plaques, and other art installations, which recognize U.S. military veterans. Additional options include renaming park/open space with a military hero's name, encouraging new developments to have a veteran hero's name, renaming streets, renaming City Hall conference rooms with a military hero name, etc. Veterans Museum As recommended by a member of the City Council, staff could explore the feasibility of establishing a veterans museum. Deploy a Street Banner Program Cities across the United States utilize their street light and utility poles to display commemorative banners to recognize their residents who have served in the U.S. military. To implement these types of programs, it is common that the custom street banners display the name, branch, and year that the individual served, and are placed along main roads throughout the cities. The City of Santa Ana could utilize its existing street light/utility pole banner program to implement this option. Highlight Stories of Military Veterans in City -Issued Printed Materials From time to time, the City of Santa Ana publishes printed materials and distributes them to residents across the City. This includes routine items such as utility bills, other recurring items such as the Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Agency Activity Guide, and other mailers. Some of these printed materials have space for the City to create content to share information, highlight activities and events, and showcase stories. As part of the content creation, the City could 65A-2 Options to Recognize Santa Ana Residents Who Have Served in the U.S. Military July 21, 2020 Page 3 use space to highlight stories of U.S. military veterans in newsletters, inserts into utility bills, and more. Specifically, the content could include a headshot, name of the individual, branch that they served, as well as the years served. Launch a Digital and Social Media Campaign to Tell Veterans' Stories Similar to the concept of using printed materials to share veterans' stories, the City could launch a digital and social media campaign. By using digital tools such as the City's website, electronic billboards and displays, and City social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Nextdoor), the City could create content that recognizes veterans by name and accompanying biography. Reimagine Military Recognition at the Fourth of July Celebration For the past several years, the City of Santa Ana has hosted an annual Fourth of July celebration at Centennial Park. The purpose of the event is to provide shared space for the community to celebrate and recognize the independence of the United States, as well as to commemorate those who have served in the U.S. military and have fought for and preserved the freedoms that residents enjoy. Currently, as part of the Fourth of July celebration's programming, U.S. military veterans in attendance are invited to gather at the main stage area to be recognized. Members of the Santa Ana City Council and other Orange County elected officials are invited to speak and recognize the participating veterans as well. While the City was unable to host a Fourth of July celebration in 2020 due to COVID-19, the City could consider reimagining the ways in which U.S. military veterans are recognized as part of the Fourth of July celebration. Options to consider include a formal ceremony, a parade, or other activities which focus on veterans. Partner with Veterans -Related Organizations to Support their Existing Programs and Services There are veterans -related organizations throughout Santa Ana and surrounding Orange County that provide networking and other services for U.S. military veterans. These organizations include: Santa Ana College's Veterans Resource Center, Santa Ana Public Library's Veterans Resource Center, County of Orange's Veterans Service Office, the American Legion, VFW, VetNet-Working Wardrobes, State of California Department of Veterans Affairs, State of California Employment Development Department, Santa Ana WORK Center, United Mexican American Veterans Association, OC Veterans Advisory Council, Air Force 2 Workforce, Veterans Legal Institute, and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. This is not meant to be an exhaustive list. These organizations work with U.S. military veterans as part of their core operations. By Working collaboratively with these organizations, the City of Santa Ana could potentially find ways to provide support to these organizations to continue to serve and recognize U.S. military veterans who reside in Santa Ana. Veterans Day Events Taking into consideration that the City must adhere to federal guidance, the State of California's stay-at-home requirements, and other health requirements as directed by the California 65A-3 Options to Recognize Santa Ana Residents Who Have Served in the U.S. Military July 21, 2020 Page 4 Department of Public Health in response to the COVID-19 emergency, the opportunity to host in - person events on Veterans Day may be limited in 2020. However, this presents an opportunity to collaborate with stakeholders in the veteran community to plan and coordinate events and programming with veteran -related organizations. In addition to common recognition ceremonies and parades, the City of Santa Ana could consider providing monetary or in -kind sponsorship for activities and events hosted by these organizations. Examples include meet -and -greet networking events, professional development activities, performances, trainings, and more. The Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center (SARTC) could be used as a venue to host such events. Next Steps The purpose of this informational report is to share examples of common military recognition initiatives and programs for consideration by the City Council. At this time, staff seeks input from the City Council relating to other ideas to recognize Santa Ana residents who have served in the U.S. military. Upon receiving direction from the City Council, staff will further evaluate the options presented in this staff report, as well as research additional ideas discussed by the City Council. FISCAL IMPACT There is no fiscal impact associated with this action. Submitted By: Kristine Ridge, City Manager — City Manager's Office 65A-4