Title
An Ordinance authorizing execution of a Public Service Agreement by and between the City of Lee’s Summit, Missouri and the Junior College District of Metropolitan Kansas City, Missouri for support of the MCC-Longview Campus Flights of Fancy Mega Kite Festival and authorizing the mayor to execute the same by and on behalf of the city. (NOTE: First reading by City Council on November 6, 2018. Passed by unanimous vote.)
Body
Issue/Request:
An Ordinance approving a public service agreement by and between the City of Lee’s Summit, Missouri and the Junior College District of Metropolitan Kansas City, Missouri for support of the MCC-Longview Campus Flights of Fancy Mega Kite Festival and authorizing the mayor to execute the same by and on behalf of the city.
Key Issues:
The Lee's Summit Arts Council is a City board which exists for the purpose of supporting and collaborating with Lee's Summit arts and cultural organizations, artists, art creators and independent art programs to increase the public's awareness, opportunities, and participation in arts and cultural activities.
The City of Lee's Summit has determined that it is in the best interests of the City, and important to the promotion of cultural arts in the enhancement of quality of life in the City to allocate funds for use by the Lee's Summit Arts Council for the purpose of issuing grants to initiatives that support cultural arts in the community.
The Lee's Summit Arts Council wishes to provide a grant in the amount of $1,000 to the Junior College District of Kansas City, Missouri to support the MCC-Longview Flights of Fancy Mega Kite Festival.
Proposed City Council Motion:
I move for adoption of an Ordinance authorizing the execution of a Public Service Agreement by and between the City of Lee's Summit, Missouri and the Junior College District of Metropolitan Kansas City, Missouri for the MCC-Longview Flights of Fancy Mega Kite Festival.
Background:
Each year, the City of Lee's Summit allocates funds for use by the Lee's Summit Arts Council for the purpose of promoting cultural arts in the community to enhance the quality of life in the City of Lee's Summit. The Lee's Summit Arts Council uses a portion of these funds to issue grants to initiatives that support and further that intended purpose.
The Flights of Fancy Mega Kite Festival is MCC-Longview’s signature event; the annual kite festival brings thousands of area children and their families to Lee’s Summit every spring to participate in this free one-day event in April.
The overall goal of the kite festival is to bring a unique, family-oriented experience to the area to enjoy, understand the art of kites, and build community. The 11th annual Flights of Fancy Mega Kite Festival brings an estimated 35,000 to the area each year. It is one of the largest kite festivals in the Midwest and is a fun, educational and entertaining way for families to bond over a common activity.
The Lee's Summit Arts Council has determined that the MCC-Longview Flights of Fancy Mega Kite Festival meets their requirements for the issuance of grants and will assist in the promotion of cultural arts in the community and wishes to provide the grant.
The Public Service Agreement, attached to the Ordinance as Exhibit A, provides for a grant of $1,000 to the Junior College District of Metropolitan Kansas City, Missouri to support the MCC-Longview Flights of Fancy Mega Kite Festival.
Impact/Analysis:
Cultural events like the MCC-Flights of Fancy Mega Kite Festival bring residents and visitors from across the region to Lee’s Summit and showcase the City’s cultural and artistic vibrancy. As MCC-Longview’s signature annual community event, the goal of the annual festival is to bring a unique, family-oriented experience to the area to enjoy, understand the art of kites, and build community.
Arts and cultural activities are a significant economic driver for local communities. It is estimated that the average cultural patron will contribute between $26.00 and $160.00 to the local economy in addition to the cost to attend an event. Therefore, it is in the City’s best interest to invest in engaging and diverse arts and cultural activities that take place within Lee’s Summit.
The City had a positive history of supporting the MCC-Longview Flights of Fancy Mega Kite Festival through grant funding from the Lee’s Summit Arts Council.
Timeline:
The Lee's Summit Arts Council approved the grant request at its August 2018 meeting.
Presenter
Glenda Masters, Cultural Arts Manager
Recommendation
Staff recommends approval.