Title
Hurricane Appreciation Luncheon Event (B)
Explanation
The City of Gainesville is nearing completion of activities associated with cleanup from the hurricane season, which coincidentally ends at the end of November. City employees have worked long difficult hours on such duties as solid waste and debris pickup, tree cutting and clearing, truck inspections, code and building inspections and the associated support systems for these processes. The appreciation program includes a lunch to be held on December 7, 2004 at Morningside Nature Park between the hours of 11:30 am to 2:00 pm to serve approximately 670 General Government employees who participated in the preparedness, recovery and/or cleanup. Original plans were to purchase the food and for the Rotary Club to cook and serve the food. However, city staff has been informed by the Fryers that they cannot handle a group of this size during the workday.
Vendors have been contacted to provide the meal, with the lowest quote of approximately $4,500 for a BBQ meal provided by Hills BBQ. Due to cost, staff has reduced the meal to a BBQ chicken dinner that will cost approximately $3,500. Additionally, employees were given a choice of a commemorative T-shirt, cap, or mug with a hurricane logo. GRU provided commemorative accessories for their employees, a breakfast for the linemen, and a luncheon for office and administrative personnel.
Fiscal Note
The cost of the hurricane appreciation event is estimated to be approximately $3,500 for food. Commemorative items will be paid through the Human Resources budget.
Recommendation
The City Commission contribute up to a maximum of $3,500 from its contingency fund for food for the employee hurricane appreciation event.