City of Gainesville - File #: 140739.

• File #: 140739.
• Version: 5
• Name: Welcoming City
• Type: Resolution
• Status: Adopted
• File created: 2/12/2015
• In control: Recreation, Cultural Affairs and Public Works Committee
• On agenda: 3/17/2016
• Final action: 3/17/2016
• Title: Welcoming Gainesville (B) This is a request for the City Commission to adopt a Resolution designating Gainesville as a Welcoming City and become a part of the Welcoming America Network.

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result
3/17/2016	5	City Commission	Adopted (Resolution)	Pass
2/18/2016	4	City Commission	Approved, as shown above	Pass
1/14/2016	3	Recreation, Cultural Affairs and Public Works Committee	Discussed
11/12/2015	2	Recreation, Cultural Affairs and Public Works Committee
3/12/2015	2	Recreation, Cultural Affairs and Public Works Committee	Approved as shown above (See Motion)
2/5/2015	1	City Commission	Referred	Pass

Title
Welcoming Gainesville (B)

This is a request for the City Commission to adopt a Resolution designating Gainesville as a Welcoming City and become a part of the Welcoming America Network.

Explanation
At the February 5, 2015 City Commission meeting, the City Commission approved a referral to the Recreation, Cultural Affairs and Public Works (RCAPW) Committee on Gainesville potentially becoming a “Welcoming City”. Welcoming cities support locally-driven efforts to create more welcoming, immigrant-friendly environments that maximize opportunities for economic growth and cultural vitality and position communities as globally competitive, 21st century leaders. Led by Welcoming America and launched in June 2013, the Initiative convenes U.S. city and county governments to share good ideas, develop new tools, and receive recognition for efforts to create more welcoming communities that improve the quality of life and economic potential for all residents.

The RCAPW Committee initially discussed this topic on March 12, 2015 and continued discussion with interested citizens and representatives from Welcome America through January 2016. On February 18, 2016, the City Commission heard a presentation from citizen stakeholders on the work they had done to organize the non-profit, Welcoming Gainesville, Inc. The City Commission approved the designation of Gainesville as a Welcoming City and asked that a formal resolution be brought forward.

City staff has worked with the City Attorney’s Office to prepare the resolution based on the draft prepared by Welcoming Gainesville. Questions were raised about the impact to the City of a resolution joining the Welcoming America network. Welcoming Gainesville has established itself as a community based non-profit organization dedicated to leading community efforts to make Gainesville an even more welcoming community. As such, Welcoming Gainesville will fulfill almost all of the responsibilities of Gainesville becoming a Welc...