HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo - Citywide Ticket PolicyCITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA
INTER -OFFICE MEMORANDUM
TO: Johnny Martinez, P.E.
City Manager
FROM: Zari S. Watkins, Esq.
Executive Assistant to trfe City Manager
DATE: July 3, 2012
SUBJECT: Proposed Language for APM
re: Citywide Ticket Policy
The Miami -Dade County Commission on Ethics and Public Trust ("Commission on
Ethics") has adopted new guidelines and recommendations and an addendum of
suggested permissible public purposes for City officials, staff and employees concerning
the receipt of tickets by public officials. through the "public benefit" clauses in certain
government contracts (please see attached). On March 22, 2012, the City Commission
adopted Resolution No. R-12-0124, directing the City Manager and the City Attorney to
work with the directors and executive directors of all City -run venues to recommend a
fair and equitable ticket distribution policy consistent with the new guidelines adopted by
the Miami -Dade County Commission on Ethics for the City Commission's consideration
and approval (please see attached).
On April 24, 2012, the Commission on Ethics issued a General Letter of Instruction to
the City of Miami, finding that there was no violation of Section 2-613 of the City Code
when the City receives tickets from companies doing business with the City, as long as
the tickets are given for the use and benefit of the City (please see attached). The
General Letter of Instruction further instructed the City to develop and revise its policy
concerning the use, distribution and reporting of tickets and other benefits obtained by
the City through contractual agreements for the use of certain City -owned venues,
The following ticket policy is being proposed and considered for adoption as the
City's newest administrative policy:
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Ticket Policy
For All City -run Venues:
• For the Elected Officials that desire to participate, those Elected Officials may
provide the City Manager with names of non-profit organizations within the City,
that will be eligible to receive complimentary or community benefits tickets for
City -run venues. The non-profit organizations will be selected, by the City
Manager or his designee, through a random drawing to receive tickets for a
particular performance of any production, event, tour, etc. for which such tickets
are available. The tickets shall be made available for pickup at the venue in
which the performance or event will be held. The block of tickets available for a
particular performance of any production, event, tour, etc. cannot be broken up
among more than one non-profit organization. The tickets awarded to a non-profit
organization cannot be resold. The non-profit organizations will be required to
attest that they will not sell, trade, barter, or raffle for fundraising purposes for
cash or monetary or non -monetary consideration, any tickets from their allotment.
Once tickets are allocated, they cannot be exchanged for a different game; in the.
event tickets are lost, they cannot be replaced.
• Notwithstanding, the following officials may request and receive community
benefits or complimentary tickets for a particular performance of any production,
event, tour, etc. for which such tickets are available, to be used for any
permissible public purpose:
• Mayor and City Commissioners;
• Board Members of the Bayfront Park Management Trust, Gusman
Center for the Performing Arts, and Virginia Key Beach Park Trust;
• City Manager;
• In the event the above -mentioned officials are unable to use their tickets, the City
Manager may otherwise distribute the tickets for any permissible public purpose.
• Furthermore, notwithstanding anything provided by. this administrative policy, all
City officials and board members receiving public, community benefits, or
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Ticket Policy
complimentary tickets for productions, events, tours, etc. at City -run venues are
required to comply with Sections 112.313(4) and 112.3148(4), Florida Statutes,
as well as Section 2-11.1 of the Miami -Dade County Code and Sections 2-611
through 2-619 of the Miami City Code, as amended, in addition to the guidelines
and addendum set forth by the Commission on Ethics and all other applicable
federal, state and local laws.