DEPARTMENT: Parks, Facilities, and Fleet Management
FILE TYPE: Regular Information
TITLE
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Discussion On County Gift Acceptance Policy And Practices
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PURPOSE/ACTION REQUESTED
Discuss and obtain direction on the desired policy approach to accepting and recognizing gifts, tributes, and memorials for County programs and projects.
SUMMARY
The County has had a gift acceptance policy in place since 1997, Policy 1570 Gift Acceptance. It allows the County Manager or their designee the authority to accept gifts up to $500 on the County Board's behalf. Gifts over $500 in value require County Board approval.
Historically, the County has accepted gifts for a variety of public purposes, including (Attachment: Dakota County Gifts/Donations Summary):
* Support for library materials (e.g, books, educational materials, events, programming, workshops)
* Public Art (i.e., artwork at County facilities)
* Parks and Greenway projects (e.g., property donations, cash, materials)
* Sheriff (e.g., vehicles and equipment, cash, inmate reading material)
* Community Services programs (e.g., cash, gift cards, food, program support)
* Transportation's Adopt a Highway Program
The County is authorized to accept gifts by Minn. Stat. ? 375.27. There are also limitations on fundraising and other activities that may implicate First Amendment rights. A summary of legal principles regarding gift acceptance, recognition, and fundraising prepared by the County Attorney's Office is attached to inform the discussion (see Attachment: Summary of Legal Principles).
The County also receives gifts and donations from a variety of non-profit organizations, such as:
* Friends of the Library: Farmington, Galaxie, Heritage, Inver Glen, Pleasant Hill, Robert Trail, Wentworth, and Wescott.
* Dakota County Library Foundation. This organization raises funding for specific library programs and needs.
During the 2022 budget process and in subsequent committee meetings,...
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