City of Auburn Proclamation Policy
It is the policy of the Mayor to consider requests to proclaim certain events, causes, or achievements which advance adopted City policy and strategy and increase public awareness of issues important to the well-being of the residents of the City of Auburn, consistent with State law.
Proclamations do not require City Council action. If a proclamation request is approved by the Mayor, a single copy of the proclamation document will be provided to the requestor at no cost. The proclamation may be read and presented at a regularly scheduled City Council meeting. Signed proclamations are posted on the City’s social media platform(s).
The Mayor may bring forward proclamations at their discretion and must abide by the guidelines of this policy. The Mayor may bring forward proclamations to acknowledge the contributions of noteworthy residents, retiring staff, or departing council members.
Requesting a Proclamation
The following guidelines must be followed by the person(s) or organization requesting a proclamation:
- The person(s) or organization submitting the request for a proclamation must do so at least 30 days prior to the date of the City Council meeting at which it will be read and should provide a sample/draft proclamation for consideration.
- The proclamation must fit on one 8 ½ X 11 sheet of paper with room remaining for the signature of the Mayor and City seal.
- The person(s) or organization submitting the request must be an Auburn community member or the organization must reside in the Auburn city limits.
- The person(s) or organization must be in attendance to accept the proclamation; if the person(s) or organization cannot accept the proclamation, then the proclamation will be posted on the City’s social media platform(s).
- The Mayor will determine if the proposed proclamation meets City policy.
- The person(s) submitting the request must submit a completed application to request an official City of Auburn Proclamation.
Limitations of Proclamations
Proclamations will NOT be issued for:
- Campaigns or events contrary to the City of Auburn policies, vision, or values.
- Matters of political, ideological, or religious controversy or individual conviction.
- Pending ballot or legislative issues. Support for pending ballot or legislative issues must be prepared by a Council resolution and must follow applicable procedures outlined in state law.
- An advertisement, endorsement, or commercial promotion.
- Multiple proclamations for similar subject matter or organization (e.g., “Month of the Young Child” and “Child Abuse Prevention Month”). It is preferred that these be consolidated.
The City retains the right to modify, edit, or otherwise amend the proposed proclamation to meet its requirements, needs, or policy determinations. The City retains the right to decide if the proclamation will be issued or not.
Proclamation: A proclamation is defined as an official announcement made by the Mayor or the City Council regarding a non-controversial event, activity or special interest group which has a major city-wide impact.
Community Member: For purposes of this policy, a community member is defined as someone who lives, works, studies, or is affiliated with an institution within the Auburn city limits.