PURPOSE:

The purpose of this report is to request City Council acceptance of a $5,000 donation from Warner Bros. to the Management Services Department�s Burbank Employment and Student Training (BEST) Program, and to amend the Fiscal Year (FY) 2005-06 budget by appropriating these funds.

BACKGROUND:

The BEST Program has been very successful in developing the youth workforce within the Burbank community since 1996. The program hires youth workers between the ages of 16 and 18 with previous paid or volunteer work experience. Private businesses throughout Burbank hire youth workers through the BEST program and reimburse the City of Burbank for their student�s hourly wages. Local non-profit and not-for-profit organizations throughout Burbank, who cannot afford to hire youth workers, receive participants based on donations from community organizations, individuals, and private businesses such as Warner Bros.

Youth workers participate in life and career preparedness training through the BEST Program. The life skills gained include goal setting, personal budgeting, and time management.  Career preparedness skills are gained through mock interviews, field trips to local businesses, job shadowing, and presentations by guest speakers.

ANALYSIS & CONCLUSION:

On March 2, 2006, the Management Services Department�s BEST Program received a donation from Warner Bros. in the amount of $5,000. The department would like to appropriate this money for the 2006 Burbank Employment and Student Training Program. 

This $5,000 donation from Warner Bros. will allow the City to place approximately five (5) BEST students in local non-profit or not-for-profit organizations that otherwise would be unable to afford these workers.  Generous donations, such as Warner Bros., not only positively impacts  the lives of the student  workers, but also enriches  the community by  

providing assistance to the Burbank Boys & Girls Club, Salvation Army, Burbank Temporary Aide Center, Burbank YMCA, and other local organizations.  

FISCAL IMPACT:

To utilize these donated funds, the Management Services Department is requesting that the budget be amended to appropriate $5,000 from Account 130.MS000.45000.1008 (Youth Endowment Services � General Donations)  to Account 130.MS02C.60001.0000 (Youth Endowment Services � Youth Employment).  There is no matching or recurring costs associated with this donation.

RECOMMENDATION:

Staff is recommending that the City Council adopt the resolution amending the FY 2005-2006 budget by appropriating the above donation from Warner Bros. in the amount of $5,000.

Respectfully submitted,

Judie Sarquiz

Management Services Director