Grover Beach Municipal Code § 11.05 Electioneering

Section

Use of Official City Symbols, Letterhead

USE OF OFFICIAL CITY SYMBOLS, LETTERHEAD

For the purpose of this subchapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates, or requires, a different meaning.

CITY LETTERHEAD. Any correspondence which is identical to, or resembles or approximates being, the official letterhead of the city.

CITY’S OFFICIAL LOGO AND TAGLINE. The city adopted a logo and tagline which depicts a blue outline of a butterfly with light blue, tan, and orange semi-horizontal stripes with the words “Grover Beach, a Great Place to Spread Your Wings” affixed next to and underneath the design.

OFFICIAL CITY SEAL. The front of the official seal of the city shall be circular, containing in the center a scene depicting the ocean, beach, and sand dunes along with three seagulls and white clouds. The words, “City of Grover Beach, California, the Coastal Community Incorporated 1959” will surround the scene with a brown scalloped edge surrounding the outside. An OFFICIAL CITY SEAL shall at all times be kept in the office of the City Clerk, who shall be the custodian of that seal.

OFFICIAL CITY SYMBOLS. These include the official city seal, city logo, tagline, and city letterhead.

(Prior Code, § 2600) (Ord. 10-05, passed 10-4-2010)

(A) The official city seal is hereby adopted. The seal, when used for official or ceremonial purposes or as a means of identification, shall be displayed in its entirety, without any additions or deletions thereto, and shall not be obscured from view in any manner.

(B) The official city seal is as follows:

(Prior Code, § 2601) (Ord. 10-05, passed 10-4-2010)

No person shall use or allow to be used the official seal of the city or any other official city symbols, or any cut, facsimile thereof, or make or use any design which is an imitation of said seal or symbols or of the design thereof, or which may be mistaken for the seal of the city or other symbols or the design thereof, for malicious or commercial purposes, or for any purposes other than for city purposes, or for the purposes of any officer, board, or department thereof, without the expressed written authorization from the City Manager.

(Prior Code, § 2602) (Ord. 10-05, passed 10-4-2010) Penalty, see § 11.99

No person, group, corporation, non-profit organization, association, or political committee shall cause to be prepared, distributed, or published, or permit the preparation, distribution or publication of any letter, advertisement, bumper sticker, flyer, pamphlet, handbill, or other written document containing or incorporating any of the city’s official symbols, including the official city seal, the city letterhead, and the city logo or tagline or other similar symbols, without the expressed written authorization from the City Manager.

(Prior Code, § 2603) (Ord. 10-05, passed 10-4-2010) Penalty, see § 11.99

Any person who uses or allows to be used any of the official city symbols or reproduction or facsimile thereof in any campaign literature or mass mailing, as defined in the Cal. Government Code § 82041.5 (or any subsequent amendments or new statutes) with the intent to deceive the voters and in a manner that creates a misleading, erroneous, or false impression that the document is authorized by the city or one of its officials, is guilty of a misdemeanor. The violation of this section constitutes a separate offense from concurrent violation of any applicable state law.

(Prior Code, § 2605) (Ord. 10-05, passed 10-4-2010)

The Mayor and individual Council members may use the city letterhead or the city logo in correspondence on all matters concerning official city business, including the author’s independent opinion on any official matter. However, in such communication, unless authorized by the majority of the City Council, it must be made clear that any opinion expressed by the author is an individual opinion and not the official opinion of the Council as a whole or the city.

(Prior Code, § 2606) (Ord. 10-05, passed 10-4-2010)

No city official or employee shall use city letterhead or other official city symbol for their own private purpose or on behalf of private individuals or organizations, or any other purpose expressly prohibited by law.

(Prior Code, § 2607) (Ord. 10-05, passed 10-4-2010 Penalty, see § 11.99

(A) Any person violating any provision of this chapter for which no specific penalty is prescribed shall be subject to § 10.99 of this code of ordinances.

(B) It shall be unlawful and a misdemeanor for any person to violate any provision of §§ 11.01 through 11.07 or to otherwise make or use the seal of the city, city letterhead, city logo or tagline, or a reproduction or facsimile thereof, for any purpose other than authorized by this code or by a formal action of the City Manager reduced to a written authorization.

(Prior Code, § 2604) (Ord. 10-05, passed 10-4-2010)