Issuance of Resolutions and Proclamations is entirely at the discretion of the Mayor and Town Council and nothing in these guidelines is intended to nullify that discretion.
General Information
- Resolutions state the opinion or feeling of the Town Council and are used to dictate policy to Town employees, congratulate an organization or a person, express sorrow at the death of a well-known person or urge another governmental body, such as the U.S. Congress, to take a desired action.
- Proclamations are official announcements and/or public declarations issued by the Mayor. They are ceremonial in nature and DO NOT have any legislative value.
Resolutions may be issued for the following reasons:
- Recognition of action or service above and beyond the call of duty.
- Recognition of extraordinary achievement.
- Supporting actions that improve the quality of life of the Town of Duck.
- Raising public awareness of issues that directly affect the Town of Duck.
- Resolutions that hold local, state or national significance or serve an educational purpose for a significant number of Duck citizens.
- Recognition of individuals or groups who have made significant contributions to the Duck community
- Commendation for heroism, Boy/Eagle Scout achievement, school/sports groups achievements, and the efforts of non-profit organizations.
- Appreciation for monetary donations, in-kind contributions, cultural contributions and volunteer efforts.
- Matters that would require taking sides on a political issue.
- Matters involving issues of personal conviction.
- Matters that involve any particular religion.
- Any other matters that tend to stir up controversy or unrest.
- Commercial purposes, such as the opening of a new business, a new service, a new product, or a new professional service.
- Multiple requests from the same organization may not be honored in the same calendar year.
- Requests that are similar to resolutions that have already been issued may be denied.
Proclamations may be issued for the following reasons:
- Recognition of extraordinary achievement.
- Supporting actions that improve the quality of life of the Town of Duck.
- Raising public awareness of issues that directly affect the Town of Duck.
- Appreciation for monetary donations, in-kind contributions, cultural contributions and volunteer efforts.
- Proclamations must hold statewide significance or serve an educational purpose for a significant number of Duck citizens.
- Proclamations may recognize a day, week or month.
- Proclamations for the benefit of specific for-profit organizations, policy organizations, businesses or individuals will not be issued.
- Proclamations for anniversaries, weddings, birthdays or retirements will not normally be issued except in extraordinary circumstances such as a 100th birthday or 75th anniversary.
- Matters that would require taking sides on a political issue.
- Matters involving issues of personal conviction.
- Matters that involve any particular religion.
- Any other matters that tend to stir up controversy or unrest.
- Commercial purposes, such as the opening of a new business, a new service, a new product, or a new professional service.
- Requests must be made on an annual basis. Proclamations will not be automatically renewed.
- Multiple requests from the same organization may not be honored in the same calendar year.
- Requests that are similar to proclamations that have already been issued may be denied.
Resolutions:
Resolutions are prepared using the Town’s legal resolution format and are sequentially numbered. They include the following information:
- Information supplied by the party requesting Resolution or developed by staff including the reason for the Resolution (stated in “Whereas” clauses), and the desired course of action as a result of the resolution.
- The Mayor’s signature, Town Clerk attestation, and Town seal.
- Upon completion, Resolutions will be mailed and/or e-mailed (per direction of requestor) to the recipient and/or the party to whom it is directed.
- Whereas clauses providing information describing the five W’s (who, what, when, where, and why) regarding the proclamation;
- A Now, Therefore Be it Resolved clause, proclaiming the specific event;
- A date of execution, representing the date the document was signed by the Mayor and/or the date of the event being proclaimed;
- The signature of the Mayor;
- The town seal; and
- Enclosure in a certificate holder.
Individuals and organizations have several options for receiving finalized Resolutions and Proclamations:
- Finalized documents can be presented at an event sponsored by the individual or organization that requested the documents (Note: This option is subject to the availability of the Mayor or a Town Council Member).
- Finalized documents can be presented at a regularly scheduled Town Council meeting (Note: For agenda purposes, this option may require additional information from the party that requested the document).
- Finalized documents can be mailed and/or e-mailed (per direction from requestor) to the recipient of the Resolution or Proclamation, or they may be picked up from the Town Clerk’s office.
The individual/organization requesting a Resolution or Proclamation will be responsible for any and all media coverage desired.
- ALL applications for either a Resolution or Proclamation must be submitted at least twenty‐one (21) days prior to the event.
- Individuals/organizations are strongly encouraged to file requests as early as possible.
- Applications received after the deadline will be prepared depending upon staff
- To make a request, please complete the appropriate form:
- Requests may be made over the phone by calling the Town Clerk at (252) 254-5956. ALL phone requests MUST be followed up by completion of the completed form.
- Requests should include the following:
- Contact information: name, telephone number and email of a person who can answer questions about the Resolution/Proclamation.
- Name of the person(s)/organization the Resolution/Proclamation is about.
- Proposed text for the Resolution/Proclamation, including facts about the subject matter and enough information to make at least four points about the person(s)/organization being recognized (Note: The more information sent, the more personable the document will be).
- Date of presentation for the Resolution or Proclamation.
- Action to be taken when Resolution/Proclamation is completed (Who should be contacted in order to pick up the document).
- The Town Clerk, on behalf of the Mayor, will contact the person requesting the Proclamation/Resolution to notify them of the status of the request.
- Depending on official approval, the original Resolution/Proclamation will be issued to the individual or organization at no cost.
- Any draft language submitted for Resolution/Proclamation is subject to editing or revisions.
Please find a PDF of this information and the two applications by clicking here.