TO: Honorable Mayor & Members of the North Port Commission
FROM: Peter D. Lear, CPA, CGMA, City Manager
TITLE: Discussion and Possible Action Regarding City Commission Use of Challenge Coins
Recommended Action
Discussion and possible action to provide direction on City Commission use of Challenge Coins.
Background Information
At the September 24, 2019 City Commission Regular Meeting, the topic of challenge coins for use by the City Commissioners was discussed. Commission moved to direct staff was directed to bring back pricing and design ideas with the City Seal on one side and appropriate verbiage on the back to be handed out at-will without Commission's requested approval.
Challenge Coins are traditionally used as a token to recognize excellence, extraordinary efforts or accomplishments within an organization, to boost morale. With military origins, members of military units carry the coins to signify their being part of a unit and tradition holds that if an officer/soldier called for a coin check, the soldier unable to produce their coin at the bar had to buy the challenger, or those who produced their coins, a round of drinks.
While the use of challenge coins is typically associated with military units, the tradition has expanded and is often seen in paramilitary organizations such as police and fire departments, Federal Organizations and the Office of the President of the United States.
Currently, North Port's Fire Department and Police Department regularly use challenge coins, distributing them to new personnel, trading them with members of other departments/units, and providing them to honored guests or supporters to recognize their importance to the organization. The City's Human Resources Department also issues a challenge coin each year on Veteran's day to all employees who have served in the United States Armed Forces.
Pricing for challenge coins ranges from $3.50 to $12.00 per coin depending on the size, complexity of design, materia...
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