All requests for letters, certificates, proclamations, events, and adjournments should be made by community members in the City of Hayward, organizations or businesses physically located in Hayward, or organizations whose primary mission is to provide some service to Hayward residents. The Office of the Mayor reserves the right to decline or modify requests and make exceptions to any of the following guidelines.

Events:

If you would like to invite the Mayor or a City Councilmember to an event, please submit a formal request including the event name, host, location, date and time here. Please be aware that the Mayor’s schedule fills up quickly, so please submit your request well in advance of the event.  The Mayor and/or Council may be forced to decline invitations received less than 30 days prior to an event due to scheduling challenges.

Letters:

A letter from the Mayor serves to commemorate a special occasion or convey gratitude on behalf of the City of Hayward. The Mayor will issue letters for the purpose of: 

• Welcoming an individual or group to the City of Hayward
• Congratulating an individual, group, or organization for a significant achievement
• Thanking an individual or group for service or a gift to the City of Hayward

Requests for letters should include:

1. Recipient’s full name and address
2. A brief (<250 words) description of the occasion for the letter
3. Date of event (if applicable)
4. Date message is needed
5. Contact information for the person requesting the letter

The Office of the Mayor reserves the right to decline or modify requests and make exceptions to any of the guidelines listed on this page. Requests for letters cannot be completed with less than one month advance notice.  In order to request a letter of welcome, commendation, or congratulation, please submit a request electronically here.

Certificates:

The Mayor and Council issue special certificates of commendation, recognition, and achievement. Occasions for which certificates may be issued include, but are not limited to:

• Exemplary service or significant contributions by an organization, business, or individual to the City of Hayward
• Notable achievement  by a Hayward resident
• Retirement from the military, police, or fire department
• Other achievements or events of significance

Requests for certificates should include:

1. Recipient’s full name and address
2. A brief (<100 words) description of the recipient
3. A brief (<300 words) description of the reason for the certificate
4. Proposed text for the certificate, including several “whereas” clauses to be included in the commendation
5. Date of event (if applicable)
6. Date certificate is desired
7. Contact information for the person requesting the certificate

Due to the large volume of worthy requests, not all requests for certificates will result in the award of a certificate. The Office of the Mayor reserves the right to decline or modify requests and make exceptions to any of the guidelines listed on this page. Requests for certificates cannot be completed with less than one month advance notice.  In order to request a certificate, please submit a request electronically here.

Proclamations:

Proclamations are legal documents that declare a day, week, or month in honor of a cause, individual, or occasion significant to the City of Hayward and its residents.

• All proclamation requests should be made by a resident of Hayward or an organization primarily serving Hayward residents
• All proclamation requests must be relevant to a broad group of Hayward residents
• Proclamations may not be used in any advertisement or promotion without written approval from the Office of the Mayor
• Please be aware that the Mayor issues very few proclamations. Though the Mayor receives a large number of worthy requests, not all requests will result in the issuance of a proclamation.

Reasons to request a proclamation include:

• A significant date or anniversary relating to the City of Hayward
• Significant historical commemorations
• To highlight an issue that has citywide public interest
• Recognizing a national or state non-profit event that coincides with a local event (for example, Breast Cancer Awareness month)
• Recognizing a person or group of persons who have had a significant positive impact on the City of Hayward

Requests for proclamations should include:

1. ​Desired day, week, or month of the proclamation
2. Proposed text for the proclamation, including up to 5 sentence “whereas” clauses explaining and supporting the reason for the proclamation, not to exceed one page (example)
3. Contact information for the person or group of persons honored by the proclamation (if applicable)
4. Contact information for the person requesting the proclamation

Due to the large volume of worthy requests and the limited number of proclamations made, we may not be able to accommodate all requests for proclamations. The Office of the Mayor reserves the right to decline or modify requests and make exceptions to any of the above guidelines. Requests for proclamations should be made between one and six months in advance of the date needed.  Please submit requests electronically here.

Adjournments:

City Council meetings can be adjourned to commemorate and celebrate the life of Hayward community members who have died. If you would like to request a memorial adjournment, please submit a request here.

Requests for memorial adjournments must include:

1. The name of the person to be memorialized
2. An obituary statement and a brief (<100 words) summary of the individual’s connection to the City of Hayward and contributions to the community
3. Date adjournment is desired
4. Contact information for the person requesting the adjournment