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MVM Memo requesting volunteers to Sister City Committee 7.15.09THE CITY OF Dubuque ~T Tj~ ~ All-AmedcaCiry ~J 1.J Masterpiece on the Mississippi 2007 TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager SUBJECT: Dubuque's Sister City Relationships DATE: July 15, 2009 Public Information Officer Randy Gehl is recommending that the City Council solicit two City Council Member volunteers to recruit members for apublic/private partnership Sister City Committee and then agree to serve on that committee. City staff would assist the Sister City Committee by arranging for a meeting location, sending out notices, facilitating Sister City contacts and assisting with research on successful programs. The volunteer committee would be expected to run meetings, take minutes, organize events, keep in contact with Sister Cities and raise funds. respectfully request further City Council direction on this issue. Michael C. Van Milligen MCVM/jh Attachment cc: Barry Lindahl, City Attorney Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager Randy Gehl, Public Information Officer THE CITY OF Dubuque -. DUB E ~-~~ Masterpiece an the Mississippi 2007 TO: Mike Van Milligen, City Manager FROM: Randy Gehl, Public Information Officer SUBJECT: Dubuque's Sister City Relationships DATE: June 10, 2009 BACKGROUND Dubuque currently has formal sister city relationships with Handan, China (population 1.4 million) and Pyatigorsk, Russia (population 140,000). This memo is in response to your April 8, 2009 memo asking if we have a Sister City Committee. This question was asked at a City Council meeting. To my knowledge, there is no formal committee. There are, however, several Dubuque residents who have been and continue to be involved with both sister city relationships. The City Council held a work session on Oct. 28, 2008 to discuss Dubuque's sister city relationship with Handan following a Dubuque delegation's visit to Handan in September. The City Council requested additional information and staff recommendations on the following: • the budget for the sister city program; • the costs of hosting a delegation from Handan; • the status of the relationship with Pyatigorsk; and • the formation of a sister city planning committee. DISCUSSION Budget: The City Council's annual budget includes a recurring budget of $5,000 for the sister city program. To date in FY 2009, $6,971.56 was incurred for City costs for the September 2008 trip to Handan. The City Council's FY2010 budget includes the recurring amount of $5,000 and an additional $680 was added for FY2010 to allow membership in Sister Cities International (SSI), a nonprofit citizen diplomacy network that creates and strengthens partnerships between U.S. and international communities. SSTs areas of focus for sister city relationships include: partnership and peace travel program, youth and education, sustainable development, grants, visa resources, humanitarian assistance, and legislative and policy updates. SSI provides members a number of "toolkits" and guides to establish and strengthen sister city relationships. Specific toolkits of interest include: visas, communications, fundraising, youth and education, and community summits on citizen diplomacy. (OVER) Estimated Costs to Host a Visit: Handan paid for the Dubuque delegation's accommodations, meals, and transportation after the group arrived in Handan. Assuming Dubuque would pay for accommodations, meals, and transportation after the delegation arrived in Dubuque, and planning on a four-night stay for six guests, 1 would estimate the costs for a visit as follows: • $50 per person per night (government rate) at Grand Harbor Resort = $1,200 • $39 per person per day meal allowance (IRS per diem rate) _ $936 • $750 for local ground transportation costs • $25 per person dinner for delegation and 50 community representatives at Grand River Center = $1,400 • $250 estimated costs for gifts for Handan officials • Total: $4,536 (estimate) Status of Pyatigorsk, Russia Sister City Relationship: In 2005, $5,000 was budgeted to bring an artist from Pyatigorsk to Dubuque to fabricate a sculpture for Pyatigorsk Park on Kerper Boulevard. No other funds were budgeted for this purpose. Neighborhood Development Specialist Jerelyn O'Connor reports that the Art on the River Committee and the Arts and Cultural Affairs Advisory Commission have discussed the issue and the consensus is that it would be extremely challenging to select an artist and bring an artist here each year for a rotating sculpture at Pyatigorsk Park although that indeed was the original concept. An artist's rendering of a proposed sculpture was submitted to Mayor Buol several months ago. Dubuque's response is pending direction and availability of funding. Planning Committee: The City Council's work session discussion included the possible formation of a 7-10 member planning committee to coordinate future sister city relations. As noted, there are several City Council members and community members who are interested in further cultivating these relationships. Based on my research, other cities' approaches to sister city relationships vary greatly. Some community's have committees that operate as stand-alone, non-profit organizations, such as Madison and Omaha. Others, such as Phoenix, Arizona, have public-private partnerships that facilitate their sister city relationships. In both Handan and Pyatigorsk, our communications are facilitated by each city's cultural affairs department. I recommend that Dubuque form apublic/private partnership and recruit a Sister Cities Committee to coordinate future relations with our sister cities. An ad hoc committee of 7-10 Dubuque residents (including two City Council members), appointed by the City Council could increase community involvement and, through sponsorships and donations, raise additional funds to augment the $5,000 recurring allocation in the City of Dubuque budget. In addition to this financial support, City staff could provide some assistance to the committee as directed by the Gity Manager. REQUESTED ACTION Please share this information with the City Council and request further direction on this issue.