MVM Memo requesting volunteers to Sister City Committee 7.15.09THE CITY OF Dubuque
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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
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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.