Sister City Relationships Advisory Commission Transition Copyright 2014
City of Dubuque Action Items # 2.
ITEM TITLE: Sister City Relationships Advisory Commission
SUMMARY: Sister City Relationships Advisory Commission
recommending City Council approval to transition to a
nonprofit organization under an agreement with the
Dubuque Convention and Visitors Bureau.
The Commission will make a presentation.
SUGGESTED DISPOSITION: Suggested Disposition: Receive and File; Approve,
Presentation
ATTACHMENTS:
Description Type
Commission Memo Staff Memo
Presentation Supporting Documentation
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TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Jeff Jochum, Sister City Commission Chairperson
SUBJECT: Sister City Advisory Commission
DATE: September 1, 2016
Introduction
The purpose of this memorandum is to provide an overview of the Sister City Advisory
Commission and a recommendation for transitioning to a new organizational structure.
Background
The Sister City Advisory Commission was established in Title 2, Chapter 9 of the Code
of Ordinances. The Commission currently has 13 members. The breakdown of the
members is as follows:
• Two City Council representatives —currently Kevin Lynch and Joyce Connors
• 11 city of Dubuque residents who are appointed by the City Council. The current
Commission is made up of residents who represent private business and
education.
According to the city code the purpose of the commission is to:
A. Facilitate and maintain economic and cultural exchanges with the City's officially
recognized international Sister Cities,
B. Explore potential relationships with international cities where a formal Sister City
relationship may be mutually beneficial,
C. Engage in partnerships with the City's business community and educational
institutions that will enhance Sister City relationships.
Discussion
Currently the city of Dubuque has three official sister cities— Handan, China which was
established in 1995, Pyatigorsk, Russia which was established in 1989, and Dornbirn,
Austria which was established in 2012. Dubuque also has a friendship city with Trois-
Rivieres, Canada, and we continue to field invitations from other countries and from the
State of Iowa on behalf of other countries about our interest in establishing additional
sister city relationships.
As our international reputation continues to grow, Dubuque has become both a tourist
and educational destination. Recent statistics from the Dubuque Area Convention and
Visitors Bureau show that Dubuque fielded tourism inquiries from over 131 countries in
the past year and in 2016 has or will host group tours from Japan, Germany and the
Czech Republic.
In addition, since 2012 Dubuque has participated in the ICMA International Fellows
program and has served as a host city for Fellows from Australia, China (twice),
Indonesia, Malaysia, Timor-Leste, the Philippines, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and New
Zealand. There are 77 companies in the Greater Dubuque Area that have overseas
locations, 80 that have international sales (100 companies if you include those
companies who have customers nationally who then turn and sell their product
overseas such as subs for John Deere) and there are students from over 23 countries
attending a local college or University in Dubuque.
As Dubuque continues to become a tourist, cultural, educational or economic destination, it
is important to have a strong, diverse structure in place in order to accommodate the
opportunities that this presents. Recognizing this the Commission began a goal setting
process in 2014 to identify our areas of focus. In September 2015, we presented at a City
Council work session and provided an update our accomplishments over the past year (see
attached powerpoint). We also discussed our focus moving forward, which included the
exploration of looking at alternative models for managing and growing our sister city
relationships, programs and activities.
A sub-committee of sister city commissioners made up of Bob Felderman, Dik Van Iten and
City Clerk Kevin Firnstahl, with some guidance from Assistant City Manager Cindy
Steinhauser, began researching nearly two dozen sister city models in other cities Our
research also included direct conversations with Austin, TX; Cary, NC, and Ames, IA.
Information was also provided by Sister Cities International and the Iowa Sister States
program. Our research uncovered that the most active and engaged sister cities programs
were ones in which the program was managed by a not-for-profit with a strong link to local
government. Data from Sister Cities International indicated that 65% of their members who
managed sister city programs were not-for-profit organizations (with local government
representatives), 35% were unincorporated (which means they are basically a volunteer
group with no formalized structure that included bylaws and articles of incorporation) and
very few were managed directly by local government.
In reviewing this research the commission identified the following pros and cons as it related
to structure under a local government vs. structure under a local not-for-profit but with local
government representation. The most significant features under the current format are:
• Extensive staff support to organize hosting delegate visits;
• Extensive staff support to plan and implement other programming including cultural
or educational programming;
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• Budget limitations including how funds can be spent, inability to fundraise for
programs, delegation visits and reciprocal trips, interpretation needs and inability to
create membership program;
• Gift law; and
• Members can only be residents of city of Dubuque, despite our regional presence.
Conversely, the most significant opportunities operating under a not-for-profit include:
• Fundraising to adequately support existing or expanded programming and support
delegation visits;
• Creates a tax-deductible opportunity for donors
• Potential for membership drive for businesses and individuals
• Expands pool of membership by removing the residency requirement; and
• Opportunity to expand support for events and/or future missions and roles
Based upon this research the Commission believes it is in the best interest of the greater
Dubuque community for the City Council to consider modifying the current sister city
structure. However, our research also showed that it is critical that the city, and in particular
the Mayor and City Council, continue to have an active role in the sister city efforts. In an
effort to insure continued local government involvement we recommend the City Council
enter into a Contract for Service Agreement with an existing not-for-profit. We further
recommend that this Contract for Service Agreement be with the Dubuque Area Convention
and Visitors Bureau (DACVB). It is our experience that most sister city experiences begin
with a cultural and tourism focus and most often delegation visit are organized around
community tours, tourist and cultural attractions and social gatherings. The DACVB is the
leading local not-for-profit most equipped to help manage this kind of effort. They have a
depth of experience in managing these kinds of requests for the over 2 million tourists and
group tours that come to our city every year. City Clerk Kevin Firnstahl has had a brief
discussion with Keith Rahe, President of the DACVB and he agrees that there is an
untapped opportunity in our growing international reputation and would be supportive of a
Contract for Service Agreement with the City of Dubuque to manage our sister city efforts.
Our suggested model would be to dissolve the existing Sister City Advisory Commission and
create a new Sister City Advisory Board under the DACVB. This new advisory board would
include an agreed upon number of members that would continue to include City Clerk Kevin
Firnstahl and two City Council representatives. The remainder of the advisory board would
be made up of representative from business, industry, education, arts and faith
communities. The board make-up along with other issues such as mission, goal, bylaws,
objectives, outcomes and areas of focus would be identified in the Contract for Services
Agreement and other documents approved by the city of Dubuque.
It is the opinion of the existing Sister City Commission that as our reputation as an
international destination continues to grow, this new model would be an expansion and
enhancement of the solid foundation that has been built in Dubuque over the past 30 years.
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Respectfully submitted,
Jeff Jochum, Chairperson
Cc: Sister City Commissioners
Kevin Firnstahl, City Clerk
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Pyatigorsk, Russia Handan, China
Dornbirn, Austria
Dubuque Sister City Relationships
Advisory Commission
City Council Presentation November 21, 2016
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Presentation Outline
• Seek City Council direction and approval to
restructure the Commission to a not-for-profit
organization while retaining an official link to the
City
— Review Sister City activity since September 2015
presentation
— Review of Commission history, membership, mission
and current relationships
— Identify challenges to our mission that resulted from
our strategic planning
— Share research of and benefits to a not-for-profit
structure
History of the Sister City Commission
• In the 1980s and 1990s, the City of Dubuque established relationships
with Pyatigorsk, Russia, and Handan, China.
• A group of citizens formed a Sister City Committee.
• These partnerships led to the formation of official relationships and
delegation visits to Pyatigorsk in 1998/2003, Handan in 2008/2015 and
Dornbirn, Austria in 2012.
• On November 1, 2010, the City Council officially formed the Sister City
Relationships Advisory Commission to include 10 at-large residents of
the City and 2 members of the City Council.
• In 2011, the membership was increased to 11 at-large residents.
Membership
11 Appointed Members, 2 City Council Representatives, 1 Staff Liais
At-Large Representatives : Annalee Ward
• Sheila Castaneda Vacant
• Robert Felderman
• Jeffrey Jochum City Council Representatives:
• Dick Landis Joyce Connors
• Phyllis Lee Kevin Lynch
• Rachel McDermott
• Patrick McNamara City Staff Liaison :
• Louise Thurn • Kevin Firnstahl
• Richard Van Iten
Purpose & Mission Statement
Purpose :
According to City Code the purpose of the commission is to:
facilitate and maintain educational, economic and cultural
exchanges with the city's officially recognized international sister
cities; to explore potential relationships with cities where a sister
city relationship may be mutually beneficial; and to engage
partnerships with the business community, cultural entities, and
education institutions that will enhance sister city relationships.
Mission Statement:
The Mission statement adopted at the Commission's 2015 strategic
planning session is to: Promote peace with mutual respect,
understanding, and cooperation with cultural, education and economic
endeavors
Dubuque ' s Three Sister Cities
• Pyatigorsk, Russia — 1989
— Population : 144,603 '
• Handan, China — 1995
— Population : 1,800,000
• Dornbirn, Austria — 2012
— Population : 45, 640 �_
Commission Activities
• Delegation Visits
• Handan Photo Exhibit
• Student Pen Pal Exchanges
• Strategic Planning Session
• Education and awareness ( PERSIA)
Lpolitical, economic religious, social, intellectual
and arts
Delegation Visits
• 1996 - Pyatigorsk visits Dubuque
• 1998 - Dubuque visits Pyatigorsk
• 2010 - Dornbirn visits Dubuque
• 2011 - Dornbirn visits Dubuque
• 2012 - Dubuque visits Dornbirn
• 2013 - Dornbirn City Manager visits Dubuque
• 2013 - Handan visits Dubuque (august & September)
• 2014 - Dornbirn visits Dubuque
• 2015 - Dubuque visits Handan
Delegation Visits
• Local tours
• Presentations from staff
• GDDC assisted/facilitated 2013 and 2015 visits
— Economic development & education opportunities
• PERSIA model (political, economic religious, social,
intellectual and arts)
Other International Visits
• The city of Dubuque has been a host city for
11 countries including : Australia, Cambodia,
China, Dominican Republic, Indonesia, Laos,
Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Thailand
and Timor-Leste
• Most delegation visits are focused around
local cultural and tourist attractions as well as
social gatherings
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Dubuque's Global Reach
Business Community
• 80 companies in the Greater Dubuque Area have
international sales
• 77 have overseas locations
Higher Education (2015)
• Clarke University = 6 countries, 9 students
• Loras Colleges = 12 countries, 34 students
• University of Dubuque = 17 countries, 160 students
• UW Platteville = 25 countries. 138 students
• TOTAL = 28 countries, 341 students
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Dubuque's Global Reach
Non-profit
• Over 50 nationalities are affiliated with the
Multicultural Family Center
• In past years, the Dubuque Area Convention
and Visitors Bureau has fielded tourism
inquiries from over 131 Countries and has
hosted tours from Japan, Germany and the
Czech Republic
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Challenges
• Extensive staff support needed to organize,
manage and host delegate visits;
• Extensive staff support needed to plan and
implement other programming including cultural
or educational program development
• Limitations on source of funds and how they can
be used
• Gift Law
• Current Commission members can only be
residents of city of Dubuque despite our regional
presence
2015 Strategic Planning Session
• Purpose of Session :
- Evaluate the priorities of the
Commission and what our future should
look like ?
- Discuss process to identify a structure
that will best suit future activities and
success of Dubuque's International
relationships
2015 Strategic Planning Session
Primary outcome :
Exploration of alternative models for
managing existing and growing our
international relationships, programs and
activities.
Research
• Survey of cities and Sister Cities International
Albuquerque, NM Ft Wayne, IN
Ames, IA Kenosha, WI
Asheville, NC La Crosse, WI
Aurora, CO Milwaukee, WI
Austin, TX Minneapolis, MN
Bellevue, WA Norfolk, VA
Bloomington, IN Snoqualmie, WA
Cary, NC St. Paul, MN
Cincinnati, OH Stockton, CA
Delray Beach, FL Tempe, AZ
Denver, CO Vallejo, CA
IL Des Moines, IA West Des Moines, IA
Elkader, IA
Research Results
The majority of sister city organizations are
nonprofits that partner with local government
and
o Maintain official connection with local elected officials and
staff
o Have a professional board of directors & committees that
includes representation from PERSIA sectors
o Have an organized, fee-based membership & formalized
committee structure
o Have additional fundraising capabilities and budget
o Establish public / private partnerships
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Recommendation
• Establish a Sister City Advisory Board under the
Dubuque Area Convention & Visitors Bureau with
representatives from PERSIA sectors, City Council and
City staff.
• Enter into a Contracted Services Agreement with an
existing local not-for-profit agency, including the existing
Sister City annual budget allocation
Benefits
• Allows us to accommodate expansion of growing global
interest in Dubuque;
• Allows for fundraising & sponsorships to adequately support
existing or expanded programming and support delegation
visits;
• Expands pool of membership by removing the residency
requirement;
• Creates opportunity to expand support for events and/or
future missions and roles; and
• Alleviates government restrictions on :
o Delegation travel
o Member residency
o Fundraising/Budget
o Open Meetings Law requirements
0 Delegate visit expenses (food, beverage, tours)
Next Steps
• Approve parent agency
• Dubuque Area Convention & Visitors Bureau
• Develop contracted services agreement
o Responsibilities of agency / City established
o Reporting / accountability established
o Determine City budget contribution
o Identify Council & staff liaisons
• Dissolve current commission
Direction / Questions
Thank you