` GREATER DES MOINES SISTER CITIES COMMISSION 400 Robert D. Ray Drive Des Moines, Iowa 50309-1891 Phone: (515) 283-4141 FAX: (515) 237-1300 NEXT MEETING OCTOBER 10, 2017, AT 5:00 PM MACRAE CONFERENCE ROOM RICHARD A. CLARK MUNICIPAL SERVICE CENTER MINUTES Members Present: Members Absent: Staff Present: Hollie Askey, Dave Bair, Tom Becker, Darlene Blake, Kerry Bowen, Amy Campos, Heather Carman, Doug Lewis, Roger Nowadzky, Peggy Patrick, Ginny Renda, Vidal Spaine Kevin Geiken, William Sherman, Tim Woods Joyce Warburton On Tuesday,, Chairperson Ms. Blake called the meeting of the Greater Des Moines Sister Cities Commission to order at 5:00 PM in the MacRae Conference Room, Richard A. Clark Municipal Service Center, 1551 East Martin Luther King, Jr. Parkway. MINUTES Ms. Bowen moved to approve the August 8, 2017 minutes. Ms. Renda seconded the motion. Motion carried. FINANCIAL REPORTS Financial report for July 1, 2017 June 30, 2018 was distributed indicating August expenses of $17.28 for printing the Commission s July 2017 minutes in the Business Record; $970 for annual membership to Sister Cities International (SCI); $11.93 to Ms. Bowen for purchase of outdoor vinyl banner; $22.25 to Mr. Spaine for postage to mail student artwork to Russia; and $2,434.90 to Mr. Woods for travel to SCI Annual Conference. Ms. Bowen moved to approve the financial report. Mr. Becker seconded the motion. Motion carried. COMMISSION CHAIRPERSON S REPORT Ms. Blake welcomed the newest member to the Commission, Ms. Hollie Askey, who was appointed by the City of Norwalk to fill their seat on the Commission. The City of Norwalk made a request admission to the Commission. Action was taken by the Des Moines City Council on July 24, 2017 to approve that request. COMMISSION VICE CHAIRPERSON S REPORT Mr. Nowadzky provided the following written report. The September meeting of the Greater Des Moines Sister City Commission has been designated as the Commission s budget planning meeting. As a local governmental body, our budget planning is for the 2017-2018 municipal fiscal year.
Page 2 However, to have any detailed discussion of the budget, I think the Commission needs to have specific conversations with each of the City Committees as to the status of our sister city relationships. From there we can plan and coordinate our activities which logically generates budget needs for the next fiscal year and which can help establish goals and objectives that project beyond the next fiscal year. Long-term planning and revenue raising has not necessarily been the strength of the Commission. The Commission now has a number of new faces serving, which will energize the Commission with new talents, perspectives and skills. The other side of the coin is that institutional memory is lost when connections are lost in Commission turnover. You could have the fastest track team around but lose a relay race in the baton exchange. So, I think that the season of budget planning is an opportunity to make conscious choices as to our direction and then to take appropriate actions relating to our relationships where they have been in the past, where they are now, and where are they going, including what resources that have been overlooked or forgotten in nurturing those relationships. Related to this, the City of Norwalk, is in the process of joining the Commission, with the necessary ratification by the cities who are participants in the Commission 28E intergovernmental agreement. With Norwalk s joining, it brings with it sister city relationships it has pursued and are pursing, including a Kosovo relationship. Likewise, Johnston, which is a member of the Commission but which presently does not designate its Commission member, also has a Kosovo sister city relationship. You are reminded that our Commission has voted to explore a sister city relationship with Pristina, the capital city of Kosovo. So this begs discussion as to the support and coordination of these sister city activities, as they are specific to these specific communities. For planning purposes, including budget purposes, Commission activities have been inclusive rather than exclusive. For instance, we all participated in this year s St. Etienne Committee Bastille Day event, as we have for the last three years. It was co-sponsored by our Commission. When we sent a delegation to Stavropol, Russia last year, our Commission representative from Windsor Heights participated at her own expense (with or without financial support from Windsor Heights) just as the previous year I participated in the delegation to Shijiazhuang at my own expense as well. We participated as Commission members representing the entire Commission. So, while we identify the need for funding and fund raising for next year s activities, including our anniversary celebration with Kofu, we need to have a greater discussion in the context of a bigger picture which supports a common understanding. Part of that discussion is how we support new relationships. Part of that discussion is how we support old relationships. Sometimes opportunities present themselves and we react. But from a planning and budgeting perspective, let s consciously approach and assess each relationship. While we may be able to identify obvious needs, a greater planning direction cannot be accomplished in a single budget planning session. So, let s expand our discussion. BUDGET/FUND RAISING COMMITTEE Ms. Campos lead the budget discussion. At the conclusion of this discussion, Ms. Campos asked that the following pieces of information be provided to her by Tuesday, September 15, from each City Committee Chair in order for grant proposals to be written. Objective outcomes Goals Events Reach target Educational component in each Economic outcome potential Benefit to companies $ amounts
Page 3 Mr. Lewis reported the Crivaro Scholarship fundraising dinner, which was being planned in place of the October 10 Commission meeting, is being rescheduled. Date yet to be confirmed. COMMITTEE REPORTS Stavropol, Russia Vidal Spaine, Kerry Bowen Mr. Spaine provided the following written report. The delegation cannot come in October (see attached letter to Mayor Cownie). They have suggested dates to come next year. The US Embassy in Moscow has new visa requirements for Russians applying to come to the US. Please click on the following links to read more about it. https://ru.usembassy.gov/ru/visas-ru/ https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/general/wait-times.html/ Kristin Massa and myself will not embark on a trip to Stavropol for the Stavropol Day cerebrations. We will look at a future date next year. See below for a letter sent to us from Stavropol in conjunction with the International Children s Exhibition. As I was made to understand, the drawings from some of our DMPS students will be on display at the exhibition. If you want to know more about our sister city in Stavropol, this is the official website in English: http://ставрополь.рф/english/ International Mayor s Energy Summit: Uniting Efforts for Sustainable Growth to be held October 5-7, 2017 in Moscow, Russia. An invitation has been extended to Mayor Cownie or his designee. The International Mayor s Energy Summit is being held in an effort to continue and broaden the international cooperation of cities from all over the world on issues related to sustainable development and energy efficiency with participation from city mayors and experts, policy makers, and energy companies representatives. Shijiazhuang, China Tim Woods Saint-Etienne, France Dave Bair, Roger Nowadzky Kofu, Japan Doug Lewis, Heather Carman Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival Comes to Japan The first-ever Japan Bacon Festival is scheduled to take place on November 3, 2017 (Japan Culture Day), in Kofu, Japan. The cross-cultural baconfest will offer attendees American-style and Japanesestyle bacon, pork-inspired cuisine by local restaurants, beverages, food demonstrations, a chef exchange, live music, bacon-filled contests, and international bacon fellowship. Brooks Reynolds, co-founder of the Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival and Chairman of the Iowa Bacon Board, stated in an August 24, 2017 press release, With help from our friends at the US Embassy, Iowa Sister States, Des Moines Sister Cities, Berkwood Farms, CK International ltd, and our valued sponsors we look forward to adding a little more sizzle to this wonderful relationship that was sparked almost 60 years ago. Catanzaro/Italy Ginny Renda
Page 4 Calendar/Schedule Education Committee Ginny Renda, Heather Carman, Vidal Spaine Economic Exchange Committee Festivals OLD BUSINESS No Old Business was discussed. NEW BUSINESS Ms. Renda shared an invitation that has been extended to the Commission from Friendship Force of Greater Des Moines to their October 29, 2017 celebration of 40 years of goodwill and friendship. The cost per person is $35 and is being held at the Des Moines Golf & Country Club in West Des Moines from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM. RSVP s requested by October 15 th. ADJOURNMENT Motion to adjourn was made by Ms. Campos and seconded by Ms. Renda. Motion carried. Meeting adjourned at 5:56 PM. NEXT MEETING The next meeting will be October 10, 2017 in the MacRae Conference Room, Richard A. Clark Municipal Service Center, 1551 East Martin Luther King, Jr. Parkway. Attention DART Riders: Beginning June 13, 2016, DART will provide public transportation to and from City of Des Moines meetings at their temporary location in the Richard A. Clark Municipal Services Center at 1551 East Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway. Transportation can be scheduled to and from DART Central Station at 620 Cherry Street. To reserve your route, please call DART On Call Scheduling at (515) 283-8136. Calls for trips will be accepted up to 5:00PM the day before the meeting. Be sure to mention in your request you require transportation for the City of Des Moines meetings at the temporary location. This notice is intended to comply with accessibility requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
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