HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes Sister City Committee - 04/06/2015 SISTER CITY COMMITTEE
Regular Meeting, April 6, 2015, 6:00 pm
6t" Floor Conference Room, City Hall
1201 Leopard St., Corpus Christi, Texas 78401
MEMBERSP A MEMBERS P A STAFF
1. Charlie Bass X9. Heather Moretzsohn X Reba George
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2. Misaki Berrios X10. John Sloan X Tess Allan
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3. Mark Bradsher X11. Alan Thornburg X
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4. Ashley Higson X 12. Lee White X
5. Westi Horn X 13. Vacant X
6. Sunny Kim X 14. Vacant X
7. Hailey Kimball X 15. Vacant X
8. John Maldonado X
Total: 10 5
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I. CALL TO ORDER:
The regular meeting of the Sister City Committee was called to order by Alan Thornburg at 6:01 pm.
II. ROLL CALL: City Staff called roll. A quorum was met with 10 members present.
III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: By general consensus the minutes were approved as submitted.
IV. FINANCIAL REPORT: $3,149.77 total available funds.
V. PUBLIC COMMENT: None
VI. DISCUSSION/ACTION
Name Change
Alan proposed changing the name of the Sister City Committee to the Sister Cities Committee. When
the Committee was originally formed there was only one Sister City in Yokosuka, Japan, but since that
time 6 more Sister City relationships have developed for a total of 7. Westi moved to change the
name to the Sister Cities Committee. Lee White seconded. Motion was unanimously approved.
VII. Liaison Reports
A. Yokosuka, Japan — Westi reported that Audrey Dechant and Brianna Hoelscher will travel to
Yokuska July 4th and return July 22nd
B. Agen, France — Mark reported that Mikaela Rendon will travel to Agen June 30th and return July
21 at. Agen will be sending two students one girl and one boy, Heather will host the girl.
C. Keelung, Taiwan — Misaki reported that Lauren Pace will travel to Keelung July 1St and return
July 21St. The Taiwanese school hosting the student exchange is a new school so this will be the
first exchange with this particular school. Misaki also announced that she has arranged for a
Taiwanese student to come to the April 26th training to help work with Lauren.
D. Playa del Carmen, Mexico— None
E. Toledo, Spain — None
F. Veracruz, Mexico — Guest Ivonne Cruz announced that her 6 year old daughter received a $500
grant from the Disney's Friends For Change Campaign to help generate more volunteers to help
fundraise for a custom wheelchair for a medical relief home in Veracruz, similar to the American
Ronald McDonald house. They will be selling lemonade and coffee on the TAMUCC campus with
other children from the ECDC on April 16th from 9 am to 4 pm. Ivonne asked the Committee for
any ideas on how to raise additional funds or help with a beach cleanup. Alan asked if she or her
husband could help re-establish the Sister City connection between Veracruz and Corpus Christi.
Ivonne said that they have asked their Veracurz contact about whom to contact but have not been
able to find out any information yet.
VIII. Task Manager Reports
A. Publicity — Sunny will get information from John Sloan about the sorority carwash this Saturday,
April 11 to
B. Curriculum/Training — John Maldonado announced the three training dates: April 12tH 19th &
26th. Students and their parents will meet at the Welcoming Center at TAMUCC. John has
already made the arrangements and will send out notice to everyone on Tuesday, April 7th. Westi
will double check the area and the reservations. John also announced that all 4 students received
100's on their test.
C. Fundraising — Lee announced that they were able to raise their goal of$1,000 through Go Fund
Me. He has contacted the website regarding getting the funds and will let Alan know when they
are available. The next project is to send out 100 donation requests to local business contacts.
City Staff has provided the envelopes and once the letters are prepared Lee will bring them in to
be mailed. Lee announced that he has been in conversation with Sue Jackson at the Coastal
Bend Community Foundation regarding grant funding and is researching a few more grant
opportunities. The overall fundraising goal is to raise $20,000 in order to fully fund all of the 2016
Student Exchanges.
D. Activities — Westi announced the activity dates of Thursday, July 23d through August 5th. The
Frazier's have offered their lake cabin July 29th -30th, and the City Council date is Tuesday, July
28th John Maldonado has been looking into the floating classroom tour and will follow up with the
educational component with Westi.
E. Selection — None
F. Student Service — Sorority carwash on April 11 th is not a required event but students who help
will receive their service hours. April 25th is the mandatory carwash from 10:00 to 2:00 at the
medical center on Saratoga & Staples. Pre-sale tickets will be available and Committee members
are encouraged to help.
IX. Identify Items to be Placed on Next Agenda
Ivonne Cruz & the Disney Friends for Change project
X. General Chair Report— Hailey & John Maldonado need to take the Open Meetings Act Training. The
Committee now has 3 possibly 4 vacancies that need to be filled. Alan passed around a letter he
wrote to his City Councilman regarding the change in how appointments are made requesting that the
Committee be allowed to make recommendations again.
XI. City Staff Report - None
XII. ADJOURNMENT: Alan Thornburg adjourned the meeting at 7:02 pm.
Tess Allan
Parks & Recreation Department