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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes Sister City Committee - 03/05/2007 � (r2.2.324264,Sister City Steering Committee , %k tva-�� S 8 Regular Meeting L° �FG�e�t�� ''1 International Young Artists' Competition Reception tVC°4Fc' Corpus Christi Art Center, 100 Shoreline Dr. Monday, March 5, 2007 c1110t 6 80 cv 0w MEMBERS PRESENT MEMBERS ABSENT STAFF Drue Combs Peter Kuntu-Mensah Cecilia Hanna - A Chris Kailas Randy Farrar 6:25 JJ Nelson Dr. Gustavo Valadez Almira Flores H. Moretzsohn Gilberto Porter Rose Gunji Coeta Montgomery John Rocha - AE Ridge Hammons Ellen Murry Sharleen Sexton - R Westi Horn Guillermo Perez Sukhbir Singh Ann Jaime Sharon Phillips Van Phan Villa - R Flicka Rahn CALL TO ORDER: The Sister City Steering Committee meeting was called to order by General Chair, Heather Moretzsohn around 6:12p.m. II. ROLL CALL: Chris Kallas called roll. A quorum was met with 14 of 19 members present. III. ANNOUNCEMENTS: There were no announcements. IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: It was noted that the date for the minutes was incorrectly written as January 8, 2007 instead of February 5, 2007. J. R. Farrar moved the minutes be approved as corrected. The motion was passed. V. HEARING FROM THE PUBLIC: No one from the public spoke. VI. TREASURER'S REPORT: The charge for $302.16 that was questioned last month was for the flag poles and eagle finials used at the Airport display. The City budget shows a balance of $8,728.84 in the General fund. The PALS Fund remains the same with $4,094.41. J.R. Farrar asked for a more readable format for the budget reports. He would like to see a column that shows the current monthly expenses. Drue Combs asked the General Chair Heather Moretzsohn to show the PowerPoint presentation at the next meeting. J.R. Farrar remarked that Sally Gavlik asked for a copy of the presentation without the budget stuff so she could have it put on the Parks and Recreation Dept. web site. VII. DISCUSSION ITEMS: A. DISCUSSION AND ACTION on developing a collaborative effort with the World Affairs Council. The Steering Committee asked what the Committee and the Council could do together. Ellen Murry noted that the WAC will be meeting on March 7 to hear about the Mexican Land Bridge. She noted that there are a variety of things coming up; she suggested we go slow and get to know what they are doing. She said that the CEO of the WAC has access to money and resources and Sister City's SCANNED connection with them would give us recognition. She invited the Committee once again to come to the luncheons. Eight people would assure us a table at the monthly luncheons. Drue Combs said that their central headquarter is separate from Sister Cities International and is on K Street in Washington, D.C. She also noted that they have offices in Houston and Dallas with access to 2,500 speakers. Cost for the luncheon each week is $35. Heather Moretzsohn and Ellen Murry will be meeting with them tomorrow. They will be listening to see how the groups can best work together. J.R. Farrar moved that the Committee move forward with exploring possibilities for the World Affairs Council and Sister City Steering Committee working together. Dr. Peter Kunta-Mensah seconded the move and the motion passed. B. ACTION ITEM: Ann Jaime noted that she has yet to make contact with anyone in Veracruz. Ms. Jaime received a return call on Friday but she was not there at the time. She found out that Mr. Parra Torre, the Mexican Official we are now dealing with will be out of Mexico till next week. Ellen Murry does not see the Committee salvaging contacts with Veracruz for this summer. Drue Combs moved we send our Veracruz, Mexico students to Agen, France. Westi Horn seconded the move. Dr. Gustavo Valadez indicated that the problem could be because of a change in government, not that they are ignoring us. He noted that it would cost about $1,000 extra to send the two students to Agen instead of Veracruz. It was suggested we take the extra funds out of the PALS Fund. It was noted that there will be a business exchange from Veracruz, Mexico on April 18-20, 2007. There will be about 6 to 8 here from Veracruz. Ellen Murry was asked if we will host a reception for them while they are here. It was asked that we put this on the agenda for next month. J.R. Farrar moved we ask our students and their families to pay 10% of their travel costs this year too. Ann Jaime seconded the motion. The motion passed. C. DISCUSSION AND ACTION on sending an official letter to the Veracruz Mayor to re-establish ties. General Chair Heather Moretzsohn will write the letter in Spanish and have if for Ann Jaime to take when she goes. She will hand deliver it to the Mayor. The letter will go from our Mayor to their Mayor. Sharon Phillips moved to model the letter after Monterrey's letter. Randy Farrar seconded the motion. The motion passed. D. DISCUSSION AND ACTION again on student training dates and activities. Items needed for first meeting are forms to be signed and general information about the City they are scheduled to visit, 2) Cultural training and information about Corpus Christi, Texas and 3) Send off preparation with Sister City chairs. The dates are March 24, April 21 and June 9, 2007. The meetings will be held at the McCampbell House, since the Galvan House is leased on those dates. E. DISCUSSION AND ACTION on developing a pen pal program with local school districts and our Sister Cities, perhaps a Spanish speaking country. Randy Farrar felt this item was put on the Agenda prematurely. He felt the Committee should do more research. Dr. Ridge Hammons believes that distance learning is valid. He suggested we ask our Sister Cities what think we might do. He believes that virtual field trips might be a different angle to take. The item was tabled. VIII. COMMITTEE REPORTS A. Selection Committee: Cecilia Hanna — Their work is done. No further report. B. Fund Raising Committee: Ellen Murry, JJ Nelson — Ellen Murry asked if anyone wanted to help raise funds. She noted that it looks like we are going to raise funds $500 at a time. Drue Combs said it was a good year and good PR. Council Member Bill Kelly was very happy about the Chess event. Dr. Ridge Hammons said the Chess Tournament was a win/win situation. The Downtown Optimist Club gave $2,500 to install chess at one of the schools. Ridge will go C. with Ellen Murry to talk with them at a meeting in June. The Chess Tournament helps to spread information about the Sister City Programs around. D. Publicity Committee: Cecilia Hanna, Gilberto Porter, and Sukhbir Singh — No report. E. Art Competition Committee: Rose Gunji and Sukhbir Singh — Rose Gunji expressed her disappointment that we received only 20 pieces of art this year. She feels that when we send the information about the Competition by e-mail that it's not as personal and that's why we didn't get as many pieces of art. Ms. Kailas shared what several art Teachers express saying that because of two other art contests sponsored by the Independent School Districts, the teachers felt pressed to get work done for the Sister City International Young Artists' Competition. Mr. Palacios at SLCA said that if we had asked for the art to be turned in on the first week of March it would have been better. F. New Sister City Evaluation Committee: Ellen Murry— Ellen Murry reported that Sukhbir Singh will be meeting with the Coastal Bend India Association to discuss and work on their support for a City in India. Heather Moretzsohn and Ellen Murry will be meeting with a representative from Playa del Carmen on Friday. The very much want to be a Sister City with Corpus Christi. Joe Cisneros, with the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce if very keen on seeing if his organization will support this association. Ms. Murry said this would be a different kind of relationship with exchanges between the Police and Fire Departments. They are doing a preliminary investigation. G. Agen, France: Ann Jaime, Ridge Hammons and Van Phan Villa — No report H. Keelung, Taiwan: Peter Kuntu-Mensah — Dr. Kuntu-Mensah has not been successful in reaching anyone in Keelung, Taiwan. Ellen Murry gave him Yalee Shih's phone number. Ms. Murry said Ms. Shih knows many people there. It was asked if we would give Ms. Shih an official letter on our letter head. Ms. Shih said she could translate that letter for the Government officials. Drue Combs said we had students to go. We need to contact them. I. Monterrey, Mexico: John Rocha and Almira Flores —We don't have dates, yet, for our student exchange. At the December meeting a list showed that 12 were interested in this official delegation. Once we have a date, John Rocha will contact Monterrey, Mexico to give the Contact the opportunity to set the Agenda for the visit. J. Toledo, Spain-Music: Flicka Rahn and Ann Jaime— Maria Diaz, our contact in Toledo, Spain invited all to come to their event. Flicka Rahn and Ann Jamie will be going along with about 20 to 25 members of the Church of the Good Shepard Choir. K. Veracruz, Mexico: Ann Jaime — No further report. L. Yokosuka, Japan: Westi Horn and Drue Combs — No report M. Curriculum/Training Committee: Sukhbir Singh and Peter Kuntu-Mensah — No further report. N. Activities Committee: Sharon Phillips, Flicka Rahn and Westi Horn — No report. IX. GENERAL CHAIR'S REPORT: No additional report. X. STAFF REPORT: Gustavo Valadez — PowerPoint presentation to be placed on Web page. Xl. CURRENT CONCERNS: XII. ADJOURNMENT: Dr. Ridge Hammons moved that the regular meeting be adjourned at around 7:15 p.m. Ann Jamie seconded the motion. The motion was passed. Chris Kailas, Sister City Recording Secretary Cultural Services Division Parks & Recreation Department The following guide explains the attendance code: A— Absent, unexcused AE — Absence Excused for those who were absent due to illness or Sister City Travel R — Resigned or removed Examples of arrival or leaving times — arrival, 6:07 p.m.; or leaving, L7:00 p.m.