Laserfiche WebLink
Ms. Walston said that as a result of past budget reductions, the City's Sister City Program, <br />overseen by a Sister City Commission, was eliminated and the Eugene Sister City Foundation <br />subsequently formed to oversee the four sister city committees. Ms. Walston said the City <br />provided $15,000 in funding to the foundation the first year; that amount had been reduced each <br />year until 1999, when the council increased the contract to $30,000. The current contribution was <br />$30,000 annually, with the caveat that half of that funding must be matched by the foundation at a <br />3:1 ratio. Every dollar raised by the foundation was matched by $3 City dollars. <br /> <br />Eugene Sister City Foundation members Jim Dougher, John Simpson, Ken Ramsing, Margie <br />Harris, and Fred Andrews were introduced by Ms. Walston. <br /> <br />Mr. Meisner noted other in-kind donations from the City and requested information on other costs, <br />such as the time spent on the program by Ms. Walston and Mayor Torrey's assistant. He asked <br />Ms. Walston to estimate total program costs for the City. Ms. Walston estimated average total <br />City costs at $5,000, including trips for elected officials and out-of-pocket expenses, such as gifts. <br />She indicated that staff time was not included in that estimate. <br /> <br />Mr. Meisner said the foundation representatives stressed the official nature of the sister city <br />relationships while at the same time arguing that the foundation did not owe the City a work plan. <br />He questioned if the program was better operated by the City or a private foundation, and if the <br />foundation was to run the program, should the foundation submit a work plan that must be <br />approved by the council in an annual reporting process. Ms. Walston said it was difficult to make <br />that evaluation. She reiterated that the City reduced the program to reduce its costs. Mr. Meisner <br />said that, given the City was devoting considerable staff time to the effort, he questioned the <br />foundation approach. Ms. Walston said that there was a contract for services that outlined the <br />differing responsibilities of the parties to the contract, and that had become a sort of work plan for <br />the foundation. She concurred with a statement from Mr. Meisner that the contract responsibilities <br />were general in nature. <br />Mr. Kelly thought it more important than ever to increase understanding between cultures, and the <br />Eugene Sister City Program was a big part of that. He believed the amount the City was spending <br />now was far short of the amount spent when the City operated the program. Given that the <br />program was a government-to-government obligation at its root, the City needed to accept the <br />obligation or terminate the City's sister city relationships. He suggested that the foundation would <br />like some level of predictability in funding. He indicated that he would have offered a motion to <br />provide that predictability except for the fact three councilors and the mayor were absent. <br /> <br />Ms. Nathanson suggested that the City could, at minimum, provide airport parking vouchers to the <br />foundation volunteers to recognize their need for frequent visits to the airport. <br /> <br />Ms. Nathanson questioned what was being accomplished by the foundation and how that could be <br />shared with the community. While she appreciated the foundation newsletter, she questioned how <br />much of the community was being reached. Was the program about travel or was it about <br /> <br /> MINUTES--Eugene City Council September 24, 2001 Page 8 <br /> Work Session <br /> <br /> <br />