Item 2G: App.of Overseas Travel - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

EUGENE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY Approval of Overseas Travel Request Meeting Date: August 8, 2005 Agenda Item Number: 2G Department: City Manager's Office Staff Contact: Mary Walston www. cl. eugene, or. us Contact Telephone Number: 682-5406 ISSUE STATEMENT This item is to secure City Council approval of overseas travel for a trip by Mayor Piercy and Councilor Pap~ to the sister cities of Chinju, South Korea and Kakegawa, Japan planned from October 2 - 15, 2005. Section 10.07 of the Eugene City Council Operating Agreements dictate that if the Mayor or members of the City Council wish to make a council business-related trip to a destination overseas, the request is to be made in writing and placed on the Consent Calendar for approval by the City Council. BACKGROUND Mayor Piercy has been invited to Chinju, South Korea and Kakegawa, Japan. Rather than take two separate trips, staff has worked with the two respective sister city committees to create an itinerary that includes visits to both cities. The cost of air fare is approximately $1,255 and the cost of lodging, ground transportation, meals, and related travel expenses during the two-week trip is approximately $1,900, for a total of $3,155. (The air fare and non-air fare costs may fluctuate somewhat depending upon the number of persons in the delegation and the availability of hotel rooms in Seoul and Tokyo; a final cost will be known after the publication of this agenda item summary.) Councilor Pap~ has decided to join the Mayor on this sister city trip and is asking the City to underwrite his travel expenses. The City has historically paid for the mayor's sister city trips in their entirety. In October 2004, the City paid for Mayor Torrey's sister city visit to Chinju, and in 1999, the City also paid for Mayor Torrey's sister city trip to Russia and Japan. Going back to 1996, Mayor Bascom visited Chinju and Kakegawa on separate trips and the City paid the travel expenses for both. City councilor participation in sister city trips has been less frequent in recent years. In September 2000, Councilor Taylor requested City funds for a sister city trip to Kathmandu, Nepal. The original request was for $3,000; the City Council decided to allocate half that amount and supported the trip in the amount of $1,500. In 1993, then-Councilor Bobby Green visited Chinju at the City's expense. Also in 1993, then-Councilor Nancy Nathanson visited Kakegawa using City funds. (A subsequent trip to Japan by Councilor Nathanson in 2003 was not at City expense.) L:\CMO\2005 Council Agendas\M050808\S0508082G.doc