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01/24/2006 SISTER CITIES ADVISORY BOARD MINUTES CITY OF CLEARWATER January 24, 2006 Present: Linda Damsky Chair Carlen Petersen Councilmember C.E. Snedeker Board Member Also Present: Margo Walbolt Division Manager, Cultural Affairs Marsha Beall Staff Assistant, Cultural Affairs Absent: Robert Freedman Vice Chair Richard Wisemiller Board Member Chair Damsky called the meeting to order at 4:40pm at MSB. To provide continuity for research, items are in agenda order although not necessarily discussed in that order. ITEM #2 - Approval of Minutes of Sister Cities Board Meeting of November 29, 2005 – Member Damsky corrected Item #3 a) last sentence - air to aired. Member Petersen moved to approve the minutes motion carried of the regular meeting of November 29, 2005 as corrected. The was duly seconded and unanimously. ITEM #3 - Old Business – a. Nagano Exchange Program 1. Response to proposed changes – Letter date October 28, 2005 from Ms. Hiroshi Miyazawa, Manager of International Relations, Nagano, Japan. Mr. Miyazawa requested a reexamination of the structure of the Sister Cities Exchange Program. Since receipt of said letter, Ms. Walbolt has met with the various stakeholders who would be affected by the proposed changes. Ms. Walbolt drafted a response letter incorporating the thoughts of Pinellas County Schools, Sister Cities Inc., and City of Clearwater. Discussion ensued, minor revisions were made, and a final draft was decided upon. Ms. Walbolt will forward the response letter to Mr. Miyazawa. 2. Clearwater Sister Cities Inc. letter – due to the absence of Member Wisemiller, this item was tabled. ITEM #4 - New Business – a. Discussion of February visit from Nagano City – Ms. Walbolt reviewed the February 1-February 8, 2006 itinerary for the Satsuki High School Exchange Students visit. Guest will be arriving Wednesday, Feb. 1 in the evening. Thursday they will take a tour of Countryside High School and attend classes during the day. Thursday evening they will gather at City Hall to meet Mayor Hibbard and attend a Commission meeting. Friday they will be back at Countryside High School attending classes. The weekend is set aside as free days spent with host families. Monday, Feb 6 the group will spend the day at Disney World Orlando. Tuesday, February 7 they will attend classes at Countryside High School, and arrangements are being planned to have them transported to/from Clearwater High School about mid-day. Tuesday evening, from 6-7:30pm, they have been invited to attend a Sayonara Party at Moccasin Lake Nature Park. Departure is 7:52am on Wednesday, Feb. 8. 1 Sister Cities 2006-01-24 . . . b. Scholarship Process - Ms. Petersen took a moment to express her appreciation to Mr. Dunbar for his innovative thinking and the Council's receptiveness in approving a $5,000 matching grant scholarship for the Clearwater Nagano High School Exchange program. Ms. Petersen noted the positive message it sends out to the community about how the Council values cultural exchanges and the educational impact it has on our City. Ms. Walbolt reported Sister City Student Exchange applications and scholarship requirements were mailed out recently to high schools located in Clearwater. Ms. Walbolt will also have it posted on the City website. Deadline for applying is February 24, 2006. Ms. Walboltcontinues to see a lot of commitment and involvement from students who previously participated in the Sister City Exchange Program. They have become a wonderful resource. Several of the students have represented the Sister City Program at various meetings and activities within Clearwater. Interviewing process - Ms. Walbolt, Ms. Damsky, and Jan Kucerik paneled the interviewing sessions last year and suggested it would be beneficial to have Council representation on this year'spanel. Ms. Petersen was pleased to offer her services. Clearwater Sister Cities, Inc will also be asked to be a representative. Tentative dates are set for March 6 and March 7 from 3:00pm- 6:00pm at the Municipal Services Building. Mr. Snedeker inquired as to the caliber of people applying. Ms. Damsky felt that the quality improved once it was opened to Clearwater residents and students attending Clearwater schools. Ms. Walbolt mentioned the support of the City and High Schools have help to raise the level of interest. c. Chaperone Exchange Application - Ms. Damsky emailed district teachers to ask if they may be interested in volunteering as a chaperone for the Clearwater-Nagano High School exchange. Chaperones should have previously participated in the program and understand their role as mentor, advisor, and caretaker. Response has been positive and a list is being compiled for future consideration. Deadline for responding is January 31. Ms. Walbolt has also received calls from interested people wanted to participate in the Sister City programs. d. Clearwater Junior Women's Club - Ms. Walbolt was contacted by a representative of the Clearwater Junior Women's Club who stated the club is interested in offering their support to the Sister City program. Ms. Walbolt will continue communications with them. ITEM #5 - Adjournment - Members adjourned at 5:30 p.m. I?~ A.(~ Sister City Advisory Board - Vice Chair Sister City 2005-11-29 2 ,. . Tacloban City Tacloban City [ta'kloub:m] is the largest 9!Y and regional center of the Eastern Visayas region of the Philippines. It is also the capital city of Leyte. It is the center of commerce, tourism, education, culture, and government in the region. Tacloban is located on Cancabato Bay, in the San Juanico Straitwhich divides the islands ofLeyte and Samar. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 178,639 people in 34,758 households. Demographics . Although Waray is generally spoken, big business establishments and hospitals use Tagalog for communication and Englishat government offices. Some Cebuano can be heard at grocery stores and supermarkets. Economy Economically, Tacloban is one of the fastest growing cities in the Philippines. It is the site of the region's biggest airport, and has a sheltered natural harbor. Its major export product is copra. The government has established an economic zone, the Eastern Visayas Regional Growth Center (EVRGC) to take advantage of its large pool of skilled and educated workers. Investors in the EVRGC are given a package of tax exemptions and incentives, as well as other privileges, by the national and local governments. A major selling point for investors is that the city draws power primarily from the large Tongonan Geothermal Power Plant, which produces plenty of power that is relatively unaffected by global oil prices. Water resources are also abundant. Tacloban is also the gateway to the Leyte Industrial Development Estate in Isabel, home of the Philippine Phosphate Fertilizer Plant, the biggest fertilizer factory in Asia, and the Philippine Associated Smelter and Refining Company, the country's biggest copper processing plant. Education . The City is the site of lar~e state run educational institutions . like the University of the Philippines Tacloban, the Leyte Normal University, the Eastern Visayas State University (formerly known as the Leyte Institute of Technology), and the Leyte National High School (commonly known as Leyte High). Private schools include the UP School of Health Sciences (actually located in Palo, a municipality which is almost like a Tacloban suburb), the RTR Foundation (the largest medical &. . . . school in the region), the Asian Development College, Holy Infant College, Leyte Colleges, St. Paul's Business Schools (also in Palo, one of the biggest, in terms of student population, business schools outside Manila), AMA Computer School, ST!, Sercon Technical School, the St. Scholastica's College, Alpha-Omega Learning Center, and UCFLP Pre-elementary School. Divine Word University, fonnerly owned by the Society of Divine Word, was closed down (circa 1990) as a result of an ongoing labour dispute between management and the faculty union. Tourism The longest bridge in the Philippines connects Tacloban to the third largest island of the Philippines, Samar. The 2.1 kilometer bridge is one of the major tourist spots in the city. Other attractions include the Palo Cathedral, Imelda Marcos's Versailles-inspired palatial mansion, the MacArthur National Park, World War n sites and memorials, and several black sand beaches around the city and nearby localities. Location & Access Loc(lfion - The Leyte Park Resort is located in the City of Tacloban, the Regional capital of Eastern Visayas. It sits atop a hill overlooking the beautiful San Juanico Strait And San Pedro Bay. The six hectare property has mushroomed into a hotel and convention complex. Access - Tacloban City is accessible by land, sea and air. It is one hour from Manila with five or more daily flights, serviced by Philippine Airlines, and Cebu Pacific Air. From Cebu it is 25 minutes with two weekly flights by Mindanao Express. Summary: Tacloban has grown by leaps and bounds to become the premier city in Eastern Visayas and the gateway to the region... With its generous natural and endowments and existing market potentials coupled with available indigenous raw materials, adequate support system of financial resources, aggressive City Government policies, stable and ample supply of water and power, efficient communication and transportation systems, improved infrastructure facilities and a liberal package of investment incentives. All these will make Tacloban an attractive venue for local and foreign investors and definitely transforming Tacloban's dream as a major tourist destination of the Philippines, into Reality! Tacloban is a "waray" speaking city. The dialect is officially called "Leyte-Samamon". A decade before the end of the Spanish sovereignty, the place was dominantly a typical colonial community. Most of its residents were either pure Iberian families or the new generations of Spanish-Filipino blood. Today's population consists of a healthy mix of Spanish and Chinese mestizos, foreign expatriates and the native of Leyteiios. .~ ... . Sites . . ~ City Hall DZR Airport It }.. .~. 'l"'''' .. .. ... ... .. . .... ., . . fI' , Kanhuraw Convention Center. A govemment-owned hall that has a 1,OOO-seat capacity. Airline Address PlllLIPPINE AIRLINES San Jose, Tacloban City Tel. No: (6353) 321-2212-3; 325-7832 CEBU PACIFIC Sen. Enage Street Tacloban City Tel. No: (6353) 325-7746 -49 GRAND AIR 195 P. Burgos Street Tacloban City Tel. No: (6353) 325-7660 - 61 ASIAN SPIRIT Calbayog Office: Tel. (055) 2091162/2091189 Catarman Office: Tel. (109) 5540378 to 79 . . . \1Cal"gll, lIum. Kaluga, city, western Russia, a port on the Oka River and a manufacturing center served by several railroad lines. It is the capital of Kaluga Oblast. Among the leading industries in the city are smelting, brickmaking, and the manufacture of lumber and machinery. The first historical record of Kaluga dates from the late 14th century, when it was a frontier stronghold of Moscow. Population (1999 estimate) 341,300. Kaluaa is south of Moscow. 2 hours by car from Moscow to Kaluga. Federal District: Central Subdivision: Location: Population: Postal code: Dialling code: Administrative center ofKaluga Oblast 54033'N 36017'E 334,8 (within the city area, 2003) 248000 +74842 (formerly +70842) I Local Hotel Address: InterMashHotel Kaluga 12 Promyshlennaya Street Kaluga Russia The InterMashHotel Kaluga is situated 3.5 kilometres from the train station and 5 kilometres from the city centre. The nearby attractions include Museum ofCosmonautics and Tsiolkovsky Cottage Museum. InterMashHotel otTers 20 spacious guest rooms to make your stay in Kaluga a pleasant and comfortable one. After a tiring day, you can relax with a fine drink at the cocktail bar or indulge in the game of billiards. Hotels: There are several hotels in Kaluga: "Priokskaya", "Kaluga", "Oka" , The best one is "Priokskaya". They have the same prices. about US$45 a day. REGIONAL OVERVIEW: KALUGA . u.s. & Foreign Commercial Service Moscow Bolshaya Molchanovka, 23/38 121069, Moscow Russia Tel: 7-095-737-50-21 Fax: 7-095-737-50-33 E-mail: Yevgeny.Schukin@mai1.doc.gov, copy Tanya _ Shuster@ita.doc.gov SUMMARY The following is a report on Kaluga oblast. Kaluga region was where research in nuclear physics first started in Russia, and where the first atomic power station (in Obninsk) was built. A favorable location near Moscow, natural resource deposits, and a moderate climate stimulate development of such industries as: building materials, agriculture, food processing and wood processing. A skilled local work force is a basis for high-tech industries, including nuclear engineering, space engineering, radio electronics, machine building, new materials and the chemical industry, nuclear medicine. End summary. GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE . Kaluga Oblast is located in Central Russia adjacent to Moscow Oblast and just 180 km south of Moscow. The Oblast covers 29,800 square kilometers, of which 46 percent is agricultural and 43 percent (or 1.28 million hectares) is covered by forest. Kaluga Oblast is surrounded by Smolensk, Bryansk, Orel, Tula and Moscow oblasts. It is traversed by major railways that connect Moscow with Ukraine, the Volga region, and Belarus. The Moscow-Kiev and Moscow-Brest highways are two important automobile roads. There are four airports in Kaluga region located around the cities ofKaluga, Balobanovo, and Kirov. The telephone line network in Kaluga is one ofthe best in Russia and provides digital connection. POPULATION AND EDUCATION The population ofthe Kaluga oblast is 1.1 million people, of which 74.4% are urban inhabitants. There are 345,000 people living in Kaluga city, the capital of the oblast, and 110,000 in Obninsk, the second largest city. The average montWy wage in the.oblast was $54.1 in December 1998, compared to $120.4 in January 1998. The highest salaries were paid to industrial, construction and transport workers, and scientists. Kaluga oblast claims 42 institutes, universities, and research centers that involve the work of 14 thousand scientists. One-fifth of the oblast's work force has a higher education and one-half has secondary vocational training. NATURAL RESOURCES Discovered natural deposits in Kaluga region include brown coal, peat, phosphorites, gypsum, chalk; glass, moulding and construction sand, and clay, as well as a large stocks of mineral waters. Another natural resource is wood: the total forested area of the oblast is 1.28 million hectares, and timber reserves are estimated at 191 million cubic meters of primarily deciduous breeds. . INDUSTRY . . . The total number of companies in different sectors of the oblast's economy is 18,955, among which 5,586 are industrial. Near 88% of companies in the oblast are private. State enterprises contribute only 11.6% to local output. Major industries include: _ Machinery and metallurgy - a leading sector of the oblast's industry, where 257 firms produce up to 35% of regional industrial production. The largest companies include Kalugaputmash, a rail layer producer; Kaluga Turbine Plant; Lidinovsk Locomotive Assembler; Kaluga Automaker and Ludinovsk Machinery Plant, which produces fueling lorries, tank trailers and hydraulic-lift trucks. The industry is considered a key growth sector of the oblast. It employs 14.4% ofthe local population. In 1998, this sector experienced a slowdown. Year- end results show a 23% decline compared to the beginning of the year. _ Food-processing - the companies in the sector work primarily to meet local consumer's demand. There are 157 food-processing companies, including Kaluga meat-processing plant, Kristall distiller, and KaPePa, a joint-venture. The sector employs more than 10,000 people (or 2.7% of the total local work force). Since mid-1998, domestic producers in the sector have taken advantage of greater consumption of domestic products and have increased the production by 20% compared to 1997. _ Wood and paper - The sector includes 119 companies, such as the furniture factory in Maloyaroslavets as well as a Plywood Factory, and employs over 7,000 people (or 2% of the workforce). The ruble devaluation has opened a number of opportunities (including export) for companies in the sector, but could not prevent further slowdown. Companies produced 20% fewer goods in 1998 compared to 1997, despite a slight production increase in December 1998. _ Electrical engineering - involves 10 companies, including Kalugaenergo, the regional energy supplier, and Kalugaoblgas, and employs 4.9 thousand people. FOREIGN TRADE The average annual foreign trade turnover for the last 3 years was $280 million, of which 70% went to nop- NIS countries, such as Germany, Finland, the U.S., Italy, and others. Approximately half of the equipment and machines produced in the oblast are exported. Foreign trade turnover decreased to $208.9 million in 1998 from $315.8 million in 1997 (or by 33.8%), as exports fell significantly (46.57%), and while imports shrank by only 25.13%. This situation reflects an overall production slowdown. Major exporters in the oblast are mostly machinery and high-technology companies. Statistics show that most of the consumer goods in Kaluga's market are imported, while food products are mostly domestically produced. Due to its proximity to the capital, Kaluga's consumer market depends considerably on Moscow suppliers. Local food producers meet less than a half of the oblast's demand. Main imports include food products, petroleum and chemical products, industrial precision equipment, clothes and personal healthcare products.