07/27/2017 Sister Cities Advisory Board Meeting Minutes July 27, 2017
City of Clearwater
City Hall
112 S. Osceola Avenue
Clearwater, FL 33756
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Meeting Minutes
Thursday, July 27, 2017
4:00 PM
Council Chambers
Sister Cities Advisory Board
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City of Clearwater
Sister Cities Advisory Board Meeting Minutes July 27, 2017
Roll Call
Present 4 - Vice Chair Terrence Gourdine, Board Member
Candace Hays, Board Member Pamela Gene Benton, and Board
Member Desaray Dilday
Absent 2 - Chair Sallie Parks, Board Member Hoyt Hamilton
Also Present - Christopher Hubbard - Cultural Affairs Specialist, Patricia O. Sullivan —
Board Reporter
1. Call To Order
The Chair called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. at City Hall.
To provide continuity for research, items are in agenda order although not necessarily
discussed in that order.
2. Approval of Minutes
2.1 Approve minutes from April 27, 2017 meeting
Member Benton moved to approve minutes of the April 27, 2017
Sister Cities Advisory Board meeting as submitted in written
summation. The motion was duly seconded and carried
unanimously.
3. Citizens to be Heard Regarding Items Not on the Agenda
Anthony Davis urged the Sister Cities Board to recommend the City
Council recognize the CSCI (Clearwater Sister Cities, Inc.) sponsored
Young Ambassadors'Program as an official sanctioned program of the
City's Sister Cities program.
James Wallace recommended the City recognize the Young Ambassadors'
Program, which has operated continuously for many years while providing
great benefits to the community and the Nagano-Clearwater Sister City
relationship.
Cultural Affairs Specialist Christopher Hubbard said CSCI was one of the
City's Sister Cities program's two pillars. The citizen organization CSCI
was an important asset, CSCI dutifully continued Middle School exchanges
with Nagano while the City's High School exchange program was on a
temporary hiatus, beginning in 2008.
Support was expressed for the request. It was noted CSCI was not asking
the City to take over its program.
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City of Clearwater
Sister Cities Advisory Board Meeting Minutes July 27, 2017
Member Hays moved to advise and encourage the Clearwater
City Council to recognize the Clearwater Sister Cities, Inc.
sponsored Young Ambassadors' Program as an officially
sanctioned program of the City of Clearwater Sister Cities
Program. The motion was duly seconded and carried
unanimously.
4. New Business Items
5. Old Business Item
5.1 Update on High School Exchange Program
Mr. Hubbard presented photographs of High School Exchange
participants in Nagano. The new program was successful. He
complimented the high caliber students who represented the City and
Sister Cities program in Japan and reviewed student activities, which
included visiting schools, meeting the Mayor, participating in a festival as
American representatives, attending a tea ceremony, and touring. It was
hoped the exchange experience will encourage students to pursue
careers in world politics and international relations and business.
Board members were encouraged to attend the High School Exchange
participants'presentation to the City Council on September 7, 2017.
Mr. Hubbard said details were being worked out for the Nagano exchange
student visit to Clearwater.
6. Director's Report
Board Member/CSCI Representative Hays said the Young Ambassadors
trip to Japan from June 6— 21, 2017 was a success and the students
had a wonderful time. She said they looked forward to making a presentation
to the City Council. More than 100 people attended CSCI's Tanabata
festival in July. A presentation was scheduled for Pinellas County teachers
re the Young Ambassadors program to attract new chaperones for the2018
trip. The Japanese Tasting Event was planned for September. She thanked
Clearwater Library staff for displaying photographs of festival attendees
who dressed in Okato style clothing and for listing the event on its website.
Member Hays recommended the City start planning for its next Sister
Cities delegation visit to Japan which may coincide with the 2020 Olympics
in Tokyo.
Mr. Hubbard suggested the 2020 High School Exchange Student, Young
Ambassador, and City delegation trips could be coordinated. He
congratulated CSCI for their excellent efforts and successful Tanabata
festival which attracted a large number of residents, including City
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City of Clearwater
Sister Cities Advisory Board Meeting Minutes July 27, 2017
Councilmembers.
7. Board Members to be Heard
Member Hays said it was important to encourage additional Clearwater
students to be more involved in the Sister City exchange programs.
Member Hays moved to advise and encourage the Clearwater City
Council to, during its next City Budget appropriations meeting, to
establish 2 permanently sustained Special Hardship Funding
Components, in the amount of $3,700 each, for the purpose of
providing financial aid to cover costs, for up to 2 economically
distressed Clearwater families to send their middle school aged
children on a Clearwater Sister Cities student exchange to Nagano,
Japan — a cultural and learning opportunity that would otherwise
be beyond the economic means and abilities of these families to
offer to their children.
It was also moved that, in the event that 2 children, residing within the
same qualifying family unit, should become eligible to participate in
the same student exchange to Nagano, Japan, that qualifying family
shall be eligible to receive both of the $3,700 Special Hardship Funding
Components.
The total requested funding for these 2 sustained Special Hardship
Funding Components, for the families of eligible middle school aged
students, equals $7,400.
It was further moved that the City of Clearwater Council appoint
an official entity or specific designee to determine the eligibility of
each recommended family requesting to receive Special Hardship
Funding, and then, upon qualifying, each family's eligibility to receive
such financial assistance, subsequently distribute these funds to
Clearwater Sister Cities, Inc. to be used solely for the selected
qualifying family or families. The motion was duly seconded.
Member Hays said funds would cover travel throughout Japan for a 14-day
trip along with lodging, airfare, and $300 in spending money to cover
assorted expenses.
Upon the vote being taken, the motion carried unanimously.
Member Benton reported the teacher exchange participants had returned
from Nagano and reported having a wonderful time. The final report was
not yet available. Next year, participation in the exchange will be open
to any teacher in the district. Nagano provides exchange teachers with
a stipend almost large enough to cover expenses, including the purchase
of gifts. Teachers stay with host families. Some travel independently around
Japan before or after the exchange.
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City of Clearwater
Sister Cities Advisory Board Meeting Minutes
8. Adjourn
July 27, 2017
Mr. Hubbard reported Japan was represented at the WBSC Junior Women's
World Championship tournament underway in Clearwater.
The meeting adjourned at 4:35 p.m.
Boar eporter
City of Clearwater
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- is riffs s Advisory Board