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01/24/2019 Sister Cities Advisory Board Meeting Minutes January 24, 2019 City of Clearwater Main Library- Council Chambers 100 N. Osceola Avenue Clearwater, FL 33755 e e e Meeting Minutes Thursday, January 24, 2019 4:00 PM Council Chambers - Main Library Sister Cities Advisory Board Page 1 City of Clearwater Sister Cities Advisory Board Meeting Minutes January 24, 2019 Roll Call Present 7 - Chair Terrence Gourdine, Vice-Chair Sallie Parks, Board Member Candace Hays, Board Member Pamela Gene Benton, Board Member Michael Ballard, Board Member Hoyt Hamilton, and Board Member Hannah Joseph Also Present - Natalie Lamb —Volunteer & Environmental Lands Coordinator, Patricia O. Sullivan - Board Reporter 1. Call To Order The Chair called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. at the Main Library. To provide continuity for research, items are in agenda order although not necessarily discussed in that order. 2. Approval of Minutes 2.1 Approve Sister Cities meeting minutes from October 25, 2018 Member Parks moved to approve minutes of the October 25, 2018 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: None. 4. New Business Items 4.1 Staff to update on Middle School Exchange Program Volunteer& Environmental Lands Coordinator Natalie Lamb reported 12 students and 2 instructors from Nagano will visit Clearwater from February 8— 13, 2019. Homestay families for the students have been arranged but staff was recruiting 2 additional homestay families for the instructors. She reviewed the itinerary and invited board members to attend the Sayonara party at Moccasin Lake Nature Park on February 12, 2019. It was questioned why the visit was so short and it was suggested an additional day be arranged for future visits. 4.2 Discuss Preparations for High School Exchange to Nagano Ms. Lamb reviewed the itinerary for the High School exchange trip to Japan on June 26— July 8, 2019. In spite of significant press releases, social media outreach, and delaying the deadline, the City only received 4 applications from students. Interviews will be scheduled, the City was not required to send 4 students. Member Benton will chaperone the students and reestablish connections with Nagano counterparts. Page 2 City of Clearwater Sister Cities Advisory Board Meeting Minutes January 24, 2019 The City Council was thanked for reestablishing the High School Exchange program. 4.3 Discuss Preparations of Official Delegation Trip to Nagano, Japan October 18 -27, 2019 Ms. Lamb reviewed the October itinerary to Nagano and Japan for the official delegation trip to celebrate Clearwater and Nagano's 60th anniversary as Sister Cities. Members of the delegation will include members and spouses of the City Council and the Sister Cities and Clearwater Sister Cities, Inc. boards, and Ms. Lamb. A head count was requested by March 31, 2019. The cost of the trip, estimated at $3,000 per person, included transportation, accommodations, activities, and travel insurance but not meals or souvenirs. Delegation members will be required to participate in all scheduled activities. Homestays in Nagano would be arranged; hotels in Nagano would be an additional cost. In response to a question, Ms. Lamb said the last delegation trip was open to the community, large, and difficult to manage. This year's delegates will follow a tight schedule and travel in an official capacity representing the City of Clearwater. Some down time will occur while Councilmembers meet with their Nagano counterparts, Discussion ensued. It was suggested additional, well vetted CSCI members could travel with the delegation if space permits. It was recommended a school representative be included in the delegation. 4.4 Elect Officers of Sister Cities Advisory Board Member Parks moved to reappoint Terrence Gourdine as Chair. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. Member Hays moved to appoint Michael Ballard as Vice Chair. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. 5. Old Business Item Ms. Lamb provided information on the recycling perks program that was discontinued in September. 6. Director's Report CSCI Clearwater Sister Cities, Inc. Representative Hays said for the first time in 5 years, an overabundance of students had applied for this summer's Young Ambassadors program to Japan. She said it would be difficult to limit the number of students from 19 to 10, as required by Nagano. She said tentative dates for the trip were June 4 — 25, 2019. Student interviews would be completed by weeks end; the first orientation Page 3 City of Clearwater Sister Cities Advisory Board Meeting Minutes January 24, 2019 meeting will be on February 9. Three teachers will accompany the students. Member Hays reviewed upcoming CSCI events. 7. Board Members to be Heard 8. Adjourn Attest: Member Hamilton said improvements at Moccasin Lake Nature Park were fantastic and recommended members visit the park. Ms. Lamb said the park's grand opening was scheduled for February 2, 2019. The meeting adjourned at 4:30 p.m. Chair - Sister Cities Advisory Board Beard Reporte City of Clearwater Page 4