01/28/2021 Sister Cities Advisory Board Meeting Minutes January 28, 2021
City of Clearwater
Main Library- Council Chambers
100 N. Osceola Avenue
Clearwater, FL 33755
e
Meeting Minutes
Thursday, January 28, 2021
4:00 PM
Main Library - Council Chambers
Sister Cities Advisory Board
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City of Clearwater
Sister Cities Advisory Board Meeting Minutes January 28, 2021
Roll Call
Present 5 - Chair Michael Ballard, Vice Chair Pamela Gene Benton, Board
Member Candace Hays, Board Member Hoyt Hamilton, and Board
Member Michael Brewster
Absent 2 - Board Member Sallie Parks and Board Member Lucas Geraldi-Smith
Also Present— Christopher Hubbard — Cultural Affairs 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.
Cultural Affairs Coordinator Christopher Hubbard welcomed Member
Brewster.
To provide continuity for research, items are in agenda order although not necessarily
discussed in that order.
2. Approval of Minutes
2.1 Approve the Minutes of the October 22, 2020 Sister Cities Advisory Board Meeting.
Member Benton moved to approve minutes of the October 22, 2020
Sister Cities Advisory Board meeting as submitted in written
summation. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously.
Verification was requested re dollar amount of each City hardship
scholarship for middle school Young Ambassadors.
3. Citizens to be Heard Regarding Items Not on the Agenda: None.
4. New Business Items
4.1 Review an update on the status of the 2021 exchange programs.
Due to continued effects of COVID-19 the Nagano Board of Education and
Office of International Relations has requested the cancellation of all 2021
exchanges. This request comes at a time when cases are on the rise in
Nagano Prefecture and Japan faces a third wave of infection.
City staff has discussed Nagano's request and recommends a cancellation
to protect the health and safety of both cities' resident participants. Cultural
Affairs staff will remain in contact with Nagano and revisit the topic of future
exchanges once global health conditions improve.
Mr. Hubbard said in April, Nagano will consider a date for the 60th Sister
City anniversary visit, both cities supported delegation visits as soon as
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City of Clearwater
Sister Cities Advisory Board Meeting Minutes January 28, 2021
safely possible.
Mr. Hubbard said Nagano junior and high school exchange students were
preparing a video of a typical school day and hoped to receive a similar
video from Clearwater. He and Member Benton will work on one. In
response to requests, he shared volunteer activity information with
parents of Clearwater exchange students. Nagano and Clearwater were
interested in reestablishing student exchanges when it is safe. In response
to a question, Mr. Hubbard will check if Nagano middle school students
might visit Clearwater in Spring 2022.
4.2 Review Powers and Duties as defined by City code.
Review the Powers and Duties of the Sister Cities Advisory Board.
Determine if this board is functioning as defined by code and if any changes
are needed.
It was stated "Commission"should be replaced with "Council." Consensus
was that no other changes were necessary.
In response to a question, Mr. Hubbard said he forwards board
recommendations to the City Council via a letter signed by the Chair.
4.3 Discuss Sister Cities Board Meeting Frequency.
Discussion ensued with comments that continuing the quarterly schedule
was important to maintain Clearwater's Sister Cities relationship with
Nagano and to explore a new relationship with Bourges, France. It was
noted that Monin staff help and advice will be appreciated as the City moves
forward with a Sister Cities affiliation with Bourges.
Mr. Hubbard said he could schedule Special Meetings as necessary.
Consensus was to maintain the board's quarterly meeting schedule.
4.4 Identify Month for Sister Cities Advisory Board Annual Report Presentation to Council.
Consensus was for the Sister Cities Advisory Board to present its Annual
Report presentation to the City Council in March this year and to
coordinate the Annual Report presentation with Clearwater exchange
student presentations in September or October in future years.
4.5 Election of officers.
Member Hamilton moved to reappoint Michael Ballard as Chair.
The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously.
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City of Clearwater
Sister Cities Advisory Board Meeting Minutes January 28, 2021
Member Hays moved to reappoint Pam Benton as Vice Chair. The
motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously.
5. Old Business Items
5.1 Review an update on the progress of Sister Cities discussions with Bourges, France.
Cultural Affairs staff has contacted Bourges International Relations to
continue the conversation of establishing a Sister Cities relationship. To
date, staff has not received a reply from Bourges. Staff will continue to
pursue contact with Bourges in the interest in determining if a Sister Cities
relationship is still desired.
Mr. Hubbard said the Bourges administration had changed. He was awaiting
a response to his letter to the new head of international relations. The
French Honorary Consul has been helpful serving as a translator during
phone calls. When it is possible, Mr. Hubbard will schedule phone
communication with Bourges to discuss defining terms and to advance the
program.
Member Brewster, Chief Production Officer for Monin America, said Monin's
original plant was near the Mayor's office, the firm's new large facility is
just outside town. He said Monin was willing to help Clearwater make
connections in Bourges. He said company owner Olivier Monin, who is from
Bourges, had owned a home on Clearwater Beach and chose Clearwater for
Monin America's headquarters and a plant. Travel between Clearwater and
Bourges has been limited during the pandemic.
5.2 Review an update on potential program expansion for the Nagano Sister Cities program.
Cultural Affairs staff has investigated a variety of initiatives to continue
cultural exchange in the era of COVID-19. Currently City staff and Nagano
International Relations are developing a reciprocal exchange of photographs
and artwork for digital display on each city's website. Staff also are collecting
materials from Nagano to create a cultural exchange hub, where
Clearwater's citizens can access information about their Sister City,
including promotional videos and tours of historical and cultural sites,
cooking and ikebana demonstrations, music, and theatrical performances.
Mr. Hubbard said Clearwater has been communicating with Nagano; both
cities were working on videos to share their cultures. The Clearwater Arts
Alliance was working on an artist swap with Nagano; a Japanese artist
will design a signal box wrap for Clearwater and a Clearwater artist will
design a street hole cover for Nagano, where they are decorated. These
types of activities also would be part of a Sister City program with Burges.
6. Director's Report
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City of Clearwater
Sister Cities Advisory Board
Meeting Minutes January 28, 2021
Clearwater Sister Cities, Inc. Representative Hays said no high school or
middle school exchanges were planned for 2021. She suggested that
qualified youth could hear about and become aware of the Young
Ambassador program and City hardship scholarships at Clearwater's
recreation centers and from Parks & Recreation staff who work with youth.
Member Hays said zoom contact between Clearwater and Nagano families
should be possible; large zoom meetings may prompt privacy concerns. She
said this year's City hardship scholarships were not used due to COVID-19
and questioned if those funds could rollover to next year. Member/
Councilmember Hamilton did not think that would be possible.
In response to a suggestion to establish pen pal exchanges, it was stated
School Board approval was required for any recruitment of students to
participate and that pen pal exchanges could not be associated with the
Pinellas school system.
Mr. Hubbard said US Customs had confiscated Nagano's package of
lantern materials on its way to Clearwater. It was suggested that current and
previous exchange parents and students may be interested in assembling
an air package of cards, letters, and candy for Nagano.
7. Board Members to be Heard
8. Adjourn
Attest:
In response to a request, Member Brewster reviewed his background and
discussed Monin and its worldwide expansion. He said Monin saw the
potential of a Sister City relationship between Clearwater and Bourges.
The meeting adjourned at 4:55 p.m.
Chair - Sister Cities Advisory Board
Board Reporter's /
City of Clearwater
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