Title
Consider a Referral to the Community Livability & Public Safety Committee Regarding Sister City Relationships
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
Not referred to a committee.
City Manager Recommendation:
Consider a Referral to the Community Livability & Public Safety Committee regarding Sister City relationships
Report
Issue:
Whether to consider a Referral to the Community Livability & Public Safety Committee regarding Sister City relationships
Staff Contact:
Susan Grisham, Assistant to the City Manager, 360.753.8244
Presenter(s):
Mayor Cheryl Selby
Background and Analysis:
Olympia is an outlier to the Sister Cities International (SCI) in that the city government does not host visiting delegations, but instead rely on community volunteers.
The referral requests:
The request is to put forward a Resolution updating Resolution M-1234, passed in 1987, to allow for City resources to help with maintaining and expanding our Sister City Relationships.
Specifically, to restore our annual membership (approx. $800) to SCI that has lapsed since the Olympia-Kato Sister City Association (OKSCA) discontinued payments during the pandemic. To maintain our current sister city relationship with Kato City, we need to be a member of SCI.
Additionally, the request is to allow use of staff resources to assist with planning events during bi-annual exchanges. Currently Olympia has a 40+ year sister city relationship with Kato City, Japan (formerly Yashiro City.) Exchanges to Kato have always been hosted by their city government which is traditional among members of SCI.
To be considered in this request is the new knowledge that Olympia has created a staff team to guide activities related to Arts, Cultures, and Heritage (the ARCH department). Voters also recently passed the “Inspire Olympia” ballot measure that created a dedicated revenue stream for non-profits to access grants related to arts, cultures, heritage, and science public programming. There is a clear nexus to our sister city relationships with our ARCH work plan and our community’s support for cultural programming.
The referral is sponsored by Mayor Selby, with support from Councilmember Yến Huỳnh and Councilmember Jim Cooper.
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
The Community has an interest in cultural exchange.
Options:
1. Approve the referral to the Community Livability and Public Safety Committee.
2. Approve the referral, with amendments, to the Community Livability and Public Safety Committee.
3. Do not approve the referral to the Community Livability and Public Safety Committee.
Financial Impact:
The fee for membership to the Sister City International Organization is $800.
Attachments:
Referral