City of Lawrence

Lawrence Sister Cities Advisory Board

September 12, 2007 minutes

 

MEMBERS PRESENT:

Russell Blackbird, Stuart Boley, Kathleen Hodge, Linda Hyler, William Keel, Michael Kennedy, Graham Kreicker, Bob Moody, Gina Ross, Bob Schumm, Andrew Tsubaki

 

MEMBERS ABSENT:

Lynn Ground, Nancy Bjorge, Jon Josserand

STAFF LIAISON PRESENT:

Michael Tubbs

PUBLIC PRESENT:

Cathy Hilliard

 

Cathy Hilliard reported on the trip to Japan in 2007.  A summary of her report follows the minutes. 

 

Meeting called to order at 5:45 by Ross.

 

Ross introduced Russell Blackbird, new board member, to the board.

 

Kreicker moved. Hodge seconded that the minutes from July be approved.  Passed.

 

Ross reviewed the financial statements.  The FSCU accounts are being closed and consolidated at Intrust to maximize interest.  Our next set of statements should reflect this change.  Ross said that in regards to Kreicker’s question about the money for the plaque for the Eutin birthday that expense had been moved from the Eutin student trip to the general operating account as a Friends of Eutin expense.  Moody wanted to know if the $255 bad debt had been resolved.  Ross reports the bad debt was a check that bounced in 2006. We were reimbursed in 2007.  The bad debt was made good--as shown in the accounts. The -$255 shows the reimbursement (i.e., a "negative expense").  Boley moved and Moody seconded that we accept the financial report.  Motion passed.

 

Friday November 2 at 7PM will be the membership event for SCAB at the Lawrence Art Center.  It will be tied to the German student farewell party.

 

Discussion followed about an annual fundraiser.  Hyler and Moody will work on a “non-event” fundraiser informational letter to go with our membership mailing at the end of the year and a donation form for the German fundraiser.  Moody and Hyler will also work on the bulk email wording for the November 2 event.  Keel and Kennedy will select a student who participated in the 2007  Eutin and Hiratsuka’s exchange programs, respectably, to speak at the November 2 membership event.

 

Sunday, September 30, is the target date for the organization of the Friends of Hiratsuka.  The possible location for this meeting is at the public library.

 

It was also noted that Office Helpline should send out emails Blind Copy to maintain privacy of personal emails we have collected.

 

Tubbs will send out updated list of the SCAB members.

 

The Hiratsuka City Chorus (adults) is interested in coming here in 2009 as well as a delegation of city officials, Friends of Lawrence, and Youth Section workers for the five-year celebration.   The Lawrence Civic choir would be willing to host the choir members. Eutin plans on sending an official delegation at some time during 2009 for the 20th anniversary of our relationship with Eutin. The Eutin firefighters may also organize a trip to Lawrence at that time. The Eutin guitar orchestra also intends to visit Lawrence during 2009. Ross appointed Tsubaki, chair, Kennedy, Kreicker, and Keel as a committee to work on these exchanges that may be happen in 2009 and 2010.

 

September 29 is the Japan Festival at the Johnson County Community College.

 

Keel shared copies from Baron of Eutin newspaper accounts of events taking place in Eutin in conjunction with its 750th anniversary, including the concert of Melanie Hadley and the speech by commissioner Dennis Highberger.

 

The question of a third sister was raised by Moody.  He had investigated the possibility of Obuasi, Ghana as a possible third sister city based on information posted on the International Sister City web site.  This item will be put on a future agenda as there was not enough time to finish discussions.  Hyler will contact a cousin who was the assistant to the ambassador of South Africa until last year and Keel is contacting two professors in African Studies at KU.

 

Kreicker moved we adjourn Kennedy seconded.  Motion passed.

 

 

Next meeting October 10, 2007.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Friends of Hiratsuka

2007 Report

 

 

Lawrence Student Exchange:

Application Process –

     Application Dates – September 5 through September 25

      # of Applications –33

 Trip Cost $1700.00 x 22 = $37,400.00

 Trip Dates – June 12 through June 21

     # of Students – 22

     # of Adults – 3

Total Travel Expense:

      Air Fare    $990

      Tax/Fees   $256

      Total         $1246 x 25 = $31,150.00

 

Japanese Student Exchange:

  Trip Dates – July 24 through Aug 2

    # of Students – 18

    # of Adults – 3

    # of Homestay families participating – 12

Hosting Expense:

 

 

2/24/07

Welcome Party

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Expenses

 

Bus from airport

 

 

$435.00

 

Tableclothes/Napkins

 

 

$46.10

 

Name tags/markers/Food/Drinks

 

$342.52

 

 

 

 

 

$823.62

 

 

 

 

 

 

2/25/07

City Day/Baseball

 

 

 

 

Lunch/Tip

 

 

 

$61.00

 

Sunfire Ceramics

 

 

$66.00

 

Watkins Admission

 

 

$50.00

 

Baseball Tickets

 

 

$135.00

 

Bus

 

 

 

$540.00

 

 

 

 

 

$852.00

 

 

 

 

 

 

2/26/07

Topeka Day

 

 

 

 

Zoo Admission

 

 

$108.00

 

Lunch for Students

 

 

$8.50

 

 

 

 

 

$116.50

 

 

 

 

 

 

2/30/07

Worlds of Fun Day

 

 

 

 

Admission Tickets

 

 

$587.00

 

 

 

 

 

 

7/31/07

KU Day

 

 

 

 

 

Bus to KU

 

 

 

$58.25

 

Museum Donation

 

 

$50.00

 

Chaperon Lunch

 

 

$18.51

 

Jaybowl

 

 

 

$85.50

 

 

 

 

 

$212.26

 

 

 

 

 

 

7/31/07

Farewell Party

 

 

 

 

Meat

 

 

 

 

 

Cake/Plates

 

 

$66.25

 

 

Grand

Total

 

$2,666.21