Lawrence Sister Cities Advisory Board
August 12, 2009 minutes
Approved September 16, 2009
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MEMBERS PRESENT: |
Linda Hyler, Stuart Boley, Jon Josserand, Ken Albrecht, Gina Ross, Bob Moody, Andrew Tsubaki, Kathleen Hodge, Kelly Herndon, Bob Schumm, Bob Moody |
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MEMBERS ABSENT: |
Lori Hutfles, Bill Keel, Lynn Ground, Michael Kennedy |
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STAFF LIAISON PRESENT: |
Cynthia Boecker |
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PUBLIC PRESENT: |
James Hilliard, Hiratsuka Trip Co-Coordinator
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The regular monthly meeting was held in the city commission chambers at City Hall at 5:30 on August 12, 2009. Linda Hyler, Vice-Chair, announced the presence of a quorum.
Minutes - Josserand
The minutes of the July 2009 meeting were approved with minor additions.
Financial Reports – Boley
In July, Boley had raised the issue of the higher than normal balance of the Eutin trip account. The amount collected from students for this year’s trip had been increased $400 per student in anticipation of higher costs. However those costs were not ultimately experienced so trip collections exceeded expenses by approximately $4,900. Boley and Friedemann met and proposed the Board make refunds to the students amounting to $4,898. The proposal was distributed to the Board. Amounts varied among students reflecting differing levels of trip payments due to scholarship support. A motion was made and approved to implement the recommendation as proposed. This will return the Eutin trip fund reserves to the approximate balance of a year ago of approximately $5,000.
Boley met recently with City Budget Director Ed Mullins and C. Boecker regarding the proposed transfer of exchange trip accounting to City Hall. He characterized the meeting as positive regarding this transfer of responsibilities. This is one of the two separate proposals being considered by the Board with the objective of minimizing Board accounting expenses and reducing IRS reporting requirements. Boley again reminded the Board that this change would require trip coordinators better anticipate and plan for expenditures. Boecker indicated that check writing turnaround as a practical matter is a ten-day process with the city.
Boecker indicated a primary concern from the city would be to assure that expenditure authority clearly remain with the advisory board with a clear understanding of responsibilities.
The flexibility to immediately write checks for unanticipated trip expenses would be lost.
Boley suggested that for the largest expenditure (group travel) that there are ways to preserve flexibility (through an advance to the travel agency). Although no motions were made regarding the matter, the consensus appeared to be to continue to pursue this change in procedures.
J. Hilliard asked that the board remember the circumstances of trip coordinators, and to be mindful that volunteers should not be expected to personally front significant costs involved in the exchange trips waiting for reimbursement. He suggested the use of a debit card.
Likewise, some matters regarding the potential transfer of scholarship fund to the Douglas County Community Foundation. Hyler recommended that board members review documents sent by Boley to the Board, and that questions regarding the DCCF documents be provided to Boecker by August 17th, in order for them to be answered at next month’s meeting.
Boley suggested that a review of the monthly financial reports be deferred because some accounting transactions were not yet reflected in the reports.
Old Business – Committee Reports
Friends of Eutin – Eutin 20th Anniversary Exchange -- Albrecht
A meeting will be held next week sometime to button up details on the 20th year visit from Eutin. Our Eutin guests will arrive September 30th and depart October 5th.
Friedemann Eisert, the long time trip coordinator for the Eutin school exchange has announced his intent to relinquish these responsibilities. In addition, Stuart Strecker has indicated he will be resigning from his responsibilities as the FSHS school coordinator for the Eutin program, as he is increasing his work with other exchange programs.
Friends of Hiratsuka – 2010 and 2012 exchanges for 20th year - Tsubaki
Tsubaki was disappointed with turnout for events associated with the recent Hiratsuka student visits to Lawrence. Hyler reviewed the attendance by board members, and encouraged members to attend events in the future.
Tsubaki reported that he is planning to arrange a 20th anniversary trip to Hiratsuka and possibly other locations in Japan for the fall of 2010. He is in correspondence with Mr. Tomito regarding this exchange. Mr. Tomito is not able to tell him yet when we might expect a group in Lawrence from Japan in 2010.
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Schumm recommended that the monthly agenda include a regular position for a report from Friends of Iniades, although there is no report for this month’s meeting from that group. Hyler indicated that this would be done.
Public Relations – Hodge
Hodge is waiting for KU students to return to obtain a possible intern. The topic of past and possible future newsletters was discussed.
Scholarship Fundraiser – Moody
The event will be October 22, 7:00 pm, Castle Tea Room. Catering has been selected with a food budget of approximately $1,800. Invitations are being printed. Tickets are $50 per person. The goal of the committee is to find sponsors to underwrite food costs. Corporate sponsors being solicited would receive one free ticket for $250 of support, and two free tickets for $500 of support.
A “save the date” communication was recently emailed to our membership regarding this event.
New Sister City – Schumm
Schumm distributed a draft of a document which he has proposed to be a report to the City Commission regarding the issue of Iniades. The report is for the purposes of updating the City Commission about the history of contacts and discussions regarding the potential of Iniades becoming a possible third sister city. The report is an informational one, and does not seek any formal action from the Commission, nor does it commit the Board to any final determination. Hodge made a motion to approve this draft document with minor editing changes, to be utilized in this manner. Motion approved.
Membership Event – Hyler
Friday October 2. Details are still being developed. The location may be FSHS or at SJH.
City Web Presence – Josserand
Josserand indicated he had received no feedback from the Board or friends groups, with the exception of Keel regarding the draft he distributed last month. He indicated he would soon meet with Keel to resolve any questions and transmit the product to city staff for inclusion on the website. Josserand suggested that many holes still existed regarding information, but that it was important to get the ball rolling with an improved structure which could be further improved and refined over time.
New Business
Membership Form & Lists – Hyler
Hyler distributed the current membership list. She also circulated a mock-up of a potential 3-fold membership application form which she believes the board should consider. Such a document could also be distributed at the Library and in other suitable locations. Comments regarding such a form were very positive.
Ad Hoc Committee on Policies and Procedures - Josserand
Josserand indicated the committee finalized its report and recommendations this week. The report and recommendations was distributed. He indicated that several recommendations are actually already underway, and several would be non-controversial, but would require additional work by member(s) of the Board with the trip coordinators. He also suggested some recommendations are more substantial and would require significant additional Board discussion.
The general thrust of the report is that communication should be improved between those involved with trips (trip coordinators and chaperones/teachers) and the Board, that the roles of the Board with trip coordinators and chaperones/teachers be examined, that better mechanisms be instituted to gain feedback about exchange trip experiences, and that the Board explore ways of including a wider set of individuals from Lawrence in exchange trips.
He distributed the report and indicated he would recommend to the Chair that time be identified on a future agenda for more lengthy discussion.
However, he did recommend that one recommendation be implemented without waiting for a subsequent board meeting. This recommendation would be to distribute an evaluation document to families involved in this year’s exchanges, to obtain feedback about trip experiences. A suggested cover letter and evaluation form was included as an appendix in the committee’s report.
J. Hilliard reported to the Board that the Hiratsuka trip has an existing feedback process and they receive feedback and provide some of this to the Hiratsuka side. Josserand indicated appreciation for learning of this information source and said the ad hoc committee was unaware of this.
A motion was made and approved to proceed with an evaluation form to be sent to the families of this year’s exchanges.
The meeting adjourned at 7:00 pm.