City of Lawrence

Lawrence Sister Cities Advisory Board

December 8, 2010

 

MEMBERS PRESENT:

Bill Keel, Jon Josserand, Ken Albrecht, James Hilliard, Kelly Herndon, Gina Ross, Bob Moody, Lynn Ground, Michael Kennedy, Dennis Christilles, Kathleen Hodge, Gina Ross,

MEMBERS ABSENT:

Linda Hyler, Darrel Ward

STAFF LIAISON PRESENT:

Megan Gilliland

PUBLIC PRESENT:

 

 

The meeting was brought to order at 5:36 pm in the Lawrence City Commission chambers by Chair Keel.

 

Review of Minutes (Josserand)

The minutes were approved for the November meeting as previously distributed.

 

Treasurer’s Report (Herndon)

Douglas County Community Foundation (DCCF) provided a report to Herndon of receipts and expenditures   for the year to date.  Receipts amount to $7,331.00.  Expenditures, totaling $8,265.56, amount to:   $3,700 for Hiratsuka student scholarships, $1,250 for Eutin student scholarships, and reimbursement for fundraiser expenses $3,315.56.  

 

Herndon brought up the topic of thank-you/IRS gift letters written for the recent Castle Tea Room scholarship fundraiser.   Letters were written both by DCCF and Lawrence Sister Cities providing inconsistent information.  These letters arrived to donors on the same day. 

 

Herndon suggested that this issue should be resolved, looking forward.  She reported that DCCF believes its role is to write letters to all donors as required by IRS guidelines, and that sister cities should be providing direct thank you letters.  

 

DCCF also believes that food and drink purchased and donated at $19 per person fair market value for a $50 admission would be viewed as di minimus value by the IRS.  Discussion ensued. 

 

Additional communications will occur with DCCF to resolve this issue before any fundraiser in the future to clarify these issues and prevent inconsistent communications.

 

Herndon proposed that next year that a detailed treasurer’s report should occur only on a quarterly basis, rather than monthly basis, to the full board.  There were no objections. 

 

Herndon also reported that a meeting will soon occur to resolve the 2010 Eutin trip expense accounting.

 

The board approved Herndon’s report.

 

DCCF Investments Committee (Ground)

Ground reminded the board of their specific decision a few months ago to make a first reallocation of the funds in the sister cities scholarship investment portfolio from a position of 100% money market funds into a position of approximately 50% money market funds and 50% bond funds. 

 

Although this investment decision had been communicated to DCCF through the individual designated to communicate to them such decisions, the relevant investment reallocations were not made.

 

To now make that allocation some time later would now not be financially advantageous, according to Ground and others.   Discussion ensued.

 

DCCF may be invited to a future meeting to discuss this topic.  

 

20th Anniversary Hiratsuka (Hilliard)

Hilliard reported that a recent written communication has been received which indicates the Hiratsuka delegation is looking at an October 2011 date for a visit to Lawrence, instead of a spring date which they had been previously been considering.

 

Membership Development (Josserand)

Josserand indicated that membership renewal notices would be in the mail soon.

 

Scholarship Committee – (Keel)

Keel reported that the scholarship committee and had recommended the following for scholarships for the 2011 Hiratsuka trip:  1@ $1,000; 1@ $750; and 4@$500; for a total of $3,750.

 

The scholarship committee intends to meet in February to review the form and review ways to produce more complete information on behalf of the scholarship applicants for future consideration.

 

Report from Friends of Eutin - (Albrecht)

Eutin has been notified that Lawrence will host a group of students next fall, despite of a lack of Lawrence students visiting Eutin.  This will be for perhaps a 4 or 5 week stay.  Timing may be mid-September to mid-October.   The Friends of Eutin and working with the Friends of Lawrence to identify a “comfortable” number of students who can be accommodated.

 

Report from Friends of Iniades - (Christilles)

Christilles reports he has had two interesting recent inquiries. One was from a local Iniades individual who was interesting in exploring the issue of starting a business in Lawrence.  The other was from an individual who would like to pursue an economics degree at KU.  

 

Committee appointments - (Keel)

The chair asked for board members to review the committee appointment list and get back to him with any suggestions for change.