[snorts] I'd like to call the Sister Se Commission meeting of Monday, February or January 5th to order. Um, we'll start with roll call. Ellie Sweeney, Lorie Juel, Carolyn Smith,
>> Larry Mack, >> John Forward, >> Tony Baron, >> Kathleen Ber. >> The next on the agenda is election of officers. And those that are open are the chair, vice chair, and secretary. Currently, they're held by myself as
chair. vice chair was Dick Seabbo who is no longer on the commission and um secretary is Ellie Sweeney. So first thing I want to ask are there any volunteers for any of the positions? >> Ellie, I'll volunteer for secretary.
>> Okay. I've just gotten used to it now. I got to keep going. [laughter] >> Thank you very much. Um then we have chair and vice chair. Would anybody like to hold the position of chair? I'll take it for another term,
but we have to elect somebody for vice chair. Um, we have currently nobody. >> Sure. You don't have to do it. >> Oh, John's going to do it. Thank you. >> Long as you're here every meeting. >> I'll be gone when you want or two, but I'll try.
>> Okay. >> Well, you need a motion. >> So, I need a motion. So I'm going offer a motion for Jane May Hulki for chair, John Borick for vice chair, and Ellie Sweeney for secretary. >> I second.
>> All those in favor? >> I oppose. Okay, that is completed. The next on the agenda is approval of the minute uh minutes for the last meeting. Has everybody read through them? Okay. Are there any corrections or additions
that need to be? If not, I'd entertain a motion. >> I'll make that motion to accept the approval of the minutes from last month. >> I'll second it. >> Any discussion? All those in favor?
>> I I >> oppose. Next thing on the is um the financial reports and they are the special project fund shows a balance of $7,565.37.
The ex income was from our broadstands um over the summer with a total of 526. Expenses were um the recognition award for last year and the plaque. Um the BR we bought a um canopy for the broadstand
and um then we had the car rental um reimbursement for the kiosk photos and the magnet vehicle sign. The welcome reception for um Samuel. A farewell gift for Samuel. farewell reception for a total of $1,24569.
Um the general fund pretty much is the same with the expenses and uh we have a balance of $1,62.99 in that fund. A um we also um sent appreciation to the
host families for $100 and then um that was included. Are there um I look for a motion to accept the financial reports as stated? >> I'll move to accept the financial report as stated.
>> I'll second that. Are there any questions or >> is that a total of $100 or $100 each for each family? >> I think it's a total of $100, $50 each. >> Okay. >> Okay. Any other questions? If not,
do I have a >> I think we need to vote. Yeah. >> Oh, we need to vote. All those in favor? I I >> motion stands. Okay. Um, when we look at our cultural exchange program, we have five
applicants and their um, resumes were all included in the paperwork that was sent out. I've read each one of them and we have some really good candidates, I think, to pick from. I don't know that it's going to be an easy decision this time. It was kind of nice to go from
nine to five. >> Yes. >> Okay. And, um, three of them are graduates of New Alm High School. Um, and I think one was off Princess for Miss New as well, >> Amber Sullivan. >> Yeah. So, um, we will need to set up a
time for, um, the interview for these, um, individuals. And um I think we'll wait until I get who's on going to be on the committee and then um I'll reach out to you during the month
so that we can set something up. We have to all look at our schedules to make sure we're available um and their schedules as well um for when they can interview. Those interviews will be held here. Um, >> and in the past they've done them by Zoom
>> that work really well by Zoom, but uh >> yeah, >> we'll have to look at their individual schedules [cough] um [clears throat] when it comes down to it, but we need to um get started on that as soon as we know who's going to be on the committee. >> Is there and this might be for later too. Is there a when you look for what
they can do over there, does that take part of how you choose like what they can do for work? You know what I mean? Or is it we find that after we accept them? >> I've never been on that. >> Well, we try to find the best candidate
that would represent our >> city and represent our city and then ask them if they have any employment opportunities for he or she. >> Okay. >> And then >> I didn't know how that went if you kind of went with what's a good match for something over there.
>> Yeah. Then we send um Lisa sends their copy of their resume and their uh qualifications over to our counterpart over there and then they do their best to select um positions that they can >> I remember Martha last time wasn't happy
in her first placement so she asked for a second placement and they gave it to us. So that works the system where we've done that to not about placement about lodging one year. So, we'll need to schedule those subcommittee meetings to be um select a date to hold. Um and I
will reach out to you once we know and uh >> maybe she could reach out to the candidates >> first and know what's available and then we >> give us a couple options and >> cuz we might not be able to do them. I know a couple times when I was on it, we
did them all in one night. Now we had three and we did them all at the same time. But times are changing. So it might not all occur in the same time frame depending on them. So
otherwise did everybody put down their preferences for their committee selection? Um John, you and I will have to be there um as part of that team. Yeah, you can just send send them back to me and I'll make sure that Lisa gets them so that
she has them. Okay. Right. Otherwise, let's see. Does anybody else have any other questions about our candidates? Have you had a chance to look them over? >> It looks like a lot of strong possibilities. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah. Lots of um good talent out there. I was u really impressed. and some who have had experience in a travel abroad program of some kind already and some who haven't yet. So, lots of opportunities.
>> Yeah. So, all right. Not then we'll move on um to old business and then that was your committee preferences and they are available here and I need to u make sure that Lisa has them when she comes in tomorrow morning. Okay. uh we want to
continue or discontinue the German language camp. We really need to think about that. I know that we've had lots of discussion. We've reached out to people and we >> it's a discontinue. You can't do it without a teacher and we don't have a teacher. >> Yeah. >> And I wrote the letter. I just didn't
hear back and so and last year we waited around. Remember I went to Arizona and then I don't know it got it got all messed up last year >> here and he he sound like >> he did interested in it and then it went away. It didn't work into his time frame, >> but Ellie said something to me one morning in yoga. Do you want to talk
about that? >> Yeah, we want down the list. I like that. So, I I'd be more than willing to work on it. I just We're not going to get a teacher for that. I'm sorry. >> So, then let's I want a motion um to discontinue the German.
>> I move that we discontinue the German the concept of the German language camp because we don't actually have it >> for just this year. Yeah, we can. Yeah, we can always bring it up next year. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Um, can I have a motion?
>> I I did. I'm moved. No, I need a second. >> I'll second that. >> Okay. Any [clears throat] further discussion? If not, all those in favor? Hi. >> Hi. >> All right. >> Under new business, Ellie, would you
like to tell us about the possibility of collaborating with the Brown County Historical Society Museum on their summer programs and see how >> Yes. So, we talked a little bit about it at our last meeting and I said I'd talk with Christina Ktor, the program coordinator at the museum and I just got
it done last week. I don't want to procrastinate too much. But when I talked with her just saying wondering if we could collaborate with their summer day camps with children, which is this is what the lane language c camp um that's who we were aiming at and she
said wholeheartedly yes. So she said and I said I have no idea how we can do it or what it will entail. and and then I've I found out a few things that I didn't I thought it was like a whole week long, but they have two um camps on June 16th from 9 to 1 and
then on June 18th from what? 9 to 1. So they have two camps and it's just a a day camp. So they're just day camps, not like a whole week worth of camp. And I said maybe we could just introduce some German words and then she kind of brought up. So, these are just ideas
that we were brainstorming while we were having the conversation. She thought something with food. Well, what if we made a recipe and we taught the kids all the names of the ingredients in German. I mean, they're simple things, but and a certain a simple German meal that kids
of the of that a era would have eaten. And I'm sure they had family that spoke German, so it would have been normal for them to know of the German language at that time. What do you guys think? I like it, Ellie. And and Christina is
willing to work with us. I said, I don't know if we have a teacher, you know, she said she doesn't even know how she's going to run it cuz last year she did teach the the day camps, but this year she's hoping to just be the facilitator. And I said, "Yeah, we don't. You know, that's our problem is that we don't have
a teacher. But if it's something pretty simple, we could probably >> figure it out. Yeah. Not like teaching them pronouns and all those things that language entails. >> But um >> what was the second date? It was >> June 16th and June 18th. So a Tuesday
and a Thursday. >> And both of them are 9 to1. >> Yes. And I'm not sure the age range, but I think it's kind of like maybe 7 to 12 or like that. >> Sound about right? I'm not positive. would they do the advertising and our we would be a piece of it a segment of it
and they would take care of the advertising and I think they would we can just work it out as we go along and I think that would be the easiest way to advertise it because they're already going to advertise their camps you know >> and then just say sister cities commission is going to collaborate with
some German language >> or German activity >> yeah or German activity >> or if they need maybe some food cost or something or >> Yeah. Yeah. >> But I think I mean so the goal would be to try to maybe get them a dozen words or a half dozen words of some basic
German. >> Yeah. >> Maybe they could include dance and music. >> We're up for anything. >> A little poker. >> And and so is Christina. She said, you know, my program isn't set in stone. And she said, I'd be happy to, you know,
work with that. And and I said, "So, you know, if they're meeting from 9:00 to 1, our little piece of it could maybe just be an hour each day." >> Sure. >> Pretty simple. >> Excellent. >> And I said, "We just don't want to let this German language camp thing die completely, but yet
>> carry it on in some way >> that's already established." >> And I think too, if you introduce it this way, um, you have an opportunity to grow the program. Mhm. >> Um like Lori had mentioned, you know, some of the things we talked about, you
know, is the dance, the food ways, um just the different culture, the way they dress, but um this is a way to kind of test the waters and see what goes and what could be enhanced. Program could be expanded very easily. So >> great, good, good.
>> I think it's great, too. Maybe we could have them pen pal with kids in M or Naom or, you know, that could be kind of fun. >> Yeah. And I think there's lots of ways we can go with it and just to continue
the >> the process of of the engagement. That's the word. >> Do we have anybody that's interested in helping with that one hour? I will help Ellie for sure and I would be happy to work with it and we should get make an appointment to meet with the kisser kid.
>> Yeah. >> And she had some other ideas of maybe some other German uh teachers that we could make. She said there's a German group at MSU that I don't know that we reached out to. No. Um, and so she may be a good connector of people too, just,
you know, once we know what we're doing. And for further down the way, >> there might even be high school students that would be interested. >> Well, something this simple, a high school kid, >> something this simple for one hour to help and use their German skills that
they've learned in class um, the last couple years. I think they take it for two years if I'm not mistaken. look good for their resume too as well for those high school kids. >> So, I think there's potential there and it starts out small, >> you know, not a whole week um where you
got to commit. >> Well, maybe if we know a little bit more in the upcoming months and then we could reach out to the Peter Engelinger, the German teacher, and say, "Do you have any students that might be willing to help >> with the museum? These are the two dates. We're looking for an hour for
>> couple people." It's not such a big commitment. So, I think it'll be easier for people to, >> you know, if someone's providing the main structure like the museum and >> we're just trying to >> Okay. So, would you like to report back next month? Will you have the opportunity to spend time with her a
little bit as two of >> back on what you where you're at and what the status is and where we're headed. That I think would help everybody um become involved and and do that. All right. All right. Is there any other new
business that we need to discuss? If not, um we'll move on to announcements. Um the following this meeting, there's a recognition award reception at the Kagel Club. Um and we have um Order Derves and >> I talked to her I talked to her this morning.
>> Okay. All right. And uh I did pick up a few utensils and stuff like that. So um otherwise otherwise the next meeting will be held on Monday, February 2nd at 5:15 in the city hall chambers council
chambers. Um do I have a move a motion for adjournment? >> I move that we adjourn this meeting. >> I have a second. >> I second. >> All in favor? I >> oppose. Meeting adjourned.