Good evening and welcome to the Sister Cities Commission meeting. It's 5:15 on Monday, April 6th. I would like to call the meeting to order. We'll start with roll call. Lori Juel, >> Larry Mack, >> Jane Mayday Hokei, >> John Vorwick,
>> Tamara FTH, Kathleen Backer, exofficial mayor. Okay. >> And we'll start with our U minutes from the last meeting. Has everybody read them? I had a chance to read them. >> Yes. I'll offer a motion to approve as
presented. >> Second. >> All those in favor? I >> opposed. >> Okay, motion passed. The financial reports remain the same as um last month. There has not been any changes. We still have the same remaining
balances that we had before. So, in our general fund, our um balance is $3,130 and in the special projects fund there is $7,59 as a balance. Um, I'm looking for a
motion to approve them as read. >> I'll make that motion. >> I'll second. >> Any discussion? If not, all in favor? >> I >> oppose. Motion passed. Then we'll move on to the cultural
exchange program. And um, our outbound intern is going to be Samuel Blumbberg. and he is um reached out and accepted the internship and provided his dates for travel. He is going to travel
approximately June 8th through August 28th. Um Anamarie has been notified of his dates and a final determination of travel will be determined. Um will work with host families and employer interns for the locations of him once he gets there.
Our inbound has been selected. It is Jan Rosenberg and we have a place for him to work at. He's going to be working at the Newam Country Club and um they're excited to have him there and they're looking for him to come preferably July
to August into September if that works well with his schedule. Of course, they'll be flexible. Um he'll be helping in the um catering and cooking and bar area and few other things that they have. So, they're really excited to have him. So, that's really nice that that's
all taken care of. And we actually have um some speaking engagements. The Saratoma Club has reached out and then he can speak at any of the first three Wednesdays of the month. Um so, one of those months while he's here, we can coordinate something with the Sarata
Club for him to speak. And we have potential host families for him already. So, that was really nice to um hear. Nathan and Shelley Pearson. I'm not familiar with them, but maybe somebody I know them well. >> Okay. Um are those and Dick and Sharon
Seaboth and Jim and Connie Bartles have also volunteered. >> So, we'll have to narrow it down to two um because we generally have been doing two. It's easier for them um when they're here to spend a little bit more time with each host family than to move
every single month. Um so, we'll work on that. Um but that's nice to have done and out of the way. we don't have to worry about that. Um if there next thing is our old business that we're going to have. Um the first one on the agenda is
the update on the collaboration with Brown County Historical Society Museum on their summer programs and both of our people that are working on a committee are on vacation. Well, are out of town and so we're going to move that to next month and then they can present if
that's okay with everybody. And the next thing we have, we're going to let Tammy and Laura um Lori speak about the advertising and promotion committee, what they put together for us um to look at and to evaluate and decide
what we want to do. >> And most importantly, this is just a draft. So just know that this is a first um swipe at it. Um, basically just the concept of trying to figure out the steps needed to process in order to get things out to the community. And it
might be that this isn't what we use for every single type of communication. This might just be for some of the bigger events, but it's just a framework to kind of start from and then we can decide, okay, we're going to skip steps one through seven for this smaller event and just jump right to step eight or
whatever the case may be. So, um, it's definitely has some flexibility within it. I did run it past Lisa, our liaison for the city, and I had asked a couple questions in it saying, can the city do this or can you know those kind of things and so she answered those in the framework. So that this has already had
one kind of I don't want to call it vetting, but one one line of of a freeview, I guess. Um, so I I think we can just I don't want to read it. I'll just let you guys kind of read it. Let me know what questions you have or what areas might be kind of unclear.
And then we can figure out what we might need to still add or subtract. We can also send it out to the rest of the group after this meeting and we can get feedback from them, talk about it more next meeting, that kind of thing also. Well, first of all, I'd like to say you
did a very good job. Okay? Really did a lot of work on this. Um but I would um recommend that we table until next month after the other two um board members the three actually
we're going to probably have another one um from what I hear they're voting on one tomorrow night. >> Yes. >> Okay. So we'll have a third one and um let them be involved in it as well. It's not something that I think we have to do right now. >> Perfect. And I think it's a work in
progress and um that will give them an opportunity to review it, to evaluate it, to write down their questions and comments um so that we can um dive into it a little bit more at our next meeting if that's okay with everybody. Um if
not, speak up. >> I I think it's very thorough. It's it's nice to have an outline, I guess, you know, so we can be consistent about uh you know, where we're going and you know, and with all the all of our projects, I should
say. And >> and this might also be overkill. It might be too much. So, we can kind of again >> adapt and adjust and >> shift accordingly or not use all the steps all the time either, you know, depending. And just a question, just a question
too. Being new on the commission, um, generally how many people do we have apply each year or does that vary? >> We get three to five. >> Okay. >> You know, just try to stay consistent, you know, but there's been some years
it's been just one or two, >> okay? But, uh, you know, it's just trying to get the engagement, you know, and >> I think that's what part of this is about is to get the word out there to publicize more and promote it. Um, so
that hopefully we do have a pool to pull from instead of just like one or two. >> Sure. >> I think it gives us a little bit more opportunity to look at um, individuals on a >> Yeah. Yeah, I mean we're very fortunate.
We have the college here in town that, you know, they got a German language group there. You know, that's been a bonus. You know, we had some students there. >> Although, um I have the high school. >> Yeah, I have talked to a few um on the bus to knowledgeable that take German um
that aren't there yet, haven't graduated, maybe are juniors and some are sophomores. But the problem there is how long are they going to have the German program and the language at the high school with the cuts that they're making. They're afraid that it's not
something that is, you know, busting at the seams. Okay. So, um, but there are some candidates out there that are thinking about it for like after they graduate or their first summer after they are gone to school. So, I've been
kind of planting that seed that, you know, there's something out there. >> I'm also hopeful that some of our marketing um would encourage people to be involved in the commission, to be involved as a host family, to be involved in what Sister Cities is doing.
And also think of us before they go on a trip to Germany, for example, and maybe we could give them some advice or, you know, whatever those kind of things. like I think there's lots of ways that we could get the word out to the greater area. So that's part of my hope as well
in addition to adding to the pool of people who might be interested. >> Well, maybe one thing we could maybe think of for marketing yet is, you know, as a commission to keep it out there for every couple years to maybe do a possible tour, you know, continuing as
marketing. We did that I think was it two years ago where Joel Meyer >> led a number of the commissioners and uh and friends of the commissions and we marketed within the community and they had about two dozen people and keep that as a
>> you know maybe we can't something to do every year but every other or every second or third year just to try to keep that relationship going with our sister city. >> Well and I think we need to market for within the community as well. We can use help when it comes to the broad stands.
We can help need help when it comes to the parades and the festivals while we're here getting them to those different events and and making sure that they're participating in those as well. Um, you know, so there's more than just our little, you know, circle here.
>> So that would be my hope. >> Well, maybe we could get some of the past, you know, students parents or relatives there, you know. >> Uhhuh. you know, maybe they >> become a part of our commission involved in it.
>> That would be really nice. >> Well, maybe some of them might want to post back or something, you know, being uh their son or daughter went abroad, you know, and >> post or >> you know, if they heard positive reviews, you know, about keeping the
engagement. >> Yeah. Very well put together. Any other comments from anybody else? And then we will um if not, we will um I don't know if we're going to table this till next month, but we'll put it on the agenda again for next month.
>> Sounds great. >> Um okay. Um >> like an action item. >> Yeah, an action item that um we can make sure we cover it and it's everybody has an opportunity to really take a look at it.
But yeah, very good. I was very impressed when I read it. I want to thank you for all your work. Is there any other old business that needs to be brought before the commission?
I don't know if it's old business, but um you talked about another member coming on and for me it's old business. It's been working on it for a while. Uh the new person that has agreed to come on is um Al Wald Bogle and he is an
employee at Cashwise but he also I believe he's the president of the Narin and I connected with him uh when we were at Fashing >> and asked him straight out if he or somebody would be willing again that German connection and it just spreads
the word and and get more participation and ownership. Uh, so he has agreed. It took a little bit to go back and forth. I wanted to make sure it worked for his schedule. So, um, I'm, uh, making an assumption, Mr. Council person over there, that we'll get approval on Al and
he's excited to be at the next meeting. >> Well, it'll be great to have them. >> Welcome them. >> So, as for announcements, our broadstands dates are out there, August 11th and August 12th. Um the sign up schedules will be sent in the near
future. Lisa will send those out. Um and then we'll need to take um inventory on making sure we get enough of the supplies that we we need. And I'll follow up with Lisa. I actually have some at home in my house. So I've been keeping them there. So we'll make sure
we have enough of that stuff. But again, that's another opportunity for um people to get involved and to help us and um be a part of it. Um, and having two consecutive days will be really nice because we're not going to have to tear
down and then start all over again. So, Beth Alex, the next council meeting, um, Sister Sees me will be held on Monday, May 4th at 5:15 in the city hall chambers. Um, I'm looking for a motion to dismiss.
>> I'll make a motion to adjurnn. >> I'll second. All those in favor? >> I >> oppose. Motion pass. Meeting adjourned. >> Thank you.