call the Sister Cities Commission meeting um to order. Mon, it's Monday, December 1st, and we'll start with roll call. >> Larry Mack here. >> Ellie Sweeney here. Brian Filson here.
John Vorwark Dick Seboth >> Jane M hokei >> mayor of city of New Kathleen Ber >> and um at this time I'd like to thank the outgoing commissioners Brian Filson and Dixie both for their years of
service to the sister cities commission. Just a minute. Next thing on the um agenda is election of officers. And since we have two leaving and that leaves one, two, three, four, five here. I would like to hold
off until the next meeting. with that. Can I have a motion for that or do I need a motion? >> Sorry. >> I don't know that you need a motion to do that. >> Just hold off until next time because >> you wouldn't have a quorum of going
forward. >> No, we don't have that reason. So that's why I would like to um hold off. All right. Um, the next thing on the agenda is approve approval of the minutes um for the November um third
meeting. Did everybody have a chance to look at those and review them? >> I'll move approval of those minutes. >> I'll second. >> We have a motion on the floor. All those in favor? I
>> oppose. Okay. Our financial reports are both um listed for us. Um both the general fund and in the general fund of course we had the stipen for Samuel and um also some of the um
costs for um our outgoing overseas um her flight and all that um was included in this one. So at um the present time we have um a balance of
um I got to read this here 1,162.9. Are there any questions about the financial reports? >> That's on the the the fund from the city. >> Right. Right. Right.
And then the general fund we um so the fund from the city um is $8,130. No, that's >> that's excuse me. >> It's the other way around. >> Yeah, it's the other way around. The general fund. Okay.
Are there any questions? Can I have a motion for approval? >> I'll make a motion to accept the financial report as it stands. >> Is there any discussion? Second. >> Okay. Any discussion? If not, all those in favor?
>> I I oppose. Yeah. Motion passed. And uh we had a really successful HJ juice cultural exchange program this year. Samuel had a wonderful party, a farewell. Um it was very well attended
and um I think he um made a lot of friends while he was here. Um >> Oh, that was good to see. That was a good turnout. One of the best I think one of the best turnouts. >> It is one of the best turnouts we've had >> um for somebody. So yeah, it was very very um I think sometimes he was a
little bit overwhelmed by how many people actually showed up as well. He made the comment he was surprised at how many people um came. Well, he ran with a number of organizations, you know, and he had a good network of friends that he got and uh
>> and not only that is this he took the time to want to >> uh audition to sing and and get engaged with different heard singers for example and and uh >> took and uh talked to some of the people that worked at the brewery and you know he took honor to want to learn and ask
and you know hang out and and you know he found his group that he was comfortable with. >> Yeah. >> And stuff. So, >> did anybody hear from him? Did he make it home? Okay. >> Yes, I did. Uh, we exchanged emails and he he is rnraring at his parents house
before he has to Well, I think this week he's got to go to Munich and get a new living situation set up for school. >> Okay. All right. >> Yeah. He texted me or, you know, and uh that he, you know, landed in Frankfurt and he was going back home and stuff,
you know. So, >> good. Good. All right. So, um uh right now we have no applicants that have been submitted for our um outgoing for next year. So, hopefully after the
first of the year, in the next couple weeks, we'll hear from somebody. If you know of anybody that might be interested, please encourage them um to um apply. Um, we'll have to send thank you letters to Jensen Motors, Shells
Brewery, and the host families for, um, their help in making this successful. And then, um, Lisa will purchase chamber dollars to be sent to the host families as appreciation for hosting Samuel. Right. So, >> so does Lisa write those?
>> Yes, Lisa takes care of those. >> Have we had it on the radio at all that we're looking for applications or applicants at all? anything for this? >> We we had with the interview with Sam that we did, but uh probably about put something in the community calendar that we'll run seeking applicants till the
end of the year that we'll run that periodically or even like daily we can run it on our community calendar programs. >> Yeah. All right. Yeah. Cuz um usually by this time we have at least one or something. So I'm kind of surprised that
we don't have anybody that's interested. >> And letters were sent out to you like MLC college and stuff like that. >> Said all the letters were sent out according to what I understand. So um we just haven't heard anything back. And you know, we had such a good supporter
for outgoing as well that um hoping that she maybe would communicate to some of her friends as well about what a great program it was and what it how she benefited from it. >> She's back in Wisconsin now, right?
>> Yeah. >> Somebody have the I should give her a call and see if she wants to do an interview, too. >> Yeah, you can do it over radio. >> I missed it when she was here. >> Over the phone? Yeah. and we could do an interview with her and just, you know, from her vantage point what it's like. We could >> maybe if you reach out with Lisa, she
has all that information and she can help you with that. I think that's a great idea. I wonder futureely if we could even create an event say up at the college with their J German group you know just to you know we come up as commissioners and
you know meet their German group or their language group if you know for their students up there and maybe you know encourage them hey we've got this great opportunity for a program you know might you want to think about it when you graduate or you know one of your
summers off or part of your schooling or you know just a thought you know maybe we bring the sister cities to the college >> to the college >> and visit with them you know hands-on or something and that >> have to have them pretty quick here. >> Yeah. What is the age requirement for
going over? I always forget >> 18 to 35. >> 18. You know another group to look at is the German class up at the high school cuz some of those kids would be 18 um as seniors and might be interested in going >> older is better. >> Oh, I know. but u might be interested
and it's something for them to think about going forward. Uh maybe not this summer but maybe the summer after during um their you know summer breaks from school and stuff. So maybe that's another avenue of reaching out. I mean
I'd be I would be willing to go talk to um the German class if we could get an in on it um about our program and what's available. Have we ever had a a season where we didn't have an exchange? I don't know. >> Not that I can remember.
>> Just during co >> Yeah, we did have uh one I think one of my first or second year we only had like maybe three, but that's the least amount that I remember. I mean, I'm just trying to look at other avenues um opening up that window of
opportunity um for high school students because they do have a German class up there and they do have, you know, um >> well, the the reason that this program has been successful and the high school exchange wasn't is that the uh kids in
high school don't have enough German skills to be with their peers. uh in a in a high school situation >> and it gives them something to think about.
>> Well, definitely plant planting the seed going forward. If they pursue German in a a college setting, then it's definitely something that they should pursue and >> yes, we could use them.
Also, is there a possibility? We had uh the last couple of years we had multiple uh candidates for outbound and for one reason or another they needed to
cancel. They could be uh should we be knocking on their door and letting them know that if their circumstances have changed, we should >> I can ask about reaching out to them. All right.
Circumstances change and maybe it'll work. Okay. I just want them able to open up that window of opportunity for others to to really understand what the program is all about and um some of the benefits
and stuff. So, okay, there isn't anything else. Let's move on to old business. >> Madam Chair, could I just step back into the the exchange thing? And I want to thank you for uh getting some uh departure gifts for Sam. Uh it was a
very pleasant surprise on his part to uh have those presentations made and they it took great creativity on your part to come up with such delightful gifts. So, thank you. >> You're welcome. All right. So, under old
business, we have the recognition award and John, Brian, and Tony met. Um, it was scheduled at 4:45. And do you have somebody that you're going to recommend to the committee for
the recognition award for this year? >> Um, yes, we do. We've uh would like to uh nominate Ken and Vicky Brolaf. uh for that recognition. Uh Vicki was uh
part of the commission. I'm not sure, but the early 2000s, I think, right around there. Uh but beyond being a commissioner, she did a lot on her own. Uh hosted some stuff at I mean, even at her home. So, um I think
uh I think they would those two would make a a good make good recipients of that award. >> Okay. So, now I have a motion that >> I'll offer a motion to accept Vicky
Roloff and Ken Roloff for the recognition award. >> Do I have a second? >> I'll second. Okay. Any discussion? If not, all those in favor?
>> I I >> Okay, motion has passed. Okay. And then John, you'll take care of ordering the plaque, right? We need somebody to set up the date and the location to hold it. Um, typically we do that in
February, right? >> It says January. >> Or January. >> Yeah, we've done it in January. I think was it last year? We did it later. Yeah, we did it later. >> Um >> I I don't know if we should uh maybe I I don't know how Vicki is.
>> Let's check and see how her health is. >> Maybe see what what worked for her also. >> Yeah, let's reach out to Vicki. Okay. Do you want to do that, John? Can you do that? And let get back to us and let us know what works for her. >> All right. >> All right. I mean, it doesn't necessarily have to be in January. we
can be a little and once we find out what works for Vicki, we can go ahead and set something up um for it. All right, the next thing on the agenda is um new business. We need a motion to continue or discontinue the German
language camp. Um we've struggled with this. We struggled with finding somebody that will teach and will be a part of it. Um, it's not that the committee hasn't worked at at trying to pull it together. It just
doesn't work seem to come together. There's always a piece that's not fitting into the schedule. So, um, we need to make a decision whether we're going to continue trying to make this a possibility or if we're going to
discontinue it and move on. >> Madam Chair, I'd just like to make a comment. I believe that at least for the last two years there's been uh a terrific effort to make the camp go but I believe in both situations we ended up
not having the coordinator and in my opinion you need that coordinator coming up now at least January February to plan organize and to recruit participants and so we're already in short time if you're
going to do it in 2026 just my comments. >> You know, we did talk to the German instructor about helping us and it just didn't fit into his schedule. >> He accepted at one point and then had to back out. So, he was willing, but I
don't know if it was a timing thing. >> Would this year be an option? Do you think it's uh is it just last year the problem? >> I don't know. Uh Carolyn communicated or did you >> No, Carolyn did communicated with >> Peter Engelinger. Yeah, >> correct.
>> Yeah. Communicated with the with him and uh we can um ask Caroline to reach out and we'll have a definite answer by January, but we need a firm commitment if we're going to make this happen
because there's a lot of other work that has to go into it. It's just not finding somebody to be the coordinator and to um be a part of it. It's the volunteers and everything else where we're going to hold it. timing um getting the word out
to the community um so that we have people that want to come, children that want to come and participate. Um so um my suggestion is that at this point let's reach out to him and see what he has to say and if it's a goal for him
then we can move forward. If it's not, then I think we're going to discontinue it for this year and um think about trying again the following year. Um it's Yeah. >> Well, Madam Chair, I consider your
approach correct. I don't think it should be something that is trashed and burned and never considered again. I do think that each fall, September and October, we have to reach out and see if there's a coordinator
available for the following summer so that it can possibly be done. But, uh, certainly if you don't have a commitment by the January meeting, uh, it should not happen in 26.
>> Yeah. Um so I'll ask Carolyn if she will um reach out to him and see what its answer is and then in at January meeting we will bring it before and if he says it's just not going to work then we are going to table it for this year. Um, and
then I think as a committee we should step back and and start looking at some of the other pieces that we want to put together for that and and getting a timeline um a real good timeline um of what we need and what's all you know how
many volunteers we need, how many how big is it going to be, where are we going to hold it and start working on for the following year. at least have a template of what we want and what our expectations are so that we can use that and have it in written form to move
forward and and fill in those slots as we need to fill them in. Okay. I might suggest something fruit for thought. It seems to me that we there's been some success in the community with summer camps and maybe
it's a combination of the language camp along with crafts along with maybe dance uh and so it can be embellished uh to to you know go beyond the language piece to engage or attract more people.
That's a good idea >> suggestion. >> Now, it could be you're looking at a German cultural camp and the uh particularly when you're working with youth, those activities that you uh suggested will enhance the experience as
opposed to a repeat after me. >> Correct. >> Nine is fine. I you know, this is got to make it fun and interesting and active. And that's a great suggestion. >> I could see it. um working in
combination with the camps that the historical society puts on. >> Um you know, we could kind of say how the kids of that age, they spoke German at home and they spoke German maybe even in school, I don't know, and and kind of combine it that way.
>> And I I'm now a volunteer at the museum. I would I would talk to Christina about it. Sure. >> The program director, and just see if there might be some interest. >> Yeah. And you might remind them years ago back in the 80s we did that. We would have uh
heritage Christmas and if it was Scandinavian I know one year Selma taught uh Norwegian to the kids and she had crafts and activities for them to go with it but that might have been a younger target audience. But uh there
are some of those programs that they can look back in their archives and bring them back. Okay. All right. Also in our packet for tonight was the committee preferences for 2026 and
descriptions of what is respons your responsibilities are on those um different committees. So, I ask that you please review them because in January, I'll be handing out sheets where you'll have to volunteer for different um our different committees and there aren't a
whole lot of them. Um so, we need advertising and we need um special recognition awards. Um and then of course the exchange program. Um so, and then uh the youth uh language camp is also another
one. So, all that is in the packet and I'd like to ask each of you to please review and think about where you would like to um help with those different um committees. And if you want to stay on the committee you're on, that's just fine. Um
that's fine. All right. Is there any other um old old business or new business to be discussed? If not, the next uh meeting will be held Monday, January 5th at 5:15 in the city hall council chambers. Um I look for a motion
for adjournment. >> I'll make that motion to adjurnn. >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> I opposed. >> Meeting adjourned.