City of Lawrence

Lawrence Sister Cities Advisory Board

January 11, 2012 minutes

 

MEMBERS PRESENT:                     Jon Josserand, Billy Williams, Bob Moody, Sue Hack, Ken Albrecht, Dennis Christilles, Kelly Herndon, Kathleen Hodge, Michelle Jennings, Ted Juneau, Michael Kennedy

MEMBERS ABSENT:                      Matt Hoy, Ione Unruh, Stacey VanHouten

STAFF LIAISON PRESENT:             Cynthia Wagner

PUBLIC PRESENT:                        Nancy Hope

 

 

Chair Josserand opened the regular monthly meeting in the city commission chambers at City Hall at 5:30 on January 11, 2012.

 

Minutes – Josserand

The December draft minutes were approved as submitted to the board.

 

Treasurers Report – Herndon

Herndon reported that Eutin trip reserve account, formerly held at Mainstreet Credit Union, has been closed and moved to Intrust Bank.  All accounts are now held by Intrust Bank to improve management of all of the accounts.

 

Herndon is in the process of balancing out the accounts, and will turn the responsibility over to Moody when she has finished doing so.

 

A brief explanation of the DCCF (Douglas County Community Foundation), as it relates to our scholarship account, was given by Herndon to inform the new board members.

 

Public Present – Nancy Hope

Nancy Hope (Assoc. Director, Kansas Consortium for Teaching about Asia Assoc. Director for Special Projects, Confucius Institute University of Kansas) presented to the board a program called the Japanese Outreach Initiative (JOI).  

 

“The Center for East Asian Studies (CEAS) at KU (www.ceas.ku.edu) is considering participating in the Japanese Outreach Initiative (JOI) program (http://www.laurasian.org/joi/index.htm) which sends Japanese individuals to American universities as volunteer coordinators of outreach activities about Japan.  This amazing program would allow CEAS to do more outreach about Japan in local schools and the community at large.”

 

“The JOI program directly pays $200 a month to those hosting the Japanese individual to cover some expenses.  The JOI person has to buy their own food, their own car and gas, their own cell phone and foot other living expenses.  It is not too difficult to find hosting families in communities that teach Japanese in elementary and secondary schools because the JOI person tutors their children as a condition of living in a particular home.  They would come to Lawrence for a year, but could live with one family or person for say 4 months and then move to other families over that period too.” 

 

Nancy reported that the Japanese government has already made a visit to Lawrence to inspect conditions/the ability to host the program.  She reported that for example the student might participate in the following:

·         Tutor KU students

·         Work with an after school club – middle school

·         Help to increase involvement in the Hiratsuka program

Ø  Help run the orientation for the Lawrence students preparing to go to Hiratsuka

Ø  Help prepare a notebook for orientation

 

This is a one year commitment, but hopefully it would be continued for two years.  The teacher would arrive in August of this year if everything works out.

 

A brief discussion ensued and the board agreed that this would be a very positive experience for Lawrence.  James Hilliard, President of Friends of Hiratsuka, has been contacted by Nancy Hope and will be communicating with her and the board.

 

Grant – Josserand

Josserand reported that the Lawrence Sister Cities Advisory Board was not successful in obtaining a Japan Exchange Funding grant on the first try.  He will try again. 

 

March 2, 2012:                  The deadline for turning in grant applications

April 2 – December 1:         Exchanges with Japan

July 12-14, 2013:                Workshops promoting U.S/Japan relationships

                                      held at the annual Sister Cities International conference in

                                      Jacksonville, FL.

 

The board was favorable in following through with the grant.  A Grant Committee was formed with the participation of the following individuals:  Michelle Jennings, Matt Hoy (pending his acceptance), Jon Josserand, and Kathleen Hodge.

 

Standing Committees – Josserand

Josserand asked members to volunteer on committees of interest.  In addition to the committees listed on the handout, a By-laws/Policies committee will also be formed.

 

Scholarship – Kennedy

Kennedy reported that scholarship committee, pending approval of the board, awarded 5 scholarships to Hiratsuka trip applicants and 1 to a Eutin trip applicant for a total awarded amount of $6,300.00.  The board approved the amount.

 

Membership Development – Josserand

Josserand reported that: 

        597 membership dues renewal/scholarship contribution letters mailed in December 2011 including personalized return dues form.  (Compare to non-personalized membership mailings as recently as 2009 of less than 200 households)  The December mailing included approximately 40 undeliverable addresses, and 10 forwarding addresses. 

        As of 1/9/2012, 62 households have donated $3,315. ($415 of which was designated as specific gifts for  the scholarship fund.

        A personalized email dues reminder using the email list was made on 1/10/2012.

        The current “newsletter” email list contains approximately 400 valid emails (donors and non- donors).  (Compare to email list of approximately 90 valid names in 2009)

        The number of households who made contributions in 2011 (this includes dues, scholarship contributions, or attendance at 2011 Hiratsuka 20th year dinner) was 160.

 

Friends of Hiratsuka – Hilliard

No report

 

Friends of Eutin – Albrecht

Albrecht reported:

·         9 Lawrence students will be participating in the Eutin program this summer.

·         KU music department is continuing the partnership with Eutin and the summer music festival

·         September 2014 will be the 25th anniversary of the Lawrence/Eutin relationship and the 50th anniversary for KU and Eutin.

·         Eutin delegates are slated to be in Lawrence September 17-22, 2014 for 25th anniversary

·         An artist from Eutin will exhibition artwork during the anniversary time.

 

Friends of Iniades – Christilles

Christilles reported that a meeting was held at Bob Schumm’s house on 1/8/2012 for information concerning an adult delegation.  The purpose of the adult delegation will be to celebrate the 5th anniversary of the Lawrence/Iniades relationship.  The trip will coincide with the KU Summer Theatre in Greece’s production of Orestes at the Ancient Theatre of Iniades.

Approximate dates are July 26 – August 2.

 

New Business

·         Josserand suggested a new member orientation and planning retreat.  There was little time left for discussion, so further discussion will take place at the February meeting.

·         Herndon reminded returning board members, and informed new board members, of the Kansas Open Meetings Act

·         Josserand thanked former board members and suggested some token of thanks be purchased by the board and given to those members.  No decision was made/taken

 

The meeting was adjourned at 7:00 P.M.