City of Lawrence

Lawrence Sister Cities Advisory Board

December 8, 2004 minutes

 

MEMBERS PRESENT:

Nancy Bjorge, Stuart Boley, Kathleen Hodge, Linda Hyler, Sheila Immel, Bill Keel, Michael Kennedy, Graham Kreicker, Beth Reiber, Gina Ross, Bob Schumm, Karen Swisher, Andrew Tsubaki

MEMBERS ABSENT:

Jon Josserand

 

STAFF PRESENT:

none

 

PUBLIC PRESENT:

none

 

 

Kreicker called the meeting to order at 5:35 pm.

 

Schumm moved to approve the minutes of the 11/10/04 meeting.  Seconded by Reiber and passed unanimously.

 

Keel presented the report of the Scholarship Committee that had recently met to review scholarship applications for 2005 programs.  The committee unanimously recommended that scholarships be awarded to three students going to Hiratsuka and three students going to Eutin.  In accordance with our scholarship funding policy there was a maximum of $3,700 available to award.  The total of the recommended scholarships is equal to that amount.  After discussion, Keel moved that the six scholarships be awarded.  Seconded by Ross and passed unanimously.

 

Keel will phone the program coordinators to advise them of our decision and will write to the family of each student that was awarded a scholarship to notify them of our decision and to request acceptance by December 17th.  Should any student decline the scholarship, the funds may be applied toward other students on an “as needed” basis.

 

Kreicker reviewed the previous month’s decision to hire a bookkeeper and recommended Janis Stewart, President of Office Helpline Inc.  He briefly outlined the experience and qualifications of her firm.  Schumm moved to employ Office Helpline.  Seconded by Boley and passed uanaimously.

 

Boley presented the Treasurer’s report and moved that it be accepted.  Seconded by Ross and passed unanimously.

 

Members discussed the two “travel accounts” used for the high school exchange programs.  Keel moved to have the Eutin exchange program account placed under the jurisdiction of the Board and that it appear on our financial statements and records.  Seconded by Immel and passed unanimously.

 

Regarding signature authority on the above mentioned “Eutin” checking account, Schumm moved that Treasurer, Boley, and Friedemann Eisert, Program Coordinator, be designated as the signatories.  Ross seconded and passed unanimously.

 

Members discussed the Lawrence Children’s Choir 2005 tour of Germany and a request that Kreicker had received from their Director, Janet Krehbeil, for $3,000 in funds to help defray the costs of including two assistant directors on the trip.  (The children largely pay their own way.)  It was the sense of the members that our intent was to provide liaison and help set-up contacts in Germany to facilitate the tour; but not to any give financial support.  Schumm moved that we do not provide any financial support.  Seconded by Ross and passed unanimously, except with Keel abstaining.

 

Tsubaki previewed the 2005 delegate visit to Japan and urged all members to finalize their plans soon.  In addition, it was proposed to invite members of Kansas International and the Chamber Board to join the tour.  Tsubaki and Kreicker will follow up on this.

 

Kreicker reported that he and Keel moved our stored records and supplies into a space the City has provided in the offices of the Parks and Recreation Dept.  They are accessible between 9:00 am. and 5:00 pm., Monday through Friday.  He recommended that the Board purchase a four-drawer file cabinet and a storage cabinet to hold all the items.  At Office Depot the file will cost $124.99 and the cabinet will cost $139.99, for a total of $264.98,plus tax.  Hyler moved that the two items be purchased.  Seconded by Schumm and passed unanimously.

 

Kreicker suggested the possibility of preparing an application to receive an achievement award at the Sister Cities Convention next summer, noting the tremendous success of all our sesquicentennial activities.  Members who were on the board when the award application was made following the completion of the Japanese Garden suggested it was not worth the effort based upon past experience.  It was the sense of the members not to proceed with an application.

 

Kreicker made a call for a member to be our delegate to attend the 2005 Sister Cities International Conference in Spokane.  Keel moved that Linda Hyler be designated our delegate.  Seconded by Hyler and passed unanimously.

 

Members took note of the fact that, after awarding scholarships for 2005, there will be only $11,181 left in the scholarship account.  At least $3,700, or more, should be added to that account before scholarships are awarded for 2006 so that the total amount of scholarship funds awarded can be kept equal to 2005 or, hopefully, increased.

 

At 7:05 pm. Schumm moved that the meeting adjourn.  Seconded by Ross and Reiber and passed unanimously.