City of Lawrence

Lawrence Sister Cities Advisory Board

May 11, 2005 minutes

 

MEMBERS PRESENT:

Nancy Bjorge, Kathleen Hodge, Linda Hyler, Sheila Iummel, Jon Josserand, Bill Keel, Michel Kennedy, Graham Kreicker, Gina Ross, Bob Schumm, Andrew Tsubaki

MEMBERS ABSENT:

Stuart Boley, Beth Reiber, Karen Swisher

STAFF LIASION PRESENT:

none

 

PUBLIC PRESENT:

Jim Regan and Dave Stringer

 

Meeting called to order at 5:35 pm. by Kreicker

 

Ross moved to approve minutes of the April meeting; seconded by  Immel; passed unanimously.

 

Members reviewed accounting statements we received.  Moved by Immel to approve; seconded by Hyler, passed unanimously.

 

Kreicker introduced Jim Regan and Dave Stringer who made a report on a possible Irish Sister City.  Jim distributed information on connections between KU and Ireland.  Mr. Stringer will be leading a KANU group to Ireland this year.  Katie Conrad at KU leads groups of students for study abroad to Ireland.  Jim also contacted Bill Sullivan who now lives in Ireland.  Jim presented a list of towns – Dublin, Belfast (KU study abroad), Bally Shannon, Bally Bunion (a lot of golf), Cork (KU study abroad), and Kilkenny (arts town, s/w of Dublin).  Coe was also suggested by Immel.

 

Immel made a report on the May 21st retreat.  Meet at 7am. at 75th St. Brewery for car pooling to our retreat location at 915 E. 750th Rd.  Anne Gardner will be our facilitator.  We will be done at 10 am.

 

Tsubaki made a report about the up coming official delegates trip to Japan.  There will be a final, pre-trip meeting about this tomorrow.

 

Kennedy made a report on the student trip to Hiratsuka.  There are now 16 students going.  Two have had to drop out.  One had a scholarship that was transferred to another student by the scholarship committee after it became known that she would be unable to pay her outstanding balance due to family problems.  Michael will not be going on the trip as the number of chaperones had to be reduced.  He will be sending out an invitation for the farewell party.  Students will be leaving on June 15th.

 

After discussion, Schumm moved that the Board authorize Friends of Hiratsuka to transfer $2,090 from their special account; with a $500 check to be sent to Sharon Holladay to be converted to yen and taken to Japan as emergency funds and $1,590 to be transferred to their travel account and used to pay for 1.5 chaperone tickets. Seconded by Kathleen and passed unanimously.

 

Keel reported that we received a thank you from the Lawrence Children’s Choir for the $200 we provided them.  Bill shared the Friends of Lawrence newsletter from Eutin, Germany.  Hodge asked if it could be e-mailed out to the board.  This year’s high school six-week exchange has 13 students, an increase from previous years.

 

Kreicker led a discussion about the possible need for a newsletter from our group.  It was suggested that Reiber (publicity chair) and Lisa Patterson (City Hall liaison) should possibly be the people in charge of this project with members of the board providing the content.  Hodge and Schumm will provide write-ups about the banquet.  Send digital photos from the Sesquicentennial to Hodge’s email.  Frank Baron will be asked by Kreicker to do an article about the official delegate trip to Germany last year.  Tsubaki will write about the forthcoming Japanese trip.  Friedeman Eisert will be asked to do an article about the German student trip.  Kennedy will ask the sponsors for the student trip in June to write an article about their trip.  All articles should include digital pictures whenever possible.

 

Kreicker raised the issue of a fundraiser.  Schumm suggested we simply do a letter writing campaign as a fundraiser.  Ideas included quotes from scholarship kids and contacting businesses directly.

 

At 6:55 pm. Immel moved to adjourn; seconded by Schumm; passed unanimously.