General

​Forest Grove/Nyuzen Sister Cities Committee​ ​Meeting Minutes​ ​Meeting Date:​ ​June 15, 2026​ ​Meeting Location:​ ​Forest Grove City Auditorium​ ​Members Present:​ ​John Beechwood III (Member), Larisa Nefedov (Vice Chair), Nicole Nowlin​ ​(Chair), Doreen Stenson (Treasurer), Jeron Beaulieu (Member)​ ​Guests Present:​ ​Rich Blackmun​ ​Partners Present:​ ​Karen Martinez (Council Liaison), Joyce Phillips (City of Forest Grove Staff​ ​Liaison)​ ​Absent:​ ​Claudia Yakos​ ​1.​ ​Call to Order & Quorum​ ​Meeting was called to order at 5:04 p.m. by Nowlin. Quorum was met.​ ​2.​ ​Reports for Approval​ ​a.​ ​Minutes​ ​Minutes for the meeting in May were distributed to all committee members.​ ​Unanimously approved.​ ​b.​ ​Finance - Treasurer​ ​SCC account balance $​3978.16​.​ ​■​ ​Bottle Drop Accounts​ ​●​ ​SCC Acct.​ ​Cash: $498.14​ ​Credit: $597.77​ ​●​ ​K. Anderson Acct.​ ​Cash: $unknown​ ​Credit $unknown​ ​●​ ​Blackmun Acct.​ ​Cash: $164.49​ ​Credit: $197.39​ ​3.​ ​Partner Reports​ ​a.​ ​Chamber of Commerce - Claudia Yakos​ ​Claudia referred Joyce to the City of Cornelius to discuss sister city programs as​ ​they were previously listed on this committee but have not participated. Joyce​ ​connected with the City Manager and referred Nicole, who also connected with​ ​the City Manager. They will be invited to the October dinner and an offer has​ ​been made to meet about any sister city ideas in the future for the City of​ ​Cornelius.​ ​b.​ ​City Council - Karen Martinez​ ​None.​ ​c.​ ​City of Forest Grove - Joyce Phillips​ ​See below under City MoU notes.​ ​4.​ ​Old Business​ ​a.​ ​Student Delegation Planning​ ​Not started yet.​  ​Forest Grove/Nyuzen Sister Cities Committee​ ​Meeting Minutes​ ​b.​ ​Adult Delegation Planning - Paused til 2027 (OR > JP) and 2028 (JP > OR).​ ​5.​ ​New Business​ ​a.​ ​News from Nyuzen​ ​No changes.​ ​b.​ ​Chamber MoU​ ​This is still pending double signatures.​ ​c.​ ​City MoU​ ​Joyce provided an update that the MOU was being reviewed by city executive​ ​staff, though progress was slow due to the police bond initiative on the November​ ​ballot.​ ​d.​ ​July Farmers Market Tabling​ ​The committee discussed plans for the July 22nd Farmer's Market event, where​ ​they will have host family applications and activities including origami​ ​demonstrations. The group approved a motion allowing Nicole to spend $50-100​ ​on printing flyers and QR codes for the event.​ ​e.​ ​Other Committee Business​ ​The committee also discussed the upcoming visit of the Governor of Toyama​ ​Prefecture in August and the need for host families for high school students from​ ​Toyama Prefecture visiting Portland for two weeks in July. Coordination is needed​ ​with Kermit regarding the closure or transfer of the third account in his name, and​ ​confirm if he can zero out the balance or transfer it to the city account.​ ​6.​ ​Next Meeting & Adjournment​ ​Wednesday, July 15, 2026 at the City Auditorium and on Zoom. Meeting adjourned.​