Sister Cities Commission

Agenda Morgantown Sister Cities Commission Regular Meeting via Zoom Thursday, May 25, 2023 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85172214897?pwd=M01XampkZFdPNThmb2Jw WUpnUS9qdz09 Meeting ID: 851 7221 4897 and Passcode: 618511 One tap mobile +13017158592,,85172214897#,,,,*618511# US (Washington DC) +13126266799,,85172214897#,,,,*618511# US (Chicago) CALL TO ORDER • Welcome Guests: Lyndasia (Lyndie) Jones, Program Asst., Ofc. of Student Success, WVU College of Applied Human Sciences. • Michael Hasenmyer, Teaching Associate Professor, Landscape Architecture, WVU Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources & Design • Meeting Minutes April 26 (no quorum), Committee Discussed May 6 event. NEW BUSINESS (refer to addendums) 1. Debriefing Cinco de Mayo Sat., May 6, Wesley UM Church (Lola). 2. City ‘reimbursements’ for volunteers Mexico event expenses (allocation form). 3. Xuzhou requests city to host Han Dynasty sculpture relief art exhibit (October). 4. Departure of City Council Rep. Ixya Vega (await new rep.). 5. WV Coal Assn. Meeting with Xuzhou Foreign Affairs, China Embassy (George). 6. Discuss next Sister Cities Newsletter and Brochure (Liz, pending). 7. Sister Cities International Leadership and Annual Membership Meeting: Durham, North Carolina from July 26 - 28, 2023. Registration $140, hotel $189/night, book by June 23. Morgantown delegate, obtain funding. 8. Balance in FY 2022-23 Budget, range of $760 to $855 (George). 9. Thanks recognition for City Clerk assistance (Heather Carl) on events. OLD BUSINESS 10. No MSCC activities through June 30 and discuss 2023-2024 Activity Plan. 11. Discuss options for In-Person MSCC Meetings, possible venues (all). 12. Wrap-Up Payment of Ukraine Veterans Welcome Lunch, March 24 (George). 13. Guanajuato (no new correspondence). 14. Possible adjustments in MSCC meeting dates, 2023-24, proposed events. 15. Annual dues ($610) to Sister Cities International (paid by City Finance). Adjournment. NEXT MEETING – Thursday 5 PM, June 22, 2023. ADDENDUM #1 - SISTER CITIES MEETING MAY 25, 2023 About the news and three photos of opening: On November 6, 2022, the 13th China (Xuzhou) International Garden Expo opened in Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province. China International Garden Expo is the highest-level and the largest international exhibition for garden flowers in China customarily co-hosted by the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development and a local government. Centering on the theme of “Green City and Better Life”, this Expo aims to manifest the concepts of broad participation and living-friendly landscape, emphasize the features of eco- friendliness, innovation, heritage renewal and sustainability, and showcase the leading technologies for green development and construction as well as the latest urban development progress. There are 10 international exhibition gardens in the main site, consisting of 9 countries including Germany, France, Russia, Austria, Finland, Argentina, Korea, Japan, and the United States. There are also 39 Chinese urban exhibition gardens, including Xuzhou Garden. 1 2 ADDENDUM #2 CORRESPONDENCE SISTER CITIES INTERNATIONAL — KERRY CARTER DIRECTOR OF SCI OPERATIONS – RETURNED GEORGE LIES PHONE CALL AFTER HOLIDAY. SHE WAS VERY INTERESTED IN HOW MANY ACTIVITIES MORGANTOWN HAD DONE. WE MAY CONSIDER WRITING AN ARTICLE FOR SCI NEWSLETTER. Kerry Carter Director Operations Sister Cities Intl. Hello Kerry This is George Lies, Chair, of Morgantown Sister Cities Commission (WV). I’m trying to get an invoice so that the city manager’s Finance Dept., can pay $610 annual dues for the period April 2023 to April 2024. Our city has been a member since about 2010, and has partners in Mexico and China. We fell behind during the pandemic, 2020 thru 2022. Now the city has resources to cover annual dues. I need an invoice please. Send attachment to this email. For you information— Our group has been active with partners in Xuzhou & Guanajuato and recently hosted others: the Ukraine Women Veterans (March), a 4-person Music group, from Colombia (Oct.); and a city wide International Street Festival (Oct.). We are planning a Cinco de Mayo celebration at a local church. We workwith contacts in Guanajuato to have a portal on their sister cities webpage. Just so you know— I tried calling your team but the holiday may have found everyone away at this time. I’ve left phone messages for you, membership (out of office until April 16), and general mailbox. Congrats on doing fine job during the past 3 years during a difficult time for all of us. Best George Lies Morgantown Sister Cities Commission Mobile 304-906-8580 Sister Cities Commission morgantownwv.gov 3 ADDENDUM #3 CORRESPONDENCE SISTER CITIES INTERNATIONAL From: Erika Pioch <erika@sistercities.org> Date: May 16, 2023 at 3:14:39 PM EDT To: George Lies <georgelies@ymail.com> Cc: George Lies <georgelies@ymail.com> Subject: Re: YES Please:!Confirm Voting Delegate for SCI's Upcoming Board of Directors Election Hi George, It’s great to hear about all the exciting programming! Keep it up! Best, Erika Pioch | Membership Manager 1012 14th Street NW | Suite 1400 | Washington, DC 20005 (202) 347-8632 www.sistercities.org erika@sistercities.org @SisterCitiesInternational @SisterCitiesInt @SisterCitiesInt From: George Lies <georgelies@ymail.com> Date: Tuesday, May 16, 2023 at 5:31 AM To: Erika Pioch <erika@sistercities.org> Cc: George Lies <georgelies@ymail.com> Subject: YES Please:!Confirm Voting Delegate for SCI's Upcoming Board of Directors Election Erika Pioch SCI Membership Manager Hello Erika. Thank you for the email of May 4. This response is to confirm my status as the Voting Delegate for the Morgantown (WV) Sister Cities Commission. I’m the current Chair of MSCC. We had been busy hosting a Cinco de Mayo celebration in the community. We have been recruiting residents in order to fill two vacant of 7!seats on the commission. We are in midst of end of year budget closure too and planning a Han Dynasty sculpture relief 4 exhibition in October. If you have other questions, please advise. Best, George Lies Chair Morgantown Sister Cities On May 4, 2023, at 1:32 PM, Erika Pioch <erika@sistercities.org> wrote: Dear Morgantown Sister Cities, You are receiving this email because you are listed as the one Voting Delegate for your sister city organization in Morgantown, WV. Sister Cities International’s (SCI) 2023 Board of Directors Election is coming up soon, and we must have a confirmed Voting Delegate for your community byFriday, May 26, 2023. It is essential that Sister Cities International has the correct designated voter for your community so that all SCI Members are included in this important election. This year, nine (9) at-large board positions will be filled by election. Seven (7) at-large positions are for full three-year terms (2023-2026), one (1) at- large position for a one-year term (2023-2024), and one (1) at-large position is to be filled by a Young Professional Representative, between the ages of 21 and 34, for a two-year term (2023-2025). More 2023 Board of Directors Election details can be found on our website at Board Elections 2023 – Sister Cities International (SCI). To ensure the ballot links and logins are sent out on time, SCI must receive Voting Delegate changes no later than Friday, May 26, 2023. If no Voting Delegate is confirmed, SCI will send the voting link and login details to the listed contact per our records. Please respond directly to this email to confirm or update the Voting Delegate name and email address. Best, <image001.jpg> Erika Pioch | Membership Manager 1012 14th Street NW | Suite 1400 | Washington, DC 20005 (202) 347-8632 www.sistercities.org erika@sistercities.org <image002.png> <image003.png> <image004.png> @SisterCitiesInternational @SisterCitiesInt @SisterCitiesInt Click here to find the latest list of cities seeking a sister city! 5