CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM
ACTION REQUESTED:
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Receive the report and provide direction on the options proposed by the Sister Cities Commission
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DEPARTMENT: City Manager’s Office
SUBMITTED BY: Marcie Schatz, Assistant to the City Manager
BOARD/COMMISSION REVIEW:
The Sister Cities Commission met on November 15, 2023, and developed the attached options for consideration by the City Council.
BACKGROUND:
At its November 7 meeting, the City Council approved the recommendations for boards and commissions with the exception of the recommendation for the Sister Cities Commission. Staff recommended that the City charge the Sister Cities Foundation with leading Sister Cities efforts and eliminate the Sister Cities Commission. Five members of the public spoke on the item and members of the Sister Cities Commission requested an additional 30 days to provide options to the City Council for consideration.
The City Council directed the Sister Cites Commission and Sister Cities Foundation to work with staff and return with a report on December 5, 2023.
DISCUSSION:
The Sister Cities Commission met on November 15 and developed the attached options for Council consideration. As the City Council considers the request from the Commission, the following additional information should be noted:
• Task Forces
Task forces are not City led. Rather, they are informal, privately organized, community-led groups that provide valuable input to the City on a specific topic. Unlike boards and commissions, the City Council is not involved in appointing task force members, how the task force is organized, the format of meetings, the topics discussed, and how task force missions are created and carried out. Nor does the Mayor assign a City Council liaison to task forces. Task forces are not bound by Open Meetings Act requirements and staff makes themselves available for questions and dialogue with the task forces, but they do not support them or attend their meetings. Both the Senior Task Force and the Naperville Environmental Sustainability Task Force (NEST) have established separate 501(c)3 organizations to seek grant and fundraising opportunities.
• Existing Agreements
The Sister City agreements are between the City of Naperville and the cities of Nitra, Patzcuaro and Cancun. The agreements are not between the Commission and these cities. The City does not anticipate that any of the agreements would need to be dissolved and re-established. Staff would correspond with Nitra, Patzcuaro, and Cancun, reaffirming the City’s commitment to the relationship and sharing the belief that the role of the Commission will be better carried out through private organizations with the ongoing support and encouragement of the City.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Sister Cities Commission currently has an annual budget of $3,350 to fund annual dues, parade entry fees, and supplies. Based on historic spending, staff recommends an annual budget of $2,500 for a three-year period for the same items.