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minutes 1990City of Richfield Sister City International Advisory Committee Minutes of November 15, 1990 Meeting Present: Duffey, LeClair, Morgan, Mandl, Butzier, Oster, Mayor Quam, Ault, Kirchner Absent: Janishch, Weibel The meeting was called to order at 7:07 p.m. by Chairperson Morgan in the lobby conference room of Richfield City Hall. Minutes: The minutes of the October 13, 1990 meeting were corrected and approved. The corrected minutes of the September 20, 1990 meeting were corrected and approved. Reports• 1. Maple Grove Sister City Program Morgan contacted Bob Ryan, the President of the Maple Grove Sister City Program (Phone 493-2253). Maple Grove was sought out by a city in Japan three years ago to establish a Sister City relationship. When Maple Grove and the city in Japan signed their agreement to establish their relationship, Maple Grove sent a delegation of four people to Japan. The Maple Grove delegation took gifts with them for their new friends in Japan. The expenses for this trip were covered by the city of Maple Grove. Presently the Maple Grove Sister City program is operating as an independent corporation with a board of directors consisting of five members. The Board sells yearly memberships which are $10 for a family and $25 for a corporation. Additional fundraising issues were scheduled to be discussed by the Board. The Board tries to meet in a Japanese restaurant or Japanese cultural center. Educational seminars have been sponsored in Maple Grove to increase community awareness and involvement. One of the seminars held was a Taste of Japan. The food served was donated and restaurants donated people to prepare the food. Included in the seminar was a slide show of the signing ceremony and a door prize of a Japanese embroidered kimono. Another one day seminar featured talks by international students. Projects involving the schools include a self-portrait exchange by a kindergarten class and a soccer team who raised money to pay their own way and went to Japan in the summer. The Maple Grove Sister City organization has found Sister City International (SCI) to be very supportive. SCI has assisted Maple Grove with ideas for projects and suggested names of cities that are looking for a Sister City (Maple Grove is now seeking a second sister city). SCI also gives awards to cities that develop innovative project ideas. Bob Ryan also suggested we contact the Minnesota representative from SCI to speak at one of our meetings. 2. Educational Resources on Costa Rica Butzier reports that Weibel has the WCCO video which compares the way Costa Rica and Brazil manage their rain forests. Morgan contacted Karen Johnson of Preferred Travel. Johnson says she has no geographic maps, but does have slides and videos for viewing. The committee could also purchase a video from her for $30.00. Johnson was not willing to lend the slides and videos out to groups, but invited the committee to view them in her office. Mandl, Janisch and LeClair voiced an interest in going to St. Paul to view them. Morgan was asked by Johnson if the committee planned on using Preferred Travel as our travel agent. Johnson said the current airfare to Costa Rica is around $650. The group discussed using Preferred Travel as our agent, and it was decided the committee should shop around. Oster was to check with Mandl and Kirchner for names of other travel agents to contact for quotes on airfare to Costa Rica. The suggestion was made for Richfield to plan an excursion to Costa Rica to coincide with St. Paul's or Northfield's possible trips. A combined trip would also help foster the relationship between Richfield, St. Paul and Northfield. Morgan contacted the Map Store next to First Bank in the downtown Minneapolis skyway and found that they have a colored map of Costa Rica, illustrating terrain and elevations. It was also suggested that someone check past issues of National Geographic for maps of Costa Rica. Mandl distributed copies of the Hennepin County Library catalog under the topic of Costa Rica. LeClair compiled a list of audio-visual materials available at Minneapolis Public Library, Hennepin County Library, Ramsey County Library, St. Paul Public Library, U of M Library and the Central America Resource Center. A copy of this list was distributed to committee members. LeClair reported the Central America Resource Center had a list of local speakers available to speak about various countries in Central America. The Center also has many books, vertical files and newspapers (including the Tico Times, the Costa Rica newspaper in English). The contact person at the Center is Mary Swanson. LeClair spoke with Mary, whom she found to be quite well-read about Costa Rica, and LeClair suggested that we invite her. to visit a committee meeting in the future. Shirley at the St. Paul Public Library told LeClair that Dan Jensen, featured in the video Costa Rica, Paradise Reclaimed, is her son. 3. Community Participation/Schools Mayor Quam and Duffey attended a Team Management Committee meeting. In attendance at the meeting were the principals of the public schools in Richfield. Duffey took a poster and a map featuring Costa Rica and a copy of the Richfield notebook. The committee was highly enthusiastic, believing that there were endless possibilities for incorporating Costa Rica into the school curriculum. Quam and Duffey learned that the Spanish Club takes a trip every other year, and the possibility that they might go to Costa Rica was mentioned. It was also suggested that Spanish students assist with translating letters. This committee volunteered to laminate our map of Costa Rica. Duffey is to be the Team Management Committee official contact person. The Team Management committee wants to send a liaison to our next meeting. An invitation will be sent by Duffey. The Sister City committee discussed having a student and/or faculty liaison. 4. Heredia Chamber of Commerce A message was left for Pat Rickert by Duffey requesting that he write a letter of greeting to the Heredia Chamber of Commerce and Industry. At the time of this meeting, no letter had been received from Rickert. Butzier is working on a letter to send with the one from Rickert to Ugarte, requesting duplicate information from the Heredia Chamber.. Duffey informed the committee that Ugarte speaks English. New Business 1. Heredia Update The Costa Rican celebration has been delayed until sometime in December, giving us more time to send our gift and video. 2. Richfield Video Morgan informed the committee that neither Bush or Quayle will be included in our video. Durenburger is to do his taping on November 21, 1990, and the video is to be completed shortly thereafter. Morgan and Butzier are to write a letter to send with the loon, tape, rice and the Minnesota plaque. 3. Special Olympics Oster reports that the Special Olympics are to be held in the Twin Cities during July, 1991. These events are for the mentally handicapped from all parts of the world. At this time plans are still vague. Richfield is to host Bulgaria. The Richfield Chamber of Commerce is Richfield's representative on the Olympic committee. Oster was unable to discover how Richfield was paired with Bulgaria, but is hoping to find out more at future meetings. 4. Publicity Lupita Barahona requested that we write an article for Costa Rica/Minnesota Expression. Your City and Schools deadline for submitting an article is the first part of January. Articles should be typed, double-spaced and submitted to Eileen Anderson. The local cable TV station 34, would like us to do an interview sometime in January. 5. League of Minnesota Cities Ault attended a meeting of the League of Minnesota Cities. This meeting covered League support for the International Sister Cities Program for Minnesota Cities. Joyce Benson, the Minnesota State Coordinator for Sister Cities International, spoke at the meeting. Ault encouraged us to contact Benson for assistance. Sister Cities International - Thomas W. Gittins Executive Vice President Telephone: (703)836-3535 FAX: (703)836-4815 120 South Payne Street Alexandria, VA 22314 7. Group Pictures Group pictures of the committee were taken. Next Meeting: Thursday, December 13, 1990 at 7:00 p.m. in Conference Room 1 at Richfield City Hall. Adjournment: There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 9:07 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Martha Butzier, Secretary Sister City International City of Richfield Sister City International Advisory Committee December 13, 1990 The meeting was called to order at 7:05 p.m. by Chairperson Morgan in the lobby conference roam of Richfield City Hall. Present: Duffey, LeClair, Morgan, Mandl, Kirchner, Janisch, Butzier, Weibel, Oster, Ault Minutes: The minutes of the November 15, 1990 meeting were corrected and approved. Reports: 1.. Richfield Chamber of Commerce The committee is still waiting to receive a letter from Pat Ra.ckert to the Meredia Chamber. Duffey called Rickert's secretary to follow up. She found out the Richfield Chamber has a new brochure which they will enclose with their letter. Butzier is working on a letter to send along with Rickert's. 2. Travel to Costa Rica Oster called several travel agents and found air fare for a group of one to ten people .would be $595. With a group of ten to twenty people the fare would be $575; the group would also be given one free ticket. The fares quoted are .from Minneapolis to San Jase, Costa Rica from American Group Travel Directors. Ault suggested we call University Travel ar 21st Century Travel. The phone numbers should be in the Sunday Star Tribune travel section. The possibility of flying to Miami and taking the Costa Rican airline Lacsa was mentioned. Butzier has a copy of a travel brochure put out by the National Tourist Bureau on Costa Rica. The fallowing addresses were listed: Institute Costarricense de Turismo Plaza de la Cultura, Calle 5 Avenidas Central y Segunda Tels. (506) 23-1733, Ext. 277 (506) 22-1090 Costa Rica Natianal Tourist Bureau 1101 Brickell Avenue B.I.V. Tower, Suite 801 Miami, FL 33131 Telephone: (305) 358-2150 Or (800) 327-7033. Costa Rica Natianal Tourist Bureau 3540 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 707 Los Angeles, CA 90010 Telephone: (213j 382-8080 Or (800) 762-5909 Lacsa de Costa Rica Reservations (B00) 225-2272 Tany Anderson is planning a trip to Costa Rica February 1-11,.1991. 3. Richfield Video Morgan reported the video is completed. The committee viewed the finished product and copies of the video were distributed to members requesting one. OLC~ BUSINESS 1. Division of Committee Guties The need to establish other officers or representatives for the committee were da.scussed. The following were suggested: School liaison Historian Public relations Celebration grpup Coordinator/Chairperson Fund raising Recording secretary Corresponding secretary Service organizations It was decided to wait until the election of officers for further discussion and possible action. 2. Special Olympics Oster reports a letter has been sent to Senator Uurenberger's cultural office requesting the name of a contact person in the U. S. Embassy in Bulgaria. Richfield would like to know what the city can da for the Olympic participants from Bulgaria. The Special. Olympics will be held in the Twin Cities in July 1991, and Richfield is to be the host city far the country of Bulgaria. 3. Public Schools/Team Management Jim Hare, Richfield Sr. High Assistant Principal, and Sr. High Schaol Spanish teachers Judy Schulte and Ray Saxton attended the meeting to share ideas far possible future projects. One of the first questions asked was how many schools are there in Heredia? At this point the answer to this question is unknown. The possibility of developing pen pals was suggested and it was believed to make pen pals successful good rapport with a teacher in Heredia was needed, Hare suggested sending a copy of Richfield High Schools video yearbook and a student handbook. Every other year the Spanish classes have made a trip to Spain, and the Spanish department might possibly be willing to consider going to Costa Rica in the future, Hare has spoken with the Social Studies Department about incorporating Costa Rica into their curriculum.. Hare was also interested in sending a Richfield School representative to Heredia when we make our first official visit. NEW BUSYNESS 1, Budget 1991 Ault told the Committee we will need to have a budget for 1991. Karin Batchelder should be able to find out what the committee's expenses were for 199p, Then we should be able to predict expenses for the upcoming Year. 2. Publ.ici t.v Judy Wobbrock at Ausburg Library let the committee know we can have a Costa Rica display at the library in August 1991. Jan Grow is the contact person for placing a message at the Richfield Bank. ~. Miscellaneous The All--Richfield Ethhic Celebration will be held ij19/1991 from 1-4 p.m. Ethnic foods and entertainment will be featured. The celebration is sponsored by the Richfield Human Rights Commission, An ad was featured in the Richfield Communit Education publication, The Sister City Committee needs to have a similar ad when the Costa Rica celebration is planned. Next Meeting: Thursday, January 17, 1991 at 7:pp p,m. in Conference Room 1 at Richfield City Ha11. Ad.iournmPnt: There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 9:pp p.m, ;; Respectfully submitted, Martha &utzier, Secretary Sister City International ,.,._.. ___ _ . ~ali/e~~e ~ls e~~ ~ _ ~~~ M 2hi ~ozc Sf . i _- ~ 507, ~0 45- 486 9 t'H) 663- 32~$ (o~ -- ---- ?e~E Y .S fo //e~/ ~ ~ ~n.a.~.e2 _ > 7r'~"~t~-~~ go ~ LLJ ~ S-E . (507) G ~5- $$ 33 ~o) (45- So / 4~ (ff~ (so~~ ~4s-4ss5 CH) ~ ro ~ ~ Sf CS'o7) X45- G(e$t (o~ G45-•~i7~$~f/~ CtX*°~.vu.~ °..~`~ 'w`°`.y'''`' SAS 5. w~~,,, S{ . 0