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Council to formalize Sister Cities partnership; staff proposes $50,000 program budget for operations
Summary
Staff and Sister Cities representatives described a plan to formalize a partnership with the Sister Cities Arlington board and allocate $50,000 in non-hotel-tax convention-event funds to cover eligible operating expenses including website, insurance and audit costs.
Marcus Young of the Office of Economic Development and Henry Lusick, treasurer of the Sister Cities board, briefed council on May 13 about a staff recommendation to formalize a partnership agreement and provide up to $50,000 to support the Sister Cities Arlington organization’s programmatic operating expenses.
Young said the funding would come from the non-hotel portion of the Convention and Event Services budget and is intended to cover eligible expenses such as website development, logo protection (trademark filing), board insurance, audits and other programmatic costs; the funds will not pay salaries or travel. Young said the amount is within the department’s existing budget and will be allocated to the Sister Cities board under the proposed contract.
Lusick described recent activity, including hosting small delegations from German partner cities and supporting student and robotics exchanges. He said the board is updating its logo, website and governance documents, establishing operating committees and preparing for regular program audits. Lusick told council the board will follow city requirements for indemnification, audits and quarterly reporting.
Council members asked whether the contract duplicates or overlaps with existing Convention & Event Services or Convention & Visitors Bureau funding; staff said the allocation would come from existing Convention and Event Services non-hotel funds and represent a reallocation within that budget, not a new appropriation. Council member Gonzales asked whether board email and website addresses would be city-owned; staff and Lusick said the Sister Cities organization would maintain separate URLs and email addresses as an organization, though city communications for events would still use city channels when appropriate.
Staff and the Sister Cities representatives said past concerns about financial oversight had been addressed and that the board will be audited; the proposed contract will be considered on the evening agenda.
