Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the International Relations topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Staff recommends citizen commission, membership funding to reinvigorate Hampton’s Sister Cities program
Summary
Mary Bunting summarized benchmark research and recommended creating a citizen commission to develop a strategic business plan, pursue membership and sponsorship funding, and aim for a transition to a nonprofit board; she proposed recruiting volunteers in early February and delivering a draft plan by Sept. 30 for potential implementation in January 2008.
Mary Bunting presented findings from a review of benchmark sister-city programs (Phoenix, Atlanta, Fort Worth, San Antonio) and recommended steps to reinvigorate Hampton’s Sister Cities program: appoint a citizen commission with business, education, foreign-national and resident representation; develop a strategic business plan with defined goals and public reporting; diversify funding through memberships, corporate sponsorships and special events; and plan a transition toward an independent nonprofit board over time.
Bunting emphasized best practices: strategic selection of partners driven by business and educational goals, careful due diligence before forming relationships, public annual reporting on activities and finances, and multi-year programming with measurable outcomes. She proposed recruiting a preliminary commission in early February, providing input to the budget cycle by March 15, and delivering a draft strategic plan by Sept. 30 with a targeted start of broader implementation in January 2008.
Council members supported stakeholder input, recommended engaging existing community groups (university, arts organizations, Rotary) rather than duplicating efforts, and asked staff to follow proper diplomatic protocol when contacting existing partners such as Southampton County.
