09/06/2023 - Meeting Minutes MINUTES FOR THE
Sister Cities ADVISORY BOARD
Date: September 6th, 2023
Time:5:OOPM-6.30PM
1. Roll Call
The following members of the Sister Cities Advisory Board were present:
• Ross Chambless
• John Wilson
• Matilyn Mortensen
• Joe Zeidner(Online)
• Nicole Pessetto(Online)
• Ricardo Becerra
• Annie Quan
The following members of the Sister Cities Advisory Board were absent:
• Sheri Sorenson
• Missy Greis
• Olga Efimova
• Ahimara Suarez
Also Present:
• Katie Matheson- Economic Development
• Joshua Paluh-Economic Development
2. Approval of the Minutes
Chambless approved the meeting minutes from 8/4/23.Wilson seconds approval of
minutes.
3. Briefings by the Staff
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a. Updates on Sister Cities:
i. Chernivtsi, Ukraine: Sorenson is absent but gave a message to
Matheson to share about her work with Ukrainian refugees.
1. Sorenson helped hold a fundraising concert as well as an event
for Ukrainian Independence Day to raise money for refugees.
Sorenson asks for help finding housing and employment for
refugees as well as helping them write resumes and going to
interviews with them to find work.As well any suggestions to
get the community involved. Matheson will have Sorenson
contact board with info about the help being requested.
ii. Izhevsk, Russia:
1. Matheson gives an update. Have not been able to get in
contact with Efimova recently.Wilson states that we are limited
in what we can do with Izhevsk due to conflict.Wilson
proposes that we send a letter to Izhevsk to share that we
support the people and peace between people. Board writes it
and then sends it to other sister cities and see if they are
interested in joining.Wilson proposes having a draft for the
next meeting.Zeidner asks Matheson if the city's attorney's
office has to check it. Matheson says the mayor's team will
have to look at it and an attorney potentially may need to be
looked at.Wilson will start a draft.
iii. Keelung,Taiwan:
1. Quan gives an update.The subcommittee started
brainstorming about city connections. Margaret Yee is going to
stay on as an advisory board member and the subcommittee is
interested in going to lunch with her to discuss the past
relationships.
iv. Matsumoto,Japan:
1. Chambless gives an update from the subcommittee meeting.
Paluh and Chambless discussed the potential of a healthcare
information exchange as well as a student penpal exchange
2. Matheson gives an update that the mayor's office received a
letter from Mayor Gaun saying they were happy with visit and
would like the mayor to join them in Matsumoto next year
V. Torino, Italy:
1. Updates given by Pessetto.There are no updates. Pessetto
would like to meet as a subcommittee before she contacts the
mayor's team in Torino.
vi. Trujillo, Peru:
1. Becerra gives updates. Becerra would like to schedule a
subcommittee meeting.Juanita Paucar had a successful event.
Becerra asks Matheson to get her the LDS church contact.
2. The mayor of a town in Cusco, Peru,asks about getting warm
clothes for winter. Chambless asks Becerra if they would be
willing to send a letter to Salt Lake City to share their request
for help. Becerra says yes. Before they do that, Becerra needs
to find out if there is anyone that can help with such a project.
3. Becerra has no updates on the fire department relationship.
4. Becerra says he has a friend who is an archeologist and
director of a museum in Peru.They are interested in sharing
their art/artifacts for display in Salt Lake City.This museum is
government owned and needs to know that this exchange is
serious and legitimate. Becerra would like to find out if this is
possible through the city, university or other resources.
Chambless says it would be best to have a letter from them
with info that would be best to share with the city government.
Quan agrees and says we need more logistical information to
make this possible.The city's museums, potentially the
Lenardo, is considered by the board to be an appropriate
location and contact for Becerra to start with.
Events: No events reported
4. Business
• Matheson update.Wilson and Chambless will be joining subcommittee meetings
where new member applications are reviewed.This is so there are more board
members than staff on application meetings. Quan discusses the importance of
hiring new members that fit skill sets. Look at geographic location first and then if
they fit a certain skill set.We need someone with attorney,accountant experience,
etc.
• Chambless and Matheson discuss designating representatives for Sister Cities.
Board needs to partner with city staff in communications going forward. Matheson
says after speaking with the Economic Development Director and citys attorney's
office, if there is a diplomatic door that needs to be opened, it needs to start with
staff. If you are having conversations related to sister cities relationships, staff need
to be cc'd on emails. Staff don't want to direct conversations, but we need to be able
to report to the mayor's office with info.The sister cities board is an advisory board
to the mayor.
• Matheson requests board members refer to website to show that they are official
members of the sister city board:
https://www slc gov/boards/boards-commissions/sister-cities-advisory-board/
Paluh will share with the board and will add board member names to the older
sister city site.
• If any official gifts or letters are given, Matheson states they need to come from
board members, city staff, or official partners like the World Trade Center.
• Paluh shows both websites and the work that needs done. City staff and bandwidth
are limited. Board is interested in donating time to work on the website. Matheson
and Paluh will communicate with IMS on how to move forward and if the board
could have access to the edit site.
Matheson/Chambless update-We are planning to gather all this information we
discuss in the subcommittee meetings/board meetings and build a larger plan for
the program.We had discussed a strategic plan, but instead we may start smaller
and take simple next steps for these cities.We are also waiting to see what the city
puts together for the Olympics and then we may base our future plans on the
direction they are heading.
• Paluh checks the emails of members and does an update on google drive files.
• Matheson mentions that we have board seats opening in district 2 and 7 and youth
member spots.
Public Comment:
No public comment
S. Adjournment
Chambless motions to adjourn.Wilson second.
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There being no further business,the meeting was adjourned.
Ross Chambless, Chairperson
This document and the recording constitute the official minutes of the Economic
Development Siste Ci ies Advisory Board m eting held6Augu2nd, 2023.
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