Item 10ACITY OF
SOUTH LAKE
MEMORANDUM
March 12, 2013
To: Shana Yelverton, City Manager
From: Candice Edmondson, Deputy Director of Community Services
Subject: Sister City Relationship with El Fuerte, Mexico
Action
Requested: City Council direction on the future sister city relationship
between the City of Southlake and El Fuerte, Mexico
Background
Information: This item was placed on the agenda at the request of Council
Member Jeff Wang on behalf of the Southlake Sister Cities
Board of Directors. The purpose is to bring to City Council's
attention the current status of the Southlake Sister City
relationship with El Fuerte, Mexico and receive direction from
Council on how to proceed.
Recall Southlake Sister Cities was established in 1991 with the
goal to promote global understanding, friendship and
communication through education and exchange opportunities.
Southlake Sister Cities is the official liaison between the City of
Southlake and its sister cities and friendship cities. Currently,
the City has three (3) foreign partnerships with Tome City,
Japan; El Fuerte, Mexico; and Suzhou, China.
While popularity and community interest in the partnerships
with Tome, Japan and Suzhou, China has increased over the
years there has been little interest in El Fuerte since the last
delegation visit in 2001. Since that time attempts at
communication and continued programs with El Fuerte have
not been successful. Southlake Sister Cities has explored ways
of rebuilding the relationship, but has yielded no viable
solutions (see attached memo). Southlake Sister Cities would
like City Council direction on whether or not the City of
Southlake should continue a sister city relationship with El
Fuerte, Mexico.
City of Southlake Values:
Integrity ♦ Innovation ♦ Accountability ♦ Commitment to Excellence ♦ Teamwork
Shana Yelverton, City Manager
Meeting Date — March 19, 2013
Page 2 of 3
On August 21, 2012 City Council adopted the Southlake Sister
City/Friendship City Policy that formalizes the processes by
which the City of Southlake and Southlake Sister Cities work
together to establish new sister city and friendship city
relationships, maintain current relationships or dissolve a sister
city or friendship city relationship. A copy of the Policy is
attached for reference.
Section III of the Policy provides guidelines that may be
considered should circumstances warrant dissolving of a sister
city or friendship city relationship.
When deciding to change the status of a sister city or friendship
city relationship there are several options to consider:
• If there has been a period of inactivity, but both cities want
to continue the relationship, then steps should be taken to
build the relationship
• If one city wants to continue the relationship, but the other
city does not want to continue activity at this time then the
cities need to decide if they want to place the relationship in
"emeritus status" (on hold) or dissolve the relationship
completely. Placing a relationship in emeritus status shows
that the two cities are still sister cities or friendship cities, but
are currently inactive.
• If neither city wants to continue the relationship, then the
relationship should be dissolved.
Changing the status of a current sister city or friendship city
relationship is a formal process and requires written notification
from the Mayor of Southlake to the Mayor of the foreign city.
Written notification should also be sent to Sister Cities
International informing them of any changes in sister city or
friendship city relationships.
Financial
Consideration: N/A
Strategic Link: This item is linked to the City's Strategy Map related to the
focus area of Partnerships and Volunteerism and meets the
corporate objectives to attract and keep top -tier businesses to
City of Southlake Values:
Integrity ♦ Innovation ♦ Accountability ♦ Commitment to Excellence ♦ Teamwork
Shana Yelverton, City Manager
Meeting Date — March 19, 2013
Page 3 of 3
I[la'ii�i[�L'�cj
drive a dynamic and sustainable economic environment and
promote opportunities for partnerships and volunteer
involvement.
Citizen Input/
Board Review: Southlake Sister Cities Board of Directors voted 6-1 in favor of
placing this item on a future City Council agenda at their
September 24, 2012 meeting.
City Council discussion March 19, 2013.
Legal Review: N/A
Alternatives: City Council direction to Southlake Sister Cities to continue the
current relationship with El Fuerte, Mexico
City Council direction to Southlake Sister Cities to place the
relationship with El Fuerte, Mexico into emeritus status as
outlined in the Southlake Sister City/Friendship City Policy
City Council direction to Southlake Sister Cities to proceed with
dissolving the relationship with El Fuerte, Mexico as outlined in
the Southlake Sister City/Friendship City Policy
Supporting
Documents: Supporting documents include:
■ Written request from Southlake Sister Cities
■ Southlake Sister City/Friendship City Policy
■ Sister Cities Agreement with El Fuerte, Mexico
Staff
Recommendation: City Council direction on the future sister city relationship
between the City of Southlake and El Fuerte, Mexico
City of Southlake Values:
Integrity ♦ Innovation ♦ Accountability ♦ Commitment to Excellence ♦ Teamwork
Southlake
Sister
Cities
To: Candice Edmonson, Southlake Community Services
(817) 748-8311, cedmondson(a�ci.southlake.tx.us
From: Jeff Wang, President of Southlake Sister Cities
(817) 251-1001, ieff(aD-southlakesistercities.org
Date: September 26, 2012
Subject: Dormant relationships between Southlake and El Fuerte Mexico
11MININDYTIQ!
The City of Southlake and El Fuerte, Mexico entered into a sister city agreement in 1997 for the
purpose of fostering culture understanding and education exchange between our two
communities. However, community -wide participation and exchange programs were never
established. The relationship has stayed inactive and become dormant for more than a decade.
The Southlake Sister Cities has been exploring ways of rebuilding the relationship but yielded
no viable solutions. Currently, Southlake Sister Cities does not have sufficient resource or
volunteers capable to rebuild the relationship from ground up. Our board desires a discussion
of this subject to be placed on future city council meeting agenda. Southlake Sister Cities would
like to receive a clear direction from the city council as to how this dormant relationship with El
Fuerte should be handled.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
Item 10A - 5
City of Southlake
Policies and Procedures
Policy: Southlake Sister City/Friendship City Policy
Source: City Council
Category: Community Services Department
Statement of Purpose
The Southlake Sister Cities program is dedicated to fostering global understanding,
friendship and communication through education and exchanges. Per an agreement
with the City of Southlake, Southlake Sister Cities (SSC), a 501(c)3 organization, acts as
the official liaison for Southlake's sister cities and friendship cities. As such, Southlake
Sister Cities may at times propose new sister city and friendship city relationships
between the City of Southlake and other foreign cities.
The purpose of this policy is to provide a process by which the City of Southlake and
Southlake Sister Cities will work together to consider new sister city and friendship city
relationships and maintain current relationships.
A. Strategic Alignment — This policy is linked to the City's Strategy Map related to the
Focus Area of Partnerships and Volunteerism, and meets the Corporate Objectives
to Attract and Keep Top -Tier Businesses to Drive a Dynamic and Sustainable
Economic Environment and to Promote Opportunities for Partnerships and Volunteer
Involvement.
Establishinq New Sister City and Friendship City Relationships
A. When trying to establish new sister city or friendship city relationships, Southlake
Sister Cities will identify regions or countries that would present the best exchange
program with Southlake. Other community members may also suggest regions or
countries for exchange programs, and should submit their suggestions to Southlake
Sister Cities to be included in the formal review process.
B. Southlake Sister Cities will submit a formal proposal for each region or country to the
Assistant to the Director of Community Services for City Council consideration.
C. The proposal should include:
1. A brief narrative describing the foreign country and why it would make a
strong sister city/friendship city relationship with Southlake.
2. A detailed plan for developing the sister city/friendship city relationship. The
plan should include at least one area of exchange (i.e. educational, cultural,
business, etc.).
3. Identify potential sources of funding and fundraising plans to help support the
new sister city/friendship city relationship.
D. Upon City Council approval, Southlake Sister Cities will engage each region or
country and identify potential sister cities/friendship cities. Criteria to consider
include the city's size, culture, economic status, common characteristics and
capability to have a successful sister city/friendship city relationship.
Southlake Sister City/Friendship City Policy
Page 2 of 3
Item 10A - 6
E. Southlake Sister Cities will choose 1-2 potential sister city/friendship city candidates
and make a recommendation to the City Council based on their knowledge of the
city(s).
F. Upon City Council approval, Southlake Sister Cities will initiate a plan of visitation to
each potential sister city/friendship city. Delegates on the trip may include Southlake
Sister Cities' officers, City Council members, city staff and/or other community
members.
G. Southlake Sister Cities will select the city it believes will have the most successful
sister city/friendship city relationship with Southlake and present the official sister city
or friendship city agreement to the City Council for approval.
H. The official sister city or friendship city agreement will then be presented to the
foreign city for approval.
Once the sister city or friendship city agreement has been signed by all parties,
Southlake Sister Cities will officially inform Sister Cities International of the new
relationship.
III. Dissolving a Sister City or Friendship City Relationship
Sister city and friendship city relationships are long-term commitments between two
communities. However, unforeseen circumstances may cause one or both cities to
place the sister city/friendship city relationship on hold or dissolve it all together. The
following actions should be taken if changing the status of a current sister city/friendship
city relationship.
A. If there has been little communication between the two cities, but there are members
of the Southlake community who wish to keep the relationship active then:
1. A letter from the Mayor of Southlake and President of Southlake Sister Cities
should be sent to the Mayor of the sister city/friendship city expressing a
desire to continue with the relationship. If the foreign city agrees, then steps
should be taken to build the relationship.
2. If the foreign city does not respond, or responds that they do not wish to
continue activity at this time, then the Mayor of Southlake should inform
Sister Cities International of the situation in writing. The City of Southlake
and the sister city/friendship city will need to decide if they wish to dissolve
the relationship or place it on hold, i.e. "emeritus status." Placing a
relationship in emeritus status shows that the two cities are still sister
cities/friendship cities, but are currently inactive.
3. If the City Council chooses to place the relationship in emeritus status, then a
letter of agreement should be sent by the Mayor of Southlake to the Mayor of
the sister city/friendship city. A letter from the Mayor of Southlake should
also be sent to Sister Cities International informing them of the change in
relationship status.
City of Southlake Values. -
Integrity ♦ Innovation ♦ Accountability ♦ Commitment to Excellence ♦ Teamwork
Southlake Sister City/Friendship City Policy
Page 3 of 3
Item 10A - 7
B. If there is no interest from the Southlake community or the foreign city to continue the
relationship, then the relationship should be dissolved. The City Council will need to
approve dissolution of the relationship, and a letter from the Mayor of Southlake
should be sent to the Mayor of the sister city/foreign city dissolving the relationship.
A letter from the Mayor of Southlake should also be sent to Sister Cities International
informing them of the change in relationship status.
Approval Date: 1 8/21/2012 1 Approved by: I City Council
City of Southlake Values. -
Integrity ♦ Innovation ♦ Accountability ♦ Commitment to Excellence ♦ Teamwork
SISTER CITIES AGREEMENT
WHEREAS, we the citizens of Southlake, in Texas, in the United States of America,
and the citizens of El Fuerte, in Mexico, do hereby confirm a friendship alliance between the
peoples of our two communities; and,
WHEREAS, we accordingly agree to promote mutual understanding and goodwill for
the welfare of our peoples, to accelerate the relationship between our two countries, and in
doing so, to contribute to world peace and prosperity;
NOW, THEREFORE, WE HERETO DO MUTUALLY AGREE:
To build mutual trust and to establish a permanent friendship we agree to work toward
an achievement of the following:
1) An exchange of information regarding each area of administrative and
civilian life.
Z) An exchange of educational and cultural data.
3) An exchange of youth information and data at elementary school, junior
high school and high school levels.
4) Mutual cooperation to introduce to each city.
August 8, 1997
0��04�
Rick Stacy
Mayor of Southlake
Gary Fickes
President of Southlake
Sister Cities
Jose Julian Vega Ruiz
Presidente Municipal de El Fuerte
Miguel Castillo Osuna
Presidente del Comite de
Ciudades Hermanas de El Fuerte
Item 10A - 9
ACUERDO DE CIUDADES HERMANAS
CONJUNTAMENTE, nosotros los ciudadanos de Southlake, en el Estado de Texas,
Estados Unidos de Norteamerica; y los ciudadanos de El Fuerte, en el Estado de Sinaloa,
Mexico; por este medio confirmamos el acuerdo de CIUDADES HERMANAS entre las
personas de ambas comunidades, adernas:
CONJUNTAMENTE, y en consecuencia, acordamos promover el entendimiento
mutuo y la buena voluntad para el bienestar de nuestros pueblos, acrecenmr ]a amistad entre
nuestros pueblos, y contribuir con ello a la paz mundial.
AHORA, POR LO TANTO, MUTUAMENTE ACORDAMOS:
Fortalecer la confianza en ambas direcciones, y establecer una amistad permanente que
resolvemos cultivar y ensanchar, en virtud de to cual, proponemos:
Un intercambio de informaci6n con respecto de la vida civil y
administrativa.
2. Un intercambio de datos educacionales y culturales.
3. Un intercambio de informaci6n acerca de ]a juventud y de sus niveles de
educaci6n.
4. Cooperaci6n mutua para fortalecer las relaciones entre arnbas ciudades.
5. Expander Jos horizontes culturales, civicos y econ6micos de ambas
comunidades.
Agosto 9 de 1997.
61 - CA��
Rick Stacy,
Mayor de Southlake
Gary Fickes,
Presidente de Ciudades
Hermanas de Southlake
Jose Julian Vega Ruiz,
Presidente Municipal de El Fuerte
Miguel Castillo Osuna,
Presidente del Comit6 de
Ciudades Hermanas de El Fuerte