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HomeMy WebLinkAboutA001 - Council Action Form dated May 13, 2025ITEM #:44 DATE:05-13-25 DEPT:ADMIN SUBJECT:COOPERATION AGREEMENT WITH PODUJEVA, KOSOVO COUNCIL ACTION FORM BACKGROUND: In 2018, the City received a letter from the Mayor of Podujeva, Kosovo, expressing interest in establishing a partner city relationship. Podujeva is located in northeastern Kosovo, approximately 15 miles north of the capital Pristina. The community contains approximately 71,000 residents, most of whom reside in the rural portion of the municipality. The proposal to form a partnership suggested that Ames' agricultural connections would be complementary to Podujeva's developing agriculture economy. The state of Iowa has a variety of connections to Kosovo and cities within it. Iowa entered into a partner state agreement with Kosovo in 2013. In 2016, Kosovo opened a consulate in Des Moines. Currently, nine Iowa communities have partner city relationships with counterparts in Kosovo. Ames' international partnerships are facilitated by the Ames International Partner Cities Association (AIPCA). Currently, Ames' only partnership is with Koshu City, Japan. This partnership consists of sending and receiving youth (middle school-aged) and adult delegations between the cities, in addition to sharing local crafts and other goods. Partnerships between Ames and other international communities have previously existed, and AIPCA has been in the process of exploring the possibility of a second partner community for several years. The process of developing a relationship with Podujeva slowed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite this, however, representatives from Podujeva have made several exploratory visits to Ames, and AIPCA representatives have also been able to travel along with other Iowans to Kosovo to meet with Podujeva officials. A Cooperation Agreement has been prepared to formalize the partnership between Ames and Podujeva. The agreement, which has been produced in English, Albanian, and Serbian, emphasizes several specific areas of cooperation: Agriculture Education Culture Youth and Sport Institutional Cooperation Local economic development Social housing Employment and mutual visits of citizens Each partnering community is responsible for its own costs arising out of the performance of the agreement. The Council should note that funds for AIPCA activities (such as hosting delegations and defraying expenses to send delegation leaders) are budgeted each year from the Local Option Sales Tax Funds. AIPCA submits an Outside Funding Request application with a proposal of activities. The amount to allocate is up to the City Council each year. 1 Correspondence in support of the partnership is attached. ALTERNATIVES: 1. Approve the attached Cooperation Agreement with the Municipality of Podujeva, Kosovo. 2. Refer this item to staff for further information. 3. Do not approve the agreement. CITY MANAGER'S RECOMMENDED ACTION: Ames has long been involved in partnerships with a variety of international communities. These partnerships offer the opportunity for Ames residents to benefit from interaction with residents, businesses, and officials from around the world, through cooperative exchanges, educational activities, and other opportunities. Since 2018, Ames and Podujeva, Kosovo have been exploring the potential for a formal partnership. The attached Cooperation Agreement outlines the areas in which the communities would cooperate. Ames and Podujeva share a variety of interests, and the proposed partnership expands upon an existing relationship between other communities in the state, the state of Iowa itself, and their counterparts in Kosovo. It is therefore the recommendation of the City Manager that the City Council adopt Alternative No. 1, as described above. ATTACHMENT(S): AIPCA Letter to Mayor Haila.docx Acting Mayor of Kosovo.021020.pdf Podujeva - Ames Draft Agreement (English).docx Ames Sister City Vote.pdf 2 Republika e Kosovës / Republika Kosova / The Republic of Kosova Komuna e Podujevës / Opština Podujevo / The Municipality of Podujeva OFFICEE OF THE MAYOR John Haila Mayor, City of Ames PO Box 811, 515 Clark Avenue Ames, IA 50010 September 24, 2018 Dear Mayor Haila: On behalf of citizens of Podujeva, we thank you for the help and friendship the United States and the State of Iowa have given to us over the course of the last few decades. With that said, please accept our request to establish a sister city relationship with the City of Ames. A partnership with a city in Iowa would have significant meaning for us. We have created other sister city partnerships with cities in Europe, and we believe Ames would make the perfect match as a city from Iowa, United States. The Municipality of Podujeva is the largest municipalit y in Kosovo. We produce corn, raspberries, vegetables, livestock and poultry. We are striving to further develop our agriculture field. We believe a partner like Ames would be useful in this aspect. We are interested in foreign expertise and student exchanges between our cities. With the help of the Consulate of the Republic of Kosovo and Iowa Sister States, we are confident that this sister-city relationship will achieve success, and we hope that you will be as excited as we are. Sincerely, Agim Veliu Mayor of Podujeva Zahir Pajaziti street 11000 Podujeva Republic of Kosova 3 4 Page 1 of 4 Komuna e Podujevës /Republika e Kosovës Opština Podujevo/Republika Kosova Municipality of Podujevë/ Republic of Kosovo COOPERATION AGREEMENT Between MUNICIPALITY OF PODUJEVA, REPUBLIC OF KOSOVA and CITY of AMES, IOWA,UNITED STATES OF AMERICA for INTERNATIONAL MUNICIPAL COOPERATION IN THE CULTURAL, ECONOMIC, SCIENTIFIC AND INSTITUTIONAL FIELDS AND TO INCREASE THE COOPERATION BETWEEN THE COUNTRIES THROUGH THE LOCAL GOVERMENTS 5 Page 2 of 4 CONSIDERING the willingness between the parties to cooperate in the field of Internationl Municipal Cooperation through this agreement. RECOGNIZING that participation in such activities is voluntary and involves bilateral cooperation on a fair, reciprocal, and trusting basis, and in accordance with international principles and rules of loose cooperation. REFERRING to the Law on Local Self-Government no.03/L-040, articles 17 and 30, the Law on Inter-Municipal Cooperation, no.04/L-010, article 18 and the Regulation on the procedure for international municipal cooperation 0203/1334, the Law on Arbitration no.02/L-75, the Decision of the Municipal Assembly no.prot.01-016/01-0093821/22 date: 07 November 2022 on the approval of the request-initiative for international municipal cooperation - twinning with the City of Ames, Iowa, in the United States of America and the Municipality of Podujeva-Republic of Kosovo, the parties agree to reach this Cooperation Agreement as follows: Article 1 PURPOSE 1.The purpose of this Agreement is international local cooperation between the Municipality of Podujeva in the Republic of Kosovo and the City of Ames, Iowa, in the United States of America regarding mutual development needs and exchange of experiences in the areas that are the object of this Cooperation Agreement. 2.Cooperation will be implemented on the basis of reciprocity and mutual benefit. Article 2 SUBJECT OF AGREEMENT International municipal cooperation between the Municipality of Podujeva in the Republic of Kosovo and the City of Ames, Iowa, in the form of twinning between the two Municipalities/Cities, parties to this Agreement. 6 Page 3 of 4 Article 3 AREAS OF COOPERATION By the aim of developing and promoting international municipal cooperation in the form of twinning between two respective Municipalities/Cities, the Parties in this Agreement agree that cooperation, among other possible areas, will be developed in the following areas: Agriculture - Expertise in various fields of agriculture & in the processing of local agricultural products; Education - Student exchange (Study opportunity for a cycle of studies at Iowa State University) mainly from the fields of agriculture, business, entrepreneurship, engineering, etc.; Culture Youth and Sport - cooperation in various activities in culture, youth and sports. Institutional Cooperation - exchange of various experiences related to governance and local policy development; Cooperation in the field of local economic development; Cooperation in the field of social housing; Cooperation in employment and mutual visits of citizens including communities, etc. Article 4 RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF THE PARTIES INVOLVED IN THE AGREEMENT 1.The signatory parties express their free will to cooperate in the areas under this Agreement and at the same time commit to the realization of mutual rights and fulfillment of obligations, whether financial or otherwise, resulting during the implementation processes of this Cooperation Agreement in the form of Twinning. 2.The Municipality of Podujeva, from its municipal budget, assumes all expenses arising from the implementation of this Agreement for activities where the Municipality of Podujeva is the initiator and bearer of the activities. 3. The City of Ames, Iowa assumes all expenses arising from the implementation of this agreement for activitieswhere the City of Ames is the initiator and bearer of the activities. 4. The parties in this agreement agree to form a joint group which will be responsible for the implementation of this agreement. 7 Page 4 of 4 Article 5 OTHER OBLIGATIONS The Parties shall take the necessary measures to carry out activities in all phases of the implementation of this Agreement and the signing of other subsequent acts arising from this mutual cooperation and related to municipal-international cooperation in the form of twinning. Article 6 COORDINATION BETWEEN THE PARTIES The Parties to this Agreement agree to appoint a representative to carry out the joint activities defined in this Cooperation Agreement. Article 7 FINAL PROVISIONS 1. This Agreement enters into force on the day of signing and remains valid as long as the two cities are in cooperation/twinning with each other, or until another act agreed upon between the parties. 2. The termination of this Agreement shall be made by mutual agreement between the signatory parties. 3. This Agreement may be supplemented and amended depending on the will of the signing parties, and shall be made by an act which shall be part of this Agreement. 4. This Agreement is drafted in 3 original copies in the three official languages (Albanian, Serbian, English), with the signatory parties receiving 1 copy each. Podujevë, on :__ / __ / 2025 Municipality of Podujeva City of Ames, Iowa ___________________ ____________________ Shpejtim BULLIQI, Mayor John A. Haila, Mayor 8 9 10