HomeMy WebLinkAbout~Master - AIPCA Meeting Minutes from August 15, 2019Ames International Partner Cities Association
Minutes August 15, 2019
Ames City Hall-Conference Room 135
Those present: Board members Lisa Shen, Jen Malone, Judy Jones and Tom and Pat Sauer (shared position). Also present were Robert Alden and Cindy Hicks This is not a quorum of members.
I. Call to Order (Lisa Shen) at 5:06 p.m.
Since there was not a quorum to vote on minutes and treasurer’s report, it was decided send for absentee
approval by email. Copies of the April Minutes, June Annual meeting minutes and the July and August
Treasure’s Report were emailed to all Board members.
II. Approval of April 2019 Minutes – The minutes were approved by email absentee vote by Shen, P.
Saur, Buss, Thornburg, Jones, Malone
Approval of June Annual meeting minutes – The minutes were approved by email absentee vote
by Shen, P. Saur, Buss, Thornburg, Jones, Malone
III. Approval of the Treasurer’s Report (Jen Malone) The July/August Treasurer’s Report was approved
by email absentee vote by Shen, P. Saur, Buss, Thornburg, Jones, Malone
IV. Old Business/Updates
A. Kosovo sister city update (subcommittee report) Sauer reported that on July 15 he,
Christie Carr and Thornburg met with the Consulate of the Republic of Kosovo in Des
Moines. The consulate is really eager to set up a Kosovo sister city relationship. A picnic
was held at Saylorville with other Iowa sister cities. It was a meet and greet with the new
Chief of Mission, Artan Duraku of Kosovo. Also attending was General Orr who was
instrumental with the Iowa National Guard’s relationship with Kosovo. Podujeva officials
have sent letter to our city requesting relationship. Our mayor needs to respond to be
official.
B. Koshu 2020 culture exchange planning discussion – discussion was held on reviewing the
application rules (Jones will do) and also possible dates for getting information to students
and parents. It was thought something should be ready in October.
V. New Business
A. Robert Alden, teacher at the middle school sat in on the meeting and will decide if he
wants to be the school representative on the Board.
B. Set future meeting dates – Sept 19, October 17 and November 21.
C. Shen was asked by Brian Phillips, Assistant City Manager to make a request to the Public
Arts committee to accept Japanese art gift to city into that collection.
D. It was discussed that we have had many meetings without quorum and that makes it
difficult to get business done. Discussion was held on what to do with members that do
not attend the Board meetings. Shen will check the by-laws and follow up with those
Board members who are worst offenders.
E. Discussion- It has been brought up to this group that we offer scholarships to students
going to Koshu. It was felt it would be too difficult to decide who would receive those
scholarships and how to determine need. Ideas floated were to have AIPCA pay for some
items that students have paid in the past as T-shirts, gifts maybe even Tokyo hotel.
VI. Adjourned at 6:05 p.m. Submitted by Judy Jones, secretary