HomeMy WebLinkAbout~Master - AIPCA Meeting Minutes from February 20, 2025Ames International Partner Cities Association
February 20, 2025
Meeting Minutes
Attendees: Karla McCollum, Marina Kraeva, Nicki Mackey, Laura Hansen, Katrina Harden-Williams,
Jessica Fincham, Valerie Stallbaumer
1. Call to Order: 5:39pm by Karla McCollum
2. Approval of the January, 2025 minutes. Motion to approve made by Nicki and seconded by Laura.
3. Treasurer Report by Laura Hansen
a. Account balance as of February 11, 2025 -- $5,393.52
b. A Zeffy deposit of $25.00 for annual membership by Chris Litten
c. Check #5004 paid to Valerie Stallbaumer for gifts to Koshu City delegates –Oct. 2024 visit
d. Laura paid Nicky directly for some stamps she used to write thank you cards.
e. Jeramy Neefus told us that the city approved $8,000 from the City of Ames budget to AIPCA
to be finalized in April, 2025.
f. Motion to approve Treasurer report made by Valerie. Seconded by Jessica.
4. Newsletter is being put together by Cindy Hicks. Karla will follow-up with Cindy on the progress.
5. Karla summarized the organization of State Partnerships. Originally called Sister States and was a
non-profit 501c3. The State of Iowa created a memorandum of agreement but they cannot raise
funds. Now, they operate through the Iowa International Center and Iowa Economic Authority.
The governor receives proposals for city sister partnerships.
6. History of partnerships with Yamanashi cities. A typhon hit the area in 1959 and killed the hogs
there. Iowa sent 35 hogs and one year of feed to help re-start their herds.
7. In 2008, Kosovo –Albania and Macedonia partnership began. Major Timothy Orr of the Iowa
National Guard led the first military to military and civilian to civilian effort for U.N peace keeping
in Kosovo. Kosovo members come here annually. This is our strongest relationship in Iowa.
8. Feb. 24 is the 17th anniversary of our Kosovo partnership with Iowa. There are also university
partnerships between Iowa and Kosovo. There are nine sister cities between Iowa and Kosovo.
9. Pre-COVID, city to city diplomacy was experienced. Now, the partnerships are working towards
more economic efforts. Student exchanges are still planned every two years.
10. Katrina mentioned that she wants to help with the student athletes going there to play volleyball
and soccer with Kosovo -Serbia/ Albania citizens.
11. Koshu business update on the Ames –Koshu Winefest. Michael Abrams will work with volunteers
to help with the Winefest. We need to recruit people to help.
12. Japanese Crane Project—The JASI executive director, Yoko, met with 71 students in January to
make cranes. 22 usable cranes resulted. So far, that made 250 cranes total. The goal is to make
1,000 cranes in Iowa to be displayed at the Iowa State Fair. We will work in the Ames Library on
April 17 to have many volunteers make more cranes. Yoko with present the instructions. Laura is
creating an invitation to send out for the event.
13. We need to sort through the by-laws and governing documents to clarify how we should run the
AIPCA. Laura will work to update the City of Ames website.
14. Nicki made the motion to adjourn the meeting at 6:42pm and Jessica seconded it.