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<br />CITY OF SAN LEANDRO <br /> <br />STAFF REPORT <br /> <br />APPROVED AND <br />FORWARDED <br />TO CITY COUNCIL <br /> <br />DATE: <br /> <br />June 25, 2007 <br /> <br /> <br />TO: <br /> <br />John Jermanis, City Manager <br /> <br />FROM: <br /> <br />Stephen Hollister, Assistant City Manager <br /> <br />Kathy Ornelas, Community Relations Representative v9->< <br /> <br />BY: <br /> <br />SUBJECT PROJECT/PROJECT DESCRIPTION: <br /> <br />RESOLUTION AMENDING SISTER CITY GUIDELINES IN THE CITY OF SAN <br />LEANDRO COUNCIL MEMBERS HANDBOOK TO INCLUDE FRIENDSHIP CITIES <br /> <br />SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATION <br /> <br />The City Council Human Relations Committee has recommended that the City modify the <br />current program of Sister City affiliations to allow for Friendship City affiliations as well. It is <br />recommended that the current Sister City Guidelines in the Council Members Handbook be <br />modified to allow for Friendship City affiliations. <br /> <br />BACKGROUND <br /> <br />Analysis <br />In 2005, the City Council incorporated Sister City Guidelines into the Council Members <br />Handbook to establish a policy for adoption and management of Sister City affiliations with <br />cities in other parts of the world. <br /> <br />At its May 31, 2007 meeting, the City Council Human Relations Committee heard from <br />members of the Asian Community Cultural Association of San Leandro, encouraging the City to <br />adopt a Friendship City affiliation with Yangchun, China. <br /> <br />In researching policies in other Bay Area cities, it was found that there is very little reference <br />information available regarding Friendship Cities. Most cities have formal Sister City <br />affiliations, while Friendship Cities are generally described as being less formal and more limited <br />in scope, having less administrative and financial expectations. <br /> <br />The City Council Human Relations Committee reviewed proposed changes to the Sister City <br />Guidelines to allow for adoption of Friendship Cities as well. For instance, a proposed Sister <br />City should be similar to San Leandro in population and/or role in its region, and/or have <br />cultural, educational, socio-economic, or other tangible features in common to make it an <br />appropriate Sister City for San Leandro. Those requirements are relaxed for a proposed <br />Friendship City, although cultural or demographic similarities should exist between the two <br />cities. A community organization proposing a Sister City affiliation would need to establish a <br />budget for the first year of activities, while a Friendship City association would only need to <br />