Report Prepared by: John Tresidder, Assistant City Clerk, City Clerk's Office
Title
SUBJECT: Report - Findings and Discussion on Forming a New Sister City Relationship
REPORT IN BRIEF
Updates City Council on current Sister City relationships and steps to form a new relationship.
RECOMMENDATION
Provide staff direction on the next steps for the formation of a new Sister City relationship.
Body
AUTHORITY
City of Merced Charter Section 200.
DISCUSSION
History
Sister Cities International was formed by President Dwight Eisenhower in 1956 to foster international relations among American cities and cities from around the world with a similar makeup. The City of Merced formed two such partnerships in early 1963 by adopting resolutions recognizing Albury, Australia and Mercedes, Uruguay as official Sister Cities to the City of Merced. A third partnership with Somoto, Nicaragua began in the late 1980's by a group of citizens as a "Friendship City" and was officially recognized by the City Council as a Sister City in March of 1992.
The relationship with Albury, Australia seemed to thrive for nearly 40 years, with an active committee that met regularly, had regular communications with their counterparts in Albury, and facilitated visits with dignitaries from Albury.
Staff was unable to uncover much information on the relationship with Mercedes, Uruguay, other than some letters from a former Merced resident living in Mercedes who was acting as a liaison to help facilitate the Sister City relationship.
The relationship with Somoto, Nicaragua remains strong to this day, with a citizen-led group that visits yearly to provide medical services and supplies. Dignitaries from Somoto have visited Merced several times over the years and Mayor Murphy was part of a delegation to Somoto recently as well, further confirming the relationship between Merced and Somoto.
At the same meeting in March of 1992, the City Council requested the Sister City Committees for Albury and...
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