Report to Mayor and City Council
Tuesday, May 16, 2017
Discussion
SUBJECT:
Title
UPDATE ON STUDENT DELEGATION VISIT FROM SOKA, JAPAN IN SUMMER 2017 AND GOVERNMENT DELEGATION VISIT IN FEBRUARY 2018 (CITY COUNCIL)
Body
I. SUMMARY
A student delegation from Soka, Japan is expected to visit Carson for a two-week period from July 22, 2017-August 5, 2017 as part of the Carson Sister Cities Association (CSCA) Student Cultural Exchange Program.
A government delegation from Soka, Japan is also expected to visit Carson for a five-day period in February of 2018 as part of the Government Exchange Program. This memo provides an update on the Sister Cities visit.
II. RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
DISCUSS and PROVIDE direction.
Body
III. ALTERNATIVES
TAKE whatever action the City Council deems appropriate.
IV. BACKGROUND
CSCA has been involved in a Student Cultural Exchange Program with Soka, Japan since 1980, in which the two cities alternately send and host a delegation consisting of six students and one chaperon for a period of two weeks. The student exchange took place every year initially when we started the sister city relationship, but modified to every two years since 2010 due to budget constraints.
In February of this year, CSCA has started recruiting host families who will house the delegates during their two-week stay in Carson. Potential host families go through a background check conducted by the Carson Sheriff’s Station, and selected families attend an orientation approximately two weeks prior to the delegation’s arrival.
Official activities during the student delegations’ visit in Carson include a welcome breakfast at City Hall, a welcome reception/dinner, formal introductions at a City Council meeting and other city events, daily excursions and a farewell dinner at a local restaurant. On nights and weekends, host families are responsible for coordinating activities for their respective student delegates.
On May 22-26, 2014, an 11-member Carson delegation that included three members of City Council and the City Clerk were hosted by Soka, Japan for a government visit and to mark the 35th year anniversary of the sister city relationship between Soka and Carson. The city’s delegation participated in various activities which involved Soka officials, members of the Soka International Association, host families and past delegates to Carson. In return, Carson is expected to return the gesture by hosting a 4-member delegation from Soka, Japan during the 50th Anniversary of Carson in February of 2018.
Estimated costs for the hosting activities for the student delegation is shown below.
|
Welcome and farewell reception |
$ 3,500 |
|
Transportation (City bus use) |
1,500 |
|
Daily excursions plus incidental costs |
4,000 |
|
Miscellaneous special supplies |
1,000 |
|
Total |
$10,000 |
Staff is seeking direction from the City Council as to what activities CSCA should plan related to the visit of the government delegation in 2018. The budget for the visit will be crafted based on the activities that the City Council will approve.
V. FISCAL IMPACT
Costs associated with hosting the student delegation have been appropriated in the FY 2016/17 budget for $4,000. This will cover the tickets for daily excursion and incidental expenses. To cover the total cost of all of the proposed activities which will occur in July and August 2017, staff has proposed the remaining $6,000 needed in the FY 2017/18 budget in 01-50-540-148-6009. This upcoming fiscal year 2017/18, staff has also proposed the funds for the activities that will be approved by Council tonight for the Soka government delegation who are arriving in February 2018 for $10,000 in account # 01-50-540-148-6009. Therefore, the draft budget includes $16,000 for expected FY17-18 expenses.
VI. EXHIBITS
None.
Prepared by: Margie Revilla-Garcia, Public Information Administrator