HomeMy Public PortalAbout12) 10B Consideration of an Invitation to Visit Temple Citys Sister City Hualien CountyAGENDA
ITEM 10.8.
MANAGEMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT
MEMORANDUM
DATE : August 20, 2019
TO : The Honorable City Co un cil
FROM : Bryan Cook , City Manager
SUBJECT : CONSIDERATION OF AN INVITATION TO VISIT TEMPLE CITY'S
SISTER CITY HUALIEN COUNTY
RECOMMENDATION :
The City Council is requested to co nsider and to give direction to staff regarding the
potential visit by City of Temple City officials to the City's sister city Hual ien County,
Taiwan this No vem ber.
BACKGROUND :
1. On July 17 , 20 18 , Council approved an MOU with Hualien County , Taiwan to
promote the City's St rat egic Goa ls of Qua lity of Life and Citizen Edu cation and
Communicatio n by creating a sis ter city relations hi p between the City and Hualien
County.
2. On July 29 , 20 19, the City received from the Mag istrate of Hualien County regards
to Hual ien County's inability to v is it the City for the Camellia Festival.
3. In the regards, the Magistrate exte nded an invita tion to City representatives to visit
and experience Hualien County this November as a way to strengthen the friendship
between the sister cities .
ANALYSIS :
Cou ncilmember Man, during hi s term as Mayor , in vite d H ua l ien County representatives
to attend the Came lli a Festival as a means by which to strengthen the sister city
relationship . The subject invitation was sent as a response to allow City representatives
to experience what Hua lien County has to offer and to strengthen the friendsh ip between
the sister cities . The invi tation is for this N ovember, meaning that plans need to be made
quickly if City officials would l ike to undertake the visit.
Und er Ca liforn ia law, an offic ia l of a local government may accept "payments , advances ,
or reimbu rseme nts for trave l, including actua l transportation and related lodging and
City Council
August 20 , 2019
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subsistence that is reasonably related to a legislative or governmental purpose ." (Gov't
Code section 89506) The Fair Political Practices Commission has consistently held that
sister city relationships are proper governmental purposes for local governments and that
travel costs may be advanced or reimbursed by a local government. Travel costs may
also be advanced or reimbursed by a nonprofit exempt from taxation under Internal
Revenue Code section 501 (c)(3).
The first question before the City Council is whether the Council would like to have one
or more of its members, or one or more members of the City staff, visit Hualien County .
If the Council does desire to visit , then the C ity Council would need to determ ine the
manner in which it wants travel costs to be borne . The C ity could pre-pay a irfare and
hotel and then reimburse other travel costs incurred by members of a City delegation .
The City could requi re t he delegation members to each bear t heir own costs . Or a hybrid
approach could be directed , whereby the City bore a portion of the costs and the
individuals the other portion . At this time , only City funds and ind ividual f i nan ces are
being considered for travel.
C ITY STRATE GIC GOALS :
The requested action would promote the City's Strategic Goals of Quality of Life and
Citizen Education and Communication by strengthening the sister city relationship
between the City and Hualien County
FISCAL IMPACT :
The fiscal impact would be based upon the extent to which the City Council wishes the
City to ass ist in bearing the cost of each offi cial's visit and the number of officials who
take part.
ATT ACH MENT:
None
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