City Council
Staff Report
From: City Manager
Report Type: ACTION ITEMS
Lead Department: City Manager
Meeting Date: February 5, 2024
Report #:2312-2314
TITLE
Policy and Services Committee Recommendation to the City Council to Approve a new Friendship Cities Program in Palo Alto. CEQA Status – Not a Project
RECOMMENDATION
The Policy and Services Committee recommends that the City Council approve a new Friendship Cities program with the provisions recommended in the original colleagues’ memo and a few other new provisions related to reevaluation of friendship cities as well as sister cities. If the City Council approves the new program, staff will update and finalize the proposed Friendship Cities Agreement document to reflect adopted program elements.
BACKGROUND
On June 19, 2023, the City Council received and discussed a Colleagues’ Memo (Attachment A) related to the idea of Friendship Cities. The Colleagues’ Memo recommendation was for the City Council to be able to extend the authority to enter into Friendship City relationships with new communities around the world. Friendship Cities are defined by Sister Cities International, the governing body of Palo Alto’s Sister Cities, as the following (also included in the Colleagues‘ Memo):
The terms “sister city” and “friendship city” sometimes have different meanings.
Generally speaking, friendship cities are less formal than sister cities. In some cities, “friendship city” is often used as a first stage in the relationship, and after it is strengthened, and the partners are sure they want a long-term relationship they will become “sister cities.”
At the June 19 City Council meeting, the City Council voted to refer the Colleagues Memo for Approval of a “Friendship City” Program to Policy and Services Committee for further discussion and to review the staffing impacts of this program. The Colleagues’ Memo contained the anticipated Fiscal and Resource Impact and that information is copied below for convenience to the full City Council discussion of the Policy and Services Committee recommendation.
The Policy and Services Committee discussed the resource impacts aspect of a Friendship Cities program (per the City Council referral in June) at the October 2023 meeting and voted 2-1 with the following motion:
FISCAL/RESOURCE IMPACT
The fiscal and resource impact for this proposal can vary widely, and as such staff believes it should not be considered insignificant nor fully defined at this time. Anticipated activities or resources likely needed include the following:
•Staff resources to coordinate requests for new Friendship Cities. Staff resources to coordinate details for formal agreement signings and celebrations. •Staff coordination and participation by applicable staff (City Manager’s Office, City Clerk’s Office, and various departments with topic expertise) in relationship building, as well as development and production of discussion topics before, during, and after delegation visits.
•Communications efforts to coordinate with Friendship Cities and Neighbors Abroad representatives to publicize events and other milestones. •Staff resources to coordinate Councilmember-related efforts for the Friendship City, including developing any formal letters, commendations, or gifts needed related to the Friendship City and associated logistics.
•Providing financial and staff support for City financial resources provided to Neighbors Abroad for reception hosting for visiting delegations.
The actual amount of time needed for the items above varies. Without dedicated staffing and budget allocation for international relations work, these items are spread among existing staff.
Depending on the amount of time needed for these activities, existing staff must redirect time
away from other council priorities and assignments to accomplish these tasks. This includes the staff and City Council time that may be needed to develop this program.
As noted above, Friendship City relationships are a first stage in connecting two cities together.
For the City of Palo Alto, most of the existing eight (8) Sister City and one (1) Sibling City relationships started off as something informal either between Palo Alto neighbors and colleagues in an international city, or as an early agreement to test a relationship before formalizing. Without clarity as to what Friendship Cities should expect from Palo Alto over time, and the anticipated guidance for expansion of Palo Alto’s program, the City should logically expect situations where the Friendship Cities seek to become more formally connected to Palo Alto as additional Sister Cities with the associated resource expectations.
Should the Council wish to proceed with growth in international relations activities reflected in the establishment of this new program, staff recommends that the parameters guiding the City’s involvement be set forth in writing through the Council’s Procedures and Protocols Handbook. It would also be prudent to establish appropriate monitoring of international relations activities through a budget line item for this purpose.
It should further be noted that the City of Palo Alto receives many inquiries and requests to establish relationships with cities around the world. As such, while Palo Alto may intend only a modest time and other resource allocation to these relationships, these communities often place a high priority to the relationship, and this is reflected in the level of effort, attention, and expense invested into the relationship. This dynamic creates situations where reciprocation is expected and difficult to avoid.
Given the variety of issues noted above, staff recommends that the Committee and Council proceed carefully and incrementally into this area. Limiting the number and evaluating the success of a Friendship Cities program against its goals would enable the City to pursue this interest without overcommitting resources and expectations.
Finally, in recognition of the Council’s interest in this program and ongoing support for sister and sibling cities, staff is examining ways to increase staff engagement and enhance the organizational benefit of these relationships. Specifically, staff is considering establishing a fellowship program through which individual staff members that are interested in learning about the unique programs and learning opportunities provided by partner cities may travel on study visits and potentially exchanges. We anticipate that such travel will be managed through operating budgets. Such unique experiences not only can serve to identify alternative and innovative approaches to the City’s work but also reinforce the City’s employee recruitment and retention efforts.
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
Neighbors Abroad has been involved in this conversation and has interest in assisting the City in some way with the management of new friendship city relationships.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Council action on this item is not a project as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because approval of a Friendship Cities program an organizational or administrative activity that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment. CEQA Guidelines section 15378(b)(5).
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A: Friendship Cities Colleagues’ Memo – June 2023 APPROVED BY:
Ed Shikada, City Manager