City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
Meeting Date: 05/28/13 Item Number: A-3
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM: Approval of a New 5-Year Memorandum of
Understanding with the Culver City Sister City Committee, Inc. to Perform CCSCC
Services, Consistent with the Goals of the City.
Contact Person/Dept.: Shelly Wolfberg /
City Manager’s Office
Phone Number: 310-253-6008
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [] No [X]
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [X] Attachments: [X]
Commission Action Required: Yes [] No [X] Date: _______________
Public Notification: (Email) Meetings and Agendas – City Council (05/21/13)
Department Approval:
Martin R. Cole (05/21/13)
City Attorney Approval:
Carol Schwab (by H. Baker) (05/21/13)
Chief Financial Officer Approval:
Jeff Muir (by M. Noller) (05/21/13)
City Manager:
John Nachbar (05/21/13)
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the City Council approve a new 5-year Memorandum of
Understanding with the Culver City Sister City Committee, Inc. (CCSCC) to perform
CCSCC services, consistent with the goals of the City.
BACKGROUND:
On December 10, 1962, the City Council established the CCSCC. Since 1962, the
City of Culver City has had a relationship with what was formerly known as the
Culver City Sister Cities Committee.
The Culver City Sister City program fosters and promotes:
1. The exchange of information and ideas for the cultural betterment of the City and
its people;
2. The knowledge, understanding, and education of the City and of its people; and
3. The mutual understanding and goodwill between the City and its Sister Cities.
Currently, the City of Culver City has a sister city relationship with the following
cities: Iksan City, South Korea; Kaizuka, Japan; Lethbridge, Canada; and
Uruapan, Mexico.
On June 22, 2008, the CCSCC received its Final Status Determination Letter as a
501 (c) 3 tax-exempt charitable organization from the Internal Revenue Service
(retroactive to January 31, 2008). As a 501(c)(3) organization, the CCSCC is a
legally separate entity with its own Board of Directors and officers. As such, CCSCC
is responsible for its own operation.
City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
At the March 16, 2009 City Council meeting, the City Council approved an MOU
between the City and CCSCC, which was entered into on April 21, 2009 (Attachment
1). Discussions between the City and CCSCC members about chaperoned trips to
Sister Cities abroad led to the creation of an Amendment to the MOU on September
7, 2010 (Attachment 2). The current MOU with the CCSCC expires on June 30,
2013.
DISCUSSION:
The City and the CCSCC have worked collaboratively over the past five years to
implement sister-city related programs. These programs have included: receiving
official delegations; participating in student exchanges; and coordinating welcome
and farewell parties. Further, the CCSCC has organized a US-Mexico Sister City
Conference and the CCSCC’s 50
th
Anniversary celebration. The CCSCC also
presented the City with the gift of a sign post with signs showing the distances and
directions to each of our sister cities. This sign was installed recently near the corner
of Culver Boulevard and Duquesne Avenue.
City staff and the CCSCC Board President, Marla Wolkowitz, have had discussions
in recent weeks about renewing the CCSCC MOU. Both parties have agreed to
recommend approval of a new MOU for a five-year period, subject to the approval of
the proposed MOU by the City Council and the CCSCC Board of Directors. The
CCSCC proposes, and staff is comfortable with, entering into a new 5-year MOU,
which would incorporate the terms and conditions of the original MOU and
subsequent 2010 amendment, as revised by the following substantive changes:
1. Include a provision for a Consumer Price Index (CPI) increase in the CCSCC
annual budget of no more than 3% beginning in Fiscal Year 2014/2015; and
2. Formally remove the designation of a City Council Subcommittee to serve as
liaisons to the CCSCC, Inc. (Given the nature of CCSCC as a separate legal
entity not under the control of the City, the City Council dissolved the City
Council Subcommittee in 2008). The CCSCC Bylaws provide the following:
“Honorary Membership shall be available to all members of the City of Culver
City City Council and the City Manager during their term of office in an ex-
officio manner upon approval by the Board of Directors.” ; and,
3. Grant the approval for the two annual uses of any City park picnic shelters,
including passive grass areas for a total fee waiver and a 45% fee waiver for
two additional uses for these areas. (The current MOU specifies the use of
Veterans and Carlson Parks); and,
4. Provide clarifying language in the MOU to allow for the use of the Dan
Patacchia Conference Room 12 times annually (the current MOU provides for
a once per month usage of this Room); and,
5. State in the MOU that the fee waiver does not include the cost to rent the A/V
system and podium. The CCSCC, Inc. shall be solely responsible for the City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
damage deposit on each rental. These charges apply for equipment used at
the Veterans Memorial Complex.
FISCAL ANALYSIS:
Staff has included a request of $16,600 for FY 2013/2014 for the CCSCC
Agreement as part of the City Manager’s Recommended Budget for Fiscal Year
2013/2014 currently under consideration by the City Council. Budget allocation
requests for subsequent years of the MOU will depend in part on the amount of CPI
adjustment. City staff has provided, and will continue to provide, in-kind support to
the CCSCC on an ongoing basis.
ATTACHMENT:
1. MOU between the City and CCSCC -dated April 21, 2009
2. Culver City Sister City Amendment to Agreement-September 7, 2010
MOTION:
That the City Council:
1. Approve a new 5-year MOU between the CCSCC, Inc. and the City of Culver
City; and.
2. Authorize the City Attorney to review/prepare the necessary documents; and,
3. Authorize the City Manager to execute such documents on behalf of the City.
MEETING DATE: May 28, 2013
AGENDA ITEM: Approval of a Memorandum of Understanding with the
Culver City Sister City Committee, Inc. to Perform
CCSCC Services, Consistent with the Goals of the City.
ATTACHMENTS
Pages
1. Culver City Sister City Agreement-April 21, 2009 1-16
2. Culver City Sister City Amendment to Agreement-September 7,
2010
17-19
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