City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the City Council consider City sponsorship of the 49
th
Annual
U.S.-Mexico Sister Cities Association International Conference (Conference) to be
held from March 2-4, 2012 and if approved, approve a Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) among the City and the Culver City Sister City Committee,
Inc. (CCSCC) related to the Conference.
BACKGROUND:
On April 21, 2009, the City of Culver City entered into an agreement with CCSCC, to
develop and administer diverse programs and activities to promote art, culture,
education, civic affairs and economic development, and enhance the relationships
with Sister Cities through ongoing activities (CCSCC Agreement). Per the CCSCC
Agreement, the City and CCSCC agree that the broad goals of the City include
advancing international understanding and cooperation, exchanging ideas and
information, and establishing goodwill and positive relations in the community and
with citizens of Sister Cities.
On March 14, 2011, Barbara Honig, President of the CCSCC, reported that the
CCSCC Board had accepted an invitation from the U.S./Mexico Sister Cities
Association for Culver City to be the destination city to hold its 49
th
Annual
International Conference meeting in 2012. Ms. Honig discussed the Conference,
attendees, and the benefits of participation; and she requested the City Council
Meeting Date: 02/13/12 Item Number: A-4__
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM: Consideration of City Sponsorship of the 49
th
Annual U.S./Mexico Sister Cities Association International Conference and
Approval of a Memorandum of Understanding Related Thereto.
Contact Person/Dept.:
Shelly Wolfberg, Assistant to the City
Manager
Phone Number:
(310) 253-6008
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [ ] General Fund: Yes [X] No []
Public Hearing: [ ] Action Item: [X] Attachments: [X]
Public Notification: Meetings and Agendas – City Council (02/09/12); Culver City Sister
City Committee President; The Culver Hotel; and the Downtown Business Association;
and The Pacific Theaters (02/08/12);
Department Approval:
Martin R. Cole (02/08/12)
City Attorney Approval:
Carol Schwab (by H. Baker) (02/08/12)
Chief Financial Officer Approval:
Jeff Muir (by N. Kimball) (02/08/12)
City Manager Approval:
John Nachbar (02/09/12) City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
consider becoming a co-sponsor. The City Council agreed to discuss the possibility
of co-sponsoring the Conference.
Subsequently, the CCSCC began planning the Conference, which will be located
primarily in downtown Culver City from March 2-4, 2012. Individuals from all over
the country and Mexico are invited to attend. The Culver Hotel is the Conference’s
host hotel.
Over the past few months, staff has been discussing the Conference with CCSCC
representatives. On February 6, 2012, CCSCC submitted an Event Permit
Application, which included the details on the use of covered courtyards in City Hall;
the Mike Balkman Council Chambers, conference rooms in City Hall; and the Town
Plaza for non-amplified live entertainment.
The CCSCC wants to provide entertainment in Town Plaza from 5:30 pm until 8 pm
on Friday March 2, 2012. The entertainment would be available at no charge to the
Conference participants and the public. The entertainment will include student
performances, acoustic musical groups, a juggler and other related acts over a 2-1/2
hour period.
DISCUSSION:
City Council Policy Statement 2008-01 (Community Organizations) provides the
criteria applicable to City sponsorship of events. The pertinent excerpt is recounted
below:
Category 3: City Sponsored Events
To be considered a City Sponsored Event, the event must:
(1) Be a civic event or activity organized or sponsored by the
City…(CCMC Section 17.330.040.B.7.a); and,
(2) To determine whether the civic event or activity is “sponsored” by
the City…, the following criteria must be met: The City…is (a)
participating in an official capacity in the planning, preparation, or
promotion of the event or activity; and (b) contributes 25% of the
total estimated cost of the event or activity or at least $1,000,
whichever is less. (Note: this contribution may take the form if
funds, labor, staff time, materials, a waiver of fees, or any
combination of the foregoing); and,
(3) By specific action, the City Council has determined that the above
criteria have been met.
City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
Should the City Council wish to consider sponsorship of the Conference, staff
estimates that at minimum $1,000 in staff time will be contributed to the planning,
preparation, or promotion of the event, (satisfying criterion (2b) above). To satisfy
criterion (2a), staff recommends the City Council coordinate the participation of
Council Members, whenever appropriate, and promote the Conference on the City’s
website and Government Television Channel. Ms. Marla Wolkowitz, CCSCC’s Local
Conference Chairperson, has provided the attached information regarding support of
this proposal from the Culver Hotel.
Should the City Council approve this request, an MOU will be drafted to formalize
the various duties and obligations of both parties for the Conference. The details of
the MOU will include, but not be limited to, a diagram that indicates the general use
of a portion of Town Plaza (generally near the Culver Hotel) in addition to the use of
City Hall facilities.
FISCAL ANALYSIS:
The contribution of staff time is expected to include, but not be limited to, time the
Assistant to the City Manager has already dedicated to discussions with CCSCC.
Additionally the Assistant to the City Manager and Public Works staff would help
staff the event at City Hall on Saturday, March 3, 2012. Should the City Council
designate this event as a City sponsored event, a limited amount of additional staff
time would be contributed toward it.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Informational materials provided by the CCSCC (including support letter).
MOTION:
That the City Council:
1A. Determine that the criteria in City Council Policy Statement 2008-01 have
been met and designate the 49
th
Annual U.S./Mexico Sister Cities
Association International Conference as a City sponsored event,
contingent upon the CCSCC agreeing to identify the City in their
promotional activities and materials as a sponsor of the event and approve
a MOU related thereto; and,
1B. Authorize the City Attorney to review/prepare the necessary documents;
and, City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
1C. Authorize the City Manager to execute such documents on behalf of the
City.
OR
2. Decline to establish the 49
th
Annual U.S./Mexico Sister Cities Association
International Conference as a City sponsored event.
MEETING DATE: February 13, 2012
AGENDA ITEM: Consideration of City Sponsorship of the U.S./Mexico
Convention and Approval of a Memorandum of
Understanding Related Thereto.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Informational materials provided by the CCSCC
(including support letter).
Pages
1-7 KiCO Sls18,4' Cities Association U.S.
D\R
PI
F
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Thank you to the city of Culver City their active
support and assistance in making this convention
possible.
UNITED STATES/MEXICO
SISTER CITIES
ASSOCIATION
49th ANNUAL
NATIONAL CONVENTION
Citp Q.si5tertini ommi tr , U.S. Mexico Sister Cities Association
MARCH 2 - 4 2012
Culver City Hall & Culver Hotel
Culver City, California
Hosted by euthEr eitp 23i5ter CO Committee, luc.
WWW.C;EIN,'Qrc.;i1. -risf ei tyx) 1.111.1 i e. org WWVt,as msca PRE-CONFERENCE ACTIVITIES
FRIDAY
10:30-5:15pm
2:00-2:50pm PATACCHIA ROOM
Speaker: George Novinger, Regional Director, U.S. Dept. of State
Theme: What is the Office of Foreign Missions Part 2
2:00 - 2:50pm Speaker: Tomas Torres, Director U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency - San Diego Border Office U.S./Mexico Border Program
Coordinator
Theme: "U.S./Mexico Border Environment: Border 2020 Part 1
COUNCIL CHAMBERS
2:55-3:40pm Speaker: Tomas Torres, Director U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency - San Diego Border Office U.S./Mexico Border Program
Coordinator
Theme: "U.S./Mexico Border Environment: Border 2020 Part 2
COUNCIL CHAMBERS
Speaker: Christine Farm Culver City Fire Department
Theme: "Equipo de Respuesta. a Emergencies Comunitarias
(Community Emergency Response Team, CERT)"
PATACCHIA ROOM
Speaker: Maria Rosa Garcia-Acevedo, PhD. California State
University Northridge, Political Science Department
Theme: "Why is it important to have relationships with
Mexico?" COUNCIL CHAMBERS
Youth P anel/Roundtable Discussion
Meet students that have represented their cities through the Sister
City Movement by visiting out of country or through participation
in conferences. COUNCIL CHAMBERS
2:55-3:40
3:50-4:40
3:50-4:40pm
3:50 - 4:40pm Speaker: Paul Rockov,rer, Director of Communication American
Voices, American Music Abroad Program
4:50-5:50pm USMSCA BOARD REORGANIZATION MEETING
HARRY CULVER OFFICE, CULVER HOTEL
6:30-10:00pm GALA DINNER DANCE Scholarship Presentations, City
awards. Introduction of new USMSCA Executive Board
SUNDAY
7:00-9:00arn Breakfast at hotel for registered guests
CULVER HOTEL DINING ROOM
Mune H 49th 4Finnual U.S./Me'xico Siste Cities Ossocietion's Intern :onference
12:00-2:00pm USMSCA BOARD MEETING
HARRY CULVER OFFICE, CULVER HOTEL
3 :00-6:00pm . REGISTRATION CULVER HOTEL DINING ROOM
sign-up for Saturday lunch venues and speaker
5:30-8:00pm CASUAL PLAZA ENTERTAINMENT
11:00-11:30am
SATURDAY
7:30 - 8:45 am
8:00-12:00am
8:00--4:00pm
9:00-12:00pm
Mayors and Dignitaries Breakfast PATACCHIA ROOM
REGISTRATION AT CITY HALL
EXHIBITORS AT CITY HALL (suspended at lunch)
GENERAL OPENING SESSION
CULVER CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS
Flag Presentations: Boy Scout Troop 4113, Culver City, CA
National Anthems sung by CULVER CITY HIGH SCHOOL A.V.P.A. students
Welcome: USMSCA President George Barks
Introduction: Barbara Honig, Culver City Sister City Committee, Inc. President
Welcome.: Micheal O'Leary, Mayor of Culver City, CA USA -
Introductions of visiting Mayors and V.I.P.'s. by President Barks
10:00-11:00am USMSCA BUSINESS SESSION
Keynote Speaker: Sr. David Figueroa Ortega,
Los Angeles Mexican Consul General
"Mexico's economic and political update"
11:30-12:00pm Keynote Address: TBD
12:15-1:45pm LUNCH and SPEAKERS.
Lunch topics: Espailol/ Why you should have an
Immersion Program in your schools? Foreign Mission
Part 1 and other topics -TBD 10am - 2:00pm (approx) Registered attendees to J. Paul Getty Museum
Speaker Biographies
David Figueroa Ortega
Consul General of Mexico
David Figueroa Ortega was appointed Consul General of Mexico in
Los Angeles by President Felipe Calderon Hinojosa and ratified by
the Mexican Senate. He took office on April 25, 2011.
He was Consul General of Mexico in San Jose, California from
August 2008 to April 2011, during which time he greatly improved
the efficiency of services and relocated the consular office to more
functional facilities.
From 2006 to 2008, he served as federal congressman for the State
of Sonora in the Chamber of Deputies, Mexico's House of
Representatives. During his tenure, he was a member of the
committees on Finance; Population, Borders and Migration Affairs;
the Special Commission for the Monitoring of Funds Provided by the
Mexican Bracer° Workers; the Committee for the Study of Public
Finance Center and the Special Commission on Relations with
International Organizations. He was also president of the
Association of Mexican Lawmakers in favor of the Silver Coin in
Mexico.
The son of a bracero, Figueroa Ortega migrated at a young age to
the border town of Agua Prieta, Sonora. At 24, he served as
Secretary of the City of Agua Prieta from 1994 to 1997. In 2003 he
was elected Mayor of Agua Prieta where he was a strong advocate of
the human rights of migrants on the border.
He has headed and participated in national and international
forums on immigration and human rights and labor rights of
Mexican migrants.
He has been invited to participate as a contributing editorial writer
by prestigious print and electronic media, both in Mexico and San
Jose, California.
Figueroa Ortega holds a degree in Business Administration from the
Uniuersidad Regiomontana de Monterrey and a MBA in Human
Resources from the Uniuersidad Autonoma de Chihuahua. He has
completed courses in Contemporary Politics at the Colegio de
Sonora; Management at the Institut° Tecnologico y de Estudios
Superiores de Monterrey; and Electoral Strategies at George
Washington University. He also has certificates in
English Literature and Implementation of Administrative
Innovation from Stanford University.
Born July 6, 1970, in Aribabi, Huachinera, Sonora, Figueroa Ortega
is married to Clarisa Gonzalez Anguiano and has three sons: David
Alexander; Obed Fernando and Diego Maximilian° (17, 14 and 12).
Tomas Torres
Director, San Diego Border Office
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (Region 9)
Tomas Torres is Director of the U.S. EPA, San Diego Border Office
and U.S.-Mexico Border Program Manager for the California/Baja
California and Arizona/Sonora Border Regions. Mr. Torres is
responsible for EPA's leadership, diplomatic, and planning efforts
within EPA, pertaining to U.S.-Mexico Border Affairs. Mr. Torres
also leads EPA Region 9's Border Team, made up of representatives from each of EPA's media program offices (i.e., water, air, waste,
Superfund, Pesticides, enforcement, and children's environmental
health protection).
Mr. Torres has over twenty years of environmental management
experience in the public and private sectors. In this capacity he was
instrumental in the development and implementation of the 10-year
U.S.-Mexico environmental border program, Border 2012 and is
currently negotiating a new hi-national environmental program
with Mexico. Over the years, Mr. Torres has held key leadership
positions in Hazardous & Solid Waste Management in the
California/Baja California region and in developing U.S.-Mexico
Border Environmental Indicators to assess environmental
conditions along the U.S.-Mexico Border. Torre's other experience
includes managing large and. complex Superfund Sites in EPA's
Superfund Program and project management work in the private
sector as a consultant to develop industry capacity in the areas of
Air Emissions Reduction, Pollution Prevention, Waste Management,
and Health Risk Assessment.
Mr. Torres is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley.
Dr. Maria Rosa Garcia-Acevedo
Dr. Maria Rosa Garcia-Acevedo received her Ph.D. from the
University of Arizona, her M.A. from the University of New Mexico,
and her B.A. from the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico.
She has been a research fellow in the United States and Mexico at
the Center for U.S. Mexican Studies, University of California San
Diego; the School of Social Ecology, University of California, Irvine;
the Centro de Investigacien y Docencia Econemicas, the
Universidad AutOnoma de Ciudad Juarez and the Colegio de la
Frontera Norte. Her main areas of research and teaching are
Comparative Politics, Latin American and Mexican Politics, and
Public Policy. She has published research on U.S.-Mexico diplomatic
relations, transboundary environmental issues in the U.S. Mexico
border, and the Mexican diaspora in the United States.
Her main areas of research and teaching are Comparative Politics, Latin
American and Mexican Politics, and Public Policy.
Christine Parra
Emergency Preparedness Coordinator
Culver City Fire Department
Christine Parra is the Emergency Preparedness Coordinator for the
City of Culver City. In this role, Christine is responsible for
planning and coordinating the City's emergency operations and
disaster services, including: training staff; updating policies and
plans; serving as liaison and coordinating and training disaster
volunteers.
Prior to her role as Emergency Preparedness Coordinator, Christine
worked as a Fire Inspector with the Culver City Fire Department
specializing in Hazardous Materials and Public Education.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Urban Studies and Planning
with an Environmental Emphasis, Fire Prevention Officer
Certification and is a State Certified Fire Inspector. In 2012, she
will gain her State Certification as an Emergency Manager.
She has worked for the City and specifically, the Fire Department
for 13 years and during that time has been awarded Employee of the
Quarter twice, the Harry Culver Award and an "Invention" Award
for the Design and Implementation of the First City-Wide Disaster
Drill which is now in its 8th year. STAR SPANGLED BANNER (American National Anthem)
Oh, say, can you see, by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, thro' the perilous fight'
O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming.
And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
Himno Nacional Mexicano (Mexican National Anthem)
Mexicanos, al gito de guerra
el acero aprestad y el bridOn
y retiemble en sus eentros la tierra
al sonar° rugir del cat-ion.
Cifia i oh Patria! tus sienes de oliva
de la paz ci areangel divino
que en el cielo tu etemo destino
por el dedo de Dios se escribiO.
Mas si osare nn extrailo enemigo
profanar con su planta tu suelo Mexicanos, al grito de guerra
el acero aprestad y el bridal'
y retiemble en sus eentros in tierra
al sonoro rugir del cation,
Culver City Sister City Committee, Inc. Convention Committee
President: Barbara :Honig
Local Conference Chairman: 'Marla Wolkowitz
Friday Ni,:i .h;.Ent.;.Ttainment: Sonia Karrourn, Kurt Zasadil & Maureen Genteman
Youth f'rol.:.mming: Donna Thayer & Sharlene Loudon
Conference Registrars: Alan Schreibman, Kathleen McCann, Joanne Seltzer,
Kurt Zasadil and youth members: rviarlee Golashine & Elizabeth Ferreira
Solicitations: Kathleen McCann, Tina Mollica, Marie I:_.eyva, Diane Paris &
Joanne Seltzer
Service Organization Solicitations: Pierre fonion-Roche
VendortExhibitor Organizer: Matt Brown
Meal Coordination: Alice Impallazzo, Joyce Ferhek & Joanne Seltzer
Casual Refreshments: Joyce Perlick & Beverly Alison
Translations: Marie Le3rva
draft as of 2l1
c5\ Map created Mon Feb 06 10:0703 PST 2012 Legend
hirvip ti
1:1331
DO NOT USE FOR NAVIGATION C L
Friday, February 03, 2012
rding: The 49'h Annual United States/Mexico Sister Cities Association
National Convention -March 2-4, 2012
Mayor, City Council Members and Staff of Culver City,
The Culver Hotel is very supportive of the Culver City Sister City Committee, Inc.
and their upcoming convention in March. The convention will bring business to
Downtown Culver City with economic and social benefits.
Specifically we support and encourage the Use of the Town Plaza or
entertainment purposes on the Friday of the convention. This wilf not be
disruptive to the hotel operations and in actual fact would be beneficial to our
guests experience of Culver City,
We look forward to a successful endeavor and wish the Culver City Slster City
Committee all the best
Yours sincerety,
Seth Horowitz
General Manager
2 - : 7„i 1 0 `t!, .
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