AgdaPkt 2017-10-23 Joint SA PFA - Laserfiche WebLink

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6.1.F. - Page 8 City staff resources are limited and will typically involve extending or receiving invitations from Sister Cities and Friendship Cities, annual correspondence from the Mayor/City Council, and limited support for visits by the Mayor, Vice Mayor or Councilmembers to Sister Cities and Friendship Cities (e.g. official City letters, visas, and formal gifts). Additional City staff support may be provided at the discretion of the City Manager. City Official Visits to Sister and Friendship Cities and Associated Travel Expenses When the Mayor, Vice Mayor or Councilmember initiates a request to visit a Sister City or Friendship City, such request will be made in writing to the City Council, including the proposed itinerary, how the travel and expenses will be funded, and other assistance the City will be asked to provide (i.e. gifts to be presented by the Mayor, Vice Mayor or Councilmember). RCI and community sponsoring organizations may also make recommendations to the City Council, including a recommended budget for the visit. If approved by the City Council, the Mayor will send appropriate correspondence to the top official of the Sister City or Friendship City. When an invitation is received from a Sister City or Friendship City for Redwood City officials to visit that city, the City Council shall review the invitation or request, including any travel -related expenses offered by the Sister City or Friendship City. The City Council may also consider recommendations from RCI and the community sponsoring organization regarding who will represent the City and how the travel and expenses will be funded. The total number of people travelling on behalf of the City may be limited at the request of the host city in order to manage host city resources required to support the delegation. Normally, travel for Sister City and Friendship City programs will be paid by the individual participant, but may also be funded by the sponsoring community organization or by the host city, unless use of City funds is authorized in advance by the City Council. If necessary, City Councilmembers may use their annual individual training and professional development budget to pay for travel expenses related to the Sister City and Friendship City programs. Should the travel expenses exceed a City Councilmember's annual individual training and professional development budget, City Council approval is required for use of additional City funds. Travel expenses provided as a gift (not funded by the individual or through City funds) may be subject to applicable Fair Political Practices Commission and Government Code reporting requirements. The City will not fund travel nor reimburse for travel or lodging expenses for Sister City and Friendship City visitors coming to Redwood City. RCI or any sponsoring community organization may choose to sponsor lodging and expenses for visiting delegations, with the understanding that reciprocal accommodations may occur when a Redwood City delegation visits in the future to the Sister City. Gifts An exchange of promotional and formal gifts is typical of visits to Sister Cities and Friendship Cities, and from delegations that visit Redwood City. Modest official promotional gifts may be funded by the City. Additional gifts presented to members of a Sister City or Friendship City delegation are the responsibility October 23, 2017 Page 5