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CC 04-13-2023 Item No. 3 Sister City_Written Communications(2)CC 04-13-2023 Item No. 3 Consider authorizing City funding of up to $2,200 for the visit to Sister City Hsinchu, Taiwan Written Communications From:Liang Chao To:City Clerk Subject:Written Communication: Questions on Item 3 sister city trip Date:Thursday, April 13, 2023 12:29:19 AM Please enter this into the written communication for Item 3. Liang Chao​ Council Member City Council LiangChao@cupertino.org 408-777-3192 From: Liang Chao <LiangChao@cupertino.org> Sent: Wednesday, April 12, 2023 10:44 AM To: Pamela Wu <PamelaW@cupertino.org> Subject: Re: Questions on Item 3 sister city trip Q10: The staff report states "City Manager Pamela Wu is a part of the delegation and will be supporting the Mayor on official City business." Please clarify what "official city business" the Mayor will be conducting, which will require the City Manager's assistance. Q11: The Sister City Policy (Attachment A) states "The City Council will, as part of its annual budget adoption process, establish a program budget for anticipated City supported Sister City program activities. This budget will include up to $ 2, 500 for a Sister City with a student exchange program of 5 to 9 student delegates and up to $5,000 for a Sister City with a student exchange program of 10 or more student delegates, as funds allow. An additional $5,000 will be considered for adult delegation visits every 5 years. This adopted budget, less the cost of the Sister City membership fee, will be remitted to the Committee once an accounting of the prior year expenditures have been received and reviewed by the Finance Department." How much has the city budgeted for the Hsinchu Sister Committee in FY2022-23? How much for FY 2023-24? Have they requested the additional $5000 per year for an adult delegation? Q12: The Sister City and Friendship Policy (Attachment A) states "Friendship City travel and program expenses will be treated as those of international delegations and will follow the guidelines outlined in this policy in the " Travel and Program Expenses" section under " INTERNATIONAL DELEGATIONS."" Under the " INTERNATIONAL DELEGATIONS."" section, the policy states "International travel shall be at the expense of the traveling Councilmember unless authorized in advance by the City Council." According to this policy for international delegation, there is no coverage of any travel expenses for "city employees," with or witout Council approval. That policy applies only for city councilmembers. Please point me to any city policy is for the approval of any international trip for city employees on official city business. Liang Chao​​​​ Council Member City Council LiangChao@cupertino.org 408-777-3192 From: Liang Chao <LiangChao@cupertino.org> Sent: Wednesday, April 12, 2023 10:07 AM To: Pamela Wu <PamelaW@cupertino.org> Subject: Re: Questions on Item 3 sister city trip Q8: Has any of the two council members who are serving as liaisons for the Sister Cities Committees been consulted on whether they would like to join the delegation? Q9: My understanding is that goal of the Hsinchu sister city committee is mainly to support their very well-run student exchange program. Which part of the City Manager's trip is a necessary part to the student exchange program to justify their funding a portion of the city manager's travel expenses? Liang Chao​​​​ Council Member City Council LiangChao@cupertino.org 408-777-3192 From: Liang Chao Sent: Wednesday, April 12, 2023 10:00 AM To: Pamela Wu <PamelaW@cupertino.org> Subject: Questions on Item 3 sister city trip I really appreciate the initiative since I am from Taiwan, and I attended the university in Hsinchu. But the taxpayers of Cupertino would have questions... when the city is paying for a city employee on an extended trip to spend 6 working days in a foreign country. The City Manager told me earlier that she will be in Taiwan from 4/14 to 4/25, which includes 7 weekdays. She will take one day off to visit her parents in Taiwan. The City Manager also told me that she and the delegation will visit a few cities, including Hsin Chu, New Taipei City and a few others, which is why the trip takes these many days. Q1: The policy for Sister Cities is meant for the Councilmembers, who are not a paid employee of the city, and the community members to engage in culture exchange activities. What actions Mayor Wei will conduct which will require the assistance of the City Manager, the top paid employee of the City? Q2: What's the itinerary of the trip? Which cities the delegation will visit and what city officials they will meet? Q3: The delegation leaves the day after the 4/13 Council meeting. When was the decision made that the City Manager will join this delegation? When was the flight ticket purchased by the City? Q4: My understanding is that the City Manager is not invited by the Hsinchu Sister City Committee to join the delegation. Mayor Wei invited the City Manager to join the delegation. Is my understanding correct? Q5: As a paid employee of the City and while not on vacation, what official city business will the City Manager conduct, which falls under Cupertino's Municipal Code? For each day of this trip. Q6: In which City Council meeting has the City Council discussed any city business related to any foreign country or specific to Hsinchu, the sister city, or other cities being visited? Q7: Has the City ever sent any city employee on a sister city delegation and using their working days to visit a foreign country? Please clarify. Liang Chao​​​​ Council Member City Council LiangChao@cupertino.org 408-777-3192 From:Liang Chao To:City Clerk Subject:Written Communication for Item 3:Fw: Questions on Item 3 sister city trip Date:Thursday, April 13, 2023 12:27:58 AM Please enter this into the written communication for Item 3. Liang Chao​ Council Member City Council LiangChao@cupertino.org 408-777-3192 From: Liang Chao Sent: Wednesday, April 12, 2023 10:00 AM To: Pamela Wu <PamelaW@cupertino.org> Subject: Questions on Item 3 sister city trip I really appreciate the initiative since I am from Taiwan, and I attended the university in Hsinchu. But the taxpayers of Cupertino would have questions... when the city is paying for a city employee on an extended trip to spend 6 working days in a foreign country. The City Manager told me earlier that she will be in Taiwan from 4/14 to 4/25, which includes 7 weekdays. She will take one day off to visit her parents in Taiwan. The City Manager also told me that she and the delegation will visit a few cities, including Hsin Chu, New Taipei City and a few others, which is why the trip takes these many days. Q1: The policy for Sister Cities is meant for the Councilmembers, who are not a paid employee of the city, and the community members to engage in culture exchange activities. What actions Mayor Wei will conduct which will require the assistance of the City Manager, the top paid employee of the City? Q2: What's the itinerary of the trip? Which cities the delegation will visit and what city officials they will meet? Q3: The delegation leaves the day after the 4/13 Council meeting. When was the decision made that the City Manager will join this delegation? When was the flight ticket purchased by the City? Q4: My understanding is that the City Manager is not invited by the Hsinchu Sister City Committee to join the delegation. Mayor Wei invited the City Manager to join the delegation. Is my understanding correct? Q5: As a paid employee of the City and while not on vacation, what official city business will the City Manager conduct, which falls under Cupertino's Municipal Code? For each day of this trip. Q6: In which City Council meeting has the City Council discussed any city business related to any foreign country or specific to Hsinchu, the sister city, or other cities being visited? Q7: Has the City ever sent any city employee on a sister city delegation and using their working days to visit a foreign country? Please clarify. (combined from a later email) Q8: Has any of the two council members who are serving as liaisons for the Sister Cities Committees been consulted on whether they would like to join the delegation? Q9: My understanding is that goal of the Hsinchu sister city committee is mainly to support their very well-run student exchange program. Which part of the City Manager's trip is a necessary part to the student exchange program to justify their funding a portion of the city manager's travel expenses? Liang Chao​​​​ Council Member City Council LiangChao@cupertino.org 408-777-3192 From:Rhoda Fry To:City Clerk; City Council Subject:4/13/2023 Agenda Item #3 Consider Authorizing City funding of up to $2200 for Sister City Trip Date:Thursday, April 13, 2023 2:55:28 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. Regarding the 4/13/2023 Agenda Item #3 Consider Authorizing City funding of up to $2200 for Sister City Trip 1. Why is this coming before council the day before the trip, when it had been planned long ago? 2. Note that I am supportive of Mayor Wei’s trip, especially having been on the FUHSD board. 3. Why does Mayor Wei need the support of the City Manager on this trip? And why couldn’t she have chosen a different person to assist her? 4. The intent of the sister city trip is for cultural exchange, it seems strange to me to have the City pay for two immigrants from that country to go? 5. How will the manager’s trip bring economic value to the City that no other individual can bring? 6. Other delegates pay their own way to go on the trip and take time off. I think that the City Manager as being a duplicate representative from the City and should not be reimbursed from the City for this trip and should take vacation in order to go. I wish that Mayor Wei had selected a different traveling companion – especially given the current budget shortfall. 7. The staff report suggests paying for the Manager’s trip with the conference meeting account. The sister city trip is not a conference meeting. The account must not be used. Given our budget crunch, the conference meeting account should be used to subsidize expenses that serve more people – such as Shakespeare in the Park that is slated for cancellation due to economic troubles. 8. My ask is that City Council NOT fund this trip for the City Manager 9. My ask is that City Council require that the City Manager take vacation time during her entire absence and get a loan for that time if she needs it