CC 10-10-23 Item No. 5 - Sister City Policies & Guidelines_Written CommunicationsCC 10-10-2023
Item No. 5
Updates to the Policies and
Guidelines on Sister Cities,
Friendship Cities, and
International Delegations
Written Communications
Councilmember Kitty Moore
Councilmember Questions/Written Communications
Cupertino City Council Special Meeting Agenda for October 10, 2023
Agenda Item 5: Updates to the Policies and Guidelines on Sister Cities, Friendship Cities, and
International Delegations
Q1: What are our current Friendship Cities, please provide name and country.
Q2: What rooms/facilities are included for free use and what is their total cost along with staff
and equipment use? 18 meeting rooms per year for 4 Sister Cities are granted for free and
exclude Cupertino Community Hall and the Quinlan’s Cupertino Room but there are many
meeting rooms throughout the City.
https://www.cupertino.org/home/showpublisheddocument/33743/638270768289700000
Q3: Please provide the total amount granted through 72 free facility rentals and whether that
includes staff time and set up. Without staff or other uses it has a low range of $2,500 but
depending on what is rented, the cost goes much higher. This question excludes the Festival Fee
waivers.
Q4: The policy does not explain how much is granted through the Festival Fee waivers annually
to the various Sister Cities, please provide the Festival Fee waiver policy and the totals granted
to each Sister City. The adopted FY 23-24 Budget does not show the festival grants on pages
378-379. It does show a $77k reduction for removal of contract services for 4th of July fireworks.
https://apps.cupertino.org/pdf/FY_2023-24_Adopted_Budget.pdf
Here are some previous waived fees as examples with a grand total over $126,000 waived:
Q5: The Staff Report lists a number of cities whose Sister Cities were reviewed, please share a
report on what was found. How many cities have both Friendship and Sister Cities, how much
money, sheriff, staff, and facility use is donated to these organizations in other cities compared to
Cupertino? Are we granting far more or less? Do some cities take a pause on granting when in a
financial crisis?