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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 2a - Reconsideration of trip to China and Taiwanm�o�ro.a«a August 5, 1903 STAFF REPORT ��unity of �ofi Office of the City Manager DATE: March 3, 2015 TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council FROM: Dominic Lazzaretto, City Manager SUBJECT: RECONSIDERATION OF TRIP TO CHINA AND TAIWAN BY MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND CITY STAFF AND ASSOCIATED DONATIONS Recommended Action: Cancel the trip to China and Taiwan and return each of the three donations SUMMARY At its February 17, 2015, meeting, the City Council approved a trip to China and Taiwan by members of the City Council and City staff, and accepted donations in the amount of $30,000 to assist in funding the trip. Due to concerns raised subsequent to the meeting by Council Members and some members of the community, it is recommended that the trip be canceled. BACKGROUND At its February 17, 2015, meeting, the City Council approved a trip to China and Taiwan by members of the City Council and City staff, and accepted donations in the amount of $30,000 to assist in funding the trip. The purpose of the trip was to meet with Chinese and Taiwanese Officials to discuss cultural issues and local government services, as well as to explore the possibility of creating future sister city or "friendship city" relationships. The trip was to be handled in a manner consistent with the City's Expense and Travel Policy, with funding for reimbursable expenses coming from both the City and donations. On February 17, the City Council accepted three $10,000 donations, one each from Companhia de Domercial Dingyuan Limitada, Sichuan Arrow Recovery Tech Co., Ltd., and Perfect Brothers Development Company. Of note is that the donations to the City were unencumbered and could, at the Council's request, be used for any municipal purpose, not just the referenced trip. Cancelation of Trip to China and Taiwan March 3, 2015 Page 2 of 2 Given that the trip involved overseas travel and acceptance of a significant amount of money in donations, a legal review of the trip and of the donations was conducted by the City Attorney, who sought counsel from the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC). The FPPC's comments were noted, and the results of the City Attorney's review showed that the trip is within the City's purview and serves a legitimate government purpose. In keeping with the City's practice of open and transparent government, information about the trip was available to the public and the trip was discussed by the City Council in open meetings on February 3, 2015, (study session) and on February 17, 2015. DISCUSSION The trip to China and Taiwan came about in an attempt to create a deeper understanding of the culture of many of Arcadia's residents, to better understand the Chinese and Taiwanese way of doing business so as to provide better service to Arcadians of Asian descent, and to possibly further the connection Arcadia has with these countries in the form of sister city or friendship city relationships. Since the action taken by the City Council on February 17, there has been some talk that the timing is not right for a trip to China and Taiwan, and that instead of the there being community pride in the fact that Arcadia is reaching out to further its knowledge and understanding of the Asian culture, there is concern. As a result of this concern, it is recommended that the City Council cancel the trip to China and Taiwan, and return each of the $10,000 donations. RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that the City Council cancel the March 2015 trip to China and Taiwan by elected officials and City staff, and return each of the three $10,000 donations that were accepted at the February 17, 2015, City Council meeting.