Sister City Advisory Board Meeting – October 14, 2025
Sister City Advisory Board Meeting – October 14, 2025
The Sister City Advisory Board held its fourth-quarter meeting on October 14, 2025, at 6:00 PM in City Hall Council Chambers. The meeting covered updates on the Sakata (Japan) and Baumholder (Germany) sister city relationships, reviewed a video introducing Delaware, discussed plans for a 2027 visit from Sakata, and addressed future leadership of the committee. New members were welcomed, and a potential Paraguay connection was also discussed.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of Motion Summary: The board did not have enough members present to approve the minutes from the July 8, 2025, meeting. The minutes will be carried over to the next agenda. A motion to excuse absent members (Monica, Karen Vasselka, Carol Masselke, and Monica Ray) was approved unanimously (6-0).
Public Comments & Testimony
- Micah Georgie (170 West Lincoln Avenue): A senior at Hayes High School, Micah presented the video he produced introducing Delaware for the Sakata sister city exchange. He answered questions about the video and accepted feedback on editing, including adding a caption to explain the host father relationship.
Discussion Items
Sakata Updates
- Review of Video about Delaware:
- The board watched a 3-minute 40-second video featuring Fuca (a Japanese exchange student) and her host father, Jim Wilson, visiting local landmarks. The video is intended to reciprocate videos Sakata has sent about their city.
- Key feedback: Add a caption identifying Jim Wilson as Fuca's host father. Consider splitting the video into two shorter videos (one focused on Fuca's perspective, one on Delaware institutions). Get feedback from Japanese students at Ohio Wesleyan University (OWU) before finalizing.
- Decision: Micah will add the caption, then share the video with OWU's international students via Lisa Ho for cultural feedback. The board will consider creating a second, shorter video for broader use.
- Review of Plans for 2027 Visit:
- Sakata is considering a delegation visit in 2027 (10th anniversary of sister city relationship). Proposed dates: August, November, or late March. The board expressed a preference for early November, as August is too hot and people are away, and March is busy with school activities.
- Decision: Chair Grey Giebert will meet with Jenny Nicely (Dempsey Middle School) to review past visit logistics and develop a draft plan. The board will follow up with Sakata before the January 2026 meeting.
Baumholder Updates
- Sending Sakata Video to Baumholder:
- Bernd from Baumholder requested the video. The board agreed to send a link. Baumholder plans a celebration for July 4-5, 2026 (250 years USA, 75 years U.S. Army presence) and may produce a similar video.
- Photo Display Legacy:
- Baumholder asked where their photos are displayed in Delaware. Chair Giebert will inventory photos (some are in his office, others at Tom Herring's house) and respond with photos and locations.
- Engagement with Veterans from Baumholder:
- The board discussed difficulty engaging veterans who served in Baumholder. Mayor Riggle suggested contacting the VVA (Vietnam Veterans of America) and the local 1095s unit to identify veterans. The board will explore this further.
Future Leadership of Advisory Committee
- Chair Grey Giebert announced he will not run for re-election in January 2026 after serving since 2013. He will remain on the committee. The board will hold an election at the January meeting. Giebert encouraged younger members to consider the role to bring social media expertise.
Paraguay Update (Lisa Ho)
- Lisa Ho reported on a call with the new Paraguayan ambassador's first secretary. The embassy is renaming a conference room after Rutherford B. Hayes and will invite Delaware and OWU representatives. The board discussed extending an invitation for the new ambassador to visit Delaware. Past attempts at a sister city relationship with Paraguay stalled due to size mismatch, but a city near Iguazu Falls (Ciudad del Este) was suggested. The board will continue friendly dialogue.
Key Outcomes
- Video: Edit to add caption, then share with OWU Japanese students for feedback. Consider creating a second, shorter video.
- 2027 Visit: Giebert will meet with Jenny Nicely to plan. Preferred timing: early November.
- Baumholder Photos: Giebert will compile a report of photo locations and send to Baumholder.
- Baumholder Video: Send Sakata video link to Bernd.
- Veteran Engagement: Explore outreach via VVA and local reserves.
- Leadership: Election for chair at January 2026 meeting.
- Paraguay: Continue engagement; await invitation for conference room dedication; consider future sister city possibilities.
- Meeting Adjourned: 6:54 PM.
Meeting Transcript
All right. I would like to welcome everybody to the October, our fourth quarter, uh Delaware's sister city advisory board meeting. We have a quarterly meeting on the uh second Tuesday of the first month of every quarter. So this is our uh fourth quarter meeting, and I'd like to uh have the roll call, please. Ms. Ho. Here. Mr. Perry. Here. Mr. Gruber. Here. S. Ray is absent. Mayor Rugal? Here. Vice Chair Wilsalko is also absent. Chairman Grey Giebert. Here. Thank you. So you want to say something about the minutes? Yes. The let's excuse those that aren't here. Oh, yes, thank you. And let's introduce the new one. So let's make a motion to excuse. Um can't think Monica's. Karen Vasselka. Yes. Carol Masselke. And Monica. And Monica Ray. Second. I segn the emotion. Ms. Ho. Yes. Mr. Perry. Yes. Mr. Gruber. Yes. Mayor Riggle? Yes. Chairman Giebert. Yes, there we go. Thank you. All right.
openpublica.com