CITY OF SEATTLE
RESOLUTION _________________
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A RESOLUTION relating to the Seattle Sister Cities Program; recognizing the legacy of The City of Seattle’s relationship with the City of Mazatlán, Mexico, and declaring the designation of emeritus status to the sister city affiliation between The City of Seattle and the City of Mazatlán, Mexico; recognizing the importance to The City of Seattle of maintaining a sister city relationship with a city in Mexico; and lifting the moratorium on accepting applications for establishing new sister city affiliations for the limited purpose of accepting an application for the establishment of a new sister city affiliation with a city in Mexico.
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WHEREAS, Sister Cities International is a program that was created in 1956 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower for the purpose of advancing global peace and prosperity through cultural, educational, humanitarian, and economic development exchanges between residents of foreign cities; and
WHEREAS, The City of Seattle has promoted resident diplomacy through its participation in this national program since 1957; and entered into a sister city affiliation with the City of Mazatlán, Mexico, in 1979; and
WHEREAS, the relationship between The City of Seattle and the City of Mazatlán, Mexico, was a very productive and valued sister city affiliation for many years; and
WHEREAS, the sister city affiliation between The City of Seattle and the City of Mazatlán, Mexico, has been inactive for many years; and
WHEREAS, the City of Mazatlán, Mexico, entered into a sister city affiliation with Santa Monica, California, in 1962, prior to its relationship formation with The City of Seattle, and currently maintains an active sister city affiliation with Santa Monica, California; and
WHEREAS, The City of Seattle and the Consul General of Mexico to Seattle have agreed that the many important relationships and efforts shared between Seattle and Mexico can and should continue outside the context of this sister city affiliation; and
WHEREAS, Ordinance 124255, adopted in August 2013, updated and codified in Sections 3.14.440 through 3.14.470 of the Seattle Municipal Code (SMC) the objectives of the City’s Sister Cities Program; the process for establishing, maintaining, or terminating a sister city affiliation; and the responsibilities of the Office of Intergovernmental Relations (OIR) and the Seattle Sister Cities Coordinating Council (SSCCC) as they relate to the Sister Cities Program; and
WHEREAS, Ordinance 124255 established a new membership category for the Sister Cities Program, entitled “emeritus status,” separate and distinct from the “active status” membership category; and
WHEREAS, emeritus status allows for the continued recognition and honoring of relationships with cities in which the sister city association has failed to meet the criteria for remaining in active status; and
WHEREAS, Ordinance 124255 established the review process that the SSCCC and OIR must complete when considering a recommendation to move a sister city association from active status to emeritus status; and
WHEREAS, the SSCCC, under the powers ascribed to it in SMC 3.14.470 and after completing the required process outlined in SMC 3.14.450, voted unanimously on May 21, 2014, during a regularly called meeting, to recommend that the sister city affiliation shared between The City of Seattle and the City of Mazatlán, Mexico, be designated emeritus status; and
WHEREAS, OIR, in accordance with SMC 3.14.450 and upon completing a review of the relationship between the two cities, has recommended to the Mayor and City Council that the sister city affiliation between The City of Seattle and the City of Mazatlán, Mexico, be designated emeritus status; and
WHEREAS, Resolution 29446 imposed a moratorium on adding new sister cities; and
WHEREAS, it is important to The City of Seattle to maintain relationships with Mexico both outside the context of the sister city program as well as within it because of the vast academic, cultural, and economic benefits that will accrue to Seattle and Mexico; and
WHEREAS, The City of Seattle recognizes the value of maintaining a sister city relationship with a city in Mexico to further learning and understanding between both cities; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SEATTLE, THE MAYOR CONCURRING, THAT:
Section 1. The City of Seattle highly values the sister city affiliation it has shared with the City of Mazatlán, Mexico, since 1979.
Section 2. The City of Seattle is grateful to the many community members who have helped The City of Seattle manage its sister city relationship with Mazatlán, Mexico.
Section 3. The Mayor and City Council of The City of Seattle jointly declare that the sister city affiliation with the City of Mazatlán, Mexico, shall be designated emeritus status.
Section 4. The Mayor and City Council of The City of Seattle jointly confirm their desire to see a community association come forward with a proposal for establishing a sister city affiliation with another city in Mexico, reflecting Seattle’s deep academic and cultural ties with the local Mexican-American and Mexican immigrant communities.
Section 5. The moratorium imposed by Resolution 29446 is lifted for the limited purpose of approving an application for sister city status from a city in Mexico.
Section 6. The Office of Intergovernmental Relations is directed to facilitate any interested group of Seattle residents in taking the steps necessary under SMC 3.14.450 to form a sister city relationship with a city in Mexico.
Adopted by the City Council the ________ day of _________________________, 2017, and signed by me in open session in authentication of its adoption this ________ day of _________________________, 2017.
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President ____________ of the City Council
The Mayor concurred the ________ day of _________________________, 2017.
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Edward B. Murray, Mayor
Filed by me this ________ day of _________________________, 2017.
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Monica Martinez Simmons, City Clerk
(Seal)