Sister City Commission
There is created a formal relationship between the Montgomery Sister City Commission, a registered non-profit organization, and the City of Montgomery. It is to consist of a board of seven directors, led by a president. One board member shall be appointed by the Mayor, one by the city council president, and the others will be elected as established in the organization's bylaws.
Each member of the Sister City Commission shall serve a term of office of three years.
The sister city commission shall have the duty to:
Adopt bylaws to govern its actions.
Set commission goals for each year for the sister city programs and meet regularly to implement these goals.
Facilitate exchange programs in cities which have been identified by both corresponding cities as mutually important and desirable.
Assist the sister city committees to ensure that their exchange programs are effective, reciprocal and sustained and encourage the sister city to form a corresponding sister city committee.
Encourage the participation of a broad cross section of the community in the sister city programs.
Raise the necessary funds through grants, donations, in-kind services and membership to implement the identified programs of the commission and the sister city committees.
The mayor, upon review of the recommendations made by the commission, shall determine with which cities the city shall establish sister cities relationships and shall forward recommendations relative thereto the city council.
A sister city relationship shall be established upon recommendation by the mayor and confirmation by the city council.
Sister City Committees
A Sister City Committee will be formed for each Sister City Connection. It shall be composed of at least two members of the board of directors as voted on by the board of directors.
Any sister city committee formed as a result of an established sister city relationship shall submit an annual report to the Montgomery Sister City Commission, the Mayor’s office, and the city council, detailing the accomplishments of the previous year and outlining the work program for the current year. The report shall be submitted no later than the second meeting of the City Council in the month of February.
Selection criteria for sister city relationship
Every city chosen to affiliate with the city as a sister city must be located in a country that has established diplomatic relations with the United States, provided that should such diplomatic relations between the two countries be terminated at any time, the sister city relationship may also be terminated.
Preference may be given to a city requesting a sister city relationship with Montgomery, in which that city has no other sister city in the United States.
The city shall establish a sister city relationship with only one city per country.
A proposed sister city should be of roughly similar size to Montgomery or it's metropolitan area, either absolutely or in relation to its region.
A minimum of one activity per year must be planned.
When it is determined by the council that an established sister city relationship is no longer active, the council may terminate the relationship.