Councilors on Dec. 1 debated whether Newberg should continue formal sister-city relationships with Asago, Japan and Poisdorf (Peusdorf/Poistorf/Austria), after an independent presentation urged evaluation of costs, benefits and legal/ethics constraints.

Allison, who prepared an impartial assessment at City Manager Will's request, described the historical origins of sister-city programs, noted the Japan relationship is primarily a long-running student exchange that costs the city little, and said the Austria relationship (Poisdorf) — established more recently — carries higher potential travel and hospitality costs and unclear economic return. Allison estimated that if the city paid any travel or hosting expenses, maintaining both programs at a modest staff-participation level could be on the order of $10,000 per delegation and roughly $20,000 in a biennial budget allocation if city funds covered exchanges and hosting.

Speakers representing years of local volunteer work urged the council to retain both ties and offered private fundraising. Brandon Slider and several community members described plans to form a 501(c)(3) to raise private funds so taxpayers would not cover travel. Mountain View Middle School staff and parents described educational benefits for students.

Councilors agreed they needed clearer policy language because the Oregon Government Ethics Commission (OGEC) guidance requires a resolution where accepting more-than-minimal gifts (for example, hotel stays valued above $50) implicates ethics rules. Staff and council discussed three broad options: 1) fully city-funded delegations with a standing, OGEC-compliant resolution; 2) a voluntary, city-supported-but-not-funded model where citizens or a nonprofit run exchanges and pay costs; or 3) suspension of one relationship. Several councilors and staff favored moving the program out of the city budget and into a community-led 501(c)(3). The mayor suggested tabling the question to gather more public input and staff recommended drafting potential resolutions in advance.

Outcome: Council did not vote to suspend either relationship. The council requested staff draft a tailored resolution and return the topic as a work-session item so council and community members can review policy and OGEC implications before deciding whether to allocate budget funds or accept hospitality.