Sister City Funds Have 'No Transparency' Says Councilor

Newport City Council will consider a resolution, introduced by Councilor Michael Farley, that proposed to more accurately track the $30,000 allocated to the city's sister program.

“The sister city funds are managed outside of the regular budget, where there is no transparency,” said Farley. He asked that for beginning fiscal year 2015, the funds are tracked in the general operating budget. 

The program's funds go towards both travel to and to host representatives from Newport’s six sister cities. The cities are: Shimoda, Japan, Imperia, Italy, Ponta Delgada, Azores, Portugal, Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada, Kinsale, Ireland, Skiathos, Greece.

The program is designed to generate tourism by hosting foreign dignitaries on a semi-annual and rotating bases. A portion of the Visitor Center rental payments are used to fund the program.