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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC Cities4Cities Ukraine Presentation 4.21.26 FINALBozeman City Commission Tuesday April 21, 2026 Introductions Bogdan Kelichavyi, Mayor and City Manager of Kopychyntsi Ukraine David O’Keeffe, U.S. Representative of Cities4Cities Introductions Mayor Joey Morrison Deputy Mayor Douglas Fischer Commissioner Jennifer Madgic Commissioner Alison Sweeney Commissioner Emma Bode “Don’t forget about us.” On February 5, 2022, the day after the Russian invasion I reached out to Bogdan Kelichavyi, my friend and the Mayor of Kopychyntsi and a I asked him what, if anything, I could do …and he said to me, on day 2 of the war, “don’t forget about us. the news will change, and the stories will change but we will still be here. Don’t forget about us.” and I promised him that I would not forget, and Bozeman has not forgotten Kopychyntsi or Ukraine and they remain UNBROKEN. Kopychyntsi (koh-pih-CHYN-tsee), Ukraine Partnerships Matter •Recovery happens locally •People rebuild lives and civic economies •We share knowledge and experiences •Brit has a connection to Mayor Kelichavyi dating back to 2018 in Kiev, Ukraine •The Bozeman community has supported Kopychyntsi since the 2022 invasion through the Ukraine Relief Effort and other work Why Bozeman? •Bozeman has existing relationships in Kopychyntsi; we are not strangers •Bozeman, as a civic institution, and our community partners have proven models to share and a track records of success •Bozeman is a trusted and credible partner Why Kopychyntsi? •Kopychyntsi is a resilient community •They have a visionary leader in Mayor Kelichavyi •They are already rebuilding and will continue during, and after the conflict •Kopychyntsi has established successful partnerships with communities around Europe Areas of Exchange, Sharing and Learning •Economic Development -Enhance economic and community development strategies and opportunities •Governing and Governance -Share local government and governance experiences and best practices •Education and Schools -Proven models of education and support at a variety of levels •Veterans Services -Inspired models of veteran's services Model + Mentor = Trust and Success •People helping people •Peer-to-peer sharing and learning •Create strong personal connections •Deliver successful model(s) •Pair with long-term mentor(s) •Low cost, high impact Areas of Exchange, Sharing and Learning Economic Development •Economic Diversification •Entrepreneurship •Innovation •Sustainable Growth •Infrastructure •Small Business Development •Education and Workforce Development Areas of Exchange, Sharing and Learning Governing and Governance •Transparency •Accountability •Strategic thinking and doing •Service delivery •Community engagement •Community planning •Other best practices Areas of Exchange, Sharing and Learning Education and Schools •Virtual exchanges •Capacity building •Curriculum •Workforce and skills development •Physical space and the learning environment •Career and technical education •Professional development Areas of Exchange, Sharing and Learning Veterans Services •Integrate services into a university framework •Nonprofit community organizations •Healthcare/Mental Health •Alternative judicial processes •Skills training •Support networks •Reclaiming a sense of purpose and civic contribution Partnerships Rooted in Service •Municipality of Kopychyntsi •City of Bozeman •Bozeman Area Chamber of Commerce •Montana World Affairs Council •Montana State University •Bozeman Sunrise Rotary (pending) •Cities4Cities •MSU’s Local Government Center •MSU’s Veterans Services and Support Center •Bozeman School District Agreement on International Territorial Cooperation The proposed cooperation framework agreement is explicitly non-binding and does not create legal or financial obligations for the either party. Questions? Mustang by Jim Dolan A gift to the people of Kopychyntsi Motion Language I move to approve the resolution authorizing the Mayor to enter into an Agreement of International Territorial Cooperation with the Community of Kopychyntsi, Ukraine through the Cities4Cities Initiative.