MINUTES FROM THE 25TH MEETING OF THE EXECUTIVE
BOARD OF THE UNION OF THE BALTIC CITIES
Stockholm, Sweden, 23 September 1999
INTRODUCTION
The 25th meeting of the Executive Board of the Union of the Baltic Cities was held on the 23 September 1999 in the City of Stockholm, Sweden, on the eve of the V UBC General Conference.
The meeting was attended by twenty participants.
Opening of the meeting and adoption of the Agenda.
The 25th meeting of the UBC Executive Board was opened by Mr Anders Engström, the President of the Union. Mr Engström greeted all participants and wished them a successful meeting.
Mr Dag Larsson, City Board Member, on behalf of the Mayor of Stockholm, welcomed all delegates and wished them the fruitful discussions and a pleasant stay in Stockholm during the V General Conference.
The meeting adopted the Agenda.
Election of two persons who, together with the President, will check the minutes.
Mr Vello Jarvesalu, Mayor of Pärnu and Mr Maciej Lisicki, Vice-Chairman of City Council, Gdańsk, were elected to check the minutes.
New Member Cities.
Secretary General Paweł Żaboklicki informed the Executive Board about new applications for Union membership submitted by the cities of: Espoo (Finland), Greifswald (Germany), Jurmala (Latvia), Malbork (Poland), Tønsberg (Norway).
Decision:
The Board decided to accept mentioned above cities as Members of the Union of the Baltic Cities and wished them a successful cooperation with other UBC members. The number of Union member cities reached the figure 92.
V UBC General Conference.
Practical information.
Mr Dag Larsson and Mrs Lillian Westerberg, Stockholm, briefly informed the Board about the practical arrangements regarding the General Conference.
Candidate cities for the Executive Board.
President Anders Engström informed that member cities in each country proposed the following cities to the new Executive Board:
Denmark Aalborg
Estonia Tartu
Finland Pori
Germany Rostock
Latvia Liepāja
Lithuania Siauliai
Norway Bergen
Poland Gdańsk
Russia St. Petersburg
Sweden Stockholm
Decision:
The Board proposed the General Conference listed above cities as candidates to the Executive Board in the next two-year period.
Candidates for the President and Vice-Presidents.
Ms Karin Wohlgemuth, Rostock, expressed an opinion of four German member cities that a candidate for UBC President must be a mayor of member city. Mentioned cities are of the opinion that election of the President who is not a mayor requires an amendment in UBC Statute.
Decision:
After discussion the Board decided that the amendment in the Statute is not necessary because the Statute do not determine that a candidate for UBC President must be a city mayor.
The Board maintained its proposal from the previous meeting in Tartu as regards the candidates to the UBC Presidium i.e.:
Mr Anders Engström, Kalmar, for the President
Mr Eugenijus Gentvilas, Klaipėda, for the Vice-President
Mr Armas Lahoniitty, Turku, for the Vice-President
Candidates for the Board of Audit.
Decision:
The Board proposed the General Conference the following candidates to the Board of Audit:
Ms Silvia Löbner, Head of Auditing Department, Wismar
Mr Kim Roessell, Head of International Affairs Department, Copenhagen
Mr Bartłomiej Sochański, City Councillor, Szczecin
Proposal of UBC auditor for 1999-2000.
The President reminded the Board that the auditing of UBC accounts in 1997-1998 has been carried out by the chartered auditing office BILANS from Gdańsk.
Decision:
The Board decided to propose the Bilans Auditing Office from Gdańsk as UBC auditor for 1999-2000.
Conference Resolution.
Mr Anders Engström presented the draft of the Conference Resolution which was distributed among the Board members before the General Conference. The Board decided to forward the draft resolution to the participants of the General Conference.
Questions raised at the meeting.
President Anders Engström informed that the Commission on Communication applied to the Board to terminate the Commission. Mr Engström reminded that the main reason to establish the Commission on Communication was to improve the communication facilities between the member cities. The Commission concludes that the improvement of telecommunication systems and creation of the Internet solved the problem.
Decision:
After discussion the Board decided to terminate the Commission on Communication. At the same time the Board stressed that the work on the internal and external communication of the Union must be carried on by other UBC structures.
Mr Maciej Lisicki informed that the City of Gdańsk decided to convey the leadership in the Commission on Transportation to the City of Pruszcz Gdański.
Next Meeting of the Executive Board
The Board authorised the President and the Secretary General to decide on the venue of the next meeting of the Executive Board, to be held in the end of November 1999. (the meeting will be held in the city of Siauliai, Lithuania, on 26-27 November 1999).
Closing of the Meeting
Mr Anders Engström expressed his thanks to all participants for the fruitful meeting and closed the 25th Meeting of the Executive Board of the Union of the Baltic Cities.
Mr Anders Engström Mr Paweł Żaboklicki
Chairman Secretary
Mr Vello Jarvesalu Mr Maciej Lisicki
Adjuster Adjuster