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Port and Mount Vernon Sign Sister City Pact with Matsushige, Japan
Posted in General | Economic Development on October 3, 2011
Officials of the Port of Skagit and the City of Mount Vernon hosted visitors from Matsushige, Japan, on October 3 to sign an agreement forming a sister city relationship and to share information about their respective communities.
Representing Matsushige were Mayor Kempachi Hirose and Isao Niibo, chief council member of the town congress. Mayor Bud Norris represented the City of Mount Vernon in the meeting in the port’s hearing room at Skagit Regional Airport, while the port was represented by Commissioners Jerry Kaufman and Bill Shuler. The delegation from Matsushige also included Mikio Harada, vice-chief council member of the town congress; council members Yasushi Moritani and Keiji Ichimori; Naoto Yoshida, chief of the town’s general affairs division; and Chieko Abe, planning and financial division staff member.
During the meeting, representatives agreed that the sister city relationship would provide opportunities for exchange programs. Ideas included an exchange of junior high school students; plus exchanges involving airports, Mount Vernon products, visitors and culture, industrial tours, governmental insights and other topics.
The three groups completed the approval process with the signing of the sister city agreement. A gift exchange, lunch at the Kittyhawk Cafe and tours of Skagit Regional Airport, Bayview Business Park, the La Conner Marina, Sakuma Brothers Farms and Mount Vernon’s riverwalk and Eaglemont clubhouse completed the day’s events.
Matsushige is a city of about 15,000 on the Inland Sea south of Tokyo that shares many characteristics with Mount Vernon. The port was included in the relationship because it operates an airport and marina similar to facilities found in Matsushige.
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Caption: Port of Skagit Commissioner Jerry Kaufman, left, and Mount Vernon Mayor Bud Norris try on ceremonial garments presented by Matsushige Mayor Kempachi Hirose, right.