Akron, Ohio News Release:PARTNERSHIP CONFERENCE CONCLUDES IN AKRON

Akron, Ohio News Release...

PARTNERSHIP CONFERENCE CONCLUDES IN AKRON


City of Akron	166 S. High Street · Akron, Ohio 44308 (330)-375-2538 · Fax: (330)-375-2335
For Immediate Release
Date: Contact:	December 1, 2000 Mark Williamson (willima@ci.akron.oh.us)

Delegation from Serbia and Hungary stops for a photo with Akron Service Director Joe Kidder, Public Works Bureau Manager Paul Barnett and Public Utilities Service Manager Mike McGlinchy. The group was in Akron November 27-December 1 as part of the Serbia International Resource Cities Program.

The delegation of visitors from Serbia and Hungary are concluding their visit to Akron today as part of the Partnership Conference among the cities of Akron; Szeged, Hungary and Subotica, (suh boe TEET suh) Serbia. Mayor Don Plusquellic, as part of a program sponsored by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID--- the federal government’s arm of aid overseas), visited Szeged and Subotica two weeks ago. Many of the people with whom the mayor met in Serbia and Hungary are among the eight-person delegation that has been visiting Akron this week.

The delegation has toured Akron’s former trash burning facility (RES), the city’s water supply and distribution facility at Lake Rockwell, the composting plant, the Hardy Road Landfill and the water pollution control operation. They have also observed the snow plowing, leaf pickup and curb service operations and have toured several economic development sites including the Industrial Incubator.

A program known as the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe brought together in Belgrade, Serbia November 13 and 14, mayors from dozens of Serbian cities. They convened to discuss challenges they face in rebuilding their economies, infrastructure, public transportation systems and more following the ouster of former Yugoslavian President Slobodan Milosivic and a subsequent move to democratize the nation. Mayor Plusquellic attended the two-day conference before meeting in Subotica with members of the local government.

In Akron this week, are three members of the Subotica Executive Council (similar to our City Council) and the director of the Subotica Public Sanitation Company. Subotica is among many Serbian cities working to develop a democratic form of government and rebuild their economy. As part of the process, they are here getting ideas on better methods of providing basic public services such as waste management, water treatment, snow removal and landfilling.

Traveling here with the Serbian delegation is a delegation from Szeged, Hungary. Szeged is partnering to help Subotica and hosted Mayor Plusquellic in an August visit to their city aimed at starting the aid process.

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