Wagga City Council Mayor Dallas Tout and General Manager Peter Thompson will attend the three-day Historical City Wall Festival in Nördlingen (Germany). Photo: Michelle Kroll.
Wagga City delegates will head to the council’s sister city in Germany for a three-day festival in September at a cost of between $6000 and $7000.
Mayor Dallas Tout and General Manager Peter Thompson will be attending the Historic City Wall Festival in Nördlingen from 9 to 11 September as well as meetings aimed at promoting the Wagga region for investment and employment.
Every three years, the former Free Imperial City of Nördlingen goes back to its roots in the middle ages for a long weekend. During the three days, historically dressed craftsmen, musicians, jugglers and artists, flag twirlers, and drummers cavort through the medieval city.
In October 2021, the Lord Mayor of Nördlingen David Wittner invited Wagga City Council delegates to the medieval festival.
Council will cover the mayor’s and general manager’s flight-related expenses, and the host will cover other costs.
The estimated cost of the visit is about $6000 to $7000. Any other council delegates attending the festival would be responsible for their own expenses.
Wagga City Council unanimously supported the delegates’ trip.
“The General Manager and I will see what opportunities we can find for Wagga City and region going forward,” Cr Tout said.
While Councillor Dan Hayes expressed some trepidation about supporting the general manager’s attendance, he said real value could come from the trip to Nördlingen.
“It was more about enhancing the opportunities that exist over there (Nördlingen), whether through the Trade Commission or other opportunities that our sister city can link us to,” Cr Hayes said.
The mayor’s office, in conjunction with the general manager, will seek expressions of interest from councillors and former Sister City Community Committee members interested in attending the historic festival as part of the delegation.
Clarifying the membership and operation of the Sister City Committee within this term of council is pending discussion at a yet-to-be-confirmed councillor workshop.
The sister city relationship dates back more than 50 years. In 1967 Miss Wagga was invited to Nördlingen, where she was given a reception in the ancient-walled city.
The Lord Mayor of Nördlingen hosted Miss Wagga at his residence and sent her back home with an invitation for Wagga to join as a sister city with Nördlingen.
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