Sister city program with Russian city continues, but not with city funding

The Sister City program between Oak Ridge and Obninsk, Russia may continue, but not with any city funding.

That was the compromise Oak Ridge City Council members reached at their Monday, meeting. At that meeting, they discussed fully ending the relationship with the Russian city because of Russia's actions against Ukraine, but decided not to do so. The measure to end any financial support to the program passed unanimously, although with some disagreement.

The program in the past has included various exchanges of people between the two cities, including students, and at one point a soccer team, according to Jerry Luckmann, a member of the Oak Ridge Sister City Support Organization Board. The board is a non-profit organization.

Such a time as this

Originally, the Oak Ridge City Council was set to vote on approving a resolution "dissolving" the relationship with Obninsk, Russia "due to the Russian government's military attack on the nation of Ukraine." Mayor Warren Gooch made the motion and city Council member Chuck Hope seconded. Gooch said he asked for the resolution and spoke in favor of completely cutting off the relationship with the Russian city both during the meeting and in interviews with The Oak Ridger and other media afterward.

He condemned what he said were Russia's atrocities "against men, women, children and babies."

"In a time of war, you must stand for freedom and those fighting for it," he said in prepared remarks. "This is such a time, and it cannot be business as usual."

However, after an amendment made by City Council Member Ellen Smith and seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Rick Chinn, the resolution lightened this language, limiting both the action taken by Council to ending government support rather than dissolving the relationship and its duration to the period of the Ukraine invasion.

"The city hereby declares that city government will not provide government support to sister city interactions with Obninsk, Russia while the Russian government is engaged in military aggression against the nation of Ukraine," the final adopted resolution stated.

"I would hate for us to extinguish this program with Russia," Chinn said. Both he and Smith called for continuing the program as a relationship between two cities' people rather than an official governmental funded one.

"This is a people to people relationship. It's not a government to government one," Smith said.

Luckmann explained about the program and why she wants to continue it.

"My phone and my email have blown up since this was on the front page of the paper," she told City Council referring to the front-page meeting preview story in The Oak Ridger last Friday. She shared memories of an Obninsk soccer team visiting Oak Ridge and of her own experience drinking vodka with Obninsk families.

"These are the people of Obninsk. They are our friends and our families," she told Council. She said that she was worried about these people in light of reports of crackdowns by the Russian government against protests within its country.

While she was critical of the Russian government, she told reporters that dissolving the relationship with Obninsk, as Gooch had originally planned, would make it difficult to resume once the Ukrainian invasion is over.

"Re-upping on that would be difficult," she said regarding the relationship. "We can't move on from this if we cut it off now."

Also speaking against dissolving the relationship was Oak Ridge resident Syd Ball, who said he had worked with Russians during his time doing research at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Like Luckmann, Chinn and Smith, he distinguished between the Russian people and their government.

"I'm sure if they were allowed they would be outspoken and even more appalled by what (Russian President Vladimir) Putin has done," he said of the Russian researchers with whom he had worked.

Gooch cast the only "nay" vote against Smith's amendment.

"I think it's a half measure, and I think we should have taken much stronger action," Gooch said regarding the suspension of city involvement rather than ending the entire program.

However, when the amended version came up for vote, Gooch voted for the resolution.

"This is not a time for disunity. I will reluctantly, very, very reluctantly vote aye," he told Council before the final, unanimous vote.

What's next?

Luckmann told The Oak Ridger that while the program isn't terminated, she doesn't know what kinds of exchanges can take place in the near future.

She said she would like to resume the program, but doesn't know when and how she can do so.

"I'm certainly not risking anyone's life to do that," she told The Oak Ridger regarding continuing the program.

"Look at Brittany Griner," she said referring to an American women's basketball player for the Phoenix Mercury who is currently in prison in Russia on drug smuggling charges. Luckmann used Griner as an example of what might happen to Americans staying in Russia.

The resolution does not affect Oak Ridge's sister city relationship with Naka-Shi, Japan.

Ben Pounds is a staff reporter for The Oak Ridger. Call him at (865) 441-2317, follow him on Twitter @Bpoundsjournal and email him at bpounds@oakridger.com.

This article originally appeared on Oakridger: Sister city program with Obninsk Russia continuing but not city funds