THE JOURNAL & TOPICS NEWSPAPERS | THURSDAY, MARCH 20, 2008
Eyeing Italy
EG Delegation Visits Italian Province In Hopes of Expanding Business Reach
By TOM ROBB
Journal Reporter
In an effort to increase business relations, a delegation of Elk Grove Village leaders led by Mayor Craig Johnson toured the province of Palermo, Sicily, in Italy earlier this month.
Johnson signed a friendship agreement with the City of Collesano and met the provincial leader of Palermo.
"What this did more than anything else is to say we want to expand this connection," said Johnson.
Johnson said he is trying to develop a regional sister agreement with the Province of Palermo to increase business contacts. Elk Grove Village has a sister city agreement with the City of Termini Imerese in Italy.
"Two mayors talking can do a lot more than two council members or two business people," said Johnson.
During the whirlwind, trip Johnson met with five mayors and numerous political and business leaders. He also met with two bicycle teams that expressed an interest in participating in the Tour of Elk Grove cycling competition next summer. Johnson said he hoped the teams would bring their sponsors with them.
Johnson, and a delegation of seven or eight people from Elk Grove Village including Village Trustee Jeffrey Frankie, Raymond Rummel Assistant Village Manager Matt Roan, Village Manager and Village Attorney George Knickerbocker and representatives of Alexian Brothers Hospital, went on the trip. They left Chicago on Saturday, Mar. 1 and returned to Elk Grove Village on Friday, Mar. 7.
After he returned home, Johnson was quick to point out at the Village Board meeting on Tuesday, Mar. 11, that he and trustee Frankie paid their own way for the trip.
The village paid for other village staffers in the delegation at a cost of $1,048 each.
Johnson said he averaged only three hours of sleep a night while on the trip, attending long state dinners that ran late into the evening, sometimes as late as 1:30 a.m.
Johnson and the delegation also attended long formal lunches, meetings with mayors and business leaders.
He said the existing relationship with Termini Imerese has already born fruit. Elk Grove Village currently has an olive oil import business doing business in the village and Alexian Brothers has a relationship with a hospital in the Province of Palermo.
The delegation met with the mayors of Termini Imerese, Collesano, Caccamo, the Provisional Council President of Palermo and a delegation from Belvedere and Termini.
Johnson expects political leaders to make a formal visit some time next year and hopes to see some of the people he met at the Tour of Elk Grove this summer.