Coral Springs officials are exploring the possibilities of the city having an international partnership that will help its economic development.

City commissioners mulled over the issue at a recent workshop and directed city staff to come back with at least two examples of cities that have benefited from such a tie-up. The discussion came in the wake of the Coral Springs International Partnership, a volunteer organization, not achieving results and virtually ceasing to exist.

The options before the city is to have an official “sister city” relationship or to have a volunteer-run organization raise funds and interact with another city. The city will have to spend money from its budget if it chooses the first option.

City Manager Mike Levinson wanted officials to decide what they want from an international partnership. “What is it that we want to accomplish? Simply changing the name from Coral Springs International Partnership (CSIP) to Coral Springs Sister City Program won’t work. We now have Baldrige. It’s a competitive advantage. We will be able to create an interest among other cities.”

Mayor Scott Brook said having an international partnership would help Coral Springs makes a difference internationally. “This is not for international acclaim. We have reinvented government successfully and have been acknowledged for it. I want us to have at least one successful international partnership.”

Having a tie-up with another city will help Coral Springs’ economic development, Brook said. “A successful partnership will take our economic development to another level. We will also be able to share culturally and educationally.”

Read the complete article in the July 17 issue of the Coral Springs Forum.