(VIDEO) Hopkins Has a Sister

Boryspil isn’t exactly a household name, but Hopkins residents should start hearing more about the Ukrainian city soon.

Hopkins and Boryspil became sister cities after Mayor Gene Maxwell went on a “civic engagement” trip there May 13 through 22. Maxwell announced the new relationship at Tuesday’s council meeting, and council should formalize the decision with a resolution in the near future.

Richard and Irina Fursman—president and vice president, respectively, of executive search firm Brimeyer Fursman—organized the Boryspil trip to help residents over there get involved in local government. Irina Fursman is originally from the Ukraine.

Local government officials from elsewhere in Minnesota also participated—including Jim Brimeyer, a Metropolitan Council member and Brimeyer Fursman senior advisor.

Brimeyer Fursman is currently conducting the search for Hopkins’ vacant city manager position.

A central part of the trip was helping residents craft a vision and mission statement for the city. The group worked with upwards of 100 people at a time. So many people wanted to join in that the city scheduled different times for them to participate.

At the end of the trip, Maxwell and the Boryspil mayor signed papers declaring their respective communities sister cities.

Boryspil is a city of more than 57,000 people that dates to at least the 1100s. Maxwell said he was fascinated by how old some of the sites over there are, especially compared to age of most American sites. 

The days were long—often lasting from 7:30 a.m. until 11 p.m.—but the Americans got to visit parts of the Ukraine that even residents there don’t see often. They toured city facilities, parliament in Kiev, an orphanage and four different companies—including a Proctor & Gamble plant. They even met the Kiev governor, who presented them with a gift to forward to Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton.

Plus, there were plenty of large meals with frequent toasts.

Maxwell also got a chance to see how Ukrainian government works when the group attended a Boryspil City Council meeting. Among the differences from Hopkins: The mayor and deputy mayor sit at the front of the room, while the council members—all 45 of them—sit in the audience.

“(The trip) is one of the happiest things I’ve done in a long time,” Maxwell said.

Hopkins is already planning to return the favor. Boryspil leaders will visit Minnesota Sept. 23 through Oct. 1.