Ogden’s first official visit to its European sister city has some residents wondering how the trip benefits the average taxpayer.
Mayor Ben Nadolski and all seven council members, along with three council staff, were in the German city of Hof from July 29 to Aug. 3. Each council member received a taxable $5,000 stipend to cover the trip, and staff expenses averaged $4,750 each. The money came from the council’s travel and conference budget, as well as the city’s $30,000 line item for sister city expenses.
Rather than sending elected officials on a taxpayer-funded trip, Amy Wicks, who served on the Ogden City Council from 2004 to 2016, said sister city relationships are more about sparking curiosity among residents.
“I just find it hard to believe that seven council members and two staff members are going to come back with anything groundbreaking or particularly beneficial to the general citizen in Ogden,” she said.
Ogden and Hof became sister cities in 1954 after a man from Hof was sponsored to work at the Bank of Utah in Ogden. The most prominent local celebration of the partnership is the annual Hof Germanfest.
Wicks values the friendships she’s made with Hof residents through the city’s relationship. She visited on a trip to Europe in 2005 and befriended an unofficial tour guide who loved Butterfingers sold in the United States. For years, Wicks said, whenever visitors from Hof came to Ogden, she would send them back with candy for her late friend.
“That person-to-person thing, I don't think needs to be taxpayer-funded,” she said. “I think it means more when you invest your own time and money in it.”
Delegates from Hof have visited Ogden over the years, but Ogden leaders hadn’t traveled there officially until now. This trip demonstrated Ogden’s commitment to its sister city relationship, said City Council Member Angela Choberka.
“We felt it was very important for us to really show that strength in numbers and be there to meet with people and have so many exciting ideas about things that we can do moving forward,” she said.
Ogden’s only sister city is Hof, while Hof has five twin cities. Leaders from both cities exchanged ideas on the redevelopment of their historical downtowns and train stations, Choberka said.
Beyond that, she sees the relationship as a way to bring together people who live in different parts of the world with the goal of preventing future conflicts. She’s gotten to know visitors from Hof during her time on the council and said they were wonderful hosts.
“I think it helps us see a broader perspective of how we should be working together with not only other countries, but also with our constituents on making sure that we're doing the right actions for them,” she said.
Representatives also talked about launching a high school exchange program with scholarship opportunities or connecting universities in the two cities. Meeting in person meant they could share Hof residents’ experiences and food, Choberka said, but more conversations might follow over video chat. The goal is to further the cities’ relationship and make lasting, meaningful connections.
As for the cost, Choberka felt comfortable going on the trip because she hadn’t used the full travel budget allocated to her over the years.
Hosts in Hof also paid some of Ogden leaders’ expenses, she noted, as Ogden does when it’s the other way around. Ogden spent roughly $7,000 to host American football players from Hof in 2019 and $23,300 when Hof leaders visited in 2024.
Wicks, for her part, would like to see the city cut costs and increase community involvement by asking volunteers to host visitors and show them around town.
City council did not meet Aug. 5 because some council members extended their stay in Germany, and others were resting after returning. The council will meet on the fourth Tuesday of August, which it does not normally do, to make up for the missed meeting.
Macy Lipkin is a Report for America corps member who reports for KUER in northern Utah.
