Kirkland Councilman Toby Nixon was impressed that a street that runs through Germany is named after Kirkland – Kirklandstrasse.

But the street naming wasn’t a coincidence.

Emmerich is Kirkland’s sister city in Germany and Nixon recently met with the mayor there during a personal vacation.

Mayor Johannes Diks and Nixon met for almost an hour on Aug. 21, focusing on the sister city relationship and how to increase its value to both cities.

“The most surprising discovery in our visit to Emmerich was the things they have done to recognize Kirkland – a clock on the town square showing the time in Kirkland and their other sister cities, road signs on the main roads into town showing the logos of their sister cities, even naming a street after Kirkland,” Nixon said. “I was also impressed by the things we have in common that we discovered even in just a short visit – being on a busy body of water, vibrant waterfront business districts with many great shops and restaurants, a lot of public art, etc.”

Diks and Nixon talked about “stoking the fire” – re-establishing open communication between the cities, having staff assigned in both cities to be responsible for nurturing the relationship and revisiting the city’s original goals, Nixon said.

He said Diks also proposed sending a delegation from Emmerich to Kirkland next spring. Kirkland City Manager Kurt Triplett will follow-up and propose specific actions to the Kirkland Council, he added.

During his visit, Nixon also presented the mayor with a copy of Matthew McCauley’s book “A Look to the Past: Kirkland,” which the author and all Kirkland Council members signed. Nixon purchased the book with his personal funds.

Diks gave Nixon a book of photos of Emmerich and a box of candy from the Katjes candy company based in Emmerich. Nixon presented those items to the Kirkland Council during the Sept. 3 meeting.