[ AGENDA CULTURE AND DIVERSITY CITIZEN ACTION COMMISSION City Hall - Council Chambers 6131 Taylorsville Road September 7, 2023 7:00 P.M. ]
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ALL RIGHT.WE'RE GONNA CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER FOR THE CULTURE AND DIVERSITY CITIZENS ACTION COMMISSION AT 7:07 PM AND AT THIS TIME, WE WILL DO ROLL CALL.
SORRY FOR THE MIS PRONUNCIATION.
MS. PREVIOUS, UH, MR. RICHARDSON PRESENT.
SORRY ABOUT THE MIS PRONUNCIATION.
UH, WHO IS THAT? UH, MR. STEVENS, UH, PRESENT.
NEXT UP IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.
UM, ERIC, YOU'RE GONNA WANNA ASK FOR EXCUSE.
YOU'RE GONNA WANNA ASK FOR A MOTION? OH, TO EXCUSE THE EXCUSE.
CAN I, CAN I GET A MOTION TO, UH, EXCUSE THE, THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE ABSENT FOR TONIGHT'S MEETING? YES.
UM, MR. CHAIR, I MOVE THAT WE ACCEPT THE EXCUSED ABSENCES OF MS. TARA PURVIS AND MRS. YOLANDA STEVENS FOR THE SEPTEMBER 7TH, 2023 CULTURE AND DIVERSITY CITIZEN ACTION ACTION COMMISSION MEETING.
IT'S BEEN PROPERLY MOVED AND SECONDED THAT WE ACCEPT THE ABSENCES OF MS. STEVENS AND TARA.
UH, ARE THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE? AYE.
ALRIGHT, SO, ALRIGHT, WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.
UH, THE MINUTES, UH, THEY WERE SENT OUT, I BELIEVE, A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO FOR MAYS MEETING IN JUNE.
SO MAYBE WHAT WE'LL DO IS WE'LL START WITH THE MAY MEETING MINUTES.
HOPEFULLY EVERYONE HAD A CHANCE TO, UM, REVIEW THOSE MINUTES.
UM, THERE ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS WITH REGARDS TO THE MINUTES? IF NOT, I'LL, I'LL ASK SOMEONE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ACCEPT THOSE MINUTES FOR MAY.
UM, MR. CHAIR, I HAVE A, A CORRECTION FOR THE, I BELIEVE IT'S THE MAY 4TH, 2000, 23 MINUTES.
SO MY CORRECTION IS UNDER ITEM SIX, A OLD BUSINESS IN REFERENCE TO THE SECOND ANNUAL JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION.
THE OVERALL BUDGET, UM, AMOUNT SHOULD BE $6,975.
AND THAT IS DUE TO THE ONE LINE ITEM FOR DEFUNK, WHICH IS $2,300, NOT $2,500.
WHAT WAS YOUR AMOUNT AGAIN? 6,000 WHAT NOW? UM, $6,975.
AS OPPOSED TO THE 71 75? CORRECT.
WERE THERE ANY, UH, OTHER CORRECTIONS THAT WERE, AND THERE WAS ANOTHER DEFUNK FOR 2300? YES.
ANY OTHER, UH, CORRECTIONS THAT ARE NEEDED FOR THE MINUTES, FOR MAY? NO.
CAN I GET SOMEONE TO, UH, PUT A MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO ACCEPT THE MEETING MINUTES FROM FROM MAY'S MEETING? I'M, I'M MOTION TO, UM, MAKE THESE CORRECTIONS ON THE LATEST MINUTES.
ARE WE, WHICH DATE WERE WE TALKING ABOUT? THIS WAS THE
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MAY 4TH, 2023 MINUTES.CAN I GET A SECOND? AYE SECOND.
I MEAN, DO YOU, ARE YOU, SO I PUT THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
DO YOU, DO YOU CONCUR WITH THAT MOTION? YES.
AND SECOND THAT WE ACCEPT THE MAY MEETING MINUTES WITH THE, UH, WITH THE CORRECTION THAT WAS NOTED.
UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
ALRIGHT, MOVING ON TO THE JUNE MEETING MINUTES, JUNE 1ST MEETING MINUTES.
WE HAVE THOSE AS WELL FOR FOR US TO REVIEW.
ANY, ANY COMMENTS, UM, QUESTIONS WITH REGARDS TO THE MAY MEETING MINUTES? I'M SORRY, THE JUNE MEETING MINUTES.
HEARING NONE, UH OH, I'M SORRY.
I, I DO
MR. ROGER RUCKER, JUST TO, UM, CLARIFY HIS, UM, PROFESSION.
HE'S ACTUALLY A FINANCIAL ADVISOR FOR PRIME AMERICA.
AND ALSO WE SHOULD NOTE THAT HIS NAME IS SPELLED INCORRECTLY INSTEAD.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS WITH REGARDS TO THE MEETING, TO THOSE MEETING MINUTES? OKAY.
CAN I GET SOMEONE TO, UH, ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ACCEPT THESE MEETING MINUTES? MR. CHAIR? I MOVE THAT WE ACCEPT THE JUNE 1ST, 2023 CULTURE AND DIVERSITY SAYS ACTION COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES WITH THE NECESSARY CORRECTIONS.
AND SECOND THAT WE ACCEPT THE MEETING MINUTES FOR, FOR JUNE WITH THE, UH, WITH CORRECTIONS THAT WERE NOTED.
UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
ALRIGHT, SO WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON.
UH, SO ON THE AGENDA IT SAYS THAT, UM, WE'RE SUPPOSED TO HAVE NOMINATIONS, ELECTIONS NOMINATION, AND ELECTIONS OF NEW BOARD CHAIR IN LIGHT OF, UH, THE DEPARTURE OF MR. RHONDA SUMLIN.
UH, BUT WITH THIS RECENT NEWS, I THINK WHAT WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO DO IS HOLD OFF ON ANY SORT OF ELECTIONS THIS MONTH, UH, UNTIL, AND I THINK WHAT WE'VE DISCUSSED WAS THIS, WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT WAS HAVING, UH, YOLANDA STEVENS, WHO'S THE VICE CHAIR, KIND OF SERVE IN THE ROLE AS CHAIR IN THE INTERIM UNTIL YOU'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, I GUESS SOCIALIZE WHO WOULD BE INTERESTED IN RUNNING FOR CHAIR AND, AND, UH, WHAT OUR, WHAT THE THINKING IS WE WOULD HOLD THAT ELECTION NEXT MONTH.
SO, ERIC, YOU'RE, IS THERE ANY ISSUES WITH THAT? YEAH, SO IT, YOU DO HAVE TO PUT HER IN THAT SEAT.
EVEN IF IT'S IN AN INTERIM CAPACITY, YOU HAVE TO PUT HER IN THAT SEAT.
SO WHAT I WOULD JUST NEED TO, WE WOULD JUST NEED TO VOTE ON PUTTING HER IN THE SEAT AS AN INTERIM, AS THE INTERIM CHAIR, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? OKAY.
UM, CAN I GET SOMEONE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO HAVE MS. YOLANDA STEVENS TO SERVE AS THE INTERIM CHAIR UNTIL WE CAN, UH, DECIDE ON A PERMANENT CHAIR? MR. CHAIR, I MOVE THAT MRS. YOLANDA STEVENS WILL SERVE AS THE INTERIM CHAIR FOR THE CULTURE AND DIVERSITY CITIZENS ACTION COMMISSION UNTIL AN OFFICIAL CHAIR IS ELECTED.
IT'S BEEN PROPERLY MOVED AND SECONDED THAT WE HAVE MS. YOLANDA STEVENS SERVE AS THE INTERIM CHAIR UNTIL AN OFFICIAL CHAIR HAS BEEN ELECTED.
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UM, IS THERE ANY UNREADINESS OKAY.ALL ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
OKAY, LET'S, UH, ALRIGHT, SO MOVING ON TO ITEM FIVE.
ALRIGHT, I SEE PLENTY OF CITIZENS OUT THERE.
SO ANY ANY COMMENTS FROM, FROM ANYONE AT THIS POINT IN TIME? OH, ALRIGHT, ERIC.
I THINK YOLANDA HAS ME UNDER SPECIAL DISCUSSION.
UM, SO NOW WHAT WE'RE GOING, WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO NOW IS MOVE ON TO OLD BUSINESS.
UM, I THINK WHAT WE WANT TO DO HERE, AS YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN WHAT I THINK WE HAVEN'T HAD A MEETING IN THE LAST, IT'S PROBABLY BEEN, WHAT, TWO, THREE MONTHS NOW? SO THINK GINA WAS THE LAST MEETING.
AND SO, UM, BUT THE LAST, OBVIOUSLY THE, THE LAST EVENT THAT WE HAD, UM, WAS THE, THE CALLS FOR WEEK.
AND SO I THINK WE JUST, I JUST WANTED TO OPEN IT UP FOR, I GUESS, SOME DISCUSSION ON HOW THINGS WENT.
AGAIN, I KNOW THAT WAS, IT'S BEEN ALMOST TWO MONTHS AGO, SO, SO, UM, THAT MEETING PROBABLY ISN'T, OR THAT EVENT'S PROBABLY NOT FRESH ON OUR MINDS, BUT I THINK THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT MAYBE SOME LESSONS LEARNED.
WHAT WENT WELL, WHAT DIDN'T GO SO WELL.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE KICKED THE WEEK OFF WITH THE, UM, THAT SUNDAY WITH THE JUNETEENTH, UH, CELEBRATION AND THEN MIDWEEK, WE HAD THE EDUCATIONAL FORUM, AND THEN WE, UH, WRAPPED IT UP WITH THE, UH, THE CULTURAL FESTIVAL.
SO, AND MAYBE WHAT WE COULD DO IS MAYBE START WITH THE, THE JUNETEENTH, UH, FUNK FESTIVAL.
UM, ANY THOUGHTS? I MEAN, I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, AT LEAST FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, I THOUGHT IT WAS WELL ATTENDED.
WE HAD SOME GREAT ACTS, UH, AT LEAST FROM MY OBSERVATION, THE, THE FOLKS ENJOYED, UM, YOU KNOW, THEIR TIME, THEIR EXPERIENCE THERE AT THE, AT THAT EVENT.
IT WAS OUR SECOND, OUR SECOND, UH, WHAT SECOND ANNUAL, UM, JUNETEENTH FESTIVAL.
AND, UM, I, THE IMPRESSION I THINK THAT THE VENDORS, I THINK THEY DID, DID WELL.
UM, AND SO AGAIN, MY GENERAL OBSERVATIONS WAS THAT I THOUGHT IT WAS, UH, WELL ATTENDED.
I'M NOT SURE IF ANYONE, DO WE, DO WE, UH, DO WE HAVE A RECORD OF THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE THERE AT THE JUNETEENTH FESTIVAL? DID ANYONE, I THINK ERIC, UH, TARA SAID THEY STOPPED COUNTING AT FIVE.
DID SHE SAY FIVE? SARAH? THAT STOPPED COUNTING? IT SAID 500.
SO, UM, AND I KNOW WE DIDN'T KEEP TRACK OF WHAT WE HAD THE YEAR BEFORE, BUT, YOU KNOW, UH, IT, UH, BUT YEAH, AGAIN, I, YOU COULD TELL THAT THE NUMBERS DID, UH, DID INCREASE.
SO AGAIN, I THOUGHT I WAS WELL ATTENDED.
BUT I GUESS FROM THE, FROM THE COMMISSION HERE, ANY, ANY THOUGHTS ON HOW THINGS WENT? ANYTHING THAT, THAT YOU CAN NOTE THAT DIDN'T GO WELL? ANY ISSUES? ANYTHING, YOU KNOW, GOING FORWARD THAT WE NEED TO, UH, POTENTIALLY CORRECT OR IMPROVE ON, IMPROVE UPON? IF I MAY, MR. CHAIR, I HAD A FEW THOUGHTS.
AND I HAD JUST, YOU KNOW, JUMPED IN WHAT, IN MARCH.
SO I WAS KIND OF REALLY NEW TO THIS PROCESS AND EVERYTHING.
BUT JUST FROM WHAT I OBSERVED, I THINK WITH ALL THE THINGS THAT GO ON IN DAYTON FOR JUNETEENTH AND THAT WEEKEND, THIS EVENT COULD BE A REALLY GOOD, STRONG CONTENDER TO GET PEOPLE OUT AND INVOLVED.
AND I THOUGHT IT WENT OVER REALLY WELL AND I ENJOYED MYSELF.
SO I DON'T
BUT, UM, A COUPLE THINGS, AND MAYBE WE'LL TOUCH ON THESE THINGS AS, YOU KNOW, WE GO IN THE COMING MONTHS.
UM, BUT JUST THINKING ABOUT LIKE NEXT YEAR, I WOULD REALLY LIKE US TO BE ABLE TO, UM, MAYBE START SECURING VOLUNTEERS EARLIER AND, UH, PUTTING TOGETHER SOME SORT OF GAME PLAN, WHETHER IT'S IN THE BUDGET OR WHATNOT, TO DO SOMETHING IN SOME WAY TO, UM, SHOW, UM, APPRECIATION TO THE VOLUNTEERS, WHETHER IT BE A T-SHIRT, UM, OR, UM, A GIFT CERTIFICATE OR A SMALL LITTLE DINNER PARTY, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
JUST TO SHOW THAT, UM, WHILE WE MAY ONLY HAVE A COUPLE VOLUNTEERS, THEY'LL GO OUT, OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY AND THEY'LL BE LIKE,
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YEAH, I VOLUNTEERED FOR THIS FESTIVAL AND THEN I, YOU KNOW, I GOT THIS AND THIS AND IT WAS REALLY WORTH MY TIME, KIND OF A THING.SO MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN CONSIDER, YOU KNOW, DOING.
AND I'M ONLY POINTING THAT OUT BECAUSE I WORKED WITH A VOLUNTEER
SO I MEAN, IT KIND OF, YOU KNOW, UM, IT MADE 'EM FEEL SPECIAL JUST TO HAVE LANYARDS, YOU KNOW, STUFF LIKE THAT.
MAKE 'EM FEEL, YOU KNOW, PART OF THE TEAM.
UM, I THINK IF, WHEN WE'RE LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS, WE LET THEM KNOW WHAT WE ARE ABLE TO GIVE THEM AS COMPENSATION, NOT COMPENSATION, BUT AS, YOU KNOW, JUST AS A THANK YOU, UM, THAT COULD ALSO INTEREST PEOPLE.
SO, UM, THAT WAS MY ONLY THOUGHT.
YEAH, THAT WAS A GOOD, GOOD PUT.
YEAH, IF YOU HAVE VOLUNTEERS, IT'S IMPORTANT TO, YOU KNOW, RECOGNIZE THEM FOR THEIR, UH, FOR THEIR SUPPORT AND CONTRIBUTION AND, AND SHOW, SHOW THEIR, SHOW OUR APPRECIATION FOR WHAT THEY, WHAT THEY DO TO SUPPORT, UH, OUR EVENTS.
UH, OTHER, OTHER THOUGHTS? UH, FROM, FROM THE COMMISSION, I LIKE THAT IDEA.
I ALSO THINK MAYBE WE REACH OUT TO A LOT OF ORGANIZATIONS AT THE SCHOOLS WHO NEED COMMUNITY SERVICE HOURS AND MAYBE WE CAN DO IT THAT WAY.
I KNOW THAT WAS KIND OF AN ADULT EVENT, BUT IT COULD BE SOMETHING TO LOOK INTO.
UM, ONE THING IN TERMS OF THE ADVERTISING AND, AND THE MARKETING FOR THE EVENT, I GUESS MAYBE A QUESTION FOR YOU, SARAH, I THOUGHT IN TERMS OF THE, THE SIGNS THAT, THAT WERE PUT OUT, I KNOW I SAW SIGNS AT THE, YOU KNOW, UH, YOU KNOW, RIGHT THERE AT THE Y M C A, BUT DID, DID WE ACTUALLY GET SIGNS IN ALL THE LOCATIONS THAT WE, I GUESS, INITIALLY PLANNED FOR? I JUST DON'T KNOW IF I SAW THEM IN, UH, AT LEAST IN ALL THE OLD LOCATIONS THAT WE HAD TARGETED, BUT COULD YOU SPEAK TO THAT? YEAH, THERE WERE, THERE WERE TWO SIGNS.
UM, I DON'T REMEMBER WHERE THE OTHER SIDE WAS, BUT THEN WE ALSO HAD, YOU KNOW, ADVERTISING ON CLOUD PARK AND THE KEY ADS BOARD.
OH, YOU'RE SAYING AT CLOUD PARK THERE WAS A SIGN THERE OR YOU YES.
'CAUSE WE HAVE THE DIGITAL BOARD AT CLOUD PARK.
UM, WAS THAT JUST, I CAN'T REMEMBER.
SO WAS THAT JUST, WAS IT FOR ALL, DID ITS ALL THREE EVENTS OR WAS IT JUST FOR, I CAN'T REMEMBER IF IT WAS JUST CULTURAL.
I MEAN, FOR THE, UH, IT WAS JUST FOR JUNETEENTH JUNE AND, AND THE MULTICULTURAL FESTIVAL.
ANY OTHER THOUGHTS ON THE, ON THE JUNETEENTH FESTIVAL, UM, IN TERMS OF JUST HOW IT WENT AND ANY ISSUES? JUST A THOUGHT TO KIND OF GO ALONG WITH THE ADVERTISING AND MARKETING, UM, IN TERMS OF LIKE, WHAT WE COULD DO ON OUR OWN PLAN MARKETING A LITTLE EARLIER OUT.
UM, THE FLYERS WERE A GREAT IDEA.
MAYBE START THOSE A LITTLE EARLIER.
UM, MAYBE SEE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH IT'LL COST TO PUT LIKE AN AD AND, UM, LIKE THE DAYTON DAILY NEWS OR, UM, UH, PUT MORE FLYERS UP, YOU KNOW, DOWNTOWN.
I KNOW I TRIED A LITTLE BIT TO GET DOWN THERE MYSELF, BUT, UM, MAYBE JUST STARTING A LITTLE EARLIER TO PROMOTE MIGHT BE SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT.
EVERY TIME I MOVE MY CHAIR MIXES WEIRD NOISE.
AGAIN, I THINK IT SHOULD BE ONE OF OUR, YOU KNOW, SIGNATURE EVENTS, YOU KNOW, EVERY YEAR, UM, THAT WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO HOLD AND, AND CONTINUE TO GROW.
SO, UM, AGAIN, I, I, FROM WHAT I CAN TELL, IT WAS, IT WAS AN ENJOYABLE EVENT BY ALL THAT ATTENDED.
SO, UH, I WANNA CONTINUE THAT MOMENTUM.
UM, ALRIGHT, WELL LET'S MOVE ON TO THE EDUCATIONAL FORUM.
UM, WE HAD THAT, THAT WAS THAT MIDWEEK, WHAT WAS IT, WEDNESDAY? I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT DAY IT WAS ON WEDNESDAY OR THURSDAY.
AND SO THIS YEAR, UM, RIGHT, WE, WE BROUGHT IN, ACTUALLY THE, THE THEME WAS KIND OF TWOFOLD, RIGHT? IT WAS PARTLY TO FOCUSING ON, UH, HEALTH, HEALTH, WELL, HEALTH, PHYSICAL AND MENTAL AND MAYBE EMOTIONAL HEALTH.
AND THEN THE OTHER PART WAS THE FINANCIAL HEALTH LITERACY PIECE.
SO WE, WE BROUGHT IN, UH, WE, WE BROUGHT IN, UH, MULTIPLE, UH, EXPERTS, PANEL MEMBERS TO, UH, TO SPEAK TO US ON SOME IMPORTANT TOPICS.
UH, I THOUGHT ALL, ALL FOUR, I THINK IT WAS FOUR IN TOTAL RIGHT THERE.
I'M SORRY, THAT, UM, THAT PRESENTED
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DURING THAT, UH, DURING THAT SESSION.AGAIN, THOUGHT THEY DID AN EXCELLENT JOB.
HOWEVER, I THINK ON THE ATTENDANCE SIDE, YOU KNOW, IT WAS LACKING.
IT WOULD'VE
'CAUSE THERE WAS SOME, I THINK, SOME VALUABLE INFORMATION THAT WAS BEING SHARED THAT I THINK, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF FOLKS WOULD'VE BENEFITED FROM.
UM, I KNOW WE'VE HAD SOME, MAYBE SOME CHALLENGES IN THE PAST WITH SOME OF OUR FORUMS IN TERMS OF GETTING THE TURNOUT THAT WE, THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING I THINK WE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO THERE.
UM, AND I THINK WE, YOU KNOW, I KNOW WE DID, WE PUBLISHED IT RIGHT WHEN WE PUT IT ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA, WE, WE PUT THE INFORMATION OUT THERE.
UH, SO FOLKS, YOU KNOW, WERE AWARE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WERE HAVING THIS FORUM, BUT, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW.
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS? I MEAN, AGAIN, THESE ARE IMPORTANT THINGS, BUT THE THING IS, YOU KNOW, YOU GOTTA FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET MORE BODIES TO THE, TO THESE TYPES OF EDUCATIONAL, UH, FORUMS AND WE HOST.
UM, I DEFINITELY CONCUR WITH EVERYTHING THAT YOU HAVE MENTIONED.
UM, IT WAS, YOU KNOW, A DISAPPOINTMENT THAT THERE WASN'T A GREAT NUMBER OF PEOPLE TO ATTEND BECAUSE ADVERTISEMENT, THE PUBLICITY FOR THIS WAS DONE IN ADVANCE NOTICE.
AND, UM, EVEN WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE CITY COUNCIL, THEY WERE MADE AWARE OF THIS EVENT IN ENOUGH TIME.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THEY HAD SCHEDULED AN EMERGENCY EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THE HIRING, HIRING OF THE CITY MANAGER.
UM, NOW I WILL SAY DURING THE FESTIVAL, I DID HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO TWO OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE THEM TO TALK TO THE OTHER MEMBERS TO WATCH THE FACEBOOK RECORDING AND JUST TO TAKE HEEDED OF THAT INFORMATION, WHICH IS VERY VALUABLE AND INFORMATIVE, AS YOU ALREADY SAID.
UM, I DO WANNA GIVE SOME BRIEF STATISTICS, WHICH I THINK IS VERY IMPORTANT IN TERMS OF THE MANY VIEWS THAT WE HAD.
SO WE HAD 134 VIEWS, WHICH WAS GOOD, UM, SIX LIKES.
AND I WOULD JUST WANNA SAY TO THOSE WHO ARE WATCHING THIS MEETING VIRTUALLY TO GO ON THE HUBER HEIGHTS CULTURE AND DIVERSITY CITIZENS ACTION COMMISSION FACEBOOK PAGE TO WATCH THAT RECORDING.
AND THE PRESENTATIONS, THE TOPICS THAT WERE PRESENTED AS, UM, MR. STEVENS ALREADY MENTIONED, PERTAIN TO FINANCIAL, UM, DISPARITIES AS WELL AS PHYSICAL.
THE PHYSICAL I THOUGHT WAS VERY SIGNIFICANT TO ADDRESS BECAUSE OF THE ISSUES OF FOOD INSECURITIES SUCH AS FOOD DESERTS, WHICH, YOU KNOW, EXIST IN OUR OWN CITY.
AND ONE OF THE SPEAKERS, UM, MS. LEE TRUSDALE, WHO WORKS FOR THE DAYTON FOOD BANK, SHE MENTIONED TWO VERY SIGNIFICANT TERMS THAT CAUGHT MY ATTENTION, UM, THAT I WOULD ENCOURAGE THIS COMMISSION TO ENCOURAGE OUR CITY COUNCIL TO ENFORCE SOME POLICY IN PLACE.
AND THE FIRST TERM IS FOOD SOVEREIGNTY.
AND THAT BASICALLY PERTAINS TO MAKING SURE THAT INDIVIDUALS OF DIVERSE CULTURES AND BACKGROUNDS HAVE HEALTHY ACCESS TO FOODS THAT THEIR CULTURES ARE USED TO EATING THAT'S ALSO AFFORDABLE.
THE SECOND TERM THAT MS. TRUSDALE MENTIONED WAS FOOD SWAPS, WHICH BASICALLY MEANS THAT THERE'S AN AREA THAT MAY HAVE FOUR OR MORE CORNER STORES, AND AS WE KNOW, SOME CORNER STORES HAVE UNHEALTHY FOOD, RIGHT? SO DEFINITELY IN THIS CITY THAT HAS BECOME DIVERSE AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE THAT WAY.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE ADEQUATE FOOD ACCESS AND SECURITY THAT IS NEEDED.
BUT, UM, AGAIN, AS YOU MENTIONED, I THOUGHT THAT WAS A VERY VALUABLE, UM, SESSION.
UM, AGAIN, I WISH THERE WAS MORE SUPPORT, BUT I DO WANNA THANK, I THINK THERE WAS FOUR PEOPLE, FOUR PEOPLE, FOUR RESIDENTS THAT CAME AND THE SPOUSE OF, UM, MR. RUCKER, HIS WIFE CAME.
SO I JUST WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEM, BUT ALSO PERSONALLY TO THOSE ON THE TASK FORCE, WHICH INCLUDES YOURSELF, MR. STEVENS, UM, MS. TROTTER AND MS. PERVIS, UM, THAT HAVE HELPED ME TO
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PUT THIS TOGETHER.BUT, UM, I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE DISCUSSION WITH CITY COUNCIL, IN MY OPINION AS FAR AS WITH THESE FORUMS. WHAT DO THEY WANT US TO FOCUS ON? BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE THE IDEAS THAT WE'RE COMING UP WITH, WE'RE NOT GETTING THE PARTICIPATION THAT IS REQUIRED.
AND WE NEED TO HAVE, AGAIN, THAT ONE-ON-ONE CONVERSATION THAT WE HAD LAST AUGUST TO REINS ASSESS.
WE DON'T WANT TO BE HOSTING THESE FORUMS AND NOT HAVING THE PARTICIPATION AND THE FEEDBACK THAT OUR GOAL IN TERMS OF OUR, UM, COMMISSION STANDS FOR.
SO WE JUST HAVE TO REASSESS THAT.
BUT DEFINITELY CONTINUE IT BECAUSE THE EDUCATION PIECE IS IMPORTANT AND SIGNIFICANT FOR WHAT THIS COMMISSION IS TRYING TO, UM, OBTAIN.
UM, ARE THERE OTHER, OTHER THOUGHTS ON, UH, FORM, SO WITH THE FORMS, IS THE FOCUS TO ENGAGE CITY COUNCIL OR IS IT TO ENGAGE OUR FELLOW CITIZENS, RIGHT? YEAH, BOTH.
IN MY OPINION, UM, PLEASE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU ALL FEEL THE SAME WAY OR NOT, BOTH, BECAUSE ONE OF OUR OBJECTIVES AS A COMMISSION IS TO BECOME AN ADVISORY CAPACITY TO CITY COUNCIL WHEN IT COMES TO DIFFERENT ISSUES PERTAINING TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION.
AND AS YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THAT INFORMATION WAS STATED IN THAT RACISM AS A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS PROCLAMATION WHERE NO ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN PLACE ON THAT SINCE CITY COUNCIL VOTED TO HAVE THAT ENFORCED AND PUBLICIZED ON THE CITY COUNCIL'S WEBPAGE AS OF APRIL OF, I THINK IT WAS 2021, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.
BUT THAT IS THE, UM, GOAL TO HAVE THAT ENGAGEMENT WITH THEM AND THE RESIDENTS.
BUT I THINK IF WE HAVE THE ENGAGEMENT OF THE CITIZENS, I THINK YOUR CITY COUNCIL DOESN'T HAVE A CHOICE BUT TO BE THERE.
BUT IF THE CITIZENS ARE NOT THERE, THE COUNCIL'S PROBABLY NOT GONNA BE THERE.
WELL, THE COUNCIL NEED TO HAVE THAT ENGAGEMENT INITIALLY, AND IF THEY HAVE THAT ENGAGEMENT INITIALLY WITH THEM, THEN THEY CAN ADVISE US BASED ON THE CONSTITUENTS IN THEIR WARDS AS TO WHAT KINDS OF TOPICS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE.
THAT WOULD HELP US EVEN MORE TO KNOW WHAT WE SHOULD BE FOCUSING ON.
BUT WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE MAINTAINING THE IMPORTANCE OF DIVERSITY AND EQUITY INCLUSION IN THOSE FORMS. THAT'S JUST RIGHT.
I THINK WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS THAT CITY COUNCIL SHOULD BE PROMOTING THESE EVENTS AS WELL AND PROMOTING THEM OUT TO THEIR CONSTITUENTS, RIGHT? YES, I BELIEVE SO.
ENCOURAGES THEM TO SUPPORT THESE ACTIVITIES AS WELL.
WAS IT TIMING? DO YOU THINK IT'S TIMING, LIKE IT'S AFTER WORK, DURING THE WEEK, PEOPLE ON VACATION, DO YOU THINK IT WAS THE TIMING OF THE FORM? LIKE WHAT IF WE, I DON'T KNOW, PEOPLE, I DON'T KNOW IF PEOPLE WOULD LIKE THIS, BUT WHAT IF IT WAS A SPREAD OUT IN ONE OF THE EVENTS ON A SATURDAY OR THE SUNDAY? LIKE WHAT WOULD IT, WOULD IT CHANGE? YOU'RE ALREADY THERE, BUT DO YOU WANNA JUST EAT AND LISTEN OR DO YOU WANNA DANCE THE WHOLE TIME? I DON'T KNOW.
I'M JUST THINKING IF YOU SWITCHED IT FROM A THURSDAY NIGHT OR WEDNESDAY NIGHT, DOES THAT CHANGE ANYTHING? WHEN YOU COME HOME FROM WORK, YOU'RE TIRED? I DON'T KNOW.
WELL, OR IF YOU THROW IT IN ON A SATURDAY AND YOU'RE LIKE, COME TO THE STAGE, YOU'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT YEAH.
'CAUSE I ALWAYS SAY, I DIDN'T MEAN TO INTERRUPT YOU.
THE, THE FIRST FORM THAT WE HAD IN JULY OF 2021, THAT WAS ON A SATURDAY.
AND IT WAS HELD AT WAYNE, UM, HIGH SCHOOL'S AUDITORIUM, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.
THERE WAS, I WOULD SAY, MAJORITY OF COUNCIL MEMBERS THERE.
AND OF COURSE IT WAS OUR VERY FIRST FORM.
BUT WHAT ABOUT CONSTITUENTS? WAS THERE A LOT OF UM, I WOULD SAY THERE WAS A MORE THAN FOUR.
BUT I THINK WE DID A BETTER JOB ENGAGING.
I, I THINK THE APPROACH NEEDS TO BE, WE HAVE TO BE THE INITIATORS TO ENGAGE WITH PEOPLE OF HUBER HEIGHTS TO FIND OUT WHAT IT IS THAT THEY WANT TO SEE AND WHAT THEY WANT TO DISCUSS.
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WAIT FOR CITY COUNCIL TO TELL ME WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE IN DIVERSITY, I THINK IS THE WRONG ANSWER.I THINK WE HAVE TO BE THE LEADERS TO SAY, THIS IS WHAT WE WANT TO SEE.
BUT I THINK WE HAVE TO ENGAGE PEOPLE.
AND I THINK THE FIRST EVENT, I THINK WE TEXT, I THINK WE CALLED, UM, YOU KNOW, WAITING TO PUT A POSTING UP TO, TO DO THAT.
I JUST DON'T THINK IT'S THE RIGHT ANSWER.
I THINK WE KNOW ENOUGH PEOPLE THAT'S WITHIN THIS CITY THAT IF WE'RE ENGAGING WITH THEM ONE ON ONE ABOUT THIS AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH AND DO I THINK WE'LL GET THEM OUT.
I THINK WE HAVE DONE THAT BASED ON OUR NETWORKS OF PEOPLE THAT WE KNOW THAT LIVE HERE THROUGH OTHER CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS AS AN EXAMPLE THAT OUR RESIDENTS OF THE CITY.
WHAT WERE YOU GONNA SAY, ERIC, GO AHEAD.
NO, I WAS THINKING ABOUT THE POINT THAT YOU MADE.
YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WHEN YOU HAVE AN EVENT LIKE THIS, IT'S NOT LIKE THE, I MEAN, PEOPLE TO COME OUT TO LISTEN TO AN EDUCATIONAL FORUM, IT'S NOT LIKE IT'S THE EXCITING THING TO GO DO.
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? UM, THERE'S NOTHING I WAS GONNA USE A CERTAIN TERM, BUT I WON'T USE THAT.
BUT AGAIN, IT'S JUST NOT MAYBE THE MOST ATTRACTIVE THING TO DO.
SO, UM, SO I MEAN, TO YOUR POINT, YOU KNOW, IS THERE A WAY TO MAYBE WEAVE IT INTO SOME OF THE ENTERTAINMENT THINGS THAT WE DO? AND MAYBE THAT IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO LOOK AT, RIGHT.
I THINK WE, AND AGAIN, I CAN'T SPEAK FOR EVERYONE, BUT I I, TO YOUR POINT, RIGHT, I ASSUME WE ALL TRY TO MAKE PEOPLE AWARE OF THE EDUCATIONAL FORUM, RIGHT? WHAT, THROUGH, THROUGH TEXTS, THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA OR WHAT HAVE YOU.
BUT YOU CAN'T MAKE PEOPLE COME TO THESE TYPES OF THINGS.
I MEAN, WE'VE, WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF THEM, UM, YOU KNOW, AT LEAST SEVERAL OF THEM.
AND THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE USUALLY LOW ATTENDANCE, RIGHT.
BUT WHEN YOU HAVE THE ENTERTAINMENT, YOU KNOW, DOING THE SAME TYPE OF ADVERTISING RIGHT.
BUT THEY COME OUT FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT.
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? SO, UM, SO YEAH, AGAIN, MAYBE YOU CHANGE, I DON'T KNOW, YOU CHANGE THE MODEL, YOU LOOK AT A DIFFERENT APPROACH.
UM, OR YOU, YOU SAY, HEY, IT'S FREE CHICK-FIL-A, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WILL COME OUT.
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? SO, I MEAN, FREE FOOD, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST SAYING, WE KNOW, WE KNOW PEOPLE HAVE TO EAT.
SO I'M JUST SAYING THERE'S, WE'LL HAVE TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
YOU KNOW, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT, IT WAS EVEN HARD FOR US TO COME WITH A TOPIC MM-HMM.
SO THAT'S WHY, YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE TO GET SOME BUY-IN FROM CITY COUNCIL, YOU KNOW, WHETHER THEY CHOOSE TO OR NOT DOESN'T HURT TO TRY, YOU KNOW, AND SEE, YOU KNOW, WHAT HAPPENS.
BUT MAYBE IT'S A COMBO OF ALL OF IT.
YOU KNOW, MAYBE IT'S IN BETWEEN THE, THE MC AT THE EVENT, THERE'S LITTLE BREAKS THAT THE ENTERTAINMENT TAKES.
MAYBE IT'S SHORT BURSTS OF MONEY TIPS OR SHORT BURSTS OF HEALTH TIP.
I DON'T KNOW, IN BETWEEN THE SESSIONS.
BUT THEN ALSO I THINK WITH, TO ERIC'S POINT, MAYBE IT'S SPREADING, LIKE MAYBE IT'S AT THE H O A MEETINGS AND SOMEBODY FROM THE COMMISSION COMES AND SAYS, NEXT YEAR WE'RE GONNA DO THIS.
HERE'S A, FILL THIS OUT REAL QUICK AND TELL US WHAT TOPICS YOU WANT.
AND YOU PASS IT OUT AND YOU COLLECT THEM AND YOU GO AND YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES AT THE H O A, YOU'RE ONE OF THE SPEAKERS.
AND THEN THEY DO IT AT ALL THE H O A MEETINGS OR WHATEVER.
THAT IT'S A COMBO OF EVERY, WHAT EVERYBODY'S SAYING.
UM, IS THERE ALSO MAYBE A WAY TO, UM, FIND AN ORGANIZATION OR BUSINESSES IN HUBER HEIGHTS AND OR MONTGOMERY COUNTY TO PARTNER WITH? UM, DEPENDING ON WHATEVER TOPICS WE END UP HAVING A FORUM ABOUT.
UM, JUST FOR EXAMPLE, 'CAUSE OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, LIKE THE FOOD BANK, YOU KNOW, UM, WE REACHED OUT TO THEM TO, UM, PARTICIPATE AS A SPEAKER, BUT MAYBE WE COULD START, UM, PLANNING FAR ENOUGH OUT THAT WE'RE, YOU KNOW, ASKING THEM TO MAYBE, YOU KNOW, BE A PARTNER.
IS THAT SOMETHING WE CAN CONSIDER TO WHERE THEY'RE USING THEIR NETWORK ON TOP OF OUR NETWORK AND SO WE'RE REACHING MORE COMMUNITY MEMBERS, THINGS LIKE THAT, MAYBE.
UM, AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT CITY COUNCIL DOES COME TO THESE THINGS THAT THEY SHOW THEIR SUPPORT.
UM, BECAUSE DO WE NEED THEM THERE? IT'D BE NICE.
BUT IN THE END, LIKE, YOU KNOW, UM, THEY TOUCHED ON LIKE FOOD SOVEREIGNTY AND FOOD, FOOD SWAMPS.
AND IF WE COME UP WITH A RECOMMENDATION FOR THE CITY, UM, ON HOW TO MAYBE HANDLE ONE OF THOSE SUBJECTS,
[00:35:01]
AT LEAST SOMEONE FROM COUNCIL MIGHT KNOW WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BECAUSE THEY WERE THERE.YOU KNOW? SO I THINK ON THAT END, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE ENCOURAGE A MEMBER OR A FEW MEMBERS, YOU KNOW, TO BE PRESENT AND TO BE A PART.
AND THEN TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MEET THE CONSTITUENTS NEEDS, YOU KNOW, THE PEOPLE IN THE CITY.
UM, WHAT CAN WE DO? WE CAN TAKE POLLS ON FACEBOOK, WE CAN USE SOCIAL MEDIA.
WE CAN JUST BE CREATIVE AND FINDING WAYS, YOU KNOW, LIKE, YOU KNOW, ERIC WAS SAYING, GETTING OUT THERE AND WORKING ONE-ON-ONE WITH PEOPLE, FIGURING OUT WHAT DO THEY CARE ABOUT? WHAT WOULD THEY LIKE TO SEE INFORMATION ON? AND THEN TAKE IT BACK TO THE HIGH SCHOOL, TAKE IT BACK TO THE LIBRARY EVEN.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND, AND I DON'T KNOW.
I THINK WE NEED TO CAPTURE THESE IDEAS, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY THESE IDEAS THAT WE HAVEN'T IMPLEMENTED BEFORE.
'CAUSE I THINK WE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT, RIGHT? WE WANT TO INCREASE THESE NUMBERS.
'CAUSE WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING AT THIS POINT HASN'T BEEN WORKING.
SO, UM, YEAH, DEFINITELY UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE COMMUNITY NEEDS AND WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
HOPEFULLY THAT WILL DRIVE, YOU KNOW, LEAD TO, UM, MORE SUPPORT IF WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THESE TYPES OF FORMS IN THE FUTURE.
WE GOOD ON THE RULE? I, I, I HAVE ONE THING.
I, UM, DO WANT US TO REMEMBER THAT CITY COUNCIL REPRESENTS THEIR CONSTITUENTS AND THAT PART OF THEIR ROLE IS TO BE ON THE PULSE OF WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THEIR WARDS AND THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
AND IF THAT CONNECTION IS THERE, THEN THEY SHOULD UNDERSTAND WHAT THE NEEDS ARE OF THE PEOPLE IN OUR CITY.
I THINK THAT, UM, WE HAVE DONE WHAT WE CAN DO AS A NINE MEMBER COMMISSION IN, YOU KNOW, PROMOTING.
WE'RE STARTING TO FORM MORE PARTNERSHIPS WITH PEOPLE SO THAT THEY CAN ASSIST AND WE CAN GET THE WORD OUT MORE.
UM, BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT WE NEED MORE THAN US.
WE NEED, UM, WE DO NEED THE BACKING OF, UM, LEADERSHIP OF EVERYBODY IN OUR COMMUNITY TO HELP GET THE WORD OUT.
BECAUSE IF WE'RE ALL VESTED, YOU PUT YOUR ENERGY INTO WHAT YOU'RE VESTED IN.
SO IF YOU'RE VESTED IN IT, THEN YOU'LL SHOW UP.
IF IT MATTERS TO YOU, THEN YOU'LL SHOW UP AND YOU'LL HELP PROMOTE.
SO I JUST WANNA SAY THAT BECAUSE I WANT US TO REMEMBER THAT, UM, WE ARE A COMMISSION AND WE DO, I MEAN, WE CONNECT WITH THE CITY, BUT ULTIMATELY CITY COUNCIL REPRESENTS THEIR CONSTITUENTS.
UH, NO COMMENTS ON THE, UH, ADDITIONAL FORM.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE, THE, UH, CULMINATION, I GUESS THE GRAND FINALE, THE MULTICULTURAL FESTIVAL THAT WE HAD THAT SATURDAY.
UM, AGAIN, IT'S BEEN A WHILE, BUT I THOUGHT, I THOUGHT IT WAS, I DUNNO IF IT WAS, I DUNNO IF THE NUMBERS WERE MAYBE COMPARABLE TO WHAT WE HAD BEFORE.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WE HAD MORE NUMBERS.
THEY, THEY SEEMED TO BE SOMEWHAT COMPARABLE, BUT, UM, BUT AGAIN, LIKE I SAID, LOOKS LIKE IT WAS FAIRLY WELL ATTENDED.
UM, DON'T KNOW HOW THE VENDORS DID.
WELL, ANYBODY CAN SPEAK TO HOW WELL THE VENDORS DID.
THEY DID WELL, THEY SAID YEAH, ALL OF THEM SAID THEY DID.
WELL, SOME SOLD OUT OF EVERYTHING.
MOST ALL VENDORS DID WELL, MOST SOLD OUT OF EVERYTHING.
SO I THINK THE VENDORS WERE HAPPY.
UM, AND THE SETUP FOR MULTICULTURAL, DID WE DO THE CAR BEHIND THE, THE CAR BEHIND THE BOOTH, RIGHT.
SET UP LIKE THE FARMER MARKET.
SO I THINK BEING SET UP LIKE THE FARMER'S MARKET WAS ALSO GOOD FOR THEM BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE PARKING.
AND I KNOW THEY LIKED THAT BECAUSE THEY WERE ABLE TO PARK THEIR VEHICLE BEHIND THEIR BOOTH.
SO THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING FOR YOU ALL TO CONSIDER FOR NEXT YEAR.
SETTING IT UP LIKE FARMER'S MARKET.
AGAIN, I, I THOUGHT IT WAS, I THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD EVENT.
UM, I ASSUME THAT MOST, MOST OF THE FOLKS THAT ATTENDED ENJOYED IT.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GOT ANY FEEDBACK FROM FOLKS THAT ATTENDED IT, WHAT THEIR THOUGHTS WERE ON, BUT AGAIN, WE HAD, YOU KNOW, A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT ACTS THAT WERE THERE AT THE, AT THE, UH, EVENT.
UM, SO I, THERE'S NOTHING THAT I CAN
[00:40:01]
AT LEAST THINK OF RIGHT NOW THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, WERE ANY ISSUES THAT I COULD THINK OF.BUT I DON'T KNOW, I'LL JUST KINDA OPEN IT UP.
JUST GENERAL OBSERVATIONS FROM THE, FROM THE GROUP HERE.
WHAT WENT WELL? WHAT, WHAT WENT POORLY OR WHAT WE NEED TO CHANGE SORRY.
ONE THING, UM, THAT I, I DID HEAR FROM COUNSEL WAS THAT THERE WASN'T ENOUGH REPRESENTATION.
UM, THEY WERE EXPECTING MORE REPRESENTATION FROM DIFFERENT CULTURES.
SO I KNOW THAT WE SENT OUT A LOT OF EMAILS.
AND I THINK TARA AND OR CARLA, WE WERE ALL KIND OF WORKING THAT, BUT I KNOW WE SENT OUT A LOT OF EMAILS TO DIFFERENT CULTURAL GROUPS.
SO THAT MAY BE SOMETHING THAT YOU WANNA START NOW, BECAUSE WITH THE WORLD AFFAIR COMING UP, WE WERE IN COMPETITION WITH THAT EVENT AND A LOT OF THEM DIDN'T WANT TO PERFORM AT THE CULTURAL FESTIVAL BECAUSE THEY WERE TIED TO THE WORLD AFFAIRS.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING YOU'LL WANT TO DO EARLY, IS START REACHING OUT TO THOSE CULTURAL GROUPS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO BE AT THE MULTICULTURAL FESTIVAL.
UM, MR. CHAIR, MAY I ASK A QUESTION? DID THEY SPECIFY WHAT CULTURES? NO, I THINK THERE WAS, I THINK THERE WAS SOMETHING MENTIONED ABOUT, UM, OKAY, IS IT HISPANIC OR MEX MEXICAN? BUT I MEAN, THERE'S SO MANY, THERE'S SO MANY CULTURES AND WE HAVE TO CONSIDER THE CULTURES IN THIS COMMUNITY.
SO MAYBE TAKING A CLOSER LOOK AT THE CULTURES THAT ARE REPRESENTED IN THE HUBER HEIGHTS COMMUNITY AND REACHING OUT TO THOSE SPECIFIC CULTURES.
I KNOW THERE'S A GROWING AFRICAN CULTURE HERE, UM, HISPANIC.
YOU KNOW, JUST MAYBE IDENTIFY FIVE OR SIX CULTURES THAT YOU THINK ARE PREDOMINANT HERE IN THE HUBER HEIGHTS COMMUNITY AND REACH OUT TO THOSE CULTURES.
BECAUSE I DON'T THINK IT MAKES SENSE TO HAVE CULTURES THAT MAY NOT BE REPRESENTED HERE UNLESS MAYBE THERE'S A CULTURE THAT YOU THINK MAY BE IN THE MINORITY THAT YOU WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT FOR SOME REASON.
BUT THAT WAS, THAT WAS THE, UH, THAT WAS SORT OF WHAT I HEARD THROUGH THE RUMOR MILL.
NOW, THE OTHER THING THAT I ALSO THINK IS THAT, YES, WE DID HAVE A LOT OF, WE HAD A LOT OF SOUL FOOD, RIGHT? BUT ALSO WE CAN'T HELP THE PEOPLE THAT RESPOND TO THE ADVERTISEMENT.
SO IF YOU HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT COOK SOUL FOOD THAT WANT TO COME AND SELL THEIR SOUL FOOD, THAT'S A GREAT THING.
BUT I THINK AT SOME POINT WE HAVE TO CUT IT OFF AND SAY WE'VE GOT ENOUGH SOUL FOOD,
BUT WE DID MAKE THE ATTEMPT RIGHT.
WE REACHED OUT TO A VARIETY OF, UM, WE, WE DID ALL WE COULD DO.
AND THIS GOES BACK TO THEM PROVIDING FEEDBACK TO US.
IF THEY ARE AWARE OF CERTAIN CO ETHIC GROUPS MM-HMM.
RIGHT, BECAUSE THAT, THAT IS WHAT I ASKED ONE OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I DID SAY, OH, WELL YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, DID YOU REACH OUT TO THEM? OH NO, I DIDN'T REACH OUT TO THEM.
SO IT'S A PARTNERSHIP AS YOU ALL HAVE STATED NUMEROUS TIMES.
SO, BUT I WANTED TO JUST THROW THAT OUT THERE.
I WOULD LIKE, UM, IT NOTED, AND SARAH, PLEASE TAKE THIS BACK TO CITY COUNCIL AS WELL.
I INVITE ALL CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO PLEASE BE A PART OF OUR PLANNING MEETINGS, GOING FORTH FOR FUTURE ENDEAVORS SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE DIVERSE REPRESENTATION.
THAT'S WHAT WE NEED FROM CITY COUNCIL.
IF THEY HAVE A RECOMMENDATION, IF WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH CULTURES REPRESENTED, I WOULD LIKE FOR THEM TO BE PRESENT TO AT THE MEETINGS, TO SHARE THAT, TO SHARE THEIR CONNECTIONS, THEIR NETWORK, THEIR RESOURCES AND GET INVOLVED WITH THIS.
ALRIGHT, UH, ANY OTHER COMMENTS? UM, IN REGARDS TO THE MULTICULTURAL FESTIVAL FOR ME, ONE ALL SOUNDS GOOD.
ALRIGHT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA, UH, WITH THE INTERIM CHAIR HERE.
DO I JUST TURN THE GAVEL BACK OVER TO YOU? I MEAN, YOU'RE HERE NOW, SO I GOT IT.
[00:45:01]
THOUGH.OKAY, SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT, NEXT TOPIC.
IT'S THE, UH, DIVERSITY TRAINING, UH, STATUS.
UH, SO SARAH, NOT SURE IF YOU COULD MAYBE GIVE US AN UPDATE ON, OR A ADAM, RIGHT? I'M SORRY, YOUR LAST NAME IS ADAM.
WHAT'S THE LAST NAME? ADAMS. SEE, SEE YOU GOT THOSE TWO FIRST THINGS, MAN.
UM, SO I HAPPENED TO SPEAK WITH OUR HR DIRECTOR, SO, UM, I KNOW THAT WAS ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT, UH, THE COMMITTEE HAD PASSED ON, UH, UM, OUT OF YOUR GUYS' COMMITTEE THROUGH, UH, COUNCIL, UH, TO GET MORE DIVERSE TRAINING FOR, UH, CURRENT STAFF, FUTURE STAFF, AND THEN FUTURE TRAINING, UH, ON THAT DIVERSE TRAINING.
SO AS OF RIGHT NOW, THOSE NUMBERS, UM, FOR TOTAL STAFF THAT HAVE ACTUALLY PARTICIPATED IN DIVERSE TRAINING IS STILL BEING RAN THROUGH HR DIRECTOR RIGHT NOW.
SO I'M HOPEFUL MAYBE BY THE NEXT MONTH, MAYBE THE NEXT MEETING WE CAN ACTUALLY HAVE THOSE NUMBERS.
AND THEN I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE YOUR PRESENTATION FOR COUNCIL COMING UP OCTOBER THE THIRD, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, AT A WORK SESSION.
SO WE CAN SAY THAT THOSE, HOPEFULLY THOSE NUMBERS WILL BE PRESENTED AT THAT ACTUAL MEETING AS WELL.
SO I'M HOPEFUL THAT THEY'LL BE READY BY NEXT MONTH.
WHEN WAS THAT? CAN YOU REMIND US WHEN THAT TRAINING TOOK PLACE? NO IDEA.
UM, BUT I CAN, I CAN DOUBLE SO I CAN DOUBLE CHECK.
I'M JUST, HAS IT BEEN A YEAR? YEAH.
IT WAS LATE NOVEMBER, DECEMBER.
SO THAT I'M ASSUMING MEANS THAT WE'RE NOT TRACK THAT THE CITY HAS NOT BEEN TRACKING THOSE NUMBERS SINCE WE DO NOT HAVE THAT DATA.
I CAN'T SAY THAT, BUT I'M GONNA GO THAT THOSE NUMBERS WERE TRACKED IF WE'RE SAYING THAT THE HR DIRECTOR HAS THEM.
SO I WON'T, I WON'T SAY THAT, BUT I'M GONNA SAY THAT.
I ASSUME BY YOU, YOU, YOU WERE TRACKING THE, THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS THAT YES.
TRAINING, WRITING THE TRAINING, RIGHT? YES.
SO, AND SARAH CAN KIND OF BACKED ME UP.
I'M NOT FOR SURE, BUT IF MY UNDERSTANDING WAS, YOU KNOW, THE, THERE WAS A LINK THAT WENT OUT OR THERE WAS AN EMAIL THAT WENT OUT THAT, UM, UH, STAFF WOULD ATTEND THESE MEETINGS AT DIFFERENT LOCATIONS, THEN FROM THERE, IF THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO ACTUALLY MAKE IT TO THESE LOCATIONS, THEN THEY WOULD ACTUALLY THEN GO TO A LINK TO THEN DO THE TRAINING VIA THE LINK.
UM, AND IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, I THINK THERE WAS A SIGNUP LIST AT THESE SITES.
SO, AND, AND IN REALITY, I THINK THAT WAS, UM, THE TRACKING PROCESS AND OBVIOUSLY THAT WAS KIND OF DID THROUGH, UM, EACH DEPARTMENT SUPERVISOR.
UM, AND I'M NOT TRYING TO MISSPEAK BECAUSE I WASN'T HERE AT THE TIME AND I'M STILL TRYING TO GET ALL THAT INFORMATION, BUT, UM, I'LL DEFINITELY HAVE IT BY THE NEXT MEETING.
THANK YOU MR. ADAMS. NO PROBLEM.
UM, WE WERE GONNA CHECK, I THINK ON THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE, THE NUMBER OF STAFF WHO ACTUALLY ATTENDED THE TRAINING, DID NOT ATTEND THE TRAINING, WHAT THE NEXT STEPS WERE FOR THOSE WHO DID NOT ATTEND THE TRAINING SINCE IT WAS A REQUIRED TRAINING FOR STAFF AND COMMISSION.
UM, SO THAT'S WHAT WE NEED AN UPDATE ON.
WHAT ARE, WHAT ARE THOSE NEXT STEPS FOR THOSE WHO DID NOT ATTEND? AND THAT'S BEEN NINE MONTHS.
AND IS THIS GOING TO BE A, UM, A ONGOING MANDATORY YEARLY TRAINING? WHAT IS THE STATUS OF THAT? SO THAT, SO THAT LAST QUESTION, I'M NOT FOR SURE, BUT ALSO AGAIN, YEAH.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A NEW CITY MANAGER COMING THROUGH, STARTING, UH, NEXT MONDAY.
UM, I'M HOPEFUL WE CAN KIND OF, UH, PUSH THAT AS WELL FOR ALL EMPLOYEE, ALL STAFF, EMPLOYEES AS WELL AS BOARDS, UM, TO KIND OF CONTINUE THAT TRAINING.
OBVIOUSLY WE'RE COMING UP ON THAT YEAR STATUS FROM THE LAST ONE.
[00:50:01]
DEFINITELY I DON'T SEE ANY REASONS WHY THAT COULDN'T CONTINUE TO, UH, BE PROCESSED AND PUSHED THROUGH, UH, THE BOARDS AND STAFF AS WELL.YEAH, WE HAD SOME FEEDBACK ON THE LAST TRAINING.
I THINK WE OFFERED THAT UP ABOUT WHEN THE TRAINING OCCURRED, UM, BECAUSE IT WAS COMBINED WITH WHAT WASN'T COMBINED WITH HARASSMENT, HARASSMENT, HARASSMENT.
UM, AND SO THE TWO TOGETHER CAN BECOME CONVOLUTED AND WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DIVERSITY TRAINING, IT'S SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE POINTED, POINTEDLY ADDRESSED, AND SOME A TRAINING THAT SHOULD BE MORE INTERACTIVE AND EXPERIENTIAL.
SO ALTHOUGH WE DID OFFER THE TRAINING, I THINK IT'S A GREAT FIRST STEP.
UM, BUT I THINK THAT WE NEED TO EVALUATE HOW TO IMPROVE THINGS FOR THE NEXT TIME THAT WE OFFER THE TRAINING.
AND THEN, AND THE COMMISSION IS HERE AS A RESOURCE FOR THAT ALSO, YOU KNOW, TO GIVE INSIGHT FEEDBACK.
I, I GUESS I'D ALSO ASK, WAS IT THE COMMISSIONS, WERE YOU GUYS ALSO A PART OF FIGURING OUT WHO WOULD LEAD IN THAT DIVERSITY TRAINING OR WAS IT ALL CITY APPOINTED? THAT WAS CITY.
YEAH, WE DIDN'T, UM, WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY SAY IN THAT.
WE WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THAT PROCESS.
MAY I ASK A QUESTION? UM, I THINK I HAVE THE GIST OF, OF WHAT THE DIVERSITY TRAINING IS.
UM, BUT WHAT WAS THIS OCTOBER 3RD DATE? IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN? THE OCTOBER 3RD IS THE NEXT, UH, I, I THINK THE NEXT AND THE LAST PRESENTATION FOR THE COMMITTEE TO PRESENT TO COUNCIL ON ANY RECOMMENDATIONS AND UPDATES.
SO EACH BOARD AND COMMISSION GOES IN FRONT OF COUNCIL AS JUST KIND OF A REPORT.
THERE ARE SOME THAT ONLY GO ONCE A YEAR AND THE MORE ACTIVE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS GO, UH, TYPICALLY THREE TIMES A YEAR.
SO THEY JUST KIND OF UPDATE ON WHAT THEIR ACTIVITIES ARE, WHAT THEIR NEEDS ARE, THOSE TYPE OF THINGS.
SO THANKS FOR ASKING THAT QUESTION.
WE DO PRESENT QUARTERLY TO CITY COUNCIL AND THAT IS OUR OPPORTUNITY TO SUBMIT ANY FORMAL RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE HAVE FROM THE COMMISSION TO GET ANY INSIGHT, JUST TO COMMUNICATE BASICALLY.
SO WE DO HAVE A MEETING COMING UP OCTOBER 3RD AT 6:00 PM AT THE WORK SESSION, PULLING UP MY NOTES.
SO, UM, OCTOBER 3RD WE WILL MEET WITH CITY COUNCIL.
AND IN TERMS OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS, THE COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION UPDATE, WE HAVE THAT AS AN AGENDA ITEM.
SIR, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANTED TO SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THAT.
I THOUGHT WE WERE GONNA HAVE A, THE RECOMMENDATIONS PRINTED OUT WITH OUR AGENDA, BUT WE HAVE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS STILL ON THE TABLE WITH CITY COUNCIL FROM JANUARY AND SOME ALSO FROM, WHAT IS THIS? 20 23, 20 22
SO I, I WILL SAY, UM, SO SARAH, I THINK IT'S SARAH, JEFF AND TONY ARE GONNA MEET TO REVIEW THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS.
I'LL LET, I'LL GIVE YOU THE FLOOR AND LET YOU TALK ABOUT THAT.
[00:55:01]
UM, JEFFREY AND I HAVE MET WITH TONY ABOUT THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND THE PROCESS MOVING FORWARD.SOME OF THEM ARE, UM, CURRENTLY IN THE HANDS OF STAFF.
SO JUST AS A, A QUICK LITTLE UPDATE AS WHAT WE WERE WORKING ON THIS WEEK.
UM, ANYTHING RELATED TO THE WEBSITE AND THOSE SUGGESTIONS, THOSE ARE KIND OF IN MY PURVIEW RIGHT NOW.
WE'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH A WEBSITE REDESIGN THIS YEAR, SO IT'S GOING TO BE, UH, A NEW LOOK, UM, STARTING JANUARY OF NEXT YEAR.
SO A LOT OF THESE RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, RELATED TO THE WEBSITE AND HOW IT NEEDS TO BE REFLECTIVE OF THE CITY AND ITS RESIDENTS, AND ALL OF THAT IS BEING TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION WITH THE REBRAND.
UM, AS WELL AS LIKE THE ACCESSIBILITY AND THE LANGUAGE.
THOSE WERE KIND OF THE THREE BIG PIECES TO, UM, THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT YOU GUYS HAD MADE TOWARDS THE WEBSITE.
SO THAT IS BEING WORKED ON AND IN THE HANDS OF STAFF.
UM, THE C C R V, UH, JEFFREY AND I KIND OF WENT BACK AND, AND RED DUG THROUGH THE WHOLE PROCESS AND I KNOW THAT, UM, ERIC WAS ALSO INVOLVED IN A CONVERSATION AND JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHOSE COURT IT WAS IN.
SO, UM, ONE OF THE, THE BIG THINGS IS, IS THAT YOU GUYS HAVE APPROVED THE PROCESS.
UM, YOU GUYS HAVE MADE THE MOTION AND ALL OF THAT, THAT WAS IN APRIL, IS THAT RIGHT? UM, OF THIS PAST YEAR.
SO THE NEXT STEP IS TO ACTUALLY DO A FORMAL A, WHAT IS IT? A FORM.
SO, SO AGAIN, JUST ADDING ON THAT.
SO FROM MY UNDERSTANDING IS WHAT MR. ROGERS HAS TOLD US, THE FORMAL REQUEST OR THE FORMAL RECOMMENDATION WILL COME, UH, OCTOBER THE THIRD IN THAT WORK SESSION.
THAT WOULD BE THE FORMAL REQUEST TO SUBMIT THAT, UH, TO SUBMIT THAT BOARD TO COUNCIL TO MOVE THAT FORWARD.
UM, MEANING THAT THEY WOULD ACTUALLY CREATE LEGISLATION AND ADOPT THE PROCESS.
SO, SO WHAT WAS THE, I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T MEAN TO CUT YOU OFF, BUT WHAT WAS THE DIFFERENCE IN, IF I RECALL RIGHT, EARLIER IN THE YEAR? YOU KNOW, I THINK I WAS, I GUESS I WAS THE ONE THAT PRESENTED THE FIVE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE, TO CITY COUNCIL.
SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT WASN'T A FORMAL REQUEST FOR THEM TO AT LEAST TAKE IT BACK TO BE HEARD AT SOME POINT TO MAKE A DECISION.
I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE, BECAUSE THIS IS ANOTHER WORK SESSION THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE, RIGHT? CORRECT.
SO WE, WE PRESENTED WITH THE, WE PRESENTED THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS ALL INCLUDING C C R B, RIGHT? THAT WAS PRESENTED EARLIER IN THE YEAR.
SO JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND
SO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS WE KIND OF HAVE TO JUST TAKE A STEP BACK AND IF YOU GUYS WANT TO, YOU KNOW, JUST KIND OF REGATHER YOUR THOUGHTS AND THEN ACTUALLY DO A FORMAL PRESENTATION TO THEM AND SAY, OUR RECOMMENDATION IS THIS, WE'RE PRESENTING ALL OF THIS INFORMATION, WE WOULD UPLOAD IT AS A FORMAL, FORMAL DOCUMENT SO THAT COUNSEL HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THAT, AND THEN THEY WOULD TAKE ANOTHER WORK SESSION TO ACTUALLY HAVE THAT FORMAL DISCUSSION TO THEN MOVE IT TO A COUNCIL MEETING FOR ADOPTION.
SO THERE, IT HAS TO GO THROUGH THE LEGISLATION PROCESS.
DID SOMETHING CHANGE, I GUESS I KNOW WHEN I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH THE, SO IF, YEAH, SO SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, I MEAN, IT'S BEEN SEVERAL MONTHS AND HE SAID, OH YEAH, WELL, UH, NEXT OR WITHIN THE NEXT WORK SESSION OR TWO, WE'LL BRING IT WORK SESSION OR CITY COUNCIL MEETING, WE'LL BRING IT FORWARD AND MAKE A DECISION.
I, I WASN'T IN SCHOOL AT THE TIME, BUT THERE WAS, UM, A NEED TO BRING IT BACK AGAIN TO CITY COUNCIL FOR A FORMAL REQUEST.
SO, UM, I'M GUESSING MR. ROGERS IS TELLING ME, I DON'T KNOW IF SARAH WAS THERE AS WELL.
I GUESS HE'S PLANNING ON RE REWRITING, UH, THE RECOMMENDATION PROCESS, UM, FOR ALL COMMITTEES MOVING FORWARD.
SO HOW RECOMMENDATIONS WILL LEAVE, UH, EACH COMMITTEE WILL BE, I GUESS, UNIFORM AND IT WON'T BE AS AMBIGUOUS TO HOW, UH, THINGS END UP ON COUNCIL'S, UH, UH, WATCH, UM, WHEN IT COMES THROUGH WORK SESSION AND EVENTUALLY IF THEY VOTE ON TO APPROVE IT, LEGISLATION AND ALL THAT PROCESS.
UM, AGAIN, I FIGURE ME, SARAH AND TONY WILL PROBABLY MEET WELL BEFORE THAT, UH, OCTOBER 3RD TO KIND OF GO THROUGH, UH, THE, THE, THE INS AND OUTS OF HOW THAT'LL LOOK LIKE.
AND THEN OBVIOUSLY I THEN WILL PASS THAT ON TO, UH, THE COMMITTEE GOING FORWARD ON ANY, ANY NEW
[01:00:01]
ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS.AND I'M, AGAIN, I UNDERSTAND THE, I DON'T WANNA CALL IT I GUESS THE LOSS OR BEING LOST WITHIN THE PROCESS.
OBVIOUSLY YOU SAYING THAT YOU SPOKE WITH THE MAYOR AND, AND HOW, YOU KNOW, YOU FELT LIKE IT WAS KIND OF DONE AND THEN YOU WERE JUST MORE OR LESS WAITING ON THE PROCESS, UM, YOU DONE IN TERMS OF WHAT OUR PART, RIGHT? CORRECT.
AND THEN I'M SORRY TO CUT YOU, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, ME COMING IN TRYING TO UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHERE IT WAS, LIKE WHERE IT WAS, WHERE, YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS HAD IT THEN APPARENTLY GOT KICKED BACK AND THEN THE IDEA OF LIKE, DID YOU GUYS EVEN VOTE ON IT? BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I THINK IT WAS JUST A MISCOMMUNICATION OF WHERE THE PROCESS KIND OF LEFT IT OFF.
AND AGAIN, GOING FORWARD, MR. ROGERS IS TRYING TO MAKE A, A PATH WHERE, EXCUSE ME, THESE, I GUESS THESE SITUATIONS DON'T HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE AND IT'S A MORE LIKE, HEY, YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS BRING SOMETHING OUTTA THE COMMITTEE, OUTTA YOUR GUYS' COMMITTEE AND THEN IT'S OKAY, HEY, IT'S IN THE SITE OF COUNCIL MOVING FORWARD QUICKER.
RATHER THAN, I GUESS IN THIS SENSE, YOU GUYS COME WITH A QUARTERLY MEETING AND THEN YOU PRESENT YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS THERE.
AND THEN OBVIOUSLY IN THAT SENSE IT SHOULD BE BASICALLY AFTER THAT MEETING, A PRESENTATION DONE AND THEN IT WOULD GO TO A VOTE FOR A NEXT WORK SESSION TO BE VOTED ON.
UM, SO THE IDEA OF GOING FORWARD IS KIND OF MAKE THAT A LITTLE BIT EASIER FOR THE, UH, COMMITTEES MOVING FORWARD.
SO YOU'RE SAYING THE REASONS WHY OR THE REASON WHY THE, I MEAN, JUST ASIDE FROM THE, THE RECOMMENDATION ON THE C C R B, RIGHT? THERE WERE MULTIPLE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WERE MADE.
ARE YOU SAYING THE REASON WHY IT'S BEEN HELD UP OVER THE LAST, I DUNNO, SIX MONTHS OR MORE, IS BECAUSE THERE WASN'T A FORMAL PROCESS IN PLACE TO THESE APPROVED, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? OR, OR FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, IT JUST DIDN'T, IT, IT, IT WAS CONFUSING JUST TO BE, I MEAN, AS FRANK AS, AS I CAN UNDERSTAND IT FROM WHAT THE, THE INFORMATION THAT I WAS GETTING, UM, IT, IT SEEMED TO BE CONFUSING IN A SENSE.
AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT EITHER, YOU KNOW, SOMEWHERE IN THE MIX SOMEBODY DROPPED THE BALL, BUT I MEAN, I'M JUST KIND OF BEING AS FRANK AS I CAN POSSIBLY BE ABOUT THE SITU, I'M SORRY, CONFUSING FOR WHO? OR EITHER, EITHER IF IT WAS YOU GUYS OR EITHER IF IT WAS THE COUNCIL OR STAFF.
UM, AND, AND, AND THAT'S WHY I WAS TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING WAS SQUARE TO BEGIN WITH.
UM, JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE LANGUAGE JUST ABOUT THIS BOARD COME OR THIS APPEALS BOARD COMING OUT.
BUT LIKE WHAT MR. ROGERS SAID, I GUESS THE IDEA GOING FORWARD IS KIND OF MAKING IT E SIMPLER WHERE I GUESS IN THIS SITUATION THINGS LIKE THIS WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN WHEN RECOMMENDATIONS COME OUT ON UH, COMMITTEE.
BUT AGAIN, I'M HOPEFUL BEFORE THE 3RD OF OCTOBER, ME, SARAH, UM, AND ANTONIO KIND OF COME TO AN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THE NEW PROCESS WILL MOVE FORWARD.
AND I'LL PASS THAT ALONG TO YOU GUYS.
OH, AHEAD OF THE THIRD CORRECT.
MEETING IN TERMS OF WHAT, WHAT WE NEED TO YEAH.
PRESENT AND HOW IT NEEDS TO BE PRESENTED OR WHAT HAVE YOU, IS THAT WHAT WE'RE SAYING? RIGHT.
WELL, I'M SORRY FOR, FOR ANY NEW RECOMMENDATIONS, SO UNDERSTANDING THAT YOU GUYS HAVE YOUR CURRENT RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT ANY FUTURE RECOMMENDATIONS, THE PROCESS WILL THEN BE EASIER FOR YOU GUYS.
ONE, HAVE A RECOMMENDATION AND COMMITTEE AND THEN PASS THAT OUT OF COMMITTEE AND MAKING IT EASIER FOR, HEY, YOU GUYS ALL APPROVE THE RECOMMENDATION AND A COMMITTEE, THEN IT MOVES SOME, AGAIN, SOME WAY OUT OF COMMITTEE AND THEN ONTO THE SITE OF COUNCIL.
SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT FUTURE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE HAVEN'T MADE.
SO WHAT ABOUT THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT, THAT HAVE BEEN ALREADY SUBMITTED OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS? WHAT'S, HOW IS THAT BEING ADDRESSED THEN? I WANNA MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I THINK WE'RE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND, RIGHT? WE'VE, WE'VE MADE A NUMBER OF RECOMMENDATIONS AND NOT SURE IF IT'S BECAUSE IT JUST HASN'T BEEN A PRIORITY OR BECAUSE OF, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE REASONS ARE.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND, WHAT'S BEEN THE, THE REASON FOR NOT GETTING ANY SORT OF FEEDBACK.
SO AGAIN, THAT'S WHERE WHEN WE MEET WITH TONY, WE'RE GONNA GO THROUGH AND WE'RE GONNA FIND OUT THE STATUS OF WHAT'S WHAT AND WHERE'S WHERE AND ALL OF THAT.
SO WE WILL HAVE ANSWERS FOR YOU SOONER THAN LATER.
SO FROM THIS, LET ME JUST, CAN I, ON OCTOBER 3RD, THE THE SEVEN PLUS RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE ALREADY HAVE, WE WILL GET A DECISION ON THAT DAY
[01:05:01]
OF WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN WITH THEM.NO, WE WILL FIND OUT WHERE THINGS ARE PRIOR TO THAT SO THAT WHEN YOU GO ON OCTOBER 3RD, YOU WILL KNOW SPECIFICALLY EITHER TO HAVE A FORMAL WRITE UP, HERE IS OUR C C R B, THIS IS HOW WE'RE GONNA DO IT, AND WE WANT YOU TO REVIEW THIS AND PASS THIS.
I, I'M JUST KIND OF THROWING OUT YOU MEAN WE GENERAL, I, I GUESS WHAT I'M SAYING IS, SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT C C R B.
I GUESS THE, THE QUESTION IS THOUGH, ARE THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE, THAT'S BEEN SUBMITTED TO THIS POINT, ARE YOU SAYING YOU GONNA, BEFORE THEN YOU'RE GONNA GIVE US A STATUS AS TO, 'CAUSE MY UNDERSTANDING IS NONE OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED AT A WORK SESSION, RIGHT? THE CITY COUNCIL HAS NOT DISCUSSED, HAD ANY DISCUSSION ON THOSE TOPICS OR THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS.
IS THAT, WOULD THAT BE CORRECT? SO I THINK THE FIRST QUESTION IS, WELL, BECAUSE YOU'RE SAYING YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A STATUS, SO IT SOUNDS LIKE IT JUST HASN'T EVEN GOT TO THAT POINT.
RIGHT? WE MADE THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND THEY JUST SAT THERE WITH SOMEONE.
WHETHER THAT'S WITH TONY OR WITH, AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW TO WHAT.
AND THAT'S WHY THAT MEETING YOU UNDERSTAND WHY IT'S BEEN SITTING THERE WITH NO ACTION, NO ACTION, RIGHT? CORRECT.
I MEAN, JUST NEED TO UNDERSTAND.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW FIRST, RIGHT.
UM, BECAUSE I THINK WE'VE DONE OUR PART RIGHT IN TERMS OF SUBMITTING THE RECOMMENDATIONS TO BRING, WELL THE BOARD, CITY COUNCIL, RIGHT.
AND AGAIN, SOME ARE STAFF MM-HMM.
AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE GONNA MEET WITH TONY TO TO HONE IN EVERYTHING AND GET FIRM ANSWERS FOR EVERYTHING.
SO BEFORE THE THIRD FOR THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE ALREADY HAVE, WE WILL KNOW WHERE THEY ARE AND WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN ON THE THIRD WITH THOSE THINGS, CORRECT? CORRECT.
WHETHER IT'S US OR STAFF OR COUNSEL OR WHOEVER, WE'LL KNOW SOMETHING FOR ALL OF THE PREVIOUS RECOMMENDATIONS, CORRECT? CORRECT.
BUT YOU'LL ALSO DURING YOUR MEETING, FIGURE OUT FUTURE PROCESS FOR FUTURE RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO THAT IT IS DOCUMENTED AND EVERYBODY IS CLEAR AS PIE.
SO WHAT'S BEEN THE PROCESS THUS FAR THEN? YEAH, SO I THINK SARAH MENTIONED EARLIER ABOUT THE WEBSITE.
I KNOW THAT WAS SOMETHING ABOUT RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE WEBSITE.
AND THEN SARAH, WAS IT DECEMBER, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, WITH THE NEW OR THE BEGINNING OF NEXT YEAR WITH THE WEBSITE CHANGES.
UM, AND THEN I DON'T HAVE THE NECESSARY RECOMMENDATIONS IN FRONT OF ME.
NO, SHE JUST MEANS THE PROCESS, LIKE, 'CAUSE THE PROCESS BEFORE.
SO WE WOULD MAKE A RECOMMENDATION, SAY IN 2021 WE MADE A RECOMMENDATION.
SO, SO FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, FROM WHAT MR. ROGERS TOLD ME, THE RECOMMENDATION PROCESS GOES BECAUSE YOU GUYS ARE MORE OF A ACTIVE COMMITTEE.
THE RECOMMENDATIONS, I GUESS, IN THEORY WERE SUPPOSED TO COME OUT WHEN YOU GUYS CAME TO COUNCIL AND YOU GUYS PRESENTED AND WOULD PRESENT AND GIVE UPDATES, AND THEN ALSO WOULD HAVE RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING YOUR COMMITTEE THAT YOU WANTED TO PUSH OUT OUT OF COMMITTEE.
EITHER IT WAS COUNCIL, COUNCIL NEEDED IMPROVEMENT, OR IT WAS STAFF, UH, IMPROVEMENT, LIKE THE BASIS OF, UH, FOR INSTANCE, THE DIVERSITY TRAINING.
UMM, I FIGURED THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT O OBVIOUSLY CAME OUTTA COUNCIL, YOU GUYS VOTED ON IT AND THEN IT GOT PUSHED OUT OF, OUT OF COMMITTEE ONTO THE INTERIM CITY MANAGER AT ONE POINT OR ANOTHER.
IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT PROCESS NECESSARILY GOT OFF THE GROUND.
DO YOU GUYS RECALL WHEN THAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED? I BELIEVE YOU SAID IT WAS NINE MONTHS AGO, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.
SO, SO FOR HOWEVER THE DIVERSITY TRAINING GOT OUT OF THIS COMMITTEE AS A RECOMMENDATION FOR, UH, CITY EMPLOYEES AND BOARD MEMBERS, UM, I'M, I'M NOT FOR SURE HOW THAT GOT OUT.
DO YOU GUYS RECALL HOW THAT GOT OUT INTO THE, INTO, INTO THE EAR OF THE INTERIM CITY MANAGER? THE PROCESS? THIS WILL BE THE THIRD TIME THAT THE PROCESS HAS CHANGED.
INITIALLY IT WAS, WE SUBMITTED RECOMMENDATIONS IN WRITING THROUGH OUR LIAISON.
THE LIAISON GOT THOSE TO THE CLERK, TONY.
UM, AND HE THEN SUBMITTED THOSE TO CITY COUNCIL FOR A WORK SESSION REVIEW.
E EVEN EVEN THOSE THAT DIDN'T NECESSARILY NEED COUNCIL APPROVAL.
THAT WE WERE SUBMITTING TO CITY COUNCIL.
[01:10:02]
I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE NINE MONTHS AGO.AND WE WERE TOLD THAT THE ONLY TIME THAT WE COULD SUBMIT RECOMMENDATIONS WAS THROUGH OUR QUARTERLY MEETINGS.
WHERE WE WOULD MEET WITH CITY COUNCIL SO THAT WE STARTED PRESENTING ALL OF OUR RECOMMENDATIONS THROUGH THOSE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS MM-HMM.
SO THAT WAS THE SECOND PROCESS.
EVEN WITH THOSE TWO PROCESSES, WE STILL HAVE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN HEARD, THAT HAVE NOT BEEN EVEN MADE THE AGENDA TO BE DISCUSSED.
SO I FEEL LIKE THIS IS JUST ANOTHER BACKPEDAL BECAUSE, UM, WE'RE NOT GONNA CONTINUE DOING THE WORK AND WORKING HARD, SUBMITTING THE RECOMMENDATIONS.
DOING THE WORK, UM, AND THEN IT BEING PUSHED BACK TO US AND SAY, AND US BEING TOLD, OH, YOU DIDN'T DO THIS OR YOU DIDN'T DO IT THIS WAY.
WE'RE NOT GONNA CONTINUE DOING THAT.
BE, AND SO THAT'S NOT HAPPENING.
THE OTHER THING IS IN TERMS OF THE C C R B, THAT PROCESS WAS COMPLETELY FINISHED.
HAD EVERYTHING DOCUMENTED DOWN TO THE PROCESS, THE LETTERS THAT WOULD BE SENT OUT, EVERYTHING.
THIS WAS PROBABLY A 10 PAGE DOCUMENT AT LEAST.
SO THAT DOES NOT SIT WITH US THAT THAT'S THIS WITH CITY COUNCIL.
SO WE'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING ELSE WITH THAT.
WE ARE, THE ONLY THING THAT WE'RE DOING IS WAITING FOR CITY COUNCIL TO IMPLEMENT IT IN A TIMELY MANNER, BECAUSE I WILL SAY THAT, LET ME SAY, I WAS TALKING ABOUT THESE RECOMMENDATIONS.
WE INITIALLY MADE THAT RECOMMENDATION IN JULY OF 2021.
I WILL SAY THAT OUR, THIS COMMISSION HAS MET TIRELESSLY WITH THE POLICE CHIEF, WITH THE INTERIM CITY MANAGER.
THEY HAVE BEEN VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN HELPING THIS PROCESS COME TO FRUITION.
BUT IT STOPPED AT CITY COUNCIL.
WHAT THE LAST THAT WE HEARD WAS THAT THIS SHOULD ROLL OUT, THE C C R B SHOULD ROLL OUT IN JUNE.
IS THAT CORRECT? SO JUST FINALIZED IN APRIL MEETING? YEAH.
SO THE LAST THAT WE HEARD FROM MR. KOWSKI IN OUR REFORM COMMITTEE WAS THAT THE TIMELINE FOR THIS TO ROLL OUT SHOULD BE JUNE OF THIS YEAR.
NOW, AGAIN, THIS IS A RECOMMENDATION FROM 2021.
SO WE ARE NOT DOING ANY MORE WORK ON THE C C R B.
WE, YOU CAN, I'M
YOU HAVE TO DO THE LEGISLATION MM-HMM.
LEMME, LEMME JUST ADD THAT ON THE C C R B, RIGHT? SO YEAH, WE'VE PRESENTED THE C C R B AT LEAST A COUPLE TIMES WITH CITY CITY COUNCIL.
AND SO, YOU'RE RIGHT, THE BALL WAS, THE BALL WAS IN THE COURT OF, OF THE CITY TO FORMALIZE THE LEGISLATION.
THAT WAS THE CITY, I MEAN, WE WORKED WITH THEM TO KIND OF COME UP WITH THE LANGUAGE.
BASED OFF OF THE, THE FRAMEWORK, THE FLOW CHART THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT I PUT TOGETHER.
SO IT'S, IT'S WITH THEM NOW TO FINE TUNE THE DIFFERENT ROLES WITH THE LIAISON VERSUS THE ATTORNEY VERSUS WE'VE DONE ALL THAT.
SO I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO PRESENT AGAIN, ANYTHING ELSE, UH, AS IT RELATES TO C C R B BECAUSE IT, 'CAUSE AGAIN, WE GOT TO A POINT WHERE IT'S NOW WITH THE CITY COUNCIL, NOT CITY COUNCIL WITH THE CITY TO FIRM THAT UP THOSE DETAILS IN THE LANGUAGE FOR THEM TO THEN GO FORWARD TO CITY COUNCIL.
TO GET THEM TO EITHER APPROVE OR DISAPPROVE OR WHATEVER.
[01:15:01]
JUST TAKE IT ON THEN.SO AS THE NEW ACTING LIAISON, THE C C R B IS WITH ME AS YOUR LIAISON, AND THEN MOVING FORWARD WITH THE IDEA OF WHAT MR. ROGERS WAS TELLING IS TELLING ME IS THAT WE, WE HAVE, AND BEAR WITH ME THE PROCESS THAT IS CURRENT WITH YOUR GUYS' UPCOMING PRESENTATION COME OCTOBER THE THIRD FOR, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, I, I KNOW YOU CAME, UM, BACK IN FEBRUARY.
I KNOW FOR SURE BECAUSE I SAW THAT MEETING, I SAW THAT WORK SESSION MEETING, AND THEN I WANT TO SAY MR. ROGERS SAID THAT YOU GUYS CAME SOMETIME EARLY SUMMER OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, JUNE.
AND THEN OBVIOUSLY OCTOBER 3RD COMING UP.
SO OBVIOUSLY FROM EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED WITH C C R B, IT'S, IT'S COMPLETED.
WELL, OR IT'S DONE FROM YOUR GUYS' WORK AND THEN OBVIOUSLY OUR WORK AS WELL.
SO AS OF, SO AS OF TODAY, I HAVE IT AS A LIAISON AND IT'S WORKING THE NEXT STEPS TO GET THE LEGISLATION DONE TO OBVIOUSLY GET TO COUNCIL AND THEN HOPEFULLY HAVE IT APPROVED.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT KIND OF EASES EVERYONE'S LIKE FILL FILLING TOWARDS THE PROCESS OR THE LACK THEREOF THE PROCESS AND THE, UM, COMMUNICATION.
BUT IT, I GUESS AS A, I THINK THAT'S GOOD.
I'M SORRY I DIDN'T CUT YOU OFF, OFF, I MEAN, THAT, THAT'S FINE.
I JUST THINK WHEN WE STARTED THIS CONVERSATION AT, AT LEAST WHAT I HEARD WAS THAT WE NEEDED TO GO REPRESENT THE C C R B BASED OFF OF SOME NEW FORMAT.
BRING IT BACK TO, UH, THE, UH, CITY COUNCIL MEETING ON THREE OCTOBER.
I'M JUST SAYING, I, I THINK WE, WE, WE'VE PRESENTED, WE'VE LAID IT OUT THE FRAMEWORK HIGH LEVEL, AGAIN, AGAIN, WHAT WAS LEFT WAS PUTTING THE, THE LEGISLATION IN PLACE.
I JUST, I JUST DON'T THINK WE NEED TO PRESENT ANYTHING ELSE ON THE C C R B.
SO NOW IT SHOULD JUST BE THE, THE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE RECOMMENDATIONS RIGHT NOW BEING HEARD BY THE CITY COUNCIL TO MAKE A DECISION.
NOW IF THERE'S CON NOW IF THERE'S CONCERN, EVEN WHEN WE PRESENTED THE OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS, RIGHT? I MEAN, THERE WAS A FEW QUESTIONS, BUT THERE WERE NO ACTION ITEMS THAT SAID, HEY, WE NEED YOU TO GO BACK AND MAKE THIS TWEAK.
OR WE, WE HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS.
THERE WAS NO, THERE WAS NO FEEDBACK.
NOW OBVIOUSLY IF YOU MEET AND THERE'S SOME FEEDBACK WITH, WITH REGARDS TO SOME OF THE OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS, CORRECT.
YOU KNOW, THAT YOU NEED MORE INFORMATION, YOU KNOW, THAT'S FINE.
BUT, UH, THE LAW SHOULD BE IN THE, IN THE CITY'S, UH, RIGHT.
SO, SO IF THIS MEETING THAT WE HAVE WITH TONY WITHIN THE NEXT WEEK OR SO, AND WE COME TO THE AGREEMENT THAT YOU GUYS DON'T NECESSARILY NEED TO SPEAK REGARDING CCC C C R B, BECAUSE LIKE YOU'VE GUYS SAID, YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT IT AT LEAST TWICE WITHIN THIS YEAR.
UM, I, I, I'LL OBVIOUSLY PASS THAT ON THE COMMITTEE AND LET YOU GUYS KNOW WHERE, WHERE WE ARE AND HEY, WE'VE GOT THE LEGISLATION WRITTEN UP.
I'M HOPEFUL THAT WOULD JUST BE WHAT, UM, TONY SAYS AND WE CAN KIND OF MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.
SO I'M OPTIMISTIC THAT WE CAN KIND OF MAKE THAT HAPPEN RATHER THAN YOU GUYS COME OCTOBER THE THIRD, AND THEN FOR THE THIRD TIME SPEAK ON THE SAME TOPIC MATTER.
UM, SO WOULD THERE BE OTHER ISSUES TO SPEAK OF ON OCTOBER 3RD? WELL, SO AT THE SAME, SO AT THE SAME TIME, SORRY.
AT THE SAME TIME THE IDEA THAT THESE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT YOU GUYS MADE A LIST OF THAT GO BACK.
I MEAN, HONESTLY YEARS, I MEAN WE, WE AS STAFF, AND I'LL SAY THIS, WE AS STAFF OBVIOUSLY UNDERSTAFFED, BUT WE, WE, THAT THAT THE MEETING THAT ME AND SARAH ARE TALKING ABOUT, WE ARE JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE, WHERE AND STAFF WHO NEEDS TO GRAB THAT AND OBVIOUSLY GRAB THAT BEFORE THAT OCTOBER, THE THIRD MEETING WHEN YOU GUYS COME TO PRESENT.
SO AT THE SAME TIME, YOU CAN, IF YOU WANT, OR MAYBE TONY WILL HAVE SOME TYPE OF, UM, RECOMME HIS OWN RECOMMENDATIONS OF WHAT YOU GUYS TALK ABOUT, RATHER IT BE, HEY, THESE ARE THE UP, THESE ARE THE RECOMMENDATION UPDATES.
AND WHOMEVER PRESENTS SAYS, OKAY, HEY, WE KNOW STAFF HAS THAT, UM, WE TALKED TO OUR LIAISON, HE TOLD US, UH, BLASE, BLASE AT THE CITY IS HANDLING IT, UH, HANDLING THAT.
UM, MAYBE WE'VE, UH, UH, COME UP WITH SOME TIMELINES THAT KIND OF WORK WITH EVERYTHING.
I'M HOPEFUL THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU GUYS COME, YOU GUYS ARE READING OFF A LIST WITH ANSWERS RATHER THAN, HEY, WE'VE GOT ALL THESE RECOMMENDATIONS AND NOTHING HAS HAPPENED.
'CAUSE MY, AT LEAST WHAT I WOULD EXPECT FOR
[01:20:01]
THE NEXT MEETING IS FOR US TO, FOR ONE, MAYBE PRESENT WHAT WE'VE DONE SINCE THE LAST TIME WE MET, LIKE WE'VE HAD THE CULTURAL WEEK MM-HMM.AND THEN THE ONLY OTHER THING THAT WE WOULD BE SPEAKING ON IS ANY SORT OF QUESTIONS.
AGAIN, IF YOU, IF YOU GUYS GET BACK WITH US BEFORE THE THIRD, 3RD OF OCTOBER YES SIR.
WITH REGARDS TO QUESTIONS RELATED TO THE, TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS, THEN YEAH, WE COULD ADDRESS THAT.
BUT NOT, LIKE YOU SAID, REPRESENT RECOMMENDATIONS AGAIN.
IT'S ONLY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS OR, OR RESPOND TO QUESTIONS THAT, THAT YOU GATHER BETWEEN NOW AND THREE OCTOBER.
BECAUSE AT THE SAME TIME, I THINK THOSE, AND THAT'S, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT OBVIOUSLY I THINK WILL KIND OF BE PASSED ON TO COUNSEL, THE LIST OF RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND AT THE SAME TIME, COUNSEL PROBABLY WILL SAY TO STAFF, HEY, WHY AREN'T THESE RECOMMENDATIONS DONE? OR WHAT'S THE HOLD UP? SO, SO JEFFREY? YES MA'AM.
I WOULD SAY JUST FOR BACKGROUND FOR YOURSELF, MAYBE THOSE TWO MEETINGS WHERE, WHERE ERIC IS TALKING ABOUT WHERE ALL THE RECOMMENDATIONS WERE PRESENTED IN THE WORK SESSIONS, I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE YOU TO WATCH THOSE VIDEOS BEFORE YOU MEET WITH ANTHONY.
THAT WAY YOU HAVE YOUR WHOLE BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT AND YOU'RE READY TO GO.
BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU GUYS ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE ARE KINKS IN THE, THE PROCESS AND THAT YOU'RE WORKING ON MAKING THAT BETTER FOR US MM-HMM.
SO I, I PERSONALLY WOULD SAY I APPRECIATE THAT, AND AGAIN, I'M, I'M THE NEWEST PERSON ON THE COMMISSION HERE, BUT JUST FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH, IT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE SOMEBODY KEEPS CHANGING THE RULES, WE'RE DOING WHAT'S ASKED OR THEY'VE BEEN DOING WHAT'S ASKED, AND THE RULES KIND OF JUST KEEP CHANGING.
SO HERE WE ARE GOING INTO WHAT, A THIRD TIME WHERE YOU ALL ARE SITTING DOWN, YOU KNOW, AS OUR LIAISON AND MAIN, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO MAINSTREAM, BUT AT WHAT POINT IS THE BALL GOING TO STOP BEING DROPPED? CAN YOU, IN YOUR PROCESS OF YOU, YOU AS, AS YOUR GUYS' NEW LIAISON? UM, I'M TRYING, I I, I DON'T WANNA SAY I'LL TRY, BUT, AND YOU KNOW, I'LL DEFINITELY, YOU KNOW, HAVE THE BEST INTEREST AS YOU GUYS ARE RESIDENTS OF HUBER HEIGHTS AND AS A, YOU KNOW, AS A A A, A PUBLIC FIGURE OR PUBLIC UH, EMPLOYEE, MY JOB IS TO KIND OF LOOK OUT FOR THE RESIDENTS OF, OF THE CITY OF HU RIGHTS.
AND I DO APPRECIATE YOU GUYS COMING OUT AS VOLUNTEERS NOW, AND NOW I MIGHT BE THE NEWEST LIAISON THAT YOU GUYS HAD, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, UM, I'M NOT PUTTING ON ANY SLACK ON THE PREVIOUS LIAISON AS WELL, BUT, YOU KNOW, I'M GONNA TRY, I'M GONNA DO MY BEST TO KIND OF HELP OUT.
WELL, AND I THINK IT'S WORTHY TO KNOW WHERE THE PROCESS HAS GOTTEN DROPPED IN THE PAST AND, AND WHY THINGS HAVEN'T BEEN FOLLOWED THROUGH.
YOU KNOW, IF, IF YOU CAN FIND THAT OUT, MAYBE THAT'S WORTHY OF US TO KNOW BECAUSE GOING FORWARD, WON'T IT SHAPE HOW WE RIGHT.
ARE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH OUR CITY MEMBERS.
SO THAT'S A GOOD POINT, RIGHT.
AND I THINK I MAYBE SAID THAT EARLIER.
WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE ROOT CAUSE, WHY.
YOU CAN TELL US WHAT THE STATUS IS, BUT WHY HAS THERE BEEN A LACK OF ATTENTION? WHY IS, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANNA CALL IT STALLING, I MEAN, I DON'T WANNA SPECULATE, BUT WHAT WE KNOW IS THERE'S BEEN AN INACTION AS IT RELATES TO THESE RECOMMENDATIONS.
I MEAN, EVEN WHAT WOULD'VE BEEN BETTER IS, HEY, WE LOOKED AT IT AND WE NON CONCUR.
AT LEAST WE CAN UNDERSTAND WHY.
IT'S BETTER, YOU KNOW, IT'S BETTER TO GET SOME RESPONSE THAN NO RESPONSE, NO ACTION.
TOTAL INACTION, LACK OF PERFORMANCE.
SO BECAUSE THAT'S SHOWING NOT ONLY DISRESPECT AND I'M SORRY, RIGHT? IT IS.
IT, IT'S SHOWING A COMPLETE LACK OF RESPECT FOR FELLOW MEMBERS OF THIS COMMUNITY.
I, I'D RATHER GET SOME SORT OF ANSWER THAN NO ANSWER AT ALL.
I, I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T MEAN TO INTERRUPT YOU, BUT YOU'RE GOOD.
I KNOW WE PROBABLY BEAT THIS TO DEATH OUT, BUT YEAH.
I THINK WE WERE GONNA SPEND SOME TIME ON THIS PARTICULAR
[01:25:01]
AND I'LL, I'LL END WITH THIS AND OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, I KNEW, I KNEW THAT THIS WAS GONNA BE SOMETHING THAT WAS GONNA KIND OF BE BROUGHT UP, OBVIOUSLY IS ON THE AGENDA.AND JUST TO KIND OF KEEP YOU GUYS INFORMED OF, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE ARE.
AND THEN OBVIOUSLY ME BEING NEW KIND OF COMING IN, I DIDN'T WANT TO KIND OF KEEP YOU GUYS IN THE DARK ON WHAT IT IS.
BUT OBVIOUSLY I'M JUST TRYING TO BE AS FORWARD, UM, WITH YOU GUYS ON THE STATUS OF WHAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING FOR, YOU KNOW, THE COMMUNITY, UH, FOR THE COMMUNITY.
SO I'M JUST TRYING TO BE AS MUCH OF A HELPFUL LIAISON AS I POSSIBLY CAN MOVING FORWARD FOR YOU GUYS.
SO AT THAT OCTOBER 3RD MEETING, KEN, I WOULD LIKE FOR CITY COUNCIL TO SHARE WITH US WHY THERE'S BEEN AN ACTION ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS, BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME THAT HAVE CROSSED, THAT HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED IN THE MEETINGS, BUT THERE'S STILL BEEN NO ACTION ON THOSE.
HAD HAD THOSE COME ACROSS IN WORK SESSIONS.
SO I WOULD ALSO LIKE FOR CITY COUNCIL TO TALK TO US SINCE THEY'LL HAVE THE, THEY'LL HAVE THE DIVERSITY COMMISSION THERE RIGHT? TO JUST TALK TO US ABOUT WHAT THEIR PLANS ARE WITH THE CITY IN TERMS OF DIVERSITY INITIATIVES AT A CITY LEVEL.
SO I DID SPEAK WITH, UM, TONY YESTERDAY, MAYFIELDS MAN, IT FEELS LIKE WEEKS AGO.
BUT NONETHELESS, I DID SPEAK WITH TONY, UH, YESTERDAY IN REGARDS OF, UH, STARTING UP OR RESUBMITTING A NEEDS ASSESSMENT.
UM, I CAN'T, WAS IT MS SOMEONE, WAS THAT NOT YOU WHO I GUESS INITIALLY STARTED THAT PROCESS FOR A NEEDS ASSESSMENT? UM, BUT I GUESS THAT KINDA NECESSARILY DIDN'T PLAY OUT AT FIRST, BUT I THINK A NEEDS ASSESSMENT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT COULD HELP OUT IN THE FUTURE.
AND OBVIOUSLY I'M GONNA KIND OF GO FORWARD AND TRY TO SEE ONE IF WE CAN GET, UM, THAT STARTED AND THEN OBVIOUSLY I'LL KEEP YOU GUYS, THE COUNCIL OR COMMITTEE, UM, KIND OF LOOPED IN ON WHERE I'M AT WITH THAT IN THE NEW FUTURE.
UM, JUST F Y I ON THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT MM-HMM.
HOWEVER, WE REALIZED THAT, AND WE'VE HAD, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS, THE FACT THAT THESE, UH, DIVERSITY INITIATIVES HAVE FALLEN ON THIS NINE MEMBER COMMISSION, UM, AND WE CAN'T CARRY THE CITY.
AND WE KNEW THAT PART OF THAT NEEDS ASSESSMENT WOULD FALL ON US.
SO ONE OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE SUBMITTED WAS THAT THE CITY ACTUALLY, UM, INSTEAD OF RELYING ON A VOLUNTEER COMMISSION TO LEAD THESE D E I B INITIATIVES, THAT THE CITY HIRE SOMEONE, PART-TIME, FULL-TIME STAFF PERSON TO THAT IS SPECIFICALLY TASKED WITH COORDINATING, MANAGING, INITIATING, AND OVERSEEING C Y D E I B INITIATIVES IN ASSISTING WITH COMMISSION EFFORTS.
AND AS PART OF THAT, THAT NEEDS ASSESSMENT WILL FALL THERE.
SO, UM, THAT'S WHY THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT HAS NOT TAKEN PLACE BECAUSE WE HAVE THAT RECOMMENDATION SITTING WITH CITY COUNCIL.
AND THAT WAS, THAT'S FROM JANUARY.
SO OF THIS YEAR, WE HAVE NOT HEARD ANYTHING BACK FROM THAT.
THAT WILL LEAD D E I B INITIATIVES THAT HAS IT AS THEIR PURPOSE, THEIR JOB DESCRIPTION MM-HMM.
SO FOR WHERE WE ARE NOW, I WANNA SAY I TALKED TO MR. ROGERS ABOUT THAT AND TRYING TO IMPLEMENT WHAT THAT RECOMMENDATION WOULD LOOK LIKE.
UM, AGAIN, I'LL GO BACK ON THE ACCOUNT.
LIKE, SO, SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT THAT SAME RECOMMENDATION WAS SUBMITTED TO COMMITTEE OR TO COUNCIL IN A WORK SESSION? SO I'LL GO BACK AND TRY TO DATE ALL THESE RECOMMENDATIONS NOW THAT ONE, YES MA'AM.
THAT ONE, I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT WENT TO THAT, THAT WAS EVEN DISCUSSED IN THE WORK SESSION.
I DON'T KNOW THAT THE MAYOR ACTUALLY PUT THAT ON THE AGENDA.
[01:30:01]
SO A LOT OF THIS, THESE THINGS PROBABLY ARE SITTING WITH THE MAYOR THAT HE'S NOT PUT ON THE AGENDA TO DISCUSS, WHICH I DON'T KNOW WHY.SO THAT'S ANOTHER QUESTION THAT I HAVE.
ADD THAT TO THE OCTOBER 3RD MEETING FOR THE MAYOR.
WHY IS IT THAT THESE ITEMS ARE NOT MAKING IT TO THE AGENDA? BECAUSE WE HAD JANUARY 5TH MEETING, WE HAD, UM, RECOMMENDATIONS OF HAVING AT LEAST ONE COUNCIL MEMBER ATTEND COMMISSION MEETINGS AS A CONDUIT TO CITY COUNCIL.
COMMISSION WILL HAVE SHARED DEMI DECISION MAKING POWER IN THE SELECTION OF THE CONTRACTOR ORGANIZATION THAT WILL CONDUCT THIS COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT.
SO, SO WHAT, SO WHAT I CAN TRY, SO WHAT I CAN DO IS I CAN KIND OF BREAK THOSE DOWN.
I CAN KIND OF TALK TO TONY TOMORROW OR SOMETIME NEXT WEEK, AND WE CAN OBVIOUSLY, OR THIS MEETING THAT ME, UH, SARAH AND TONY WILL HAVE MM-HMM.
AND THEN AGAIN, LIKE I SAID, WE'LL KIND OF RUN THROUGH ALL THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS AND THEN I WILL, I'LL, I'LL, I'LL, WHAT I CAN DO IS I'LL SEND THOSE ANSWERS IN A EMAIL BEFORE THAT, EXCUSE ME, BEFORE THAT OCTOBER, THE THIRD MEETING.
UM, AND, AND DEFINITELY TRY TO HAVE SOME ANSWERS TO THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS STATUS AND THEN OBVIOUSLY IF NOT A STATUS, A DEADLINE OR A UPDATE ON THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT HAVE CAME OUT OF THIS COUNCIL.
BUT, BUT I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM CITY COUNCIL WHEN WE'RE THERE ON OCTOBER 3RD, WHAT UNDERSTOOD COUNCIL IS DOING.
AND, AND I WOULD ALSO JUST KIND OF LEAVE WITH THIS AS WELL.
UM, I DON'T KNOW, AGAIN, WELL, LEMME BACK UP.
TONY IS MAKING A NEW FORM OF WAY HOW THINGS LEAVE OUTTA COUNCIL REGARDING WHAT RECOMMENDATIONS.
NOW, I DON'T KNOW IF THE PLAN FOR THE OCTOBER 3RD, LIKE WILL HIS PLAN BE DONE BY OCTOBER THE THIRD.
SO THERE'S THIS NEW FORMAT, SO WILL YOU GUYS COME TO COUNCIL COME THAT 3RD OF OCTOBER? MAYBE IT'S JUST AN UPDATE.
MAYBE IT'S MORE, HEY, THESE ARE THE THINGS PRE OBVIOUSLY PRE THE OCTOBER THE THIRD OR SOMETHING THAT YOU GUYS CAN SEND TO ME, THEN I CAN SEND TO TONY.
AND THEN MAYBE THEY MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT, THAT CAN ALSO BE ON THE AGENDA FOR COUNCIL TO DISCUSS BECAUSE THEY, THEY SHOULD KNOW THAT YOU GUYS ARE COMING.
UM, SO AGAIN, I'LL BE WITH, UH, COMMUNICATING WITH YOU GUYS IF ANY CHANGES LIKE THAT HAPPEN AND HOPEFULLY, UM, YOU KNOW, YOUR ANSWERS CAN BE OR YOUR QUESTIONS CAN BE ANSWERED.
HOW SOON BEFORE THE OCTOBER 3RD MEETING WILL WE GET THE AGENDA? SO WE KNOW WE'RE ON THERE SO WE CAN SHOW UP JUST IN CASE.
HOW SOON BEFORE THE OCTOBER 3RD MEETING IS THE AGENDA RELEASED? IS THERE AN AGENDA FOR THE WORKING SESSION? UH, IT'S USUALLY THE WEEK, UH, THE WEEK PRIOR.
SO WE'LL KNOW IF IT'S, WE'LL KNOW WHERE WE FIT IN ON THE AGENDA.
USUALLY THE BOARDS ARE FIRST ON MEETING.
AND WE NEED ANYTHING THAT WE NEED TO SUBMIT, WE NEED TO HAVE IT WITH A WEEK BEFORE.
UM, ITEM D I SETTING DATES FOR 2024 AND I
I'LL LEAVE THAT TO YOU ALL IF YOU FEEL LIKE THAT YOU ARE READY TO DO THAT OR YOU CAN DO THAT OR, BUT MY POSITION IS, GIVEN THAT WE HAVE SO MANY THINGS ON THE TABLE OR RECOMMENDATIONS WE HAVEN'T HEARD FROM, WE'VE PUT IN A LOT OF WORK.
WE'VE DONE A LOT, WE HAVE NOT, UM, RECEIVED ANY FEEDBACK, ANY SORT OF UPDATES OR ANYTHING.
SO I'M NOT REALLY INTERESTED IN PLANNING FOR 2024 WHEN WE HAVEN'T EVEN GOTTEN OUR ANSWERS FOR 20 21, 22 AND 23.
BUT I WILL PUT THAT ON THE FLOOR FOR Y'ALL FOR PEOPLE TO DISCUSS THERE.
THEY'RE INTERESTED IN CITY DATES FOR 2024, SO WE NEED TO, IT'S FINE IF YOU GUYS DON'T WANNA HAVE THIS DISCUSSION THIS MONTH, BUT IT HAS TO HAPPEN NEXT MONTH.
SO, 'CAUSE WE HAVE TO SET THE CALENDAR.
I MEAN, YOU'VE GOT THE M L K WALK, YOU'VE GOT AND, AND WE HAVE TO, WE HAVE TO PLAN EVERYTHING ELSE, RIGHT? YEAH.
SO IN TERMS OF THE EVENTS, RIGHT, YOU, YOU NEED TO KNOW WHAT EVENTS CORRECT.
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EVEN THE CULTURAL WEEK AS WELL.AND, AND YEAH, IN ADDITION TO THAT, THE BUDGET, WHEN WOULD THAT BE DUE? UM, IT'S GONNA BE RIGHT AROUND THE SAME TIME IN OCTOBER.
IS THERE A DATE AS OF NOW? NO, WE ACTUALLY AS STAFF JUST GOT OUR HANDS ON DRAFT BUDGETS TODAY.
UM, AND WE'VE GOT PLAN A, PLAN B THAT ARE DUE IN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS.
SO IT SEEMS LIKE AT THE OCTOBER 5TH COMMISSION MEETING, WE SHOULD HAVE OUR PROPOSED BUDGET THEN I WOULD STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO HAVE THAT.
SO DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANYTHING? SO WE'LL ADD THAT TO THE AGENDA FOR THE OCTOBER MEETING TO DISCUSS IN BETWEEN NOW AND THEN IF YOU HAVE DATES, UM, FOR PLANNING PURPOSES, BUDGET ITEMS, THEN PLEASE SEND THOSE SO THAT WE CAN DISCUSS THOSE IN OCTOBER.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE? ALRIGHT, WELL, WE ARE GONNA MOVE ON TO NEW BUSINESS UNDER, UM, SPECIAL DISCUSSION.
AS YOU ARE AWARE, I KNOW I WAS, UH, MY APOLOGIES FOR BEING LATE TO THE MEETING.
I WAS TRAVELING FOR WORK, BUT WE HAD NOMINATION ELECTION OF BOARD CHAIR ON THE, UM, AGENDA.
AND THAT IS BECAUSE OUR CHAIR, RHONDA SUMLIN, UM, HAD TO, IT'S NO LONGER IN THE CITY DUE TO UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES THAT WERE BEYOND HER CONTROL.
AND SO SHE IS NOW NOT ABLE TO SERVE AS CHAIR OR SERVE ON THE COMMISSION.
SO I, UM, ADDED THE SPECIAL DISCUSSION BECAUSE I WANTED TO, YOU KNOW, GIVE HER AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO THE COMMISSION AND FOR ANY QUESTIONS TO BE ASKED.
SO, MADAM CHAIR, UM, AND MEMBERS OF H H C D A C, I'M STANDING BEFORE YOU TODAY WITH MIXED FEELINGS.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, I'M FEELING LIKE THE SYSTEMIC PROCESSES THAT THIS COMMISSION WAS ESTABLISHED TO FIGHT HAVE WORKED AGAINST ME.
MANY OF YOU FOUND OUT THAT I WAS NO LONGER A PART OF THIS BODY WHEN YOU SAW A VACANCY POSTED ON THE WEBSITE.
AND FOR THAT, I SINCERELY APOLOGIZE.
OTHERS OF YOU MAY BE WONDERING WHAT HAS TRANSPIRED SINCE OUR LAST COMMISSION MEETING IN JUNE.
I WANNA SAY, FIRST OF ALL, THAT EVERY PERSON ON THAT DAAS MATTERS TO ME INDIVIDUALLY AND COLLECTIVELY.
I RESPECT EACH OF YOU FOR WHO YOU ARE AND I RESPECT THE WORK THAT WE HAVE COMPLETED AS A TEAM.
I WOULD NEVER AND HAVE NEVER LEFT ANY LEADERSHIP ROLE WITHOUT A PLAN FOR TRANSITION AND A PROPER SUCCESSION OF LEADERSHIP.
SO PLEASE KNOW THAT THIS INTERRUPTION HAS YET AGAIN, WAS YET AGAIN DESIGNED TO CREATE CHAOS AND IF ALLOWED TO SEVER THE BONDS AND TIES THAT WE HAVE BUILT ON THIS COMMISSION.
MOST OF YOU KNOW THAT I WAS A RESIDENT OF HUBER HEIGHTS FOR ALMOST 12 YEARS.
I LIVED AT 7 5 5 9 MOUNT HOOD IN THE HILLTOP COMMUNITY.
MY DAUGHTERS BOTH GRADUATED WAYNE HIGH SCHOOL IN 2018 AND 2022 CONSECUTIVELY.
I LOVE THE CITY OF HUBER HEIGHTS.
WITHOUT A DOUBT, I WOULD HAVE NEVER DELIBERATELY CHOSEN TO LEAVE MY HOME.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, THE CONDO THAT I LIVED IN WAS A BLESSING FROM GOD.
THE COUPLE WHO ALLOWED ME TO RENT THAT HOME DID SO ON FAITH, NOT MY CREDIT.
SO THAT, YOU KNOW, THE TRUE REASON THAT I LEFT MY HOME IS I WAS FORCED OUT OF MY HOME.
MY LANDLORD OF SEVEN YEARS RETIRED AND SAID THAT HE WANTED TO GET OUT OF THE LANDLORD BUSINESS.
SUDDENLY A REAL ESTATE INVESTOR WITH TIES TO THE HUBER HEIGHTS COMMUNITY CAME OUT OF NOWHERE AND WANTED TO PURCHASE MY CONDO.
LET ME BE VERY CLEAR, THERE WERE MULTIPLE UNITS IN THE HILLTOPS, ONES THAT WERE RENOVATED AND MORE UPDATED THAN MINE, BUT FOR SOME REASON SHE CAME LOOKING FOR MY CONDO.
LET ME REMIND EACH OF YOU THAT AROUND THE SUMMER OF LAST YEAR, YOLANDA AND I STOOD BEFORE COUNCIL AND VOICED OUR DISPLEASURE WITH APPARENT BIAS AND RACISM IN THE CITY MANAGER SELECTION PROCESS.
I KNOW, AND WE ALL KNOW THAT WASN'T
[01:40:04]
RECEIVED WELL BY CERTAIN MEMBERS OF COUNCIL IN CITY LEADERSHIP.THERE WAS EVEN A PRESS CONFERENCE HELD BY DEREK FORWARD AND MAYOR GORE.
COINCIDENTALLY, THIS IS AROUND THE TIME THE INVESTOR STARTED HER PROCESS TO BEGIN REMOVING ME FROM MY HOME.
SHE RETAINED A PROPERTY MANAGEMENT COMPANY WHO VIOLATED LANDLORD TENANT LAW MULTIPLE TIMES TO TRY AND HAVE ME AND MY GIRLS REMOVED FROM OUR HOME.
I HAD TO RETAIN A PROMINENT REAL ESTATE ATTORNEY TO HELP ME STAY IN MY HOME AND TO ENSURE THAT MY RIGHTS WEREN'T BEING VIOLATED.
I WAS A LONG-TERM TENANT, AND I HAVE ESTABLISHED RELATIONSHIPS WITH MOST OF THE NEIGHBORS.
WHY WAS SHE SO EAGER TO GET ME OUT OF THE CONDO? IT'S BEEN RUMORED AND I DON'T, I DON'T DISAGREE.
BUT FROM THE DAY I STOOD AT THAT PODIUM AND WENT AGAINST CITY COUNCIL FOR CERTAIN MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, I BECAME A WALKING TARGET.
I CANNOT SAY FOR SURE, BUT I WILL SAY THIS, THE TIMING OF THE EVENTS ARE NOT COINCIDENTAL.
AND I ALSO KNOW THAT A SINGLE MOTHER LIVING IN THE HILLTOPS WILL BE A LIKELY CANDIDATE TO TARGET FOR ANYONE COMFORTABLE MISUSING THEIR POWER.
IF IT HAPPENED TO ME, IT CAN AND WILL HAPPEN TO ANYONE INCLUDING YOU.
THE OPTICS OF AN ABUSE AND POWER CAN CONTINUES TO BE A MAJOR PROBLEM IN THE CITY OF HUBER HEIGHTS.
ANYONE THAT TURNS A BLIND EYE TO IT, WHETHER CITY LEADER, CITY STAFF, COUNCIL MEMBER BOARD OR COMMISSION MEMBER IS ALSO COMPLICIT.
THIS COMMISSION WAS ESTABLISHED TO COMBAT THESE SYSTEMS. FESTIVALS AND EVENTS ARE NICE AND WE'VE DONE THEM WELL.
BUT THREE YEARS AGO, THE ESTABLISHED LEGISLATION WAS CLEAR.
OUR MISSION WAS NOT ABOUT FESTIVALS AND EVENTS.
OUR MISSION WAS TO ACT IN AN ADVISORY CAPACITY TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE CITY MANAGER TO PROMOTE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY IN THE FULL EXERCISE OF CIVIL RIGHTS FOR ALL PERSONS WITHOUT DISCRIMINATION BECAUSE OF RACE, ETHNICITY, COLOR, OR NATIONAL ORIGIN TO COMBAT DISCRIMINATION, RACISM, AND OTHER BIASES THROUGH EDUCATION, MEDIATION POLICY, LEGISLATION, AND COMPLAINT REVIEW.
HAS OUR COMMISSION'S FOCUS BEEN DIVERTED? YOUR COMMISSION? I SHOULD SAY NOW? I THINK IT HAS.
MOREOVER, I'M PROFOUNDLY DISCONTENT WITH THE WAY MY SEPARATION FROM THE CULTURE AND DIVERSITY CITIZEN ACTION COMMISSION WAS MISHANDLED.
I BELIEVE IT IS ESSENTIAL TO ADDRESS THIS MATTER AS IT AGAIN SPEAKS TO THE PATTERN AND PRECEDENCE OF THE CITY'S LACK OF INTEGRITY, HONESTY, AND TRANSPARENCY.
TO PROVIDE YOU ALL WITH CONTEXT, MY INITIAL RESPONSE WITH THE CITY CLERK REVOLVED AROUND THE POSSIBILITY OF ME BECOMING AN EX OFFICIO MEMBER.
SINCE I HAD RELOCATED BACK TO THE CITY OF TROTWOOD, SPECIFICALLY, I INQUIRED WITH THE CLERK WHETHER I COULD ASSUME THE ROLE OF CHAIRING THE COMMISSION IN THE EX OFFICIO CAPACITY.
THIS QUESTION WAS POSED, CONSIDERING MY COMMITMENT TO THE COMMISSION'S MISSION AND MY DESIRE TO CONTINUE SUPPORTING THE WORK THAT THE COMMISSION DOES.
LET'S BE CLEAR, I UNDERSTAND THAT TO BE AN OFFICIAL MEMBER OF THE COMMISSION, I NEED TO BE AN ELECTOR OF THE CITY OF HUBER HEIGHTS.
HOWEVER, I WANTED CLARITY ON BEING AN EX-OFFICIAL CHAIR.
THE CLERK WAS SUBSEQUENTLY PROVIDED WITH A RESPONSE FROM THE LAW DIRECTOR, WHICH I'VE SHARED WITH YOU ALL.
THIS RESPONSE CLEARLY STATED THAT THE CONCEPT OF AN EX-OFFICIO STATUS, INCLUDING THE POTENTIAL FOR ME TO CHAIR THE COMMISSION IN THAT CAPACITY WAS RECOGNIZED AND ALLOWED.
IN ADDITION TO THIS LEGAL AFFIRMATION, I WOULD LIKE TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO THE HUBER HEIGHTS CULTURE AND DIVERSITY CITIZEN ACTION LEGISLATION, WHICH I ALSO SHARED WITH YOU THIS LEGISLATION TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND PERMITS EX OFFICIO STATUS WITHIN THE COMMISSION.
AND THEN LASTLY, I WOULD LIKE TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO ONE FINAL ATTACHMENT.
AND I'M SORRY I DIDN'T MARK THESE A, B, AND C, BUT I PROVIDED YOU WITH ONE ATTACHMENT THAT HAS A LITTLE BLURB OF SECTION 9.07 FROM THE CHARTER.
DURING THE LAST CITY COUNCIL MEETING, I RAISED THE QUESTION OF WHETHER SIX COUNCIL MEMBERS HAD VOTED TO REMOVE ME FROM MY SEAT AND NO ONE RESPONDED AFFIRMATIVELY.
I BELIEVE IT IS CRUCIAL TO ADHERE TO THE ESTABLISHED PROCEDURES OUTLINED IN SECTION 9.07 WHEN CONSIDERING THE REMOVAL
[01:45:01]
OF A BOARD MEMBER.TO THIS DATE, I STILL HAVE NOT GIVEN A WRITTEN RESIGNATION AND I HAVEN'T BEEN REMOVED BY SIX MEMBERS OF COUNSEL.
HOWEVER, WHAT HAS TRANSPIRED SINCE THEN HAS LEFT ME PERPLEXED AND DISHEARTENED.
I HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT I AM NOW DISALLOWED FROM HOLDING EX OFFICIO STATUS OR ANY STATUS BECAUSE, BECAUSE OF AN AMBIGUOUS STATEMENT, THE WORD THAT YOU USED, JEFFREY IN THE CHARTER, WHICH I'VE HIGHLIGHTED IN THE LAW DIRECTOR'S OPINION.
NOW, IF THE LAW DIRECTOR SAID IT WAS AMBIGUOUS, IT'S AMBIGUOUS.
WHERE WAS THIS PROVISION? WHEN OTHER EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS ON OTHER CITY BOARDS SUCH AS MILITARY AND VETERANS COMMISSION AND PARKS AND REC WERE APPOINTED? THERE HAVE BEEN INSTANCES OF EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS IN HUBER HEIGHTS COMMISSIONS AND BOARDS, WHICH APPOINT INVESTIGATION OF A PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST IS FACTUAL AND ACCURATE.
A RECENTLY SUBMITTED PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST SUBMITTED BY A MEMBER OF THIS COMMISSION CLEARLY ILLUSTRATES THAT THERE HAVE BEEN PAST INSTANCES OF EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS SERVING IN HUBER HEIGHTS COMMISSIONS AND BOARDS.
THIS EVIDENCE CONTRADICTS THE SUDDEN SHIFT IN POLICY THAT DISALLOWS THIS COMMISSION FROM HOLDING AN EX-OFFICIO MEMBER.
MY PRIMARY CONCERN IS NOT JUST THE ABRUPT CHANGE IN POLICY, BUT ALSO THE LACK OF CONSISTENCY IN ITS APPLICATION.
IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT THE CITY MAINTAINS TRANSPARENCY AND FAIRNESS IN THEIR APPROACH TO THESE MATTERS.
THE SUDDEN DISALLOWANCE OF AN EX-OFFICIO STATUS FOR ME RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT YET ANOTHER WAY THAT THE CITY HAS MANAGED TO REMOVE ME, AN APPOINTED MEMBER OF THIS COMMISSION.
IN AN EFFORT TO SILENCE MY VOICE AND MY VOTE IN THE CITY OF HUBER HEIGHTS.
YET ANOTHER INJUSTICE, I'M NOW BEING TOLD TO APPLY TO COUNSEL TO BE A SPECIAL LIAISON.
NOW, INITIALLY I WAS TOLD THAT YOU ALL COULD APPOINT ME AS AN EX-OFFICIO MEMBER.
NOW I'M BEING TOLD THAT I CAN APPLY TO COUNSEL TO BE A SPECIAL LIAISON.
WHERE DID THE ROLE OF SPECIAL LIAISON COME FROM? HAVE YOU ALL EVER HEARD OF THAT ROLE? YOU CAN'T FIND IT ANYWHERE IN OUR LEGISLATION OR THE CITY CHARTER.
SO WHERE DID IT COME FROM? ALL OF A SUDDEN, AS A MATTER OF FACT, A MEMBER OF COUNCIL VERIFIED THAT IT DIDN'T EXIST, THAT IT WAS A NEW ROLE.
A SPECIAL LIAISON IS A NON-VOTING, NON-PARTICIPATORY MEMBER.
AND I BELIEVE THAT I HAVE WORKED TIRE TIRELESSLY AS HAVE MANY OF YOU ON THIS COMMISSION.
AND ALL OF US KNOW THAT OUR VOTES MATTER.
I WOULD BE INTERESTED TO KNOW EACH OF YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS SPECIAL LIAISON ROLE.
I BELIEVE THAT AS PUBLIC SERVANTS, WE SHOULD ADHERE TO THE PRINCIPLES OF TRANSPARENCY, EQUITY, AND CONSISTENCY AND OUR ACTIONS.
THEREFORE, I URGE THIS COMMISSION TO CHALLENGE THE DECISION FOR ME OR ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBER WHO WANTS TO SERVE AS AN EX-OFFICIO ON THIS OR ANY OTHER COMMISSIONER BOARD.
THIS RECONSIDERATION SHOULD ENCOMPASS A THOROUGH EXAMINATION OF THE LAWS AND INCLUDING THE ATTACHMENTS THAT I GAVE YOU.
ALSO, IF UNPAID VOLUNTEERS MUST BE ELECTORS OF THE CITY TO BE ON COMMISSIONS AND BOARDS, THEN IT ONLY MAKES SENSE THAT ANY PAID MEMBER OF CITY STAFF OR CITY LEADERSHIP SHOULD ALSO BE ELECTORS OF THE CITY OF HUBER HEIGHTS.
NOW, I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE WHAT THE LAW SAYS ABOUT LECTURESHIP AND CITY EMPLOYMENT, BUT HOW CAN A CITY DEMAND MORE FROM UNPAID VOLUNTEERS THAN THEY DO FOR PAID STAFF MEMBERS AND CITY LEADERS? IT'S SIMPLY INEQUITABLE.
A SUDDEN DEPARTURE FROM ESTABLISHED PRACTICES CAN LEAD TO CONFUSION AND MISTRUST WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
PLEASE MAKE IT PUBLIC RECORD THAT THE CHANGE FROM H H C D C A C LEGISLATION TO ACCEPT EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS IS UNDER INVESTIGATION OR RECONSIDERATION, MEANING QUESTIONS BEING ASKED AND RECOMMENDATIONS BEING MADE TO CITY COUNCIL.
CONCERNING THIS PROCESS AS THEY STRIVE TO UPHOLD THE VALUES OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION AND BELONGING, IT IS CRUCIAL THAT THEY DO SO CONSISTENTLY AND IN A MATTER THAT IS FAIR TO ALL INDIVIDUALS WHO WISH TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE BETTERMENT OF HUBER HEIGHTS.
AS I TAKE MY SEAT, I WOULD LIKE TO BRING YOUR ATTENTION TO A CONCERNING INCIDENT THAT OCCURRED DURING A RECENT
[01:50:01]
CITY COUNCIL MEETING.I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF YOU HAVE WATCHED THE, THE LAST CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
WHILE I WAS ADDRESSING COUNCIL REGARDING THE VACANCY ON OUR COMMISSION AND HOW THE CO THE VACANCY SHOWED UP, A COUNCIL MEMBER INTERRUPTED MY ALLOTTED TIME TO DISCUSS AN UNRELATED ISSUE WITH PUBLIC SERVANTS.
DURING MY FIVE MINUTES THAT EVERYBODY'S GIVEN TO SPEAK AFTER BEING OVERLOOKED, I REQUESTED TO BE SEATED AND RE REGRET.
REGRETTABLY, NOT EVEN RECEIVED AN APOLOGY FOR THEM USING UP MY TIME.
AND THE SAD THING IS THE MEDIA CAPTURED IT ALL THROUGHOUT THIS DISRUPTION, ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE MAYOR WERE PRESENT, YET NO ONE RAISED A POINT OF ORDER TO MAINTAIN DECORUM AND ALLOW ME TO CONTINUE SPEAKING.
I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT YOU REVIEW THE VIDEO FOOTAGE OF THIS INCIDENT, AND IF LED TO DO SO, PLEASE EXPRESS YOUR CONCERN TO MEMBERS OF COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR.
I APPRECIATE COMMITMENT TO THE PRINCIPLES OF AN OPEN, HONEST, AND TRANSPARENT GOVERNMENT WITHIN THE CITY OF HUBER HEIGHTS.
AND I AM HOPEFUL THAT WE CAN RECTIFY THESE SITUATIONS AND THESE AMBIGUITIES AND CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER TO BUILD A STRONGER, MORE INCLUSIVE HUBER HEIGHTS.
ANY QUESTIONS OR INPUT? I WAS THERE AT THAT MEETING AND I DO WANT TO GO ON RECORD, HAVE RHONNA'S BACK SAYING IT WAS ABSOLUTELY SHAMEFUL, UNNECESSARY AND VERY DISHEARTENING.
AND AGAIN, THAT'S JUST IN MY OPINION, YOU KNOW, I MEAN IT'S LIKE THEY JUST DIDN'T EVEN CARE.
IT'S LIKE THEY JUST DIDN'T EVEN CARE.
AND I LOST EVEN A LITTLE MORE FAITH IN OUR CITY'S LEADERSHIP AFTER THAT, TO BE QUITE HONEST WITH YOU.
SO FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH, THAT'S, AND I AM SO SORRY THAT IT HAS COME TO THIS FOR YOU.
I WILL SAY THAT, UM, I'M CONFUSED BY THE PROCESS TOO.
AND I'D REACHED OUT TO TONY ROGERS BECAUSE IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THE RESEARCH THAT EVEN AN ELECTED OFFICIAL WHO MOVES OUT OF THE CITY DUE TO UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES BEYOND THEIR CONTROL, THEY ARE STILL ALLOWED TO SIT AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL.
SO I WAS NOT UNDERSTANDING WHY MS. SUMLIN AS A VOLUNTEER OF THE CITY, THAT THE STANDARDS WOULD NOT BE THE SAME GIVEN THAT WE ALLOW THAT FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS.
AND IT HAS ACTUALLY HAPPENED IN THE CITY OF HUBER HEIGHTS.
UM, SO THAT'S MY FIRST POINT OF CONFUSION.
UM, THE SECOND IS AROUND THE EX-OFFICIO MEMBER AND THE REQUIREMENT TO LIVE IN THE CITY.
WHEN WE FIRST STARTED THIS COMMISSION, WE WERE TOLD IT'S A NINE MEMBER COMMISSION.
WE COULD HAVE, I THINK IT WAS TWO EX-OFFICIO SEATS.
UM, AND THAT THAT EX-OFFICIO COULD BE ANYONE THAT COULD BRING A LEVEL OF EXPERTISE OR ADDITIONAL INSIGHT TO THE COMMISSION BECAUSE AT ONE POINT WE WERE EVEN CONSIDERING, UM, HAVING THE NAACP REPRESENT AS AN EX-OFFICIO MEMBER MM-HMM.
SO I AM COMPLETELY CONFUSED BY THE, UM, BEING GIVEN ONE PIECE OF INFORMATION AND THEN THAT CHANGING AND BEING FLUID AND NO REAL FROM WHAT I CAN SEE, DOCUMENTATION THAT IS NOT GRAY.
[01:55:01]
WHAT IS THE SENSE OF URGENCY IN THIS WHOLE THING? DECEMBER 31ST MY COMMISSION EXPIRES.SO WHEN YOU HAD THE CONVERSATION WITH MR. ROGERS, DID YOU REFERENCE IN THE COMMISSION'S, UM, MISSION'S? WELL, THE, I'LL SAY GUIDE, WHATEVER THE VERBIAGE THAT WAS SPECIFIED.
IT, IT'S, IT'S, I MEAN IT'S IN THE DOCUMENTATION AND I'M HAPPY TO SEND TO THE COMMISSION ALL OF THE EXCHANGE.
BUT THE LAW DIRECTOR MADE, IF YOU LOOK AT THE DOCUMENT THAT THE LAW THAT I GAVE YOU THAT CAME FROM THE LAW DIRECTOR, YOU'LL NOTICE THAT HE SAYS, LET ME GO TO THE DOCUMENT DIRECTLY.
FIRST PARAGRAPH AS A GENERAL STATEMENT, EXOFFICIO MEMBERS ENJOY ALL THE BENEFITS OF REGULAR MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE ON WHICH THEY SERVE, MEANING THEY CAN HOLD OFFICE, VOTE, PARTAKE IN DISCUSSIONS, ET CETERA.
ROBERT'S RULES CONFIRMS THIS GENERAL STATEMENT, AND WE FOLLOW ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
AND HE SAYS, I AM NOT AWARE OF ANY INTERNAL ORGANIZATION DOCUMENTS FOR THE COMMISSION.
SO HE HAS NOT REVIEWED OUR LEGISLATION.
AND FOR THE RECORD, IT STATES UNDER MEMBERS' TERMS AND VACANCIES.
AND ACTUALLY IT IS ITEM A, AND I'M, I'M SURE WE ALL HAVE THIS, BUT DOES STATE THAT ADDITIONAL EX OFFICIAL MEMBERS MAY BE APPOINTED BY EITHER CITY COUNCIL OR BY THE ESTABLISHED COMMISSION AS NEEDED.
SO THAT VERBIAGE WAS PART OF THE, UM, RESPONSIBILITIES IN TERMS OF TERMS AND EXPECTATION OF MEMBERS THAT RESIDE IN, IN THE CITY OR NOT.
I'M SORRY, WHAT CHANGE, I MEAN, SO INITIALLY WHEN THEY DISCOVERED, YOU KNOW, THAT YOU HAD RELOCATED, THERE WAS DISCUSSION ABOUT YOU SERVING AS AN EX-OFFICIAL MM-HMM.
LED THEM TO NO LONGER CONSIDER THAT AS AN OPTION.
DO YOU KNOW? THIS IS MY PERSONAL OPINION, I THINK WHEN I SHOWED UP AT THAT COUNCIL MEETING AND SPOKE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T, THEY DON'T FEEL CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS SHOULD SPEAK UP.
I THINK THAT STARTED THE PROCESS OF TRYING TO SEE HOW CAN WE BACKDOOR THIS POLICY? AND AS I SAID, WHEN I STOOD BEFORE THEM WITH YOLANDA, I KNOW FOR A FACT THERE WERE MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL THAT DID NOT LIKE THE FACT THAT WE SPOKE AGAINST THAT CITY MANAGER PROCESS.
AND, AND YOU KNOW, THERE'VE BEEN COMMENTS MADE IN THAT BACK ROOM THAT WERE INAPPROPRIATE THAT SHE AND I KNOW ABOUT.
AND I ALWAYS, AND IT'S UNFORTUNATE.
I FEEL THAT IT'S ALWAYS THIS GOTCHA CULTURE IN THIS CITY, YOU KNOW, AND SHOULD I HAVE TO RETAIN AN ATTORNEY TO FIGHT THESE DOCUMENTS? NO, ABSOLUTELY NOT.
SOMEBODY SHOULD STAND UP AND SPEAK UP.
THERE ARE MEMBERS OF CITY STAFF THAT KNOW THAT THERE'S EX OFFICIO MEMBERS ON OTHER BOARDS AND KNOWS THAT THEY'VE BEEN ON OTHER BOARDS, SPEAK UP, DO WHAT'S RIGHT.
BUT PEOPLE WON'T SPEAK UP FOR FEAR OF RETALIATION.
AND THAT'S WHY NOTHING EVER CHANGES.
SOMEBODY HAS TO SPEAK UP, SOMEBODY HAS TO CALL IT OUT.
SO I'M JUST WONDERING, CAN, CAN A FORMAL REQUEST BE MADE FOR THE CITY TO CONSIDER YOU OR TO MAKE, TO CONSIDER YOU FOR A DECISION ON MAKING YOU AN EX OFFICIAL MEMBER? I JUST, I DON'T KNOW.
I'M JUST SAYING, IS THERE SOMETHING THAT CAN AT LEAST BE DONE SO THAT THEY CAN AT LEAST, YOU KNOW, HEAR THAT REQUEST.
GIVEN WHERE WE'RE AT, YOU KNOW, UM, AND THEN GET A DECISION IS THAT, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE OR HOW THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, BUT I MEAN, ASSUMING THAT IF YOU STILL
[02:00:02]
WANT TO SERVE, YOU KNOW, ON THE BOARD, UM, AND I DON'T KNOW THAT, I MEAN I ASSUME YOU HADN'T TALKED, YOU HAVEN'T SPOKEN TO TONY RIGHT? OTHER THAN JUST SOME EMAIL EXCHANGES, BUT YOU HAVEN'T SPOKEN TO ANYONE IN THE CITY, BUT ABOUT THAT SPECIFICALLY ABOUT REQUESTING OR IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE AS COMMISSION, YOU KNOW, TO SUBMIT SOME SORT OF REQUEST TO AT LEAST GET A DECISION ON.'CAUSE LIKE I SAID, IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S NOTHING HERE THAT SHOULD PREVENT YOU, RIGHT? FROM BEING AN EXECUTIONAL NO, THE PRECEDENCE, IT'S STILL THEIR DECISION.
BUT I THINK IT'S STILL THEIR DECISION.
BUT THE PRECEDENCE HAS BEEN SET TO ALLOW FOR EXOFFICIO MEMBERS, RIGHT.
SO THEN THEY CAN'T JUST SAY, WELL NOW WE'RE NOT
SO THEY, THEY HAVE TO AT LEAST IF, IF THEY'RE NOT GOING TO ACCEPT YOU, UH, IN TERMS OF SERVING AS AN EX OFFICIAL, THEY NEED TO GIVE YOU A REASON WHY.
THAT'S ALL AND ONE ONE THAT ADDS UP.
THEY NEED TO GIVE ME SOME, SOME REASON OR, OR EITHER ALLOW YOU TO SERVE AS AN SUFFICIENT LAWYER.
SO WHAT I'VE BEEN TOLD IS THAT I CAN, I CAN APPLY TO COUNCIL.
NOW, ORIGINALLY IT WAS YOUR COMMISSION CAN APPOINT YOU, JUST LIKE THE MAYOR APPOINTED THE FOUR OF US.
YOUR COMMISSION CAN APPOINT YOU AS AN EX-OFFICIO MEMBER.
NOW IT'S, YOU CAN APPLY TO COUNSEL TO BE A SPECIAL LIAISON, WHICH IS NON-VOTING, NON-PARTICIPATORY.
MEANING I CAN'T HOLD AN OFFICE.
SO ARE YOU SAYING SOMETHING, THE LANGUAGE CHANGED YOU BECAUSE YOU JUST YEAH.
AND, BUT, BUT WHERE IS SOMEWHERE, WHERE'S THAT ROLE? WHERE DID THAT ROLE COME FROM? SPECIAL LIAISON.
WHERE IS THAT IN THE CHARTER? WELL, I WOULD SAY BASED ON THIS DOCUMENTATION, THIS WRITTEN DOCUMENTATION, THIS IS FROM OUR, UM, WEBSITE MM-HMM.
SO BASED ON THAT, WE CAN APPOINT AN EX-OFFICIO MEMBER AS A COMMISSION.
THAT'S, THAT'S THE WAY I TOOK IT.
I DON'T MIND TO GET INTO THIS, BUT ONE THING YOU ALL HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND, I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD AND COMMISSION TILL THE LATE 1990S.
AND A PART OF THAT, IF YOU GO AND READ THE CHARTER, IT SAYS THAT, UM, ONE, AND, AND THIS IS CHARTER FROM 2017, YOU HAD TO BE A RESIDENT OF HUBBERT HEIGHTS.
I'M NOT GOING AGAINST YOU, I'M JUST STATING WHAT I READ AND WHAT I KNOW.
AND YOU HAVE TO BE A RESIDENT VOTER.
WHEN I WAS A CHAIRPERSON OF THE PROPERTY MAINTENANCE BOARD, WE HAD A MEMBER THAT HAD MOVED INTO FORTS RIDGE.
AND IF YOU ALL KNOW FORT RIDGE IS KIND OF FUNNY.
YOU GOT A LITTLE BIT OF HUBBERT AND YOU GOT A LITTLE BIT OF DAYTON.
SHE MOVED THINKING THAT WHERE SHE PURCHASED HER HOUSE WAS AT THAT IT WAS PART OF HUBBERT WHEN THEY CHECKED AND FOUND OUT SHE HAD TO GIVE UP HER, HER POSITION ON THAT BOARD.
BECAUSE IT WASN'T IN THE CITY OF HUBER HEIGHTS.
NOW, IF YOU GO AND READ, AND YOU ALL KNOW I'M ABOUT RIGHT, OKAY, I DON'T HAVE NOTHING WITH THE COUNCIL, BUT IF YOU GO AND READ WHAT THEY GOT, THE DOCUMENT STATING IS THAT ALSO, EVEN THOUGH IF YOU, UH, MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO MAKE HER, THAT IT STILL HAS TO GO BEFORE COUNCIL AND COUNCIL HAS TO PROVE IT.
IT'S JUST LIKE EVERY YEAR WHEN OUR, OUR DATES EXPIRE, LIKE IN DECEMBER, THEY ASK US DO WE WANT TO STILL BE ON THE COUNCIL IF WE SAY YAY OR NO? YES OR NO.
EVEN IF WE SAY YES, THE COUNCIL HAS A RIGHT TO NOT ACCEPT THAT AND GET SOMEBODY, YOU KNOW, GET OTHER INDIVIDUALS ON THAT PART OF IT.
I DON'T KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THIS.
I'M JUST SAYING WHAT'S IN THE CHARTER.
SO THE ISSUE SHOULD BE IS THAT CHARTER NEEDS TO BE, IF THIS IS WHAT IT IS, THAT 2017 CHARTER NEEDS TO BE UPDATED AND CORRECTED.
SO THERE DON'T BE ANY CONFUSION ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON, RIGHT? NO, NO, I'M WITH YOU.
BUT I, AND THAT'S WHAT THE LAW DIRECTOR SAID.
HE SAID THAT IN HIS DOCUMENT THE LANGUAGE IS AMBIGUOUS AND THEY NEED TO CHANGE IT.
AND I THINK WHAT YOU SAID, IT DIDN'T SAY APPOINTED BY COMMISSION AND APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL.
BUT I'M GONNA TELL YOU WHAT'S GOING TO HA IF YOU DO THAT.
THEY STILL HAVE THE OVERSEE OF WHO BE ON THESE COMMISSIONS AND ON THESE BOARDS, THE COUNCIL
[02:05:01]
HAS THE FINAL SAY.SO, AND THAT'S WHY WITH THE CHARTER AND STUFF, AND YOU ALL KNOW I'M NOT A FAN OF A LOT OF THE COUNCIL, BUT I JUST SAID, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT IT SAYS.
EVEN IF IT'S LIKE MY, MY TERM MIGHT COME UP, I DON'T KNOW WHEN IT, IT MIGHT BE THIS DECEMBER.
I MIGHT SAY, YEAH, I WANT, WANT TO CONTINUE, BUT THAT COUNCIL MIGHT HAVE A RIGHT TO SAY NO.
WE DON'T WANT HER TO CONTINUE TO BE OVER THE ZONING YOU ON, ON THAT PART OF IT.
I JUST, SO WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT COME TOGETHER, YOU DO WHAT YOU GOTTA DO, WHATEVER.
AND YOU KNOW, I RESPECT WHATEVER YOUR DECISION, BUT AS THIS COMMISSION, OKAY, IT SEEMS TO ME YOU ALL ARE FRUSTRATED.
BUT EACH ONE OF YOU ALL, OKAY, WHEN THIS WAS STARTED THREE YEARS AGO, Y'ALL HAD A PURPOSE AND A MISSION AND A PURPOSE, I MEAN, AND A MISSION TO DO THAT.
AND IF YOU GET DISCOURAGED OF ONE ROADBLOCK, OKAY, YOU GONNA BE, UH, DISCOURAGED ALL THE TIME.
YOU ALL ARE HERE FOR THE CITY.
LIKE ALL THESE BOYS AND COMMISSIONS ARE HERE FOR THE SENATE.
WE DON'T HAVE TO AGREE WITH THE COUNCIL AND YOU ALL KNOW ME.
I DON'T NECESSARILY ALWAYS AGREE WITH THEM, BUT I'M JUST SAYING WE GOTTA LOOK AT BOTH SIDES OF THE PICTURE.
AND THEN SOMETIME WE LET OUR EMOTIONS GET INVOLVED AND WE'LL LOOK AT THE WHOLE PICTURE, OKAY? AND THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT FOR YOU.
I KNOW YOUR EMOTIONS ABOUT, I KNOW YOU UPSET AND YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO BE UPSET, BUT WE GOTTA LOOK AT THE WHOLE PICTURE OF ALL THAT'S GOING ON AND THEN MAKE YOUR STEP OKAY? BECAUSE YOU GOTTA SIGN WHAT BATTLES DO YOU ALL WANT TO WANT TO FIGHT.
OKAY? ON THAT PART OF IT, YOU KNOW, I APOLOGIZE FOR YOU FEELING LIKE THIS, BUT HEY, YOU KNOW, AND I, I JUST CAME IN JUST TO, YOU KNOW, TO SIT BACK ON THAT PART OF IT.
SO I'M JUST SAYING LOOK AND READ THE CHARTER AND THE CHARTER.
THAT MIGHT BE ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS YOU ALL ASKED THIS COMMISSION NEED TO MAKE THAT THEY NEED TO REVISE WHAT IT SAYS IN THE 2017 CHARTER.
THAT SHOULD BE A RECOMMENDATION COMING FROM YOU ALL.
'CAUSE THE LANGUAGE DOESN'T MATCH.
YOU KNOW, ON THAT, ON THAT PART OF IT.
BUT I'M JUST SAYING DON'T GET DISCOURAGED AND DON'T, YOU KNOW, PICK YOUR BALANCE.
ON HOW YOU ALL COULD BE A BENEFIT TO, TO THE CITY.
EVEN THOUGH YOU MIGHT NOT GET A LOT OF PARTICIPATION, YOU ALL ARE MAKING AN IMPACT ON THE CITY.
OKAY? AND IF YOU ALL JUST GET DISCOURAGED AND STOP WHO'S GOING TO DO IT, WHO'S GOING TO HELP THE CITY.
LIKE I SAID, THESE, THESE DECISIONS OR THESE, THESE THINGS SHOULD NEVER BE EMOTIONAL.
YOU KNOW, JUST THE FACT LOGIC AND WHAT THE DATA OR WHAT THE LANGUAGE SAYS MEAN FOR ME.
WHAT DOES THE LANGUAGE SAY? RIGHT? IS THE COMMISSION ALLOWED TO APPOINT HER OR NOT? OR DOES IT REQUIRE APPROVAL BY THE CITY? THEN THAT'S FINE.
RIGHT? THAT'S WHY I SAID DO WE NEED TO, DOES, IF SHE WANTS TO SERVE, IS IT A MATTER OF HER SUBMITTING A REQUEST TO CITY COUNCIL OR DOES IT OR DOES IT OR DOES IT OR SHOULD, ARE WE TO AT AT LEAST INITIALLY VOTE TO SAY, YEP, WE'VE, WE WANT TO APPOINT HER AS AN EX-OFFICIAL AND THEN IT GOES TO THE NEXT STEP.
SO I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT, AGAIN, YOU CAN DO THAT, BUT IT'S STILL, CITY COUNCIL HAS THE FINAL SAY SO AND STUFF.
BUT CITY COUNCIL IS TELLING ME THAT YOU ALL CAN APPOINT ME MEMBERS OF COUNCIL OR SAYING YOU CAN APPOINT ME AS AN EX-OFFICIO MEMBER.
IF, IF YOU ARE APPOINTING OTHER MEMBERS, THEN APPOINT OTHER MEMBERS AND DON'T EXCLUDE DON'T EXCLUDE ME.
SO, AND AGAIN, I'M, THAT'S MY THING.
AND, AND I, AGAIN, I'M GONNA JUST TRY AND KEEP THIS REAL SIMPLE IN MY MIND, RIGHT? IF THE LANGUAGE SAYS THAT WE CAN APPOINT YOU AS AN EX-OFFICIAL MEMBER, THEN I THINK WE CAN, WE CAN DO THAT.
AND THEN THE CITY THEN CAN COME BACK IF THEY SO CHOOSE TO SAY ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
BUT I'M SAYING WE CAN AT LEAST DO WHAT THE LANGUAGE ALLOWS US TO DO.
AND THEN IT CAN GO ON TO THE NEXT STEP.
AND THE CITY COUNCIL CAN ALSO CHOOSE, SIX MEMBERS CAN ALSO CHOOSE TO REMOVE ME.
'CAUSE I'M TECHNICALLY STILL A PART OF THE COMMISSION.
SO THAT WE CAN, AND I'M SORRY, I JUST SO WE CAN MOVE FORWARD.
RIGHT? SO I GUESS DOES SOMEONE, AND THIS IS THE WAY I'M THINKING, WE NEED TO DO THIS, RIGHT? I MEAN, AS WE ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO, BECAUSE I THINK THIS NEEDS TO BE A MOTION TO UM, HAVE OR TO ACCEPT WHAT'S THE RIGHT WORD, BUT TO, UH, ACCEPT HAVING RHONDA SOLAND SERVE AS AN EXPO MEMBER ON THIS BOARD.
CAN WE GET A MOTIONS POINTER? DOES EVEN ONE
[02:10:01]
MAN WANNA MAKE A MOTION TO DO THAT? DOES THAT, IS THAT EVEN WHAT YOU WANT TO DO, RHONDA? I I MEAN, ABSOLUTELY.I STARTED ON THIS COMMISSION TO SERVE ON THIS COMMISSION.
BUT IF YOU ALL, IF YOU ALL SEE THE VALUE THAT I BRING TO THE COMMISSION, DON'T DO IT BECAUSE YOU THINK I WANT YOU TO DO IT BECAUSE YOU THINK IT'S THE RIGHT THING FOR THE, FOR THE COMMISSION.
AND SARAH CAN TELL SARAH, DO, DO SPECIAL LIAISON.
WHERE DOES THAT TERM, WHERE DID THAT COME FROM? HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF THAT TERM? OKAY.
DO YOU SEE WHAT I'M SAYING? SO THE AMBIGUITY ALLOWS PEOPLE TO COME TO THIS PODIUM AND SPEAK ON THINGS.
IF THE LANGUAGE IS, IS NOT LEFT TO INTERPRETATION, THEN YOU DON'T HAVE PEOPLE THAT CAN CHALLENGE THE LANGUAGE WHEN A LAW DIRECTOR SAYS IT'S AMBIGUOUS.
UM, MADAM CHAIR, I'LL MAKE THE MOTION FOR THE HUBER HEIGHTS CULTURE AND DIVERSITY CITIZENS ACTION COMMISSION TO HAVE MS. RHONDA SUMLIN AN OFFICIAL MEMBER BASED ON THE LANGUAGE, ON THE COMMISSION'S MISSION STATEMENT PER MEMBERS TERMS AND VACANCIES ITEM A, WHICH STATES ADDITIONAL OFFICIAL MEMBERS MAY BE APPOINTED BY EITHER CITY COUNCIL OR BY THE ESTABLISHED COMMISSION AS NEEDED FOR AN OFFICIAL MEMBER.
RESIDENCY IN THE CITY IS NOT A REQUIREMENT.
HOWEVER, IN CONSIDERING SUCH APPOINTMENT FOR THE INDIVIDUAL'S RESIDENCE OR, OR BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONAL TIES TO THE COMMUNITY OR EXPERTISE WILL BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION.
AND THAT'S PER OUR MISSION STATEMENT THAT WAS PREPARED WHEN THIS COMMISSION WAS FIRST, UM, ESTABLISHED IN JUNE, 2020.
IT'S BEEN, IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED.
WE HAVE A ROLL CALL ON THE VOTE.
FORGIVE ME ON THE, UH, PRONUNCIATION.
MS. PREVIS? UH, UH, MR. RICHARDSON? YES.
MS. STEPSON, LEMME THINK ABOUT IT FOR A SECOND.
THE MOTION PASSES TO ACCEPT MS. RHONDA SUMLIN AS AN EX-OFFICIAL MEMBER, AS NOTED VIA BY THE LANGUAGE IN OUR, UM, LEGISLATION.
MAY I JUST SHARE A QUICK THOUGHT? JUST A REALLY QUICK THOUGHT.
I JUST WANNA SAY, UNFORTUNATELY AT THE EXPENSE OF A SOMEONE, THIS HAS BEEN ONE MORE EXAMPLE OF RULES CHANGING US NOT BEING UP TO SPEED ON THINGS WITH OUR CITY COUNCIL.
AND THAT IT'S JUST ANOTHER PROCESS THAT NEEDS TO GET SOLIDIFIED TO AVOID FRUSTRATION, CONFUSION, AND EMOTIONS.
OKAY, WE HAVE ONE MORE, UM, ITEM ON THE AGENDA, WHICH IS THE COMMISSION GOALS AND FOR FUTURE INITIATIVES, WHICH WE, UM, KIND OF DISCUSSED WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THE 2024 PLANNING.
SO WE CAN ROLL THAT INTO OUR DISCUSSION FOR OUR OCTOBER MEETING.
[02:15:01]
YEAH, I GOT ONE COMMENT AND JUST A CORRECTION ON THE JUNE 1ST NOTES.UM, YOU GOT ME DOWN HERE AS BEING PRESENT AND ABSENT AT THE SAME TIME.
I DO DO SOME AMAZING THINGS FROM TIME TO TIME.
UM, SO WE HAVE THE VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION DINNER THAT IS COMING UP.
IF YOU DID NOT R SS V P I NEED TO KNOW, UM, NO LATER THAN TOMORROW.
PLEASE EMAIL JEFFREY NO LATER THAN TOMORROW IF YOU DID NOT.
UM, ALSO, UM, CAN YOU REMIND US TO THE DATE AGAIN? I'M SORRY, JUST, IS IT SEPTEMBER AND TIME? 13TH DATE AND TIME.
OH WAIT, I THINK IT'S SEPTEMBER THE 13TH HERE, I'LL TELL YOU.
OH, IT'S RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER.
UM, THE OTHER THING TOO IS THAT UH, WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE PART OF THE 72ND DAYTON AACP HALL OF FAME AWARDS.
UM, SO THAT WOULD BE ON, THAT'S NOT THE RIGHT DATE.
IT'S BEING HELD ON FRIDAY, OCTOBER 27TH AT SIX 30 AT THE DAYTON CONVENTION CENTER.
UM, SO IF ANYBODY IS INTERESTED IN ATTENDING THAT, I NEED YOU TO EMAIL JEFFREY NO LATER THAN TUESDAY IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE PART OF THAT EVENT.
'CAUSE THE CITY IS LOOKING AT HAVING A TABLE SO OKAY, TUESDAY.
SO VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION NO LATER THAN TOMORROW.
AND IF YOU'RE INTERESTED, UH, FOR THE NAACP HALL OF FAME AWARDS TUESDAY EMAIL YOU, JEFFREY.
JEFFREY ADAMS. JEFFREY ADAMS. NOT ADAMS. ADAM, JEFFREY.
AND IT HAS BEEN AN ABSOLUTE PLEASURE.
UM, BUT IT HAS BEEN A PLEASURE TO BE YOUR STAFF LIAISON FOR THE LAST EIGHT MONTHS AND WORKING HEAVILY SIDE BY SIDE WITH ALL OF YOU ON ALL OF THE CULTURE WEEK EVENTS AND ALL OF THAT.
SO AGAIN, I'M NOT GOING ANYWHERE.
UM, SO GO AHEAD AND THROW ALL THE SPAGHETTI AT JEFFREY
HE LOOKS THROUGH, I'M JUST KIDDING.
HE TOOK, HE TOOK I LOVE SPAGHETTI.
ALL RIGHT, JUST A REMINDER, MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE ALL YOUR ITEMS FOR OUR 2024 PLANNING AND YOUR BUDGET LAID OUT WHAT YOU NEED.
ALL THAT TO ME, UM, WITHIN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS.
PLEASE REMEMBER TO GO AND WATCH THAT, THAT MEETING.