HomeMy WebLinkAboutTRC Agenda and Meeting Packet 7 21 22Ad Hoc Truth and Reconciliation Commission Agenda
Thursday, July 21, 2022, 7 PM
Emma J. Harvat Hall
City Hall
410 E. Washington Street
In order to encourage input from the public, the Commission intends to offer the opportunity to
participate in the meeting remotely. However, this meeting is in-person, and those wishing to ensure
their ability to participate should attend the meeting in person. If you instead wish to participate
remotely, you may attempt to do so by joining the below link. Please note that the meeting link and ID
for the first Thursday of each month is different than the link and ID for the third Thursday of each
month.
First Thursday Meetings https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_cMIaaV6cTxGwOlWu2-hFHg
ID: 867 2424 8095
Third Thursday Meetings https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_lcIl8llPSRq1u0xPlL-1Ew
ID: 895 3695 0485
If you have no computer or smartphone, or a computer without a microphone, you can call in by phone
by dialing (312) 626-6799 and entering the meeting ID when prompted.
Meeting Agenda:
1.CALL TO ORDER
2.ROLL CALL
3.READING OF LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
4.NOMINATIONS AND VOTE FOR CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR (TERMS SUBJECT TO REEVALUATION IN
SIX MONTHS)
5.APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES FROM JUNE 16, 2022
6.PUBLIC COMMENT OF ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA (TRC MEMBERS SHALL NOT ENGAGE IN
DISCUSSION WITH THE PUBLIC CONCERNING SAID ITEMS)
7.THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT FUNDS, THE JOHNSON COUNTY DIRECT ASSISTANCE
PROGRAM, AND EXCLUDED WORKERS
8.FOLLOW UP ON A PROCLAMATION LED BY COMMISSIONER NOBISS FOR MISSING AND
MURDERED INDIGENOUS PEOPLES BY THE CITY ANNUALLY ON MAY 2
9.PROPOSAL SUBMITTED BY THINK PEACE, KEARNS AND WEST, THREE NATIVE PARTNERS, AND
THE HEALING PARTNERS TEAM (BANJO KNITS EMPOWERMENT, ASTIG PLANNING, AND
MEDIATION SERVICES OF EASTERN IOWA)
10.DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES OF CONVERSATIONS FOR TRC COMMISSIONERS
11.TASKS FOR COMMISSIONERS FOR OUTREACH
12.ANNOUNCEMENTS OF COMMISSIONERS/STAFF (TRC MEMBERS SHALL NOT ENGAGE IN
DISCUSSION WITH ONE ANOTHER CONCERNING SAID ANNOUNCEMENTS)
13.ADJOURNMENT
If you will need a disability-related accommodation to participate in this meeting please contact
the Equity Director, Stefanie Bowers, at 319-356-5022 or at stefanie-bowers@iowa-city.org. Early
requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your accessibility needs.
Agenda Item 3
June 16, 2022
Draft Ad Hoc Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Minutes
Emma J. Harvat Hall, City Hall
Commissioners present: Mohamed Traore, Amel Ali, Chastity Dillard (via Zoom), Clif Johnson, Eric
Harris, Sikowis (Christine Nobiss) (via Zoom), Daphney Daniel (via Zoom), Kevo Rivera.
Commissioners not present: Wangui Gathua.
Staff present: Stefanie Bowers.
Recommendations to City Council: No.
Meeting called to order: 7:03.
Reading of Land Acknowledgement: Ali read the Land Acknowledgement.
Approval of Minutes from June 2, 2022: Ali moved, and Rivera seconded. Motion passed 8-0.
Public Comment of Items not on the Agenda: No.
Discussion on a proclamation led by Commissioner Nobiss for Missing & Murdered Indigenous
Women led by Commissioner Nobiss: Nobiss has requested a copy of the proclamation created
by Sioux City. That proclamation and next steps will be presented to the TRC in the near future.
Next steps for the Ad Hoc Truth and Reconciliation Commission including a visit by Think Peace:
David Ragland and Eduardo Gonzalez from Think Peace will be visiting Iowa City in early July. As a
part of that visit they will hold a work session with the TRC and also attend the Diversity Market
on Saturday, July 9. They will discuss the truth and reconciliation process with Commissioners
based upon their first hand experiences in this line of work.
Staff will send out the original proposal submitted by Kearns and West back in 2021 when the TRC
solicited RFPs. It has still not been decided how the TRC will move forward on selecting a
facilitator. It is possible that those organizations under the most recent Kearns and West proposal
(May 2022) may opt to work alongside Kearns and West and not under them. If this route is
pursued those organizations will submit their own independent proposals.
Commission Announcements: Ali reported that the TRC now has a video camera available for
their use. Ali also reminded everyone of the Diversity Markets being held each Saturday. Harris
also encouraged others to come check out the Markets. Harris noted that Juneteenth and
Father’s Day fall on the same date this year and that activities for Juneteenth are being held at
Wetherby Park and at Mercer Park. Johnson mentioned that ICOR Boxing will be holding an
unveiling ceremony of the Muhammad Ali mural on June 25.
Sikowis announced that a Roe V. Wade rally will be held in Des Moines. The rally is being planned
by Great Plains Action Society. Rivera participated in a program sponsored by the University of
Agenda Item 5
Iowa Center for Human Rights on the lynching of Michael Williams in Grinnell, Iowa in 2020. The
program was recorded and Rivera will send the link out to staff to forward to Commissioners.
Traore spoke on the upcoming Juneteenth events being held in the Iowa City area.
Adjourned: 7:47.
City Board and Commission meetings are recorded and can be viewed in their entirety by
visiting this link.
AD HOC TRUTH & RECONCILIATION COMMISSION
ATTENDANCE RECORD
YEAR 2022
(Meeting Date)
NAME
TERM
EXP.
1/20 2/3 2/17 3/3 3/17 4/7 5/5 5/19 6/2 6/16 7/7 7/21 8/4
Ali 6/22 P P P P P P P P P P
Daniel 6/22 A P A P P P P A A P
Dillard 6/22 P P A P P P P P P P
Gathua 6/22 P P P P P P P P P A
Johnson 6/22 P P P P P P P P P P
Harris 6/22 A P P P P P P P P P
Nobiss 6/22 A P A P A A A P P P
Rivera 6/22 P P P P P A A A P P
Traore 6/22 P P P A P P P P P P
KEY: P = Present
A = Absent
DRAFT Recommendation to City Council – 7/21/22
Recently, hundreds of eligible applicants to Johnson’s County’s Direct Assistance Program were denied
long-awaited and much needed pandemic relief payments, while Iowa City received back several
hundred thousand dollars of its committed contribution to the program. Ensuring that marginalized
members of our community receive relief is an issue of socioeconomic and racial equity. The Iowa City
Ad Hoc Truth and Reconciliation Commission recommends and urges Iowa City Council to authorize a
redistribution of available American Rescue Plan Act funds back to the Direct Assistance Program, so
that all eligible applicants will receive relief payments.
Agenda Item 7
1
Proposal Summary
This proposal is actually a set of four proposals from four different groups: Think Peace,
Kearns and West, Three Native Partners, and the Healing Partners Team (Banjo Knits
Empowerment, Astig Planning, and Mediation Services of Eastern Iowa). These are all being
proposed together after several months of our groups collaborating and engaging with the TRC.
We recognize that the skills and expertise of each group are interdependent and are
necessary components to continue the important work of the TRC per Iowa City Council’s
Resolution No. 20-228.
This proposal offers a community-led framework for moving at the speed of trust and
building lasting and authentic relationships throughout the Truth and Reconciliation process.
We seek an organic process that nurtures authenticity within the community while building our
local capacity. Our teams prioritize intentional reflection and evaluation, which will provide
the TRC and community partners an opportunity to improve processes/practices and gain clarity
on the next phase or next steps.
Phased Approach
In order to co-create a framework and process that reflects intentionality, it is important to
include more local partners and to have a phased approach from which to evaluate
progress. We recognize that white culture normalizes and expects processes that are neat and
tidy, and although this is a phased approach, we recognize from the outset that there is a lot of
potential for overlap between phases that can occur and changes that will naturally arise.
We propose a Two-Phased approach that occurs at three and four month intervals. We
understand that the TRC Commission is working as an ad hoc commission that is set to
dissolve on June 30th of 2023. Being mindful of this timeline, we propose a two-phased
approach with evaluative breaks that will help determine the next strategic steps. If we
begin working with the Commission in August of 2022, the second phase will end in March/April
of 2023 and provide the TRC Commission with a few months to reflect on the findings and
recommendations of this process. It is our intention that the Commission will then have what
they need to provide a final recommendation(s) to the City Council.
TRC Commission Coordinator Position
We see the need for a locally-based point person that will coordinate the workings of the TRC
Commission. We suggest that this person be a part-time employee of the city in the Department
of Equity and Human Rights in order to ensure that the purview and practices of this position are
tied directly to the TRC and the city. This person will work closely with the Equity Director and
the TRC, they will facilitate commission discussions and actions informing, confirming, and
assessing truth-telling, fact finding and reconciliation processes; facilitate local partner
onboarding and engagement; coordinate local activities and events; work with city staff and
leadership to further the work of the TRC as the process unfolds.
Agenda Item 9
2
Our Scope
We have followed the three charges that the TRC were given in Resolution No. 20-228: Truth-
telling, Fact-Finding, and Reconciliation. We have allocated our collaborative efforts to create
teams that correspond to each of these charges. Think Peace will lead the Truth-Telling
Team, Kearns & West will lead the Fact-Finding Team, and the Healing/Reconciliation
Partners will lead the Reconciliation Team. We also see teams as groups that can be added
to/modified, and encourage TRC Commission members, city staff, local partners, and
community members to see themselves as part of those teams.
Here is a general outline:
●Phase One (3 Months)
○Education (Truth-Telling Team)
○Iowa Healing/Reconciliation Training & Strategic Planning/ Doing Session
(Reconciliation Team)
○Begin Data Collection (Fact-Finding Team)
○Recommendations for moving forward (TRC + All Teams)
—-----Presentation to City Council and Progress Evaluation —-----
●Phase Two (4 months)
○Continuation of Fact-finding (Fact-finding Team)
○Public Truth-telling/ hearings/ private interviews (Truth-Telling Team)
○Hosting Iowa Circles & Strategic Planning/Doing Follow-up
(Reconciliation Team)
○Recommendations for moving forward (TRC + All Teams)
—-----Presentation to City Council and Progress Evaluation —-----
3
First Phase (3 months)
This first phase spans 3 months and focuses on education of different truth and reconciliation
processes, defining fact-finding categories from which to collect data locally, and provides a
strategic doing session to focus the work for the second phase. All teams will collaborate with
the TRC and the TRC Coordinator to co-create recommendations for the second phase.
●Think Peace:
○Public Educational Training: introduce key elements regarding truth and
reconciliation processes and trauma-informed perspectives. Comparison of truth
commission experiences in the US and abroad.
○Facilitated conversation post-training focused on options for next steps: based on
the analysis of the mandate of the Iowa City TRC.
○Offer guidance on how to structure TRC meetings, fact-finding events and
process, truth-telling events, and reconciliation events
●Kearns & West:
○First phase Fact Finding engagement during this phase will focus on facilitating
the commission’s design of the fact finding process. The specific process is likely
to evolve throughout the assessment phase with discussion topics that could
include defining fact finding areas and specific hypotheses, identifying a
framework for data acceptability, and identifying data sources.
○Strategic Advisor: Co-advising the commission and local consultant team on
process design. Assuming includes participation in commission calls and
standing consultant team coordinating calls.
○Fact Finding Lead Commission Facilitator: In partnership with the Commission
Coordinator, design agendas and facilitate commissions discussions informing,
confirming, and assessing the fact finding process.
○Fact Finding Data Liaison: Inform and track data requirements and any
preliminary data collection. Develop a fact finding database. Support commission
in developing materials and documentation as requested.
●Native Partners
○Iowa Healing/Reconciliation Circle Co-creation/Training with
Healing/Reconciliation Partners
○Assist in creating recommendations
●Healing/Reconciliation Partners
○Iowa Healing/Reconciliation Circle Co-creation/Training with Native Partners
○Strategic Doing Session to facilitate coordinated action steps for the TRC
Commission Members
○Assist in creating recommendations
—---Presentation to Council & Progress Evaluation—--
4
Second Phase (4 Months)
This second phase spans four months and builds off of the first phase. Truth-telling and fact-
finding will be a significant focus in this phase. All teams will collaborate with the TRC and the
TRC Coordinator to co-create final recommendations that will be sent to the City Council.
●Think Peace
○Focus on truth-telling events, including meetings on
■Types of public hearings: focused on cases, on types of situation or on
institutions involved
■Assessment of different models of public hearings according to their
focus: investigative or symbolic
■Identification of criteria to select and invite participants to the public
hearings
■Preparation of a protocol for public hearings including roles for the
commissioners, public, press and participants.
●Kearns & West
○Second phase Fact Finding activities will focus in two areas:
■1) Advancing data collection, aggregation, and directed-analysis as
defined by the commission; and,
■2) facilitating commission discussions to analyze collected information
and develop their findings.
○Strategic Advisor: Engage across the consultant team and with the commission
as appropriate on process iteration. Assumes participation in commission calls
and standing consultant team coordinating calls.
○Fact Finding Lead Facilitator: In partnership with the Commission Coordinator,
design agendas and facilitate commissions discussions providing fact finding
updates, exploring preliminary and iterative findings, and advancing the
commission’s development of findings and recommendations.
○Fact Finding Data Liaison: Manage fact finding database. Support commission in
developing fact finding reports. Specific role to be determined in assessment
phase, and may include drafting the commission’s report commission review and
approval along with briefing presentations as requested.
●Native Partners
○Iowa Healing/Reconciliation Circle Co-creation/Training with
Healing/Reconciliation Partners
○Assist in creating final recommendations
●Healing/Reconciliation Partners
○Strategic Doing Follow up - Reaching pathfinder projects that build trust and
community capacity.
○Iowa Healing/Reconciliation Circle Co-creation/Training with Native Partners
○Assist in creating final recommendations
—---Presentation to Council & Progress Evaluation & Final Recommendations—--
Total Cost Phase Percentages
Entities
Think
Peace
Kearns and
West
Healing
Partners
Native
Partners
Phase One Total (3 months) $161,172.50 21.2% 58.1% 9.6% 11.2%
Second Phase Total (4 Months) $227,702.50 20.0% 65.4% 6.8% 7.9%
Total Two-Phases (7 Months) $388,875.00 20.5% 62.3% 7.9% 9.3%
Think Peace (Truth Telling)
Time allocation - monthly expenses (PER MONTH)Unit Cost Unit (month)Percentage Total
Project manager and senior facilitator - Gonzalez$8,800.00 1 25%$2,200.00
Senior facilitator - Ragland$8,800.00 1 25%$2,200.00
Senior facilitator - Rausch$8,800.00 1 10%$880.00
Senior facilitator - Pentikainen$8,800.00 1 10%$880.00
Program Associate - Kitchen$4,400.00 1 20%$880.00
Local facilitator$4,400.00 1 50%$2,200.00
Sub total time allocation $9,240.00
Overhead (7.5%)$693.00
Sub total time allocation with overhead $9,933.00
Travel expenses (PER TRIP)Unit Cost Unit Subtotal
Air travel to Iowa City$700.00 1 $700.00
Hotel accommodation per night$100.00 4 $400.00
Perdiem $60.00 4 $240.00
Sub total time allocation $1,340.00
Overhead (7.5%)0 $100.50
Sub total time allocation with overhead0$1,440.50
Monthly Total $11,373.50
Phase One Total $34,120.50
Phase Two (4 Months)$45,494.00
Total Total $79,614.50
Think Peace (Truth Telling)
Time allocation - monthly expenses (PER MONTH)Unit Cost Unit (month)Percentage Total
Project manager and senior facilitator - Gonzalez$8,800.00 1 25%$2,200.00
Senior facilitator - Ragland $8,800.00 1 25%$2,200.00
Senior facilitator - Rausch $8,800.00 1 10%$880.00
Senior facilitator - Pentikainen$8,800.00 1 10%$880.00
Program Associate - Kitchen $4,400.00 1 20%$880.00
Local facilitator $4,400.00 1 50%$2,200.00
Sub total time allocation $9,240.00
Overhead (7.5%)$693.00
Sub total time allocation with overhead $9,933.00
Travel expenses (PER TRIP)Unit Cost Unit Subtotal
Air travel to Iowa City $700.00 1 $700.00
Hotel accommodation per night$100.00 4 $400.00
Perdiem $60.00 4 $240.00
Sub total time allocation $1,340.00
Overhead (7.5%)0 $100.50
Sub total time allocation with overhead0 $1,440.50
Monthly Total $11,373.50
Phase One Total $34,120.50
Phase Two (4 Months)$45,494.00
Total Total $79,614.50
Native Partners ($125 for 3
Partners)$375.00Time allocation - monthly
expenses (PER MONTH)
TRC Commission CoordinatorIowa Healing/Reconciliation Circle
Co-creation/Training 20
Internal Meetings 8
TRC Meetings 10
Sub-total Hours 38
Sub-total rate*hours $14,250.00
Monthly Total $14,250.00
Final Recommendations $3,750.00
Phase One Total $18,000.00Phase Two Total with
Recommendations $18,000.00
Total Total $36,000.00
TRC
Coordinato AT VFO
Healing Partners (Reconciliation)$0.00 $55.00 $55.00Time allocation - monthly expenses (PER
MONTH)
TRC Commission Coordinator 40Iowa Healing/Reconciliation Circle Co-
creation/Training 20 20 20
Internal Meetings 8 8
TRC Meetings
Non-
payment 14
Sub-total Hours 60 28 42
Sub-total rate*hours $0.00 $1,540.00 $2,310.00
Monthly Total $3,850.00
Phase One Total $15,400.00
Not Monthly Expenses:
City Council Presentations (2)5 5 5
Lead Evaluation 10
Final Recommendations 10 10 10
Strategic Doing Session 40
Non-
payment 40
Sub-total Hours 65 15 55
Sub-total rate*hours $0.00 $825.00 $3,025.00
Total $3,850.00
Phase Two Sub Total (4 months)$15,400.00
Phase Two Total $15,400.00
Total Total $30,800.00
Includes 15 hours of
presentations and 30
MISSION STATEMENT
WHO ARE WE? Our Commission represents a collection of citizen activists from
diverse backgrounds calling on the Iowa City community to account for their
history of racialize oppression. We are individuals who are committed to structural
change, truth telling, healing trauma and repair. We share in common a vision for
an equitable and sustainable community free of violence and systemic racism. We
believe the time has come to foster change.
OUR MISSION The Iowa City Ad Hoc Truth and Reconciliation Commission is
committed to implementing and sustaining grassroots, community-centered truth-
telling processes to address past and present instances of both direct and indirect
actions of violence, discrimination, and racism in Iowa City. We will collect
testimony from a variety of institutions including but not limited to schools, housing
providers, government officials, health care, banking institutions, and law
enforcement.
Agenda Item 10
Late Handouts for Agenda Item #7