HomeMy WebLinkAboutTRC Agenda 12 19 2024 Ad Hoc Truth and Reconciliation Commission
Thursday, December 19, 2024
Regular Meeting
5:30 PM – Emma Harvat Hall, City Hall
410 E. Washington Street
AGENDA:
1.CALL TO ORDER.
2.READING OF NATIVE AMERICAN LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.
3.PUBLIC COMMENT OF ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA (COMMISSIONERS
SHALL NOT ENGAGE IN DISCUSSION WITH THE PUBLIC CONCERNING
SAID ITEMS.) 5 MINUTE MAXIMUM FOR EACH SPEAKER.
Only in-person comments will be allowed for Public Comment. Public comment
for specific agenda items, which must be directly related to that agenda item,
may be made in-person or remotely.
4.APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM DECEMBER 5, 2024.
5.WRAPPING UP PHASE 4:A.RECOMMENDATIONS.B.FINAL REPORT.C.PRESENTATION TO CITY COUNCIL.D.OTHER.
6.ANNOUNCEMENTS OF COMMISSIONERS.
7.ANNOUNCEMENTS OF STAFF.
8.ADJOURNMENT.
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.
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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.
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person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in these events,
please contact the Office of Equity and Human Rights at 319-356-5022 or humanrights@iowa-city.org.
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December 5, 2024
Draft Ad Hoc Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Minutes
Emma Harvat Hall
Commissioners present: Chastity Dillard, Lou Tassinary, Amos Kiche.
Commissioners on Zoom: Wangui Gathua, Lauren Merritt, Lubna Mohamed.
Commissioners not present: Clif Johnson, Kayla Rossi, Chad Simmons.
Staff present: Stefanie Bowers.
Recommendation to City Council: No.
Meeting called to order: 7:06 PM.
Reading of Land Acknowledgement: Tassinary read the Land Acknowledgement.
Public Comment of Items not on the agenda: None.
Approval of the Minutes from November 21, 2024: Dillard moved, and Tassinary seconded.
Motion passed 6-0.
Phase Four: Staff informed the commission that their request for an extension will be on the City
Council’s agenda on Dec. 10th.
Gathua shared that due to scheduling issues the Iowa City Catholic Workers House will not be able
to present at the next meeting (Dec. 19). Merritt asked if there are plans to reschedule the
presentation if the commission gets approved for an extension. Dillard suggested commissioners
educate themselves on the topic regardless of the presentation due to the personal and professional
value of the information provided by the Catholic Workers House.
Merritt asked what the commission’s meeting schedule would look like if they were to be granted
an extension. Dillard suggested meeting once a month to touch base on the final report. Mohamed
agreed. Tassinary agreed once a month should work, but suggested going back to twice a month if
it seems little to no progress is being made with commissioners working on their own contributions
to the final report. Merritt suggested leaving both monthly meeting times open for the option to
meet twice or pick one of the two dates to meet and cancel the other meeting time if it is not
needed. It was agreed that any final decision on the topic will be made once the commission hears
back from City Council regarding their extension.
Kiche suggested relating the commission’s schedule to the chapters of the report. Gathua added to
this statement and mentioned it will be necessary to work closely with the report writer which may
call for additional meetings.
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Dillard asked commissioners their thoughts and ideas on recommendations to the City Council.
Tassinary suggested presenting the idea to establish a commission that routinizes what the
commission has been asked to do--collect data on structural racism. Kiche offered a suggestion to
use the commission to hear, question, and resolve issues people of the community are facing.
Kiche mentioned that this opportunity to hear people out would also allow City Council and the
commission to know what is going on in the community beyond what is reported directly to City
Council.
Gathua recommended a racial injustice commission that would address Kiche’s suggestion
directly. Merritt suggested dedicating a staff member to receiving community complaints. Gathua
added this may be a big body of work to take on and it may need someone with investigative
power in the sense they have access to resources that would allow them to take on these cases.
Dillard shared her own suggestions including requiring City Council to acknowledge how difficult
it is to do the commission’s work while adhering to rules of open meetings and public records.
Dillard shared she would like to see a real effort to dedicate resources to a paid team that could
dive further into areas the commission has identified, including education and housing. Dillard also
recommended that the city looks at the commission’s efforts of restorative justice and to use it as a
form of reconciliation moving forward. Gathua added she would like to recommend continuing
work on fact finding on policies and laws that contribute to racial injustice. Kiche suggested the
potential for a commission that checks in with other commissions to track their work, findings, and
plan of action for projects and community efforts.
Gathua added to Kiche’s recommendation and suggested putting BIPOC community members in
charge of this effort. Dillard mentioned that the resolution for the commission was very big and
vague which gave little direction for where the commission was to start with their efforts on
addressing racial injustice. Dillard prompted the city to narrow the focus for the commission.
Kiche brought up his confusions with the City’s expectations of the commission regarding
interacting with community members and reporting on their findings. Kiche also expressed
frustration with the lack of information the commission received from the facilitators regarding
their final report and what it was expected to contain. Tassinary noted the commission has worked
through struggles and with multiple turnovers. The TRC work was consistently interrupted and
redirected.
Kiche expressed frustrations with expectations on budget as well. While the commission was
informed on the need for a budget, they were not told how that should look or what should be
included. Kiche also reports that there was no time for them to meet with City Council for them to
understand Council’s expectations. Dillard read through the resolution in effort to provide
framework and inspire more recommendations for the commission. Merritt suggested revisiting the
information the commission previously provided to City Council to be included in the final report.
Dillard noted another barrier to public report and connecting with community members was the
fact that all things are associated with the government and therefore public record. Tassinary
shared he would like to understand what is meant by “Public Record” and if there is a way to work
around that to protect the community members willing to come forward.
Announcements of Commissioners: None.
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Announcements of Staff: Staff reminded commissioners the Human Rights Office will be
temporarily moving from the third floor of City Hall to the Robert A. Lee Rec Center.
The meeting adjourned at 8:09 PM.
The full meeting video can be viewed at this link.
AD HOC TRUTH & RECONCILIATION COMMISSION
ATTENDANCE RECORD
YEAR 2024
(Meeting Date)
NAME
TERM
EXP.
5/2 5/16 6/20 7/18 8/1 8/15 9/5 9/19 10/3 10/17 11/7 11/21 12/5
Dillard 12/31/24 P P P P P A P P Z P P Z P
Gathua 12/31/24 A A Z Z Z A Z P P P A P Z
Kiche 12/31/24 P P P P P P P P P P P P P
Johnson 12/31/24 P P P P P P P A A A A A A
Merritt 12/31/24 P A P P P P Z A Z A A P Z
Muhamed 12/31/24 - Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z A Z Z Z
Simmons 12/31/24 P P A P A A A Z Z A Z A A
Tassinary 12/31/24 P P P A P P A P A P P P P
Rossi 12/31/24 - - A Z A A A A A Z A A A
P = Present in person
A = Absent
Z = Zoom
Prepared by: Council members Janice Weiner and Laura Bergus I
Resolution No. 20-228
Resolution establishing Ad Hoc Truth and Reconciliation Commission
Whereas, in Resolution No. 20-159 (Initial Commitments addressing the Black Lives Matter
Movement and Systemic Racism in the wake of the murder of George Floyd by the Minneapolis
Police and calls for action from protesters and residents), the Iowa City City Council resolved asfollows:
By October 1, 2020, create an ad hoc Truth and Reconciliation Commission to bear
witness to the truth of racial injustice in Iowa City and to carry out restorative justice,
through the collection of testimony and public hearings, with such work to include a
recommendation to the Council of a plan for dedicating and/or renaming public spaces
and/or rights of way in honor of the Black Lives Matter movement; and,
Whereas, the City Council committed to allocate City funds of $1,000,000 during the present
Fiscal Year to support Resolution 20-159, which includes a variety of initiatives, among them theTruthandReconciliationCommission; and,
Whereas, truth and reconciliation underscores the imperative that confronting and reckoningwiththepastisnecessaryforsuccessfultransitionsfromconflict, injustice, resentment and
tension to peace, equality and connectedness; and,
Whereas, while we acknowledge that other forms of injustice and challenges have occurred
over the course of the history of the city of Iowa City, the focus of this Commission is on race;
and,
Whereas, the City Council acknowledges the existence of painful, systemic, persistent, and
varied forms of racial injustice in Iowa City, and acknowledges that such injustice persists
despite past efforts to address it, consistent with observations that systemic racism and white
privilege are deeply resistant to change; and,
Whereas, the Iowa City community must look comprehensively into its past and bear witness to
the truth of racial injustice in order to provide the best possible foundation for moving into a
future of equity based on healing and hope; and,
Whereas, the City Council recognizes that, for a Truth and Reconciliation process to be
meaningful, it must include bold action to confront privilege, stimulate difficult conversations,
and reach and engage a full cross-section of the community, including those in the communitynotinclinedtoengageorresistanttoengagement; and,
Whereas, a comprehensive process will require that City of Iowa City departments and the City
Council itself participate, including individual councilors, in good faith, in the process and to
actively encourage broad participation throughout the community, and the City Council herebycommitstosuchparticipationandencouragement; and,
Whereas, creation of an Ad Hoc Truth and Reconciliation Commission is in the best interests of
the City and its residents.
Now, Therefore, Be It Resolved by the City Council of the City of Iowa City, that:
1. The Ad Hoc Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) is hereby established
Resolution No. 20-228
Page 2
2. The TRC shall have nine members who are representative of the City's BIPOC
communities and organizations, including those who have direct lived experience with
systemic racism, as well as experts who support those communities. To the extent
possible, as determined by the City Council, the TRC shall include representation from
groups such as the Iowa Freedom Riders, the Black Voices Project, the South District
Neighborhood Association, the Iowa City Human Rights Commission, and the
Community Police Review Board. Johnson County residency is required. Iowa City
residency is preferred but not required if an applicant offers expertise or representation
not available from applicants who reside in Iowa City. Members of other City boards and
commissions are eligible to serve on the TRC.
3. Applications for membership on the TRC shall be announced, advertised, and available in
the same manner as those for all City boards and commissions.
4. The TRC shall select the Chair, who when present will preside over all meetings, and the
Vice -Chair, who will serve as chair in the absence of the Chair.
5. Within the charges of the TRC set forth herein, the TRC is not required to seek approval
from the City Council, mayor, or city manager to set its own agenda and prioritize its
activities.
6. The TRC shall be facilitated by an independent consultant, funded by the City, with
expertise in group facilitation and human rights, and to the extent possible, experience
with diversity, implicit bias, mediation and conflict resolution, until such time as the TRC
concludes by the favorable vote of at least three-fourths of all the members of the TRC
7/9) that facilitation is no longer needed.
7. To conform with the requirements of laws pertaining to open meetings and public records
and to facilitate transparency and public education and participation, administrative/clerical
assistance and media/event assistance shall be provided by City staff as determined by
the City Manager and City Clerk. Media assistance may be supplemented by outside
expertise on a case-by-case basis if the Commission believes it will substantially expand
outreach.
8. The TRC shall determine the frequency and conduct of its meetings. The meetings will
be open to the public and conducted in accordance with Chapter 21 of the Iowa Code.
Records, documentation, and communications of the TRC will be public records under
Chapter 22 of the Iowa Code.
9. The TRC shall serve from the date of appointment of all members to June 30, 2022. The
TRC shall have an organizational meeting no later than 30 days after the appointment of
all members.
10. Within 90 days of its organizational meeting, the TRC shall recommend to City Council a
preliminary budget for funds needed to carry out the charges of the TRC beyond what
existing City staff, programs, and services can provide.
11. The charges of the TRC are as follows:
A. Fact -Finding The TRC shall collect evidence, including first-hand testimony, of
discrimination and racial injustice in multiple settings and compile a complete
record of racial injustices that will inform and support the fundamental institutional
and policy reforms necessary to address systemic racism.
Resolution No. 20-228
Page 3
B. Truth -Telling The TRC shall: 1) Provide multiple fora and creative opportunities
for persons impacted and traumatized by racial injustice to share their stories of
racial injustice and experience to be heard by: (a) fellow communities of color; (b) a
broad cross section of the entire Iowa City community; and (c) key decision -
makers in city government, the business community and the University; 2) Explore
ways to provide such opportunities through art, music, theater, workshops, rallies
and other forms of congregation, multimedia and listening designed to reveal truths
that cannot be fully expressed in traditional fora; and, 3) Create a repository for
community stories expressed in multiple media (written, video, audio, art) that can
be catalogued and used to educate and inform members of the community.
C. Reconciliation The TRC shall: 1) Provide opportunity for and facilitate direct
conversation among and between community members of color, white community
members and representatives of various sectors in which people of color
experience discrimination and injustice (e.g. police and protesters, landlords and
tenants, students and teachers, patients and health care providers, business
owners and staff); 2) Create a replicable model that provides a structure for
enabling these conversations throughout the city; 3) Make available opportunities
for a broad cross section of the community to learn about discrimination and racial
injustice in our community; and, 4) Identify and recommend to the City Council
institutional and policy reforms, new social practices, expectations, protocols,
habits, rituals, conversations and celebrations that will move Iowa City toward a
shared experience of race and difference, justice and equity and community and
harmony.
12. The TRC shall strive to provide a safe and supportive space for its work, premised on
mutual respect, and shall conduct its work so as to promote healing and justice. The TRC
shall consider the possibility of adverse actions against those who participate in its work.
The TRC shall carefully consider mechanisms to protect participants, and shall work to
support those who allege harm due to their participation in the TRC process.
13. The TRC shall submit periodic updates to City Council to include, but not be limited to: its
plans for community education; recommendations for Council action; requests for
resources the TRC needs to carry out its work; and recommendations to dedicate and/or
rename public spaces and/or rights of way in honor of the Black Lives Matter movement.
14. By May 1, 2022 the TRC shall submit to City Council:
A. A report summarizing the work of the TRC.
B. A repository of community stories expressed in multiple media (written, video,
audio, art).
C. Recommendations to the City Council for: 1) Institutional and policy reforms to end
systemic racism; 2) Opportunities to create new social practices, expectations,
protocols, habits, rituals and celebrations that will move Iowa City toward a shared
experience of race and difference, justice and equity and community and
harmony; 3) Measures to enhance the autonomy/security/sovereignty of
communities of color and mitigate disparities in social and economic power; and 4)
A recommendation on whether and in what form the work of the Commission
should continue.
15. At any time in its work, and no later than June 30, 2022, the TRC shall strive to submit to
City Council a replicable model and structure for conversations between people of color
Resolution No. 20-228
Page 4
and white community members and representatives of various sectors in which people of
color experience discrimination and injustice.
16. Absent further action by the City Council, the TRC will dissolve on June 30, 2022.
Passed and approved this 15 day of September, 2020.
ted by
City Attorney's Office - 09/10/2020