HomeMy WebLinkAboutTRC Agenda 8 24 23Ad Hoc Truth and Reconciliation Commission
Thursday, August 24, 2023
Regular Meeting
7 PM - Emma J. Harvat Hall
410 E. Washington Street
AGENDA:
1.CALL TO ORDER
2.READING OF NATIVE AMERICAN LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
3.APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES: AUGUST 17, 2023.
4.PUBLIC COMMENT OF ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA.
COMMISSIONERS SHALL NOT ENGAGE IN DISCUSSION WITH THE PUBLIC
CONCERNING SAID ITEMS.
5.TRC LOGO SELECTION
6.TALKING CIRCLES
7.COMMISSION BYLAWS
8.STRATEGIC DOING WORKSHOPS (September 14 & September 16)
9.SELECTION OF DATES FOR FACILITATION ON FACT FINDING
10.FACILITATOR WORK PLAN FOR PHASE ONE
11. CORRESPONDENCE
12. ANNOUNCEMENTS OF COMMISSIONERS
THIS ITEM INCLUDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR BRIEF UPDATES FROM
STAFF AND COMMISSIONERS. COMMISSIONERS SHALL NOT ENGAGE IN
DISCUSSION ON UPDATES.
13.ADJOURNMENT
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.
https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_xNdpP2m9T0mIWYeN8tyi6A
Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all City of Iowa City-sponsored events. If
you are a 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.
Agenda Item #2
1
August 17, 2023
Draft Ad Hoc Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Minutes
Emma J. Harvatt, City Hall
Commissioners present: Chastity Dillard, Clif Johnson, Chad Simmons Sikowis, (Christine Nobiss),
Marie Krebs (via Zoom), Lauren Merritt, Wangui Gathua.
Commissioners not present: Eric Harris, Louis Tassinary.
Staff present: Redmond Jones, Stefanie Bowers.
Meeting called to order: 7:04.
Reading of Land Acknowledgement: Merritt read the Land Acknowledgement.
Approval of the meeting minutes of July 20, 2023 and August 1-3, 2023: Simmons moved, and
the motion was seconded by Merritt. Motion passed 7-0.
Phase One Work Plan: Commissioner Johnson will send staff the most recent logo creations in
preparation for the meeting on August 24.
The TRC plans to hold their first hearings in October.
Budget for Phase One: Commissioners decided to keep the proposed budget at $10,000.00 and
place $2500 in each category – special meetings, community marketing, special events,
miscellaneous pilot programs.
Strategic Doing Workshops: Two workshops will be held in September to introduce Strategic
Doing (SD) to commissioners and the community. One will be held on the 14th and the other the
16th. The plan is for commission members to send out personal invitations to persons in the
community in the area of non-profit, community, medical, religious/spiritual, business, University,
and School District.
The commission also discussed the various accessibility needs of both SD events.
Reports of Commissioners: Sikowis reported that her organization, Great Plains Action Society,
will be working alongside the City’s Parks and Recreation department on an Indigenous People’s
Day event for October 9. Sikowis believes this is the first municipality in Iowa to host such an
event in recognition of the day.
Adjourned: 9:05
This meeting can be viewed in its entirety at this link.
Agenda Item #3
AD HOC TRUTH & RECONCILIATION COMMISSION ATTENDANCE RECORD
YEAR 2023 (Meeting Date)
NAME TERM EXP. 1/19 2/2 3/2 4/6 5/4 6/1 6/15 7/20 8/1 8/2 8/3 8/17 8/24
Dillard 12/31/24 P P P P P P P P P P p P
Gathua 12/31/24 P P P P P P P P P P P P
Harris 12/31/24 P P P A P A A A A A A A
Johnson 12/31/24 A P A P P P P P P P P P
Krebs 12/31/24 P P P P P P P P P P P P
Merritt 12/31/24 P P P P P P P P P P P P
Nobiss 12/31/24 A P P A P A P P P P P P
Simmons 12/31/24 - - - - - - - - A A A P
Tassinary 12/31/24 - - - - _ - - - A A P A
KEY: P = Present
A = Absent
Agenda Item # 5
Page 1 of 4
Talking Circle
Presenter: Terry Medina, Certified Fatherhood Facilitator, Former Adult Probation Officer,
Spiritual Empowerment Coach
Agenda #6
Page 2 of 4
Overview of the Talking Circle
The Talking Circle is focused on allowing each participant to sit in a circle and speak about what
is on their mind. It is a confidential circle where trust, support and prayer are held at highest
value of the participants in a nonjudgmental environment. We seek to communicate in a
culturally relevant way that will empower participants to be proud and confident in themselves
as Native people.
Target Group
The Talking Circle can be for all ages. It is a way of providing traditional healing through coming
together as relatives, respecting each other’s time and words that are expressed from the heart
on various topics.
Expected Outcomes of a Talking Circle
1) Provide support through the Talking Circle.
2) Build trust and provide a safe non-judgmental place to voice their feelings and concerns.
3) Provide Spiritual Empowerment Coaching.
4) Educate participants where to go for help and assistance to keep them safe/secure.
5) Talking circle is offered to the family of participants to open lines of healthy
communication
The Talking Circle Requires:
A Facilitator – he/she will facilitate the meeting, offer prayers and smudging.
Up to 10 participants, more is welcomed with the understanding that everyone gets a chance to
talk.
The Talking Circle Activity:
Facilitator – opens up the circle with welcoming all participants to sit in a circle.
• Offers a prayer and smudging. Explain that it is not a coincidence that everyone here is
gathered in this circle. The Creator has brought each of us here today.
• Discuss the commitments of the talking circle, listening to others speak respectively.
• Request that what is said in this circle remains in the circle with respect to each other
and what is said and heard.
• Offer that Talking Circles can be as a group of both female & males, female only, and
male only, and is also used with families, or specific to youth.
• Light a candle and let it burn throughout the circle time, representing the light of our
Creator.
Page 3 of 4
• Start the Talking Circle with asking someone to volunteer to openly share their thoughts
and feelings, “tell us how you feel.” “what brought you here today?”
• Proceed to pass the Talking Circle object to the person wishing to speak, until all
participants have had a chance to talk. This could be an eagle feather, talking stick,
stone or other sacred object.
• Always end the Talking Circle with a prayer and smudging. It is ok if a participant
volunteers to say the closing prayer, Facilitator will assist with smudging the Circle.
• Participants leave the Talking Circle in a “good” peaceful way. Request participants to
embrace the person next to them with a handshake, pat on back, or a hug.
After the Talking Circle, offer a light snack and refreshments. Allow some social time to take
place among participants and facilitator. Give an open invitation to return to future listening
circles or request a special Talking Circle, female only, male only and/or family.
Ask participants to complete a short survey of the Talking Circle. This will allow the activity to
improve and continue to serve our participants at their request and need.
Page 4 of 4
Talking Circle Survey
*Please complete this brief survey on the Talking Circle that you have participated in. This will
help us to make necessary improvements and continue to serve you to best of our abilities.
Rate your answers:
1–Strongly Agree 2-Agree 3-Underdecided/neutral 4-Disagree 5-Strongly Disagree
1. The Talking Circle was beneficial for me:
1 2 3 4 5
2. I would recommend the Talking Circle to a friend:
1 2 3 4 5
3. I had enough time to express my thoughts and feelings:
1 2 3 4 5
4. I would like to participant in a ALL female or male Talking Circle:
1 2 3 4 5
5. My family would benefit from a Family Talking Circle:
1 2 3 4 5
6. What I liked best and least about the Talking Circle:
Dear__________________________________,
Greetings! My name is [insert name] and I am a member of the City of Iowa City’s Truth and
Reconciliation Commission (TRC). I am excited to invite you to join me at an upcoming Strategic
Doing workshop through the TRC. I joined the TRC [insert when you joined], a volunteer-
based commission to serve a community that I believe in to create action and bear witness to
the truth of racial injustice in Iowa City and to carry out restorative justice.
This work is important because… [thoughts you’d like to include that are part of your story
as to why you’re on the commission and why this work is important to you and the
community]
Our commission seeks to engage and collaborate with different sectors of the community
through a process called Strategic Doing (SD). Strategic Doing is an open-source discipline for
designing and guiding complex collaboration by following simple rules together. SD empowers
those closest to the problems to co-create shared action around solutions and is a field-tested
practical approach to leverage networks and ecosystems quickly in order to thrive.
We hope you will join these efforts by registering to attend the following sessions:
Workshop Details:
●Strategic Doing Workshop I [REGISTRATION LINK HERE]
Purpose: Identify initial Pathfinder Projects to build capacity around action in second
session
○Thursday, September 14th from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Assembly Room at the
Iowa City Senior Center, 28 South Linn Street.
●Strategic Doing Workshop II: Check-In (English) [REGISTRATION LINK HERE]
Purpose: A follow up SD session for people to plug into Pathfinder Projects; expand
participation from current and prospective individuals and/or organizations to continue to
move the work forward
○Saturday, September 16th from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the South District Market,
947 US-6.
AND/OR
●Strategic Doing Workshop I (Spanish) TBD [REGISTRATION LINK HERE]
●Strategic Doing Workshop II: Check-In (Spanish) TBD [REGISTRATION LINK HERE]
This workshop builds community and awareness of restorative practices as we move toward a
more open, equitable and regenerative world. We will create and maintain a space to explore,
identify and take action around some of our country’s most difficult challenges to date,
unleashing our ingenuity through collaboration, entrepreneurship, innovation and connecting
ecosystems.
Agenda Item #8
We are encouraged by the City’s investment in this commission to bring people together, to
empower ideas into action and to continue to build relationships that will not only bring about the
solutions, as our work together will be included as recommendations to the City Council for a
plan but will also build a more resilient and inclusive community as a whole.
NEWS RELEASE
Date: 08/XX/2023
Contact: Ad Hoc Truth and Reconciliation Commission
Iowa City Truth and Reconciliation Commission invites community members to participate in its
Strategic Doing Sessions
The Iowa City Truth and Reconciliation Commission will be hosting two Strategic Doing
sessions to identify pathfinder projects that will further their goal of “Aspirational Statement”.
Strategic Doing (SD) is an open-source discipline for designing and guiding complex
collaboration by following simple rules together. SD empowers those closest to the problems to
co-create shared action around solutions and is a field-tested practical approach to leverage
networks and ecosystems quickly in order to thrive.
Workshop Details:
●Strategic Doing Workshop I [REGISTRATION LINK HERE]
Purpose: Identify initial Pathfinder Projects to build capacity around action in second
session
○Thursday, Sept. 14 from 5 to 9 p.m. in the Assembly Room at the Iowa City
Senior Center, 28 South Linn Street.
●Strategic Doing Workshop II: Check-In (English) [REGISTRATION LINK HERE]
Purpose: A follow up SD session for people to plug into Pathfinder Projects; expand
participation from current and prospective individuals and/or organizations to continue to
move the work forward
○Saturday, Sept. 16 from 10 a.m. to noon at the South District Market, 947 US-6.
AND/OR
●Strategic Doing Workshop I (Spanish) TBD [REGISTRATION LINK HERE]
●Strategic Doing Workshop II: Check-In (Spanish) TBD [REGISTRATION LINK HERE]
These sessions will empower attendees to share their assets (physical, financial, social) in order
to create projects that will help achieve the commission’s goal. If you are interested in joining
these sessions- be ready to take action!
Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all City of Iowa City-sponsored events. If
you are a 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.
Agenda Item #8
Late Handout
BY-LAWS OF THE AD HOC TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION COMMISSION
ARTICLE 1 THE COMMISSION
Section A. The name of this organization is the Ad Hoc Truth and Reconciliation Commission
(“TRC” or “Commission”), referred to in these By-Laws as the Commission. The Commission is
authorized by the City Council Resolution Number 20-228, effective date September 15, 2020.
ARTICLE 2 PURPOSE
Section A. As stated in Resolution No. 20-228.
Section B. The purpose of the Commission is 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 deciding
and/or renaming public spaces and/or rights of way in honor of the Black Lives Matter
Movement.
ARTICLE 3 CHARGES
Section A. Charges of the Commission, and as stated in Resolution No. 20-228, shall include:
1) fact-finding – the TRC shall collect evidence 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; 2) truth-
telling – the TRC shall provide multiple for a and creative opportunities for persons impacted
and traumatized by racial injustice to share their stories of racial injustice and experience to be
heard by the community including but not limited to city government; 3) Reconciliation – the
TRC shall 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.
ARTICLE 4 MEMBERSHIP
Section A. The Commission shall consist of nine (9) members, appointed by vote of the
City Council 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 also with lived experience. 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.
Commented [EG1]: Suppress, in line with resolution art.
2: “as well as experts who support those communities”.
Section B. Members shall serve through December 31, 2024.
Section C. Orientation for members, including functions, duties, and responsibilities, shall
be conducted by the staff assigned to the Commission.
Section D. Commissioners are expected to attend all regularly scheduled meetings. The
Chairperson or staff shall be notified of an absence prior to any meeting.
Section E. Three (3) consecutive, unexplained absences of a member from regular
meetings can result in a recommendation to the City Council from the Commission to
discharge said member and appoint a new member.
Section F. Six consecutive absences of a member from regular meetings can result in a
recommendation from the Commission to said member to examine its membership and, if
necessary to resign his or her position.
ARTICLE 5 OFFICERS
Section A. The Commission shall have two (2) officers: Chairperson and Vice Chairperson.
Section B. Officers shall perform the duties set forth in these by-laws.
Section C. The Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson shall be elected from the Commission's
membership.
Section F. Chairperson. The Chairperson, when present, shall preside at all meetings of
the Commission, appoint committees, represent the commission before City institutions and
the community, coordinate with the facilitators, and in general, perform all duties incident to
the office of the Chairperson and such other duties as may be prescribed by the members
from time to time.
Section G. Vice-Chairperson. In the absence of the Chairperson or shall perform the duties
of the Chairperson and when so acting shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the
restrictions upon the Chairperson.
ARTICLE 6 MEETINGS
Section A minus. The commission has the following types of meetings:
Regular meetings
Special meetings
Commented [EG2]: Constant absence of members, even
if explained, affect the work of the plenary notwithstanding
the cause. Situations preventing a commissioner to
participate for three months (or six meetings) should be
prevented.
Commented [EG3]: Include among functions.
Commented [EG4]: suppress
Work sessions
Section A. Regular meetings are opportunities to take action on agenda items, receive public
comment, discuss issues, receive updates from staff, and receive member communication. At
least one (1) regular meeting shall be held each month.
Section B. Special meetings are unscheduled meetings called to act when special
circumstances require urgent action, or to focus on a specific topic. The Chairperson, Vice
Chairperson, or any three (3) Commissioners may call a special meeting.
Section B bis. Work sessions are meetings designed to discuss TRC matters in an informal
manner, allowing interaction between citizens and Commissioners. Work sessions do not
culminate in action at that meeting. Actions or recommendations should be taken at either the
next regular meeting or at another publicly announced date and time.
Section C. Meetings shall be held in an accessible, public meeting place. Notices of meetings
(agenda) for all regular and special meetings shall be posted and distributed to members and
the media at least 24 hours before any meeting is held. All provisions of the State Open
Meeting Law shall be followed. The Chairperson or a designated representative, shall prepare
an agenda for all meetings, provided Commissioner suggestions are considered.
Section D. A quorum shall consist of five (5) Commissioners. A majority of present and
voting members shall be necessary to pass a motion. The Chairperson shall vote as a member.
Section E. No formal action shall be taken on items not on the agenda.
Section F. The rules in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall
govern the Commission in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not
inconsistent with these bylaws and any special rules or order the Commission may adopt.
Section G. Time shall be made available during all regular meetings for public comment on
items not on the agenda. Commentators shall address the Commission for no more than 5
minutes. Commissioners shall not engage in discussion with the public concerning said items.
Section G bis. A closed session is a meeting or part of a meeting where the commissioners
consider an issue in the absence of public. The commissioners may decide, by majority vote,
to pass to a closed session where the matters being considered (1) involve attorney-client
privilege, medical professional-patient relationship or are otherwise legally privileged from
disclosure, (2) would pose a threat to the safety and integrity of those participating in the
meeting, (3) to consider human resources-related issues such as discipline or performance
evaluation of individual commissioners, facilitators and staff members. A closed session is not
Commented [EG5]: Insert
Commented [EG6]: Insert
Commented [EG7]: Insert.
Commented [SD8R7]: Suggest deleting the “citizen” and
inserting “members of the public” or “community
members.”
Commented [EG9]: Insert
allowed for purposes of considering general human resources policies but only when they
concern an individual person.
Section G ter. Minutes must be kept for closed sessions. All board actions, whether taken in
open or closed session, must be recorded in the minutes. However, as long as the reasons for
convening in closed session continue to exist the minutes may withhold any information that
requires confidentiality, consistently with the Iowa Code, Chapter 22. Once the underlying
purpose for the closed session ceases to exist, however, all records of the session, must be
provided to any person requesting them.
Section H. Time shall be made available during all regular meetings for Commissioner
reports of items not on the agenda. Commissioners shall not engage in discussion with one
another concerning said reports.
Section I. The Commission's designee shall record all activities and statements made at
Commission meetings, hereafter known as minutes of the meeting. All Commission records
shall be public except those excluded pursuant to Iowa Code, Chapter 22.
ARTICLE 7 SUBCOMMITTEES
Section A. Formation of subcommittees shall be by majority vote of the Commission in
whatever subject area, or whatever number of committees, is deemed necessary. The
subcommittee(s) shall consist of no more than four members.
ARTICLE 8 AMENDMENTS
Section A. The By-Laws can be amended at any regular Commission meeting by a majority
vote, provided that the amendment has been submitted in writing to the Commission three (3)
days prior to the meeting at which it is to be acted upon and such amendment is not in conflict
with the Resolution No. 20-228.
Commented [EG10]: To insert
Commented [SD11R10]: Suggest deleting. This is not an
accurate statement of Iowa law. With respect to closed
meetings, Section 21.5 of the Iowa Code governs “closed
sessions” to very specific situations. In my opinion, the TRC
will not be able to go into closed session and having such a
provision implies that closed sessions are possible. Further,
even if the TRC can legally go into closed session, the bylaws
do not need to provide for doing so.
Commented [EG12]: To insert
Commented [SD13R12]: Suggest deleting. This is not an
accurate statement of Iowa law. Minutes of closed sessions
are not available to the public at some point in time absent
a court order with the exception closed sessions regarding
the buying or selling real estate. Section 21.5(5)b(1) of the
Iowa Code states in relevant part: “The detailed minutes
and audio recording of a closed session shall be sealed and
shall not be public records open to public inspection.
However, upon order of the court in an action to enforce
this chapter, the detailed minutes and audio recording shall
be unsealed and examined by the court in camera…”
Commented [EG14]: insert