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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTRC Agenda 1 4 2024 Ad Hoc Truth and Reconciliation Commission Thursday, January 4, 2024 Regular Meeting 7 PM – Emma J. Harvat Hall 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 MINUTES FROM DECEMBER 7, 2023, MEETING 5. MLK DAY – MONDAY, JANUARY 15 6. NATIVE PARTNERS HEALING CIRCLE TRAINING AND EVENTS January 26, Friday evening: an experiential healing circle for community members. Possible times: 5:30 or 6 to 8:30 or 9. January 27 and 28, Saturday and Sunday: 2-day Circle training for the members of the community that want to be trained. Possible times: 11 to 4, 10 to 5, 11 to 5. Saturday Feb. 3 and Saturday Feb. 10: host 2 experiential healing circles for people who want to be in a circle, want healing and/or for new trainees to help facilitate. Possible times: 10 to 1 or 1 to 4. 7. NEXT STEPS FOR PHASE 2 A. PROPOSED PHASE 2 ROADMAP 8. UPDATE ON FACT-FINDING 9. DISCUSSION ON TRC MODEL PRESENTED BY COMMISSIONER SIMMONS INCLUDING: A. REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL $250,000 FROM THE CITY COUNCIL 10. ANNOUNCEMENTS OF COMMISSIONERS 11. ANNOUNCEMENTS OF STAFF 12. 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. Please note that the meeting link and ID for the first Thursday is different than the meeting link and ID for the third Thursday. First Thursday Meetings ID: 867 2424 8095 Third Thursday Meetings ID: 895 3695 0485 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. 1 December 7, 2023 Draft Ad Hoc Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Minutes Emma J. Harvat Hall, City Hall Commissioners present: Chastity Dillard, Louis Tassinary, Chad Simmons, Clif Johnson, Wangui Gathua. Commissioners not present: Sikowis Nobiss, Eric Harris, Marie Krebs, Lauren Merritt. Staff present: Redmond Jones, Stefanie Bowers. Meeting called to order: 7:04 PM. Reading of Land Acknowledgement: Tassinary read the Land Acknowledgement. Approval of minutes from the November 9 & 16, 2023 meeting: Dillard moved, and Tassinary seconded. The motion passed 5-0. Next steps for Phase 2 and update on fact-finding by Kearns and West: The Commission agreed that taking a deep dive into Phase 2 and fact-finding makes the most sense. The categories for fact-finding are public safety/policing/law enforcement, naming/memorialization/remembrances, economic development, health, environmental justice, education, and other. Commissioners briefly defined what is intended by economic development –job training and assistance and other opportunities that would assist communities in being successful. Amos Kiche suggested that the TRC develop a process for handling topics that are not on the current list or items marked "other". Discussion on the TRC model presented by Commissioner Simmons: Simmons would like to see the TRC host an MLK Breakfast on January 15. Dillard suggested building upon existing events being held in honor of MLK. The Commission opted to participate in the MLK Day of Service, which is being held at Mercer Aquatic Center and sponsored by the City. They hope to participate meaningfully, including a listening post for community members to meet with TRC members. Additional outreach opportunities include hosting an event at ICOR Boxing in February. The Commission also noted that Phase 2 is supposed to be a model and that it would be beneficial for them to have a detailed plan from the facilitators on what this plan would entail. It was agreed that the facilitators would present a draft roadmap of Phase 2 for the Commission at its January 4 meeting date. Facilitators pointed out that the resolution creating the Commission is a good source for the roadmap. Commissioners inquired into their current financial status. Staff provided an update: the Commission can roll over funds not utilized in Phase 1 and add that to the $14,000 set aside for Phase 2. Simmons moved that the TRC allocate $5000 for the upcoming MLK Day of Service, Tassinary seconded the motion. The motion passed 4-0-1, with Gathua abstaining. Agenda Item #4 2 It was requested of staff to order the TRC a table cover, t-shirts, and to create a brochure. Discussion on whether to hold a meeting on December 21: A quorum of members is available to meet on the 21st but would prefer to cancel the meeting. Tassinary motioned to cancel the second December meeting date and Gathua seconded. The motion passed 5-0. The meeting adjourned at 9:52 PM. To view the recording or listen to the audio of this meeting, visit this link. AD HOC TRUTH & RECONCILIATION COMMISSION ATTENDANCE RECORD YEAR 2023 (Meeting Date) NAME TERM EXP. 5/4 6/1 6/15 7/20 8/17 9/7 9/21 10/5 10/25 10/26 11/9 11/16 12/7 Dillard 12/31/24 P P P P P P P P P P P P P Gathua 12/31/24 P P P P P A P P P P A A P Harris 12/31/24 P A A A A A A A A A A A A Johnson 12/31/24 P P P P P P A P A P P P P Krebs 12/31/24 P P P P P P P P P P A P A Merritt 12/31/24 P P P P P P P P P P P P A Nobiss 12/31/24 P A P P P P A P A A A P A Simmons 12/31/24 - - - - P P P P P P P P P Tassinary 12/31/24 _ - - - A P P P P P P P P KEY: P = Present A = Absent Week GoalsCompleted Outputs NotesKey: All Consultants, Kearns & West, Think Peace, Healing Partners, TRC12/11-12/15 -Draft Phase 2 Roadmap12/18-12/22 -Finalize and submit Phase 2 Roadmap -Make plan for 1/4 TRC meeting Phase 2 Roadmap12/25-12/29 -Prepare roadmap presentation for 1/4 TRC meetingRoadmap presentation for 1/4 TRC meeting1/1-1/5-Present roadmap at 1/4 TRC meeting and Discuss Listening Posts and Witnessing elements of TT events and Ask whether the March "Culminating Events" will satisfy the TRC's request for doing "pilot" programs during Phase 2 and Get commitment on "Culminating Event" dates-TRC undertakes planning for Listening Posts to start determining focus topic for March event(s)1/4 Present roadmap and "pilot" question at TRC meeting; EG, LH, and JK to Discuss Listening Posts; LH to present slides on TT eventsListening Post planning1/8-1/12-Create a list of target community organizations for Listening Post outreach by focus topic (Education, Economic Development, Public Safety/Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement)-TRC continues planning for 1/15 MLK Day event Listening PostListening Post planning1/15-1/19-Set March event(s) date/time/length and objectives-Attend 1/18 TRC meeting-TRC completes planning for 1/15 MLK Day event Listening Post1/18 TRC meetingTRC Listening Post at 1/15 MLK event1/22-1/26-Book venue for March event(s) and Create promotional calendar-Hold 1/26 5-8pm experiential community Healing Circle and 1/27-1/28 two-day Healing Circle trainings for commissioners-TRC debriefs on 1/15 MLK Day event Listening Post1/26 5-8pm experimental community Healing Circle, 1/27 & 1/28 11am-5pm two-day Circle training (ML, DW, and TM)Listening Post debrief1/29-2/2-Present Public Safety findings at 2/1 TRC meeting-Create document on Witnessing (how to hold and support persons providing testimony)-Complete "Concept Note" for March event planPublic Safety data review at 2/1 TRC meeting2/1 MS to present document on WitnessingConcept Note for March event plan2/5-2/9-Hold experiential community Healing Circle-Share draft of document on public hearings with the consultant teamExperiential community Healing Circles 2/3 and 2/10, 10am-1pm or 1-4pm (ML and DW)Draft of document on public hearings to consultant team2/12-2/16-Outline run of show for March event(s) at 2/15 TRC meeting and Present Economic Development findings and Present document on public hearings-TRC Listening Posts progress check-in and selects focus topic for March event(s)Outline March event(s) run of show at 2/15 TRC meeting and and Econ Dev data review and Present document on Public Hearings2/19-2/232/26-3/1-Create detailed facilitation guide for March event(s)March event(s) facilitation guide3/4-3/8-Review March events' plan at 3/7 TRC meeting and Present Education findingsEducation data and March events' plan review at 3/7 TRC meeting3/11-3/15-Hold 3/14 FactFinding Culminating Event-Start to organize themes from ongoing internal feedback document (if that's established) for City Council report-Outline report for City Council3/14 FactFinding Culminating Event3/18-3/22-Hold 3/20 TruthTelling Culminating Event with Healing components-Attend 3/21 TRC meeting-Draft report for City Council3/20 TruthTelling Culminating Event with Healing components3/21 TRC meeting3/25-3/29 -Hold 3/29 Healing Circle Culminating Event (ML and DW) -Complete final report for City Council and submitHold 3/29 Healing Circle Culminating Event (ML and DW)Final report for City Council4/1-4/5-Debrief Culminating Events at 4/4 TRC meeting-Draft presentation to City CouncilDebrief Culminating Events at 4/4 TRC meeting4/8-4/12-Complete presentation to City Council and Send to City Council by 4/10 target, 4/11 normal, 4/12 last convenient date-Conduct a dry run of the presentation to City Council (if team is interested)4/10 Send completed presentation to City Council4/15-4/19-Present to City Council on 4/16-Attend TRC meeting on 4/184/16 Presentation to City Council4/18 TRC meetingAgenda Item #7 Week GoalsCompleted Outputs Notes12/11-12/15 -Draft Phase 2 Roadmap12/18-12/22-Finalize and submit Phase 2 Roadmap -Make plan for 1/4 TRC meetingPhase 2 Roadmap12/25-12/29 -Prepare roadmap presentation for 1/4 TRC meetingRoadmap presentation for 1/4 TRC meeting1/1-1/5-Schedule January FactFinding interviews-Present roadmap at 1/4 TRC meeting-Outline topline consultant brief on Public Safety1/4 TRC meeting1/8-1/12-Research and Draft topline consultant brief on Public Safety-Conduct FactFinding interviewsConsultant brief on Public Safety1/15-1/19-Complete topline consultant brief on Public Safety-Set March event(s) date/time/length and objectives-Attend 1/18 TRC meeting1/18 TRC meeting1/22-1/26-Select key Economic Development indicators to research-Outline topline consultant brief on Economic Development-Book venue for March event(s) and Create promotional calendar1/29-2/2-Research and Draft topline consultant brief on Economic Development-Present Public Safety findings at 2/1 TRC meetingPublic Safety data review at 2/1 TRC meeting2/5-2/9-Complete topline consultant brief on Economic Development-Select key Education indicators to researchConsultant brief on Economic Development2/12-2/16 -Outline topline consultant brief on Education -Outline run of show for March event(s) and Present Economic Development findings at 2/15 TRC meeting2/15 TRC meeting2/19-2/23 -Research and Draft topline consultant brief on Education2/26-3/1 -Complete topline consultant brief on Education -Create detailed facilitation guide for March event(s)Consultant brief on EducationMarch event(s) facilitation guide3/4-3/8 -Review March events' plan at 3/7 TRC meeting and Present Education findingsEducation data and March events' plan review at 3/7 TRC meeting3/11-3/15 -Hold event OPTION 1 -Start to organize themes from ongoing internal feedback document (if that's established) for City Council report -Outline final report to City CouncilFactFinding Culminating Event option 1Pending decision: Fact-Finding week of 3/11-3/15 or the following week of 3/18-3/22 (on 3/18 or 3/19)3/18-3/22 -Hold event OPTION 2 -Draft final recommendations to City Council for how to proceed with FactFinding -Attend 3/21 TRC meeting -Draft final report to City CouncilFactFinding Culminating Event option 23/21 TRC meeting3/25-3/29 -Complete final report for City Council and submitFinal report for City Council4/1-4/5 -Debrief Culminating Events at 4/4 TRC meeting-Draft presentation to City CouncilDebrief Culminating Events at 4/4 TRC meeting4/8-4/12-Complete presentation to City Council and Send to City Council by 4/10 target, 4/11 normal, 4/12 last convenient date-Conduct a dry run of the presentation to City Council (if team is interested)4/10 Send completed presentation to City Council4/15-4/19-Present to City Council on 4/16-Attend TRC meeting on 4/184/16 Presentation to City Council4/18 TRC meetingPending decision: Fact-Finding week of 3/11-3/15 or the following week of 3/18-3/22 (on 3/18 or 3/19) The consultant team prepared a detailed roadmap for Phase 2 of the contracts, which covers Q1. The roadmap shows, for each week, the objectives and associated deliverables, color-coded by the team responsible (see the key at the top of the sheet). In January and February, to support the work of the TRC, the consultants will be conducting research, developing materials, holding training sessions, and giving presentations. Kearns & West will investigate the three topics the TRC identified as priorities--Public Safety/Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement, Economic Development, and Education--and give periodic presentations to the TRC with their aggregated findings. Think Peace will create documents on Witnessing and public hearings to guide the design and delivery of the Truth-Telling events, and will facilitate discussions with the TRC about the content contained in those documents. The Native and Healing Partners will offer experiential Healing Circles to introduce both commissioners and interested community members to the medium, as well as provide commissioners with a two-day training on how to conduct Healing Circles themselves, so they can continue to hold Healing Circles in the community. All the while, the TRC will continue to meet on the first and third Thursdays of each month; in addition, the roadmap entails the TRC holding "Listening Posts" at the already-planned events of community partner organizations, starting with one on January 15th at the event celebrating MLK Day. As March approaches, the roadmap defines the focus of the combined efforts of the TRC and the consultants to be the preparation for the "Culminating Events" (CEs) around the first priority topic identified by the commission, Public Safety/Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement. These events are proposed to fulfill the commission's stated expectation of "pilot" programs covering each of the three legs of the stool of the TRC's mandate. There are three options for how to time these events: all in one week with no break, all in one week with one day off, or one CE per week (with the Truth-Telling CE in the same week as the regular March 21st TRC meeting). The final report and presentation to City Council will follow at the end of March and early April, respectively. Once the consultants' contracts are up, the TRC will take over full and sole responsibility for brainstorming, planning, and executing Truth-Telling and Healing and Reconciliation Events for the rest of the year. The consultants recommend that the commission replicate the structure of Q1 in both Q2 and Q3. First, the consultants recommend that the TRC hold many more Listening Posts to hear informally from community members what they find important to focus on, especially in the warmer months when community events are much more frequent. Second, the consultants recommend that the TRC brainstorm, plan, and execute one series of Culminating Events per quarter, based on each of the remaining priority topics identified by the commission, e.g. Economic Development in Q2 and Education in Q3. Anticipating the need for the TRC to deliver a final report and presentation to the City Council at the end of Q4, the consultants recommend that the TRC begin researching and outlining the final report in Q3. The final report will include findings and recommendations. Then, in Q4, after the Culminating Events are complete, the consultants recommend that the TRC focus on completing its final report; planning a ceremony for the presentation of the final report; and holding the ceremony to present the final report to City Council and officially wrap up the project, including Healing support for all involved in the presentation ceremony.