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HomeMy WebLinkAbout~Master - May 25, 2023, AHRC MinutesMinutes AMES HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION Conference Room 235 City Hall, 515 Clark Avenue Thursday, May 25, 2023 Call to Order: Chair Wayne Clinton called the meeting to order at 5:33 p.m. Commission Members Chunhui Chen and Angie DeWaard, City of Ames Staff Liaison Deb Schildroth, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Coordinator Casandra Eames were also present. Welcome New Commissioners and Introductions: Vice Chair Clinton welcomed the new commissioners and Commission Member DeWaard introduced herself. Public Forum: Vice Chair Clinton opened the Public Forum. No one was present to speak, and Vice Chair Clinton closed the Public Forum. Approval of Minutes: Moved by Chen, seconded by DeWaard, to approve the minutes of the April 27, 2023, meeting. Motion carried unanimously. Discussion and Approval of the 2022 Annual Report: Chair Clinton offered to lead the presentation of the report to the City Council at the upcoming joint meeting, noting that he would coordinate with staff on what to emphasize. He suggested including the newly revised 2023-2025 Strategic Plan in the materials sent to the City. Staff Liaison Schildroth explained that the joint meeting was originally planned for June 13, 2023, but the date may have to change to June 27, 2023. Chair Clinton and Vice Chair Chen both indicated availability for either date. Staff Liaison Schildroth stated that she would let the Commissioners know as soon as the date was finalized. Vice Chair Chen suggested an amendment to the Activity Highlights in the report draft. He recommended adding that the Commission facilitated Mayor Haila’s invitation to give the opening remarks at the May Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Celebration and the October Chinese Cultural Festival. Moved by DeWaard, seconded by Chen, to approve the 2022 Annual Report as amended. Motion carried unanimously. Approval of the FY 2023-2024 AHRC Budget: Commission Member DeWaard inquired about rolling over unspent funds, and Staff Liaison Schildroth explained that unspent funds typically revert to the General Fund or Local Option Sales Tax Fund. The Commission could request to roll funds over, but would need to propose a specific plan for those funds. Chair Clinton spoke in favor of having a table at community events more often. Vice Chair Chen observed that people did not seem to care about the bookmarks and suggested brainstorming more enticing giveaways. Staff Liaison Schildroth noted that the Juneteenth organizing committee had not yet requested the Commission’s budgeted funds for the event, so if the funds were not needed, the Commission could use the funds for giveaways or activities at the AHRC table at the event. Chair Clinton planned to follow up with the organizing committee. Moved by Chen, seconded by DeWaard, to approve the FY 2023-2024 AHRC Budget. 2023 Juneteenth Celebration Update – June 17: Staff Liaison Schildroth shared information about several upcoming Juneteenth events, including a movie screening in Roosevelt Park, a renaming ceremony at the James Herman Banning Ames Municipal Airport, and the Juneteenth Celebration at Bandshell Park on Saturday, June 17. Chair Clinton, Vice Chair Chen, and Commission Member DeWaard each committed to a shift of staffing a table at the Juneteenth Celebration. Staff Liaison Schildroth planned to submit the request for a table to the NAACP and help with set-up and tear-down. After planning for overlap in the shifts of newer and more seasoned members, the Commissioners brainstormed engaging activities to draw people to the table. 2023 Building Inclusive Organizations Planning Committee: Chair Clinton reported that he had not heard from the planning committee. Coordinator Eames agreed to follow up, as she was serving on the planning committee in her role with the City. Ames AAPI Heritage Month Celebration Recap: Vice Chair Chen shared that the event was a success, with more than 400 people attending, including City Council Member Anita Rollins. The program and performances were outstanding, while the reception ran into a few challenges with the food service. Vice Chair Chen was troubled by the fact that neither the Ames Tribune nor the Iowa State Daily covered the event, despite repeated efforts to inform them and encourage them to highlight an event celebrating a population that makes up 10% of Ames. Staff Liaison Schildroth left the meeting at 6:15 p.m. Postings and Social Media Content: Vice Chair Chen suggested submitting social media posts both before and after events, and Coordinator Eames agreed to check with Public Information Officer Susan Gwiasda on the process for submitting social media posts. Commissioner Announcements: None. Next Meeting: June 22, 2023 Adjournment: Chair Clinton adjourned the meeting at 6:45 p.m.