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HomeMy WebLinkAbout~Master - June 22, 2023, AHRC MinutesMinutes AMES HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION Conference Room 235 City Hall, 515 Clark Avenue Thursday, June 22, 2023 Call to Order: Chair Wayne Clinton called the meeting to order at 5:32 p.m. Commissioners Chunhui Chen and Angie DeWaard and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Coordinator Casandra Eames were also present. Public Forum: Chair Clinton opened the Public Forum. Richard Deyo shared that he was given a temporary ban from the Ames Public Library which he felt was unfair. The Commissioners thanked him for sharing and expressed hope that similar situations could be resolved in a more positive manner in the future. Chair Clinton closed the Public Forum. Approval of Minutes: Moved by DeWaard, seconded by Chen, to approve the minutes of the May 25, 2023, meeting. Motion carried unanimously. Process for Social Media Posts: Public Information Officer Susan Gwiasda reviewed the recent history of the Commission’s posts on City social media accounts and explained her office’s process of making two scheduled posts a day. City of Ames Staff Liaison Deb Schildroth entered the meeting at 5:52 p.m. Officer Gwiasda requested two-week notice to add a regular post to the schedule and four-week notice for video content, adding that submissions should indicate whether they are advance posts prior to an event or review posts after an event. Every post should include a photo or graphic, which could be pulled from stock images or referred to the City’s graphic design specialist. The Commission must vote to approve a general plan for each social media post. The Commissioners designated Coordinator Eames as the point person to finalize posting details with Public Relations. Moved by Chen, seconded by DeWaard, to approve the process for social media posts. Motion carried unanimously. Feedback on Joint City Council and AHRC Meeting: Chair Clinton shared that the joint meeting had been a positive experience, expressing appreciation Commissioners DeWaard and Martinez being in attendance and for staff’s assistance in compiling the report. Feedback on Juneteenth Celebration: Chair Clinton reported that the event was highly successful, with more attendees and vendors than the previous year. The activities, performing arts, and snacks were popular. Chair Clinton praised Vice Chair Chen’s idea to offer more giveaways in addition to the bookmarks. Staff Liaison Schildroth noted that she and Coordinator Eames met with Housing Coordinator Vanessa Baker-Latimer and the Finance Department to plan to automatically allocate funds for the event from the Commission’s budget in the future. 2023 Building Inclusive Organizations Planning Committee Update: Coordinator Eames explained that she was serving on the planning committee in her role as DEI Coordinator, and she offered to represent the Commission as well. The Commissioners agreed to have Coordinator Eames to represent the Commission on the planning committee. Planning for National Night Out: Coordinator Eames shared that the event would be held on Tuesday, August 1, 2023, from 6:00 - 8:30 p.m. in the same location as the previous year. She reached out to Sergeant Amber Christian to request a table for the Commission at the event. Staff Liaison Schildroth noted that Juneteenth leftovers could be handed out at this event. Postings and Social Media Content: Coordinator Eames introduced the idea of planning a meet and greet event focused on the Commission. Discussion ensued regarding location, with broad support for having a recurring event with local businesses rotating as hosts. Vice Chair Chen suggested holding the first event at the Library to keep costs low. The Commissioners agreed to continue the discussion at the next meeting. Commissioner Announcements: Chair Clinton expressed great appreciation for Staff Liaison Schildroth’s service and leadership with the Commission over the years and wished her well in her new role. Next Meeting: July 27, 2023 Adjournment: Chair Clinton adjourned the meeting at 6:39 p.m.