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HomeMy WebLinkAboutA003 - November 18, 2025, Joint Meeting of the Ames City Council and Ames Human Relations Commission, Extended Minutes1 MINTUES OF THE JOINT MEETING OF THE AMES CITY COUNCIL AND AMES HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION AMES, IOWA NOVEMBER 18, 2025 The Joint Meeting of the Ames City Council and Ames Human Relations Commission was called to order by Mayor John Haila at 6:00 p.m. on the 18th day of November, 2025, in the City Council Chambers in City Hall, 515 Clark Avenue, pursuant to law. Present were Council Members Bronwyn Beatty-Hansen, Gloria Betcher, Tim Gartin, Rachel Junck, and Anita Rollins. Ex officio Emily Boland was also present. Representatives from the Ames Human Relations Commission (AHRC) were also in attendance including Chair Annabella Marquez and Staff Liaison Casandra Eames. 2024 AMES HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION ANNUAL REPORT: Chair Marquez presented the annual report. She highlighted that in April, the Commission increased its membership from five to seven members. Following in October, the Commission celebrated its 50th anniversary with a tree planting ceremony at Moore Memorial Park and unveiled a new t-shirt featuring designs by two local artists. Throughout the year, the Commission members attended and supported various events such as the Martin Luther King Day celebration, during which the Humanitarian Award was presented, the third annual Juneteenth celebration, and National Night Out. Additionally, the Commission members held quarterly meet-and-greet events, providing opportunities for the Commissioners to interact with the public. A significant initiative was the release of a coloring book featuring Ames trailblazers, spearheaded by a former Commissioner, which saw a distribution of 700 copies in its first year. In June, the members conducted a strategic planning retreat and have continued discussions on revising the Commission's mission statement and ordinance. Chair Marquez concluded by noting that the Iowa Office of Civil Rights failed to send data regarding civil complaints in Ames, to which Council Member Betcher expressed concern and highlighted the importance of the data . Council Member Beatty-Hansen noted that this was the first time data had been withheld since the City transferred discrimination case investigations to the state in 2018. Moved by Beatty-Hansen, seconded by Gartin, to direct the Mayor to reach out to the Iowa Office of Civil Rights to request the civil rights complaints data or obtain an explanation for the refusal to release it. Vote on Motion: 5-0. Motion declared carried unanimously. Council Member Gartin noted the City's reliance on data from the state to grasp the scope of discrimination instances, emphasizing that without it, the City Council's insight into these challenges was hindered. Moved by Beatty-Hansen, seconded by Gartin, to direct the City Attorney to pursue a Freedom of Information Action request related to the civil rights complaints data. 2 Vote on Motion: 5-0. Motion declared carried unanimously. DISCUSSION ON MODIFICATIONS TO MUNICIPAL CODE CHAPTER 14: Staff Liaison Eames discussed proposed modifications to Municipal Code Chapter 14, citing discussions from the strategic planning retreat held by the Commission in June of 2024. The discussion centered on updating Chapter 14 to better align with the current practices of AHRC, especially regarding the language in the ordinance that states AHRC conducts investigations. Staff Liaison Eames emphasized the importance of reassessing the language in Chapter 14 to ensure clarity and usefulness in serving the outreach efforts of AHRC. Council Member Rollins raised questions about the inclusion of advocacy in the AHRC work. Staff Liaison Eames assured that advocacy remained a core mission of the AHRC alongside education and outreach. Mayor Haila opened the Public Input. Senator Herman Quirmbach, 1007 Jarrett Circle, noted that two recent changes at the state level merit reconsideration of the City's approach in Chapter 14. He recommended that the City Council direct the City Attorney to develop language for prohibitions against gender identity discrimination in housing, employment, and public accommodations in the Municipal Code, and create local procedures to implement such ordinances. Lilian Atchison, 320 Hillcrest Avenue, representing the Coalition for University Equity, expressed strong support for the City adding gender identity as a protected class in the Municipal Code. She emphasized the necessity of these protections for maintaining the cohesion of the community and ensuring the safety of all its members. Erin O’Brien, 3008 West Street, a member of the Coalition for University Equity and transgender student at Iowa State University, shared the personal impact resulting from the recent changes in Iowa state law, specifically the removal of gender identity protections from the Iowa Civil Rights Act and urged the City to take decisive action by enshrining gender identity protections in the Municipal Code. Mayor Haila closed the Public Input when no one else came forward to speak. Council Member Gartin recognized the complexity and potential costs associated with implementing local enforcement procedures as urged by Senator Quirmbach. He specifically expressed concerns about what additional resources and expertise would be required to properly address the proposed changes. The City Council members engaged in a detailed discussion about the potential legality and implications of implementing local procedures. Moved by Beatty-Hansen, seconded by Junck, to direct staff to place an item on a future City Council agenda to discuss the proposed ordinance update based on recommendations from Ames Human Relations Commission with consideration of the 3 comments received from Public Input and a memo from the City Attorney. Vote on Motion: 5-0. Motion declared carried unanimously. COMMISION COMMENTS: None. ADJOURNMENT: Moved by Betcher, seconded by Rollins, to adjourn the meeting at 6:24 p.m. Vote on Motion: 5-0. Motion declared carried unanimously. _______________________________ _______________________________ Carly M. Watson, Deputy City Clerk John A. Haila, Mayor _______________________________ Renee Hall, City Clerk