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WE'LL CALL THE CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION FOR[1. CALL SESSION TO ORDER]
THURSDAY, JULY 17TH, 2025.[3.1 Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Commission Strategic Plan Execution. (Jacqueline Coleman)]
ONE.DIVERSITY EQUITY INCLUSION, BELONGING COMMISSION.
SO MY NAME IS JACQUELINE COLEMAN, AND THIS IS MARINA S SHE'S THE VICE CHAIR.
SO WE'RE HAPPY TO BE HERE TODAY.
SO WHAT WE WANTED TO DO WAS TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE ARE AND, UM, WE WANTED TO START WITH JUST A LITTLE BIT OF THE HISTORY THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED.
UM, THIS D WELL, THE DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION COMMISSION WAS ESTABLISHED BY THE CITY COUNCIL IN 2020, AND THAT WAS ON JULY 30TH, 2020.
DOES ANYBODY REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED ABOUT TWO MONTHS BEFORE? WHAT
AND, AND THAT WAS, UM, A LOT OF PEOPLE, A LOT OF CORPORATIONS, A LOT OF BUSINESSES.
AND THAT, YOU KNOW, WAS AN IMPETUS OF, UM, SO THEN IN, UM, I DON'T KNOW, BECAUSE I WAS NOT HERE IN 2023 IN THAT.
SO I STARTED AROUND AT THE END OF 2023.
AND IT'S INTERESTING THAT I AM NOW THE LONGEST TENURED, UM, MEMBER, WHICH IS AMAZING TO ME AND HOW FAST TIME GOES BY.
BUT, UM, JUST A FEW BRIEF POINTS.
IN 2024, THE TRAINING, WE HAD A TRAINING SESSION WITH THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE COMMISSION WORK.
WE, WE, WE FOCUS IT TO ALIGN WITH THE CITY OF HUDDLE'S STRATEGIC PLAN.
WE ALSO DEVELOPED AND UPDATED, UM, THIS, OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING.
AND THE PLAN WAS APPROVED BY COUNCIL, AND IT INCLUDED RENAMING TO THE DEIB COMMISSION.
SO, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WOULD SAY THAT DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION, BELONGING IS EVOLVING AND IT CONTINUES TO EVOLVE.
UM, THROUGHOUT 2024, WE HAD, WE HAD FULL COMMISSION.
UM, THERE WERE NO MEETINGS THAT ARE CANCELED DUE TO LACK OF FORM, WHICH HAD BEEN THE CASE IN THE PAST.
SO WE ARE NOW IN 2025, AND WE HAVE TWO VACANT POSITIONS.
ONE IS BECAUSE, UM, THE LONGEST RUN RUNNING MEMBER, TARA SPOONS, UM, HER, HER TERM EXPIRED AND SHE HAD BEEN ON THE COMMISSION FROM 2020, THE FIRST STARTING UNTIL THEN.
AND THEN ANOTHER PERSON LEFT JUST RECENTLY BECAUSE SHE DID NOT FEEL IT WAS EXCEPT FOR HER.
SO, BUT A COUPLE OF THINGS, ACCOMPLISHMENTS OR MILESTONES THAT WE INCREASED THE VISIBLE PRESENCE AT THE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS AND THE BUDGETING MEETINGS.
ALSO, WE, UH, CONTINUED TO DEVELOP PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE STAFF AND EXTERNAL ORGANIZATIONS.
AND SENIOR LEADERSHIP TRAINING WAS DONE THIS YEAR, AND INCLUSIVE RECRUITING TRAINING WAS DELIVERED.
UM, ALSO WE ARE DEVELOPING, OR, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA PRESENT TONIGHT, AN IMPLEMENTATION PLAN THAT HAS METRICS.
SO LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE, UM, THE ADOPT PLAN IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT A STRATEGIC PLAN IS A LIVING DOCUMENT THAT WILL CONTINUE TO EVOLVE AND CHANGE OVER TIME.
IT IS NOT STATIC, AND WE DID NOT INTEND IT TO BE STATIC.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE, THERE ARE FOUR FOUNDATIONAL CONCEPTS AND PRINCIPLES, WHICH WOULD BE THE PLAN WILL CONTINUE TO INVOLVE THAT.
IT HAS TO BE FULLY SUPPORTED AND INTEGRATED INTO HUDDLE'S.
AND WE CONTINUE TO DEFINE WHAT WE MEAN BY DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION, BELONGING.
AND THE PLAN HAS TO BE HOLISTIC AND INCLUDES BOTH INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL, UM, CITY PRACTICES AND EMPLOYEES.
SO IT COVERS FIVE INITIAL PRIORITY AREAS, ESTABLISHING AN ONGOING SUSTAINABLE STRUCTURE FOR CONTINUING THE WORK.
UM, ALSO ENSURING FULL PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND ASSURING, UM, ENGAGEMENT
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IN CITY INTERNAL PRACTICES AND A FOCUS ON ECONOMIC GROUP AND EMPOWERMENT, AND CONTINUE TO GROW A CITYWIDE CULTURE OF COMMUNITY INCLUSION AND BELONGING.SO AT THIS POINT NOW, WE HAVE DEVELOPED FROM THE PROPOSED IMPLEMENTATION PLAN WITH METRICS AND INCLUDES THESE FIVE PRIORITY AREAS.
SO IF WE START WITH PRIORITY AREA ONE STAFF ESTABLISH A SUSTAINING STRUCTURE.
SO WE WANT TO FILL ANY OPEN POSITIONS, WHICH WE DID ALL LAST YEAR, AND THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE DONE.
WE RENAMED IT TO THE DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION AND BELONGING COMMISSION.
AND WE ARE GOING TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION FOR, UH, A NEW NAME, CREATE AN EXPANDED WORKING GROUP THAT INCLUDES KEY CITY STAFF, WHICH WE HAVE DEFINITELY BEEN WORKING WITH MEMBERS OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, UM, EDUCATION AND GENERATIONAL VOICES, CONTINUE TO USE SURVEYS TO MEASURE, UM, CITIZENS' FEELINGS.
SO THESE THINGS HAVE BEEN DONE AND WE WANT TO NOT REINVENT THE WALL, BUT JUST ENHANCE AND ESTABLISH AN ONGOING SYSTEM OF ANNUAL REVIEW AND PROGRESS.
SO IF WE LOOK AT THE FIRST, UM, WORK ITEM THERE, UM, ESTABLISH A EXECUTION PLAN WITH METRICS.
SO THIS IS WHAT WE, IN FACT, YOU SHOULD HAVE THAT IN YOUR PACKAGE.
UM, A MORE DETAILED THING THAT WE HAVE DONE TODAY.
SO WE ARE JUST GONNA REVIEW SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS.
UM, THEN ANOTHER THING THAT WE, UM, DID A RECOMMENDATION IS ITEM 1.2 IS TO ESTABLISH AND TRAIN THREE FOCUSED WORKING GROUPS.
AND THE INITIAL ONES A VETERANS GROUP, SMALL BUSINESS AND SENIOR CITIZEN.
AND, UM, WE WOULD WANT TO DO THAT AROUND IN THE, IN SEPTEMBER.
AND HAVE ONE THING THAT WE DISCUSSED TO HAVE AT LEAST ONE COMMISSION MEMBER ATTEND EACH CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, WHICH WE DID ALL LAST YEAR.
I THINK THERE WAS ONLY ONE MEETING THAT THERE WAS NO ONE THERE.
AND THAT, OF COURSE IS ONGOING.
AND WE WILL HAVE A FORUM WITH THE CITY STAFF LEADERS AND CITY COUNCIL, UM, TO, TO MEET TWICE A YEAR.
SO WE STARTED THAT IN JANUARY WHEN WE HAD THE MEETING WITH, WELL, EVERYONE, WITH ALL THE COMMISSIONS.
AND THEN IN JANUARY 20, 20, 26, WE WANT TO DO THAT AGAIN.
AND THEN STILL HAVE ANOTHER MEETING AFTER THAT.
SO AGAIN, THIS WAS TO COMMUNICATE TO COUNCIL AND TO THE PUBLIC AS WELL.
WE DID SUBMIT ONE LAST YEAR, SO WE GOT IT IN, BUT NOW WE, WE HAVE IT DONE AND IT'S NOT AS RUSHED AS IT WAS LAST YEAR.
UM, LET'S SEE, WORKING SESSION WITH THE COUNCIL, WHICH IS TODAY.
PUBLIC PRESENTATION WOULD BE IN YOU.
WELL, WE WANT IT IN SEPTEMBER.
UM, RECOMMENDATION OF ADDITIONAL FOCUS WORKING GROUPS, WE'LL DETERMINE THAT.
AND THE ANNUAL REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION.
UM, AND THEN WE WILL ALSO TALK ABOUT THE PROGRESS OF ESTABLISHING THE WORKING GROUPS.
AND THAT WOULD BE JANUARY, 2026.
UM, PROPOSE AN AMBASSADOR PROGRAM AS A WAY TO KEEP FORMER COMMISSION MEMBERS AND OTHERS INTERESTED, ENGAGED.
THAT'S ONE AREA THAT WE WANT TO EXPAND.
AND ACTUALLY, TARA IS THE FIRST MEMBER OF THAT GROUP SINCE SHE, UM, COULD NOT CONTINUE ON, BUT SHE DEFINITELY WAS INTERESTED IN THAT.
SO SHE, SHE WILL BE HELPING US WITH THAT.
NOW, PRIORITY AREA NUMBER TWO, ASSURE FULL PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT IN THE WORK AND IS CONTINUED TO USE, UM, GENERAL CITIZEN AND RESIDENT SURVEYS, SLICED DATA BY DEMOGRAPHICS, PUBLISH RESULTS AND ACTION PLANS.
HOLD FOCUS GROUPS WITH VARIOUS GROUPS TO, UM, ADD QUALITATIVE AND EXPERIENTIAL DATA.
ALSO, HOLD LISTENING POSTS, WHICH, YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE CALL FOCUS GROUPS.
UM, CONSIDER, UM, ESTABLISHING SOME, UM, ADVISORY COUNCIL, WHICH WOULD BE THE WORKING GROUPS
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LIKE THE SENIOR CITIZENS, VETERANS AND SMALL GROUPS.SO WE WANT TO HAVE, PARDON? GO AHEAD.
SO IT'S CRITICAL AND WE'VE ALREADY BEEN, UM, REACHING OUT WITH COMMUNICATIONS AND THAT, AND THEY'VE BEEN VERY HELPFUL AND WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO EXPAND THAT.
SO, UM, SO ITEM 2.1, HOLD SIX, LISTENING POSTS WITH CURRENT, CURRENT, MAYBE FORMALLY OR LOOSELY ORGANIZED GROUPS.
UM, LEVERAGE AND UTILIZE THE NEXT HUDDLE, GENERAL CITIZEN SURVEY, AS WE SAID THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT ARE IN ALIGNMENT.
WE'RE NOT TRYING TO REINVENT SOME THINGS.
UM, WE ARE GOING TO, WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING A WRITTEN AND COMMUNICA, UH, WRITTEN COMMUNICATION PLAN OF SPECIFICALLY GEARED TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION, AND BELONGING.
AND DEFINITELY WILL ALIGN WITH THE, UM, OVERALL PLAN.
AND AS AN EXAMPLE, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE DONE, LIKE WITH THE PROCLAMATIONS, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES PEOPLE DID NOT, YOU UNDERSTAND WHY.
SO WE'RE REALLY EMPHASIZING, WELL, WHY DO WE HAVE PROCLAMATIONS? BECAUSE WHAT WE'RE DOING IS REACHING EDU UH, UH, ALSO EDUCATION AS WELL.
UM, THE CITY OF HUB, UM, CITY OF FEDERAL WEBSITES PER THE COMMUNICATION PLAN.
SO, UM, ENSURE ENGAGEMENT IN THE INTERNAL PRACTICES SUCH AS RECRUITING, ONBOARDING, EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT, INNOVATION, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, MARKETING, ALL, ALL PLANS, ALL AREAS.
SO THE VISIT CASE DEFINITELY IS TO THE LEFT, BUT IT REALLY ALIGNS WITH THE STRATEGIC THOUGHT OF STRATEGIC PLAN.
AND, UM, WE HAVE HAD THIS EDUCATION AS EVERY CITY LEADER SHOULD ASK, HOW DOES DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION, BELONGING IMPACT MY FUNCTION AT WORK? AND THAT INCLUDES PARKS, RECREATIONS, POLICE, PUBLIC WORKS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND THAT.
AND WE HAVE ALSO HAD, UM, MEETINGS WITH MANY OTHERS.
THOSE, UM, NUMBER PRIORITY AREA THREE IS, UM, LAST YEAR WORKED WITH, UM, THE CITY MANAGER SAYING WHAT WE'RE DOING, AND THEN WE WANT TO HAVE TO DO THE SAME THING AGAIN.
AND THEN THEY HAVE THEM SAY, YOU KNOW, WHAT THINGS HAVE THEY BEEN DOING? SO WE HAVE A COLLABORATIVE MEETING ON THAT.
CONTINUE TO HAVE CITY FUNCTIONAL AREAS ATTEND COMMISSION MEETINGS TO DISCUSS PROGRESS IN THEIR AREAS.
AND THAT HAS BEEN ONGOING AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
AND INCLUSIVE RECRUITING TRAINING THAT HAS ALREADY OCCURRED.
IT WAS DONE IN APRIL AND MAY OF THIS YEAR.
AND, UM, ALSO WE'RE STARTING TO, WELL, WE WANTED TO LOOK AT THINGS AND OUR CONSULTANT CAME IN AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE WANTED TO LOOK AT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE THINGS THAT, UM, THE GOVERNMENT REQUIRES US TO DO.
AND, AND HE DID, HE DID THAT AND DID A STATEMENT.
I FEEL THE CITY OF HUDDLE EXECUTE A SOLID AND BALANCED APPROACH TO THE RECRUITING EFFORTS THAT PROVIDES EQUITY AND INCLUSION TO ALL POTENTIAL JOB APPLICANTS.
AND IN NO WAY VIOLATES ANY FEDERAL OR STATE EMPLOYMENT LEGISLATION.
SO PRIORITY AREA NUMBER FOUR IS JUST TO START TO HAVE A FOCUS ON ECONOMIC GROWTH AND EMPOWERMENT, BECAUSE WE WANT TO CREATE A WELCOMING AND, UM, INCLUSIVE CULTURE TO ATTRACT BUSINESS AND TALENT.
DIVERSE AND SKILLED WORKFORCE IS IMPORTANT.
EXCELLENT SCHOOLS, OF COURSE, ASSISTANCE TO UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES TO START AND GROW BUSINESS.
AND THE HUDDLE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ENGAGEMENT AND POSSIBLY LOOKING AT A CITY SUPPLIER PROGRAM TO DEVELOP THAT.
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SO, UM, TO WORK IN THESE IMPLEMENTATION TO IMPLEMENT, TAKE THESE AREAS IS, UM, INITIAL PLANNING MEETING WITH CHENEYUM, FORMER LIAISON BETWEEN DEID AND THE HUDDLE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
WE'VE ALREADY STARTED THIS AND CORINA IS THAT LIAISON.
AND, UM, MAYBE HELPING WITH THIS IS TO BE DETERMINED THOUGH WITH THE, UH, SUPPLIER DIVERSITY PROGRAM.
FEATURE SMALL BUSINESSES ON THE WEBSITE, WHOLE WORKSHOPS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES AND REVISIT HOW TO LEVERAGE OPEN FOR ALL.
THESE ARE THINGS UNDER CONSIDERATION.
BUT AS WE MENTIONED BEFORE, IT'S EVOLVING.
AND THEN WE WANNA LOOK WHERE WE ARE NOW, BUT ALSO WHERE WE ARE LOOKING TO GO AS WELL.
AND PRIOR PRIORITY AREA NUMBER FIVE.
UM, CONTINUE TO GROW OUR CULTURE OF COMMUNITY INCLUSION AND BELONGING.
ALL DIVERSE, ALL RESIDENTS OF HU ARE INCLUDED IN A POSITIVE WAY.
CELEBRATE THE POSITIVES OF DIVERSITY.
AND THERE'S SOME LISTING THERE, THE MONTHLY PROCLAMATIONS,
WE WOULD LIKE TO INVITE THE FOREIGN CITIZENS GROUPS AND OTHERS TO ATTEND THE PRESENTATION WHEN WE DO THAT IN SEPTEMBER.
AND CONTINUE WITH ALL THE DEBI FOCUS PROCLAMATIONS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
THEN WE WANT TO LOOK INTO ADDING A FEEDBACK LINK.
UM, REVIEW INTERNET RESOURCES.
I KNOW THAT'S ONGOING NOW, BUT WE WANT TO SEE HOW WE CAN LINK THAT AND ALIGN THAT.
UM, POSSIBLY THESE ARE POSSIBLE THINGS, POSSIBLY ESTABLISH AND RESOURCE GUIDES TO DETERMINE THAT WHAT FUTURE WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE.
AND REIGNITING THE YOU BELONGING HUDDLE CAMPAIGN AND THEME.
OKAY, NOW THE BUDGET FOR THIS, THIS IS OF COURSE FOR IT WOULD BE I BELIEVE FISCAL YEAR 2026, WHICH STARTS IN OCTOBER.
AND THIS LIST BREAKS OUT ALL THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING.
WE HAVE AN ENGAGEMENT WITH OUR CONSULTANT WHO IS VERY, VERY REASONABLE.
UM, WE WANT TO LOOK AT THE WORKING GROUPS, LISTENING POSTS, SOME OF THE THINGS, INTERNAL PRACTICES, PERHAPS A RESOURCE GUIDE.
AND WE ALSO WANT TO LOOK AT, UM, YOU BELONG IN HER CAMPAIGN AND ON OUR COMMISSION.
NOW WE HAVE PEOPLE FROM VARIOUS BACKGROUNDS, SUCH AS HUMAN RESOURCES.
I KNOW ERIC HAS A DEEP BACKGROUND IN HUMAN RESOURCES.
I HAVE A BACKGROUND IN HUMAN RESOURCES, SOME OF OUR OTHER MEMBERS BACKGROUND IN IT.
PURINA HAS, UM, A BACKGROUND IN, UM, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND ECONOMICS.
AND SO ALL OF THESE, IT'S A, THERE'S A WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE THERE.
AND OF COURSE THAT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS BUDGET.
OKAY? SO NOW WE WOULD GET TO WHY WE'RE LOOKING AT, UM, JUST A RENAME, A REFRESH BECAUSE DIVERSITY IS A FACT.
AND HUDDLE EQUITY IS A CHOICE.
AND BELONGING IS AN, SO WE ARE A VERY DIVERSE COMMUNITY.
DIFFERENT LANGUAGES, FAMILIES, SINGLES, RETIREES, UM, YOUNG PEOPLE, YOUNG PROFESSIONALS, DIFFERENT RACES, ETHNICITIES.
WE HAVE THAT DIVERSE DIVERSITY.
NOW, EQUITY IS A CHOICE BECAUSE WE NEED PEOPLE THAT HAVE, IT MEANS THAT PEOPLE WITH DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS AND NEEDS AND CHALLENGES MAY REQUIRE VARIOUS LEVELS OF SUPPORT, DIFFERENT LEVELS OF SUPPORT, UM, TO GET EQUAL OUTCOMES.
LIKE THE PICTURE BELOW IS SHOWING AN INDIVIDUAL THAT'S VISUALLY IMPAIRED, THAT'S BEING HELPED BY SOMEONE ELSE.
AND, AND AS WELL AS USING AN IN UH, INSTRUMENT.
AND ONE OTHER THING I WANTED TO MENTION
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WITH THAT HAD HAPPENED THIS YEAR IS THAT, UM, THE CITY OF HU WAS VERIFIED.THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT WAS VERIFIED BECAUSE THEY WERE CERTIFIED AS A DESIGNATED, UM, AUTISM CENTER, WHICH IS AN EXAMPLE OF EQUITY.
SO STATED ANOTHER WAY, PROGRESS IS OUR PURPOSE.
THERE IS NO ONE THAT IS PERFECT.
SOMEONE, ONE INITIATIVE CANNOT BE PERFECT.
YES, THERE WILL BE MISUNDERSTANDINGS, THERE WILL BE SETBACKS.
BUT WHAT WE WANT TO EMPHASIZE IS THAT SETBACKS CAN BE A SET UP TO MOVE FORWARD.
AND I THINK THAT WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED, UM, A LOT THE WHOLE, THE CITY AS WELL.
OKAY? WE WILL KEEP MOVING TO REACH OUR VISION.
AND THAT WAS THAT BELONGING IS AN OUTCOME.
SO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION, AND BELONGING, ALL OF THAT AND BELONGING WOULD BE THE OUTCOME.
AND SO BELONGING IS THE OUTCOME.
DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION IS HOW THAT WE GET THERE.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE SAID THAT WE, WE ARE RECOMMENDING, WE CONSIDER RENAMING THAT THE COMMISSION TO FOCUS ON BELONGING.
SO WE RECOMMEND RENAMING THE DEIB COMMISSION TO THE YOUTH BELONGING HUDDLE COMMISSION.
SOME OF THE RATIONALES, IT SAYS A STRONG MESSAGE THAT EVERYONE IS A VALUED PART OF HUDDLE.
IT ENSURES THAT THE DEIB WORK CONTINUES WITH A VERY POSITIVE MESSAGE, HELPS TO ATTRACT NEW AND DIVERSE BUSINESS AND RESIDENTS.
IT MAKES IT DIFFICULT FOR DEIB DETRACTORS TO ATTACK THE WORK.
SO THEN ALL OF THAT IS LEADING TO THIS, THE HUDDLE VISION THAT WE HAVE HERE.
SO, SO JUST TO RECAP THAT, WE HAVE REALLY THREE ASKS OF YOU.
ONE IS TO APPROVE THE NAME CHANGE.
THREE IS TO APPROVE THE BUDGET.
SO NOW WE CAN, WE HAVE TIME LEFT.
IT WAS GREAT TIMING TO HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, DISCUSSION.
COULD YOU REPEAT THOSE, THOSE THREE AGAIN PLEASE? THE THREE ASKS, YES.
YES, THE NAME CHANGE THE APPROVAL OF OUR METRICS AND PLAN, AND THEN THE BUDGET.
SO WHAT QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS OR DISCUSSIONS SAY YOU DID A GREAT JOB.
IT'S VERY CLEAR, SUCCINCT AND, UH, ALL PLANS AND ATTRIBUTE THAT TO CHAIRS AND VICE CHAIRS AND THAT MEMBERSHIP.
AND ALSO I WANT, I JUST FORGOT TO THANK, UM, CHRISTIE BARNES HAS BEEN OUR LIAISONS IN THE ONGOING TIME.
AND ALSO I REALLY WANTED TO THANK KARA BLOOMS BECAUSE SHE STARTED OFF AND THEN, AND THERE HAVE BEEN MANY, MANY UPS AND DOWNS, BUT SHE STUCK THROUGH IT.
AND THE ONLY REASON THAT SHE LEFT WAS BECAUSE OF PERSONAL, PERSONAL REASONS AS WELL.
AND ALSO WOULD LIKE TO THANK DAN.
THAT TO US, HE'S VERY SUPPORTIVE.
I'VE KNOWN KARA FOR A WHILE AND UM, YEAH, SHE WAS THERE IT IS ON YOUR SLIDE 21 AND 22 IS PRETTY ROCKY.
THERE'S A BIG PUSH TO DISBAND IT.
KINDA LIKE IF YOU, IF IT'S NOT BE DONE MY WAY AND, BUT WE SHOULDN'T BE DOING IT AT ALL.
AND UM, I, I LIKE TO HAVE, I LIKE, MAYBE I JUST LIKE TO FIGHT AND ARGUE, BUT I LIKE TO HEAR OTHER, I LIKE TO HEAR OPPOSING VIEWPOINTS.
'CAUSE I DON'T THINK YOU CAN LEARN IF YOU'RE LISTENING TO, YOU KNOW, THE SAME THING THAT'S BACKING UP WHAT I'M SAYING.
UM, ALRIGHT, I'LL SAY SOME THINGS TO GET, UH, I USUALLY HAVE A TENDENCY TO TALK AND THEN EVERYBODY JUMPS IN.
SO IT WAS KIND OF SILENT THERE.
I CATCH A LOT OF GRIEF SUPPORTING DEI, UM, BECAUSE I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO.
UM, AND WE'VE TALKED JACQUE ABOUT THAT BEFORE MM-HMM
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SOMEWHAT OF A CONCERN ON THE EQUITY PART.AND IT'S NOT THAT, YOU KNOW, A PERSON WHO'S HANDICAPPED WALKING ACROSS.
BUT I AM SENSITIVE TO IF WE, AS LONG AS WE DON'T EVOLVE IT INTO, HEY, THERE'S A CERTAIN GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT NEED EXTRA HELP, I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE NEED EXTRA HELP.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO FIND WAYS TO HELP EVERYBODY.
RIGHT? BUT IF WE JUST SAY CERTAIN GROUPS, TO ME THAT KIND OF FEEDS INTO, AND I'M NOT SAYING, YOU KNOW, A PERSON IS BUYING, SHOULDN'T HAVE TRUNCATED DOMES AND ALL ACCESSIBLE PARKS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT YOU KNOW, FROM THE NATIONAL HEADLINES, THERE'S A SENSITIVITY THERE.
SO I THINK YOU GUYS HAVE DONE VERY GOOD ON BEING SENSITIVE TO THAT MM-HMM
UM, BECAUSE WHAT I DON'T WANT HATO TO BE IS IN A PAPER LIKE TAYLOR AND OTHER COMMUNITIES FOR THINGS THAT I THINK IS REALLY, UM, IT'S JUST POOR DECISION MAKING.
AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF EASY THINGS WHERE YOU CAN SAY, I DON'T AGREE WITH THINGS ABOUT YOU, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN I CAN'T RESPECT YOU.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN I CAN'T BE NICE TO YOU.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN I CAN'T SUPPORT YOU.
UM, AND I THINK IN OTHER COMMUNITIES SOMETIMES PEOPLE DIG INTO A CERTAIN LINE IN THE SAND AND GO, I'M NOT CROSSING THAT MM-HMM
AND I'M LIKE, OUR JOB SHOULD BE TO AT LEAST CROSS AND UNDERSTAND WHY AGAIN, YOU THINK THE WAY YOU THINK.
SO THE EQUITY PART, AS LONG AS WE'RE JUST ALWAYS COGNITIVE OR, UH, COGNIZANT, MAYBE THERE'S A WORD ABOUT THAT.
UM, AND THEN, UM, I LIKE THE PRIORITIES.
PRIORITY ONE I HAVE IS ESTABLISHED AN ONGOING SUSTAINABLE STRUCTURE FOR THE CONTINUED DEIB WORK.
AND THEN TWO, ASSURE A FULL PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND DIB WORK.
WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR OR HAVE SOME SOMETHING IN YOU GUYS' PLAN IS HOW DO YOU PLAN TO ENGAGE A GROUP IN A POPULATION THAT NO MATTER WHAT YOU CALL IT, THEY DON'T BELIEVE IN IT.
AND UM, HOW DO WE DO THAT? BECAUSE OVER 54 LANGUAGES SPOKEN IN HU PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD.
UM, NOT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS E EVEN THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND EIB PART OF IT IS BECAUSE THEY'RE BORN AND RAISED HERE.
SOME OF IT WHERE THEY COME FROM, THIS ISN'T A THING.
AND THEY HAVE DIFFERENT ISSUES.
AND SO HOW DO WE ENGAGE THE PEOPLE FROM LIKE, SAY AFGHANISTAN, THAT'S NOT FROM THE CULTURE TO WHERE THEY WOULD EVEN THINK ABOUT TRYING TO WORK TOGETHER TO WHERE IT'S YOUR, YOUR OWN SILO.
UM, AND THEN, UM, THE ONLY OTHER THING I HAD IS, I DON'T MIND THE NAME, WHATEVER YOU GUYS WANNA CALL IT, BUT WE DID JUST CHANGE IT LAST YEAR.
SO I DON'T WANT US TO WHERE WE'RE CHANGING EVERY YEAR.
I'M BIG ON, I PERSONALLY, I GUESS 'CAUSE I LIKE TO FIGHT AND ARGUE.
I LIKE TO DEIB PERSONALLY BECAUSE THE ONLY, THE BEST WAY TO PROVE PEOPLE THAT THEY'RE WRONG IS IN MY MIND NOT TO CHANGE THE NAME SO THAT YOU LOOK LIKE YOU'RE DOING SOMETHING ELSE.
BUT TO SAY, LIKE I SAID IN OUR, UH, THAT MEETING IS YOU SAY, AND WE'RE DOING IT AND WE DO IT A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY AND WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT WORRIED ABOUT THE STEREOTYPE.
AND SO I DO KIND OF CAUTION IF YOU CHANGE THE NAME BECAUSE YOU DON'T, THE NEGATIVE REACTION TO DEIB PERSONALLY, THOSE PEOPLE ARE WINNING.
AND SO NOW THEY'VE D THEY'VE DONE AWAY WITH THE DEIB COMMISSION.
AND IF YOU'RE REALLY DOING THE SAME THING, THEY MAY JUST HAVE A WHOLE NOTHER THING TO ATTACK ON AND SAY, OH, NOW THEY'RE GONNA CHANGE THE NAME.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, YOU KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING, THEY'RE DOING SOMETHING ELSE.
TO ME, THE MISSION HAS ALWAYS BEEN DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION, AND BELONGING.
MM-HMM
AND YOU GUYS SAY, HEY, YOU KNOW, APPRECIATE IT.
BUT WE STILL WANT TO CHANGE AND WE CHANGE.
WE JUST KNOW THAT IN A COUPLE YEARS, IF EVERYBODY GOES TO, YOU BELONG IN WHATEVER CITY COMMISSION HAVE TO CHANGE IT AGAIN BECAUSE IT'S THE PEOPLE THAT ARE OUT THERE ARE CRITICIZING THE WORK, NOT THE NAME.
THEY'RE JUST USING A NAME TODAY.
AND SO I DON'T WANT IT TO BE A PUNCHLINE.
UM, I'D RATHER IT JUST BE LIKE, HEY.
BUT AGAIN, NOT EVERYBODY LIKES TO FIGHT AND ARGUE ALL THE TIME AND I GET A KICK OUT OF IT.
SO PART OF IT MAY BE I JUST WANNA PROVE SO AND PEOPLE WRONG.
AND I THINK WE SET THAT MEETING, I LIKE KEN PAX TO TRY TO SHUT US DOWN, UM, AND DO THAT BECAUSE I THINK WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO RUN OUR CITY THE WAY WE WANT TO RUN IT.
UM, BUT ANYWAY, THAT'S WHAT I THINK THAT SOMEONE NOTES WHERE SPARKED SOMETHING HERE.
ONE OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS THAT PEOPLE I WAS GONNA ADD TO LIKE, IF YOU GO BACK OVER OUR BUDGET, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, JUST TO YOUR POINT, HOW DO WE GET THAT OUTREACH OUT TO THE COMMUNITIES? SO THAT'S KIND OF ONE OF THE THINGS WHEN WE LOOKED AT OUR BUDGET AND OUR ASSET AND OUR BUDGET, WE DO HAVE LINE ITEMS THAT WILL BE KIND OF DRAWN TO LIKE THE LISTENING POST SURVEYS, HOW WE CAN HAVE MORE COMMUNITY, UH, EVENTS, INVOLVEMENT, THOSE TYPE OF THINGS TO GET THAT WORD OUT MORE OF CHANGING OF THE NAME.
I I CALL IT MORE LIKE A TAGLINE, YOU KNOW? 'CAUSE TO YOUR POINT, YEAH, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THE MISSION AND
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THE, AND THE WORD THE IB IS STANDING.THAT'S WHAT WE'RE STANDING FOR.
BUT YOU KNOW, IN OUR DISCUSSION, IF WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT DOING THAT MORE OUTREACH TO THE COMMUNITY, WHAT CAN WE DO? WHAT KIND OF TAGLINE CAN WE HAVE TO DRAW IN PEOPLE? YOU KNOW, IT MIGHT BE ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE DO KEEP THE NAME, BUT TRYING TO ADD THE UM, UH, WE ARE HU YOU, UH, YOU BELONG IN HUDDLE AS A TAGLINE.
SO WE CAN DRAW IN THAT CROWD THAT IS KIND OF, YOU KNOW, HEY, I DON'T WANT TO SEE THAT KIND OF THING.
SO THOSE ARE KIND OF THE, UH, STRATEGIES THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT BECAUSE OUR NEXT MISSION AND STEP GOING INTO FY 26 IS TO MAKE THIS MOBILE.
YOU KNOW, WE, WE, WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS GREAT WORK.
WE'VE GOT ALL THESE GREAT STATS AND METRICS, NOW LET'S GET THE MONEY, LET'S GET, LET'S GET THIS GOING.
LET'S, LET'S GET THIS MOTOR GOING.
SO THAT'S KIND OF OUR, OUR VISION OF, OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
UH, WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR BUDGET AND OUR LINE ITEMS AND KIND OF LOOKING AT YOUR STRATEGIC PLAN AND WHERE WE'RE AT.
SO, AND, AND LIKE I SAID, WITH THE NAME CHANGE, IT'S MORE LIKE A TAGLINE KIND OF THING.
'CAUSE WHEN WE GO AND MAKE THE THING MOBILE, WHEN WE CAN GO OUT TO THE COMMUNITY TO REACH THOSE, 'CAUSE HEY, HUDDLE'S GROWING, JUST LIKE AUSTIN IS GROWING.
SO IT IS MORE AND MORE PEOPLE COMING IN HUDDLE EVERY WEEK, EVERY DAY.
SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE ARE, WE'RE MOBILE AND WHEN WE DO THAT MOBILIZATION, WE CAN ATTRACT AS MUCH AS WE CAN.
YOU KNOW, YOU CAN ATTRACT MORE BEES WITH HONEY THAN YOU CAN WITH VINEGAR.
SO THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT BECAUSE I, WE WERE TALKING FOR, I'M NOT SAYING THIS TO BE FUNNY, BUT PEOPLE KNOW MY WIFE WE'RE POLAR OPPOSITES ON EVERYTHING BUT FOOTBALL
IT, IT COULD BE ANYTHING TRUMP.
AND IT'S ALWAYS, THAT'S HER WAY OF ALWAYS MAKING A DIG.
SO IN REALITY, WHAT I LOOK AT IS HOW DO YOU GET THE TRUMPERS TO GO TO BE SUPPORTIVE? BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE A PORTION OF THE POPULATION THAT NEVER SUPPORTS RIGHT? THEN I FEEL LIKE THAT'S REALLY AS CRAZY AS IT SOUNDS, THAT'S NOT AS AS INCLUSIVE, RIGHT? IN DIVERSITY IN BELONGING.
BECAUSE I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT LIKE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S THINGS THAT I DISAGREE HOPEFULLY WITH EVERYBODY ON, BUT I'M HOPING TO BE ABLE TO SAY, YEAH, WELL PETER AND I ARGUE DANG NEAR EVERY COUNCIL MEETING.
AND WHEN WE DON'T, I ALWAYS SAY, DID YOU DISAGREE WITH ME? BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT I DON'T, I DON'T WANNA, LIKE, I'LL HAVE LUNCH WITH THEM AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND SO THERE'S GOTTA BE A WAY TO GET THAT FACTION OF PEOPLE THAT ARE LIKE DUG IN THIS WAY.
AND THE FACT PEOPLE ARE DUG IN THIS WAY TO GO, I DON'T AGREE, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? I, I'LL HAVE LUNCH WITH YOU.
UM, YOU KNOW WHAT? I'M NOT GONNA MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT YOU BECAUSE OF POLITICS.
I MAY MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT OTHER THINGS.
MAYBE YOUR CHOICE IN FOOD OR ATTIRE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT AND YOUR FOOTBALL TEAM.
BUT THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR.
'CAUSE THERE, YOU, YOU DO HAVE A DIVIDE NATIONALLY, IN MY OPINION.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S AS MUCH IN HUDU AS IN OTHER COMMUNITIES 'CAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE THESE BIG RALLIES AND THINGS THAT OTHER PEOPLE DID.
BUT WHEN WE STARTED DOING PARADES, ONE OF THE CONCERNS I HAD WAS THAT I DON'T, I PERSONALLY DON'T WANT A POLITICAL PARADE.
I DON'T WANT, I DON'T WANT A TRUMP RALLY COMING THROUGH TOWN.
I DON'T WANT ANY OF THAT, WHETHER YOU'RE FOREIGN OR NOT.
BECAUSE IF YOU SUPPORT THAT, YOU'RE ALSO ALIENATING A WHOLE NOTHER GROUP OF PEOPLE.
AND IF YOU JUST STAY OUT OF ALL THAT AND YOU JUST GO TO HOW DO WE GET WATER CHEAPER AND CLEANER AND OUR KIDS SAFELY TO AND FROM SCHOOL? AND THAT KNOCKS OUT LIKE 60, 70% OF MOST PEOPLE'S CONCERNS.
IT'S THAT LITTLE FRINGE STUFF THAT SEEMS TO ALWAYS GET PEOPLE WOUND UP.
AND THAT'S KIND OF ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT AS, AS, AS A CITY, I SAID, IT IS GONNA COME A TIME.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO NAVIGATE THOSE WATERS BECAUSE THOSE WATERS ARE COMING.
BECAUSE YOU LOOK AT THE POPULATION THAT ARE MOVING INTO, LIKE I SAID, AUSTIN IS GROWING, HU IS GROWING.
SO IT IS JUST TAKING THOSE GRADUATE STEPS, BUT ALSO BEING AWARE THAT THOSE WATERS ARE GONNA COME MM-HMM
AND WE CAN SAY, NO, WE DON'T WANT THAT RALLY TODAY.
BUT IF YOU GET ENOUGH OF THE FOLKS WITH THE BOATS TO COME IN AND PADDLE WITH THAT, IT'S GOING TO, IT IS GONNA COME A THING WHERE IT'S GONNA BE MORE OF A, IT'S GONNA FORCE IT TO HAPPEN.
BUT HOW WE GONNA NAVIGATE THAT? IT'S, I'M TRYING TO STOP.
I'M TRYING TO GET TO WHERE IT NEVER EVEN TAKES ROOT BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE LIKE, WE GET ALONG SO WELL.
WE HAVE NO INTEREST IN IN THAT RALLY.
WHY NOT? WELL, BECAUSE IT'S JUST NOT A THING WE DO HERE.
WE'RE MORE INTO LIKE GOING DOWN TO THE PARK AND HAVING SOME FESTIVAL AND WE'RE NOT, THAT'S WHAT I'M HOPING TO DO IS WE NEVER HAVE THAT COME TO WHERE IT'S LIKE YOU'RE JUST THAT CITY THAT NEVER HAS THAT TYPE OF DISCOURSE.
UM, WELL SO I, I THINK THE REASON FOR IT THOUGH, IF IT CAME TO HUDA, IT WOULD BE A LOT OF ASSUMPTION YEAH.
THAT EITHER WHAT YOU SEE ELSEWHERE IS HAPPENING HERE OR THAT WHAT YOU FEAR IS HAPPENING ELSEWHERE IS HAPPENING HERE.
AND I THINK THE BEST WAY TO COMBAT THAT IS TO BUILD UP A BODY OF WORK YEAH.
THAT YOU CAN POINT AT AND SAY, THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE DOING.
AND TO INCLUDE THE PEOPLE THAT MAYBE WOULD GET IT INTO WHERE THEY'RE LIKE, YOU CAN'T CONVINCE THEM.
[00:35:01]
YOU CAN'T CONVINCE THAT GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO DOESN'T WANT TO BE CONVINCED RIGHT NOW UNTIL YOU HAVE SOME EVIDENCE TO SHOW.I DO WANNA INTERJECT SOMETHING 'CAUSE YOU ASKED.
THAT'S SOME REALLY IMPORTANT POINT.
SO FIRST OF ALL ABOUT THE NAME CHANGE, I JUST MISS JACQUELINE KNOW I'M NOT A FAN OF CHANGING THE NAME.
I'M NOT A FAVOR OF IT BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE IT'S A RE LIKE WE'RE RETREATING A LITTLE BIT, BUT I ALSO SUPPORT THE COMMISSION'S OPINION OF IT IS MORE MARKETABLE.
SO THE YOU BELONG IN HUD TAGLINE ACTUALLY CAME FROM OUR BUDGET MEETING MM-HMM
THE LAST BUDGET MEETING WHERE WE WERE HUDDLED UP.
UM, YOU CAME TO OUR TABLE AT THAT TIME AND WE WERE HAVING THAT DISCUSSION AND IT JUST CAME OUT OF THE BELONGING PART.
LIKE IT WAS ALREADY GOING TO BE OUR TAGLINE ANYWAY.
I WOULD RATHER KEEP IT AS A TAGLINE BECAUSE THAT'S THE MARKETABLE PIECE AND THAT'S THE ALL INCLUSIVE, EVERYBODY BELONGS HERE.
SO IT IS YOUR DOLLARS, YOUR INVESTMENT, YOUR TALENT, YOUR, YOUR TIME, YOUR FAMILIES.
LIKE WE WANT YOU TO INVEST ALL OF THOSE THINGS, TIME, TALENT, AND TREASURE IN HU.
SO THAT'S, THAT TALENT'S GONNA REMAIN.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE GONNA DECIDE TO MOVE THAT UP TO BE THE ACTUAL NAME OF THE COMMISSION OR NOT.
I'M SUPPORTING OUR, OUR, OUR LEADERSHIP EITHER WAY.
UM, BUT THE TAGLINE'S GONNA REMAIN IN THAT 'CAUSE IT'S VERY MARKETABLE.
AND THEN, UM, I APPRECIATE THE QUESTION ABOUT HOW DO WE ENGAGE RESISTORS.
SO SOMETHING THAT WE'VE LEARNED WHEN WE CAME TO THE COMMISSION AND ALSO THROUGH THE WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING IS THAT PEOPLE RESIST BECAUSE THEY FEEL LIKE THEY'RE NOT INCLUDED, RIGHT? MM-HMM
THEY FEEL LIKE THAT'S FOR SOMEBODY ELSE.
OR THEY FEEL LIKE IF THEY ALLOW RESOURCES TO BE DISTRIBUTED IN AN EQUITABLE WAY, THAT MEANS THEY GET LESS.
WELL THAT'S A REALLY VALID CONCERN FOR PEOPLE.
AND IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT BACKGROUND OR ECONOMIC SITUATION YOU COME FROM, PEOPLE ARE GONNA HAVE THAT CONCERN THAT IF THIS OTHER GROUP OR SOMEBODY THAT'S DIFFERENT FROM ME HAS ACCESS TO THE SAME RESOURCES AND THAT MEANS MY FAMILY OR MY COMMUNITY GETS LESS.
AND WE TALK ABOUT THAT ALL THE TIME.
UM, SO IT'S A VERY VALID CONCERN.
YOU'RE NOT GONNA TRY TO, UM, CONVINCE OR CHANGE PEOPLE'S MINDS.
BUT OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS A COMMISSION AND A COMMUNITY IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE VOICES ARE INCLUDED IN THE CONVERSATION.
SO THAT THEY UNDERSTAND WHETHER THEY AGREE WITH THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING OR NOT, THAT THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS OR THEIR NEEDS OR THEIR CONCERNS ARE NOT BEING MUTED OR THEY'RE NOT BEING LEFT OUT OF THE CONVERSATION.
AND THAT'S WHERE SOME OF THE IMPLEMENTATION WORK IS GONNA COME WITH THE LISTENING POSTS AND THE THREE, UM, INTERSECTIONED, UH, CITIZEN WORKING GROUPS, WHICH IS SMALL BUSINESSES, VETERANS AND SENIOR CITIZENS.
'CAUSE THOSE ARE NEUTRAL GROUPS THAT ANYBODY FROM ANY BACKGROUND OR CULTURE CAN BE A PART OF.
AND IT'S A WAY TO REACH A VERY BROAD GROUP.
THE LISTENING POSTS ARE MORE ABOUT GETTING WITH THE GROUPS THAT LIKE AFFINITY GROUPS THAT ARE ALREADY FORMING.
UM, MAYBE IT'S A WOMEN'S NETWORKING GROUP OR IT'S, UM, A COMMUNITY GROUP THAT LIKE THE BLACK LIVES OF HUDDLE THAT'S ALREADY MEETING.
THOSE LISTENING POSTS ARE MORE INFORMAL.
AND THIS IS ANOTHER WAY FOR US TO HAVE A LIAISON SAY, WHAT DID, WHAT IS THIS GROUP THAT'S COMING TOGETHER? MAYBE IT'S THE, THE ROTARY CLUB WHERE THE LIONS GROUP PEOPLE THAT MEET FOR A REASON.
WHAT ARE THEY TALKING ABOUT? DO THEY FEEL LIKE THEY BELONG IN HUDDLE? DO THEY FEEL LIKE THEIR VOICES ARE BEING HEARD? I MEAN, THEY'RE MEETING FOR A REASON.
THEY HAVE A COMMON, YOU KNOW, INTEREST.
THEY HAVE A COMMON, THERE'S SOME COMMON VALUES.
AND THAT'S WHERE THOSE, UM, LISTENING POSTS ARE GONNA COME FROM.
SO THAT'S INSTEAD OF MAKING THEM COME TO ANOTHER MEETING WHO WITH ME ATTENDING THEIR MEETINGS BY INVITATION AND WITH PERMISSION OR INVITING THEM TO COME TO OUR COMMISSION MEETINGS.
SO THAT'S ANOTHER WAY THAT WE ARE INFILTRATING THE COMMUNITY IN A WAY THAT SHOWS THAT WE'RE INTERESTED AS A CITY IN HEARING THOSE DIFFERENT VOICES, HEARING THOSE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES SO THAT EVERYBODY'S VOICE IS A PART OF THE CONVERSATION.
AND WE'RE NOT TURNING THE DEAF EAR OR A BLIND EYE TO ANYBODY'S CONCERNS WHETHER WE PERSONALLY AGREE WITH IT OR NOT.
AND THAT'S WHAT THE COMMISSION'S RESPONSIBILITY IS.
THAT KIND OF ANSWER SOME OF THOSE CONCERNS.
AND ONE THING I WANNA SAY, I I PERSONALLY BELIEVE THAT IT IS WORKING.
SOME OF THE STRATEGIES THAT WE HAVE, I BELIEVE ARE WORKING, FOR INSTANCE, LIKE BEING AT THE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS, THERE WAS A PERSON, I DON'T REMEMBER HIS NAME, I DON'T KNOW HIS NAME.
AND, UH, JUST, HE INTRODUCED HIMSELF TO ME.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE STARTED TALKING.
HE SAID, OH, I DON'T BELIEVE IN DIVERSITY, SO I DON'T, I SAID, WHY? YOU KNOW? SO WE STARTED HAVING A CONVERSATION ABOUT IT AND, YOU KNOW, TALKING ABOUT IT.
THEN WE, WE DID THE PROCLAMATION FOR THAT MONTH, WHICH WAS, I BELIEVE IT WAS ON TI AUTISM.
AND HE, THEN I CAME AND SAT BACK DOWN AND HE, HE SAYS, OH, YOU KNOW, HE, IT STARTED TO ME, IT STARTED SINKING IN.
YOU KNOW, WHY DO WE HAVE THESE, UM, WHY ARE WE, DO WE HAVE THE INITIATIVE WITH THAT? AND IT WAS JUST A MATTER OF HE LISTENED TO ME, I LISTENED TO HIM, WE TALKED, AND THEN WE HAD THE PROCLAMATION.
AND HE SAID, OH, I, YOU KNOW, HE KINDA SAID, OH, I SEE.
YOU KNOW, SO IT, I THINK THINGS, I THINK OUR STRATEGY IS WORKING AND WE ARE NOT CHANGING IT AND WE'RE NOT RETREATING BECAUSE I THINK IT SHOULD BE A COMMITMENT TO CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD VERSUS ABANDONING
[00:40:01]
REAL QUICK, UM, UM, LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, THE PRIORITIES AND, AND JUST MY OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, YOU KNOW, WITH, UM, FROM, FROM MY FAMILY, UM, AND, AND EXTENDED FAMILY.I MEAN, TO MEANS, SEEMS LIKE AN ALL EVERY TREE IS A IS ALL MY FAMILIES.
THERE'S BLENDED, THERE'S BLENDED FAMILIES, WHICH I THINK IS SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT.
BUT TO ME, THIS IS ALL VERY EDUCATION DRIVEN.
LIKE, I MEAN, THAT'S AN, THAT'S A KEY THING.
UM, AS, AND I I SEE EVERYONE HAS SOME BIAS OR PREJUDICE.
I GREW UP IN A NON-PROFIT FAMILY, YOU KNOW, OR NONPROFIT.
THIS NONPROFIT THAT I MAY HAVE THIS ANTI-CORPORATE THING WHEN THERE ARE GOOD CORPORATIONS OUT THERE, BUT IT'S ALL, BUT ANYWAY, SO, BUT EVERYONE HAS SOME BIAS OR PREJUDICE.
I THINK THE ISSUE IS, IS WHEN YOU DENY 'EM RIGHT, AND YOU'RE NOT UNDERSTANDING, BUT WHEN, WHEN YOU, UH, WHEN WHEN YOU BREED, UM, GROUP EXCHANGES AND COMMUNICATIONS AND THE DEIB OR WHETHER IT THE, YOU KNOW, THE VW OR THE AMERICAN LEGION OR, OR, UH, I THINK THE HU COMMUNITYWIDE STARTED OUT THE SENIOR CITIZENS OR HU GROUP, BUT HOWEVER THAT IS MM-HMM
I STILL, IT IS AN EDUCATION THING PROCESS TO ME MM-HMM
NOW ALL THESE PRIORITIES COME OUT OF IT AS YOU, AS YOU GET MORE PEOPLE INVOLVED AND EDUCATED.
BUT IF, UM, IF, IF YOU, IF YOU CAN'T, I GUESS, UH, SORRY.
IF YOU CAN'T ADVANCE THAT EDUCATION PROCESS, COULD YOU PULL UP THE, THE BUDGET AND DOES THAT BUDGET CHART, IS THAT GIVEN TO COUNCIL? OR CAN YOU DO THAT? JUST THE PACKET? YEAH, LET'S PACKET.
THINK WE DIDN'T GET THAT? OR IS IT, IS THERE AN ONLINE BUDGET WORKSHOP PACKET? I HAVEN'T, I DIDN'T SEE THIS.
BUT THIRD, THE ENTIRE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN IS PART OF THE WORK SESSION PACKET.
UM, SO I MEAN THE THINGS IN HERE, THE, I MEAN THE TRAINING YOU, TO ME THAT I'M NOT SAYING THESE ARE NOT GOOD OR SHOULDN'T BE.
BUT I, I LIKE TO SEE THE EDUCATION COMPONENT AND THAT'S WITHIN THE BOARD COMMISSION.
UM, I, I, SOME PEOPLE, AND I KIND OF HATE THAT WORD SUBCOMMITTEE.
I LOOK AT IT, IT'S JUST A COMMITTEE WHERE YOU HAVE A BOARD MEMBER AND THEN YOU HAVE SOME CIVILIAN PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT ON THE BOARD JUST TO KIND OF GET, YOU TALK ABOUT FOCUS GROUPS.
I LIKE THAT ASPECT BECAUSE NOT ONLY DO YOU GET PRODUCT, YOU GET SERVICE OUT OF THEM.
RIGHT NOW YOU'RE IN A MENTORING PROCESS, RIGHT.
WHERE YOU CAN BRING PEOPLE UP TO, YOU KNOW, TO, TO BOARD OR MORE ACTIVE ROLES IN THE COMMUNITY IN GENERAL.
THERE'S THAT EDUCATION, THERE'S THE EDUCATION OF LEADERSHIP.
UM, LIKE MYSELF, I STILL HAVEN'T TAKEN THE LEADERSHIP TRAINING OF DA BY AS A CITY COUNCILMAN.
UM, BUT THERE'S THAT AND STAFF AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT IT, THE BIG THING IS THE COMMUNITY.
I MEAN, THERE'S THE PEOPLE THAT ARE LIKE, I CAN SAY THAT ARE, THAT ARE IN LINE OR OUTTA LINE, BUT I THINK THIS GROUP THAT'S, I DON'T WANNA SAY THEY'RE ON THE FENCE.
I JUST DON'T THINK THEY HAVE A GRASP EITHER.
THEY DON'T HAVE A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WHERE THIS IS A BIG ISSUE IN A LOT OF PEOPLE'S LIVES.
OR THEY HAVE A BAD OR, OR NOT BAD, BUT A MISCONCEPTION ABOUT THINGS.
AND THAT'S THE BULK OF PEOPLE.
I MEAN, THERE'S THE PEOPLE THAT ARE HARD LINE ONE WAY OR HARD LINE ANOTHER WHICH CAN BE A 10 OR 15%.
WHAT ABOUT THE 70% IN THE MIDDLE? THAT KIND OF, I WANNA SAY ON THE FENCE TYPE OF THING.
THAT'S A BIG TARGET GROUP BECAUSE ONE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE PROPAGATING INFORMATION TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND.
THEY STILL MAKE, MAKE A CHOICE THAT YOU DISAGREE WITH, BUT WE CAN DISAGREE.
BUT IF YOU DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION TO KIND OF MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION, THEN THEY'RE KIND OF FLOUNDERING LOST AT SEA.
BUT ANYWAY, SO I, I, I ENCOURAGE THE EDUCATION ASPECT OF IT AND, UH, AND, AND THAT'S IT.
SO WHICH OF THE ITEMS ARE LIKE TRAINING FROM STAN KIMER VERSUS INTERNAL TRAINING? OR ARE THEY ALL STAN DOING ALL THE TRAINING? SO LIKE THE, THE LIKE THE FIRST THREE, THE 3020 400, 1200, IS THAT ALL STAN KIND OF DOING THE TRAINING? YES, IT IS.
AND THEN WHAT ABOUT THE WORKING GROUP TRAINING? IS THAT JUST KIND OF INTERNAL CITY STAFF DOING IT? YOU DOING IT? OR IS THAT STAN COMING IN AS WELL? THAT WOULD BE STAN LEADING IT AND ME HELPING ME FACILITATE IT.
BUT A COMBINATION OF THE MEMBERS AS WELL.
AND THEN THE, THE 4,500, THAT'S ALSO STAN COMING IN AND, AND LEADING THAT ONE.
THE DEVELOPMENT AND DELIVERY THREE.
SO, SO YOU'RE LEANING HEAVILY ON STAN TO REALLY KIND OF HELP MAKE SURE IT'S ORGANIZED AND YOU'RE KIND OF FOLLOW HIS ESTABL? WE WANNA, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT HE'S USING PRACTICES THAT I'VE ALREADY BEEN PROVEN TO BE SUCCESSFUL OKAY.
IN COMMUNITIES THAT ARE SIMILAR TO OURS.
AND THAT HE'S COMING IN AS WITH A NEUTRAL VOICE INSTEAD OF, YOU KNOW, ME OR JACQUELINE OR
[00:45:01]
MR. VAL BEING LIKE, THIS IS HOW WE WANT IT.AND THEN IS THIS GONNA BE ROLLED UP INTO THE OVERALL BUDGET THAT IS GIVEN TO THE CITY COUNCIL AT THE END OF THIS MONTH? OR WHAT, WHAT'S LIKE, WHERE DOES THIS FALL IN IN OUR FULL BUDGET DISCUSSION? WELL, WELL MY, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THIS IS WHAT THE BOARD HAS REQUESTED.
WHETHER IT MAKES IT IN THE CITY MANAGER'S BUDGET OR NOT IS UP TO THE CITY MANAGER.
SO, BUT THEY'RE LETTING COUNCIL KNOW THAT THIS IS WHAT THEY WANT.
SO, AND, BUT YOU'RE LETTING STAFF KNOW.
SO STAFF CAN THEN PRESENT IT TO THE CITY MANAGER AND THEN IS THAT KIND OF HOW IT'S WORKING? IT'LL KIND OF ROLL UP THROUGH YOU AND THEN WE'LL, WE'LL KNOW WHETHER THERE'S A LINE ITEM HERE OR NOT.
WHETHER IT WAS, WHETHER IT MADE IT INTO YOUR BUDGET, THEN WE CAN CALL FROM THERE.
SO IF WE CAN, UNDER WHOSE BUDGET WOULD IT, WOULD IT KIND OF LIKE, WHERE WOULD I FIND IT? IF IT MADE IT INTO THE BUDGET, WHERE WOULD I FIND IT'S GONNA BE IN THE CITY MAN.
BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THE BOARD OF COMMISSION BUDGETS LINES ARE.
I JUST WANNA KNOW WHERE TO LOOK.
THAT'S SMART WITH SANDWICHES SAID KARINA IF YEAH, IF YOU EVER HAVE A BOARD THAT WANTS SOMETHING DONE, BUT THEY'RE THE ONES DOING IT, THAT'S THE FIRST THING TO TRIGGER A GROUP OF PEOPLE IS OH YEAH, THEY SPLIT A PROFIT.
BUT IF IT'S SOMEBODY ELSE DOESN'T LIVE AROUND HERE, DIFFERENT THAT'S COMING IN TRAINING, THEN YOU'VE ALREADY, UM, YOU'VE ALREADY KIND OF CHOPPED AWAY ALL THEIR ISSUES.
RIGHT NOW THEY'RE LIKE, WELL, OKAY, SO MIKE'S NOT PROFITING OFF THIS.
WELL THEN WHY, WHY IS HE FOR IT? WELL IT MUST BE ANOTHER REASON AND MAYBE 'CAUSE IT'S JUST SOMETHING GOOD.
IT GIVES HIM A REASON THEY CAN'T EGG STAN'S HOUSE 'CAUSE HE DOESN'T LIVE
AND JUST A LITTLE THING TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT STAN, HE ACTUALLY RETIRED BUT HE CHOSE TO WORK WITH US AT A DIS YOU KNOW, VERY DISCOUNTED PRICE.
YOU KNOW, SO, 'CAUSE HE SAID HE LIKED US.
HONESTLY, I DON'T THINK HE COULD GET ANY ONE ITEM ON HERE.
YOU KNOW, HE, THE, THE PRICE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT HE'S CHARGING AND WHAT ANYBODY ELSE CHARGES IS CRAZY.
I'LL TELL YOU GUYS THE BUDGET I'VE VOTED AGAINST GIVING YOU GUYS A BUDGET.
I SAID YOU GUYS, THIS COMMISSION EVERY TIME IT'S BEEN BROUGHT UP, BECAUSE IN THE PAST IT'S BEEN WE NEED $15,000.
ANYBODY THAT ASK FOR $5 OUTTA ME, IF YOU DON'T SAY WHERE IT'S GOING TO, THEN IT'S ALWAYS A NO.
IT'S WHAT YOU GUYS HAVE DONE IS NOT JUST SAID, WE'RE GONNA DO TRAINING.
YOU'VE GOT IT DOWN TO THE HOURS OF TRAINING.
WHO'S GONNA DO THE TRAINING? WHO'S GONNA BE AS INVOLVED? IF MORE REQUESTS CAME TO US THIS WAY FROM LIKE EVERYBODY AND THAT'S IN THE BUDGET, IT, IT'D MAKE IT A WHOLE LOT EASIER THAN YEARS AGO WE HAD A REQUEST FOR $50,000 FOR SMALL TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT.
I WAS LIKE, WHAT IS THAT? WELL, YOU KNOW, THEY SAID SMALL TOOLS, EQUIPMENT.
AND THEN WE'LL FIND OUT WHAT IT IS YOU NEED.
BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE THE MONEY, THEN WE'LL KNOW.
AND IT WAS JUST A BLANKET REQUEST.
AND SO NOT HAVE A BLANKET REQUEST.
UM, THAT'S, YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S FOR ME THAT'S VERY IMPRESSIVE.
'CAUSE WE DON'T ALWAYS SEE THAT.
WE JUST SEE A, SOME ASK OF, ONE THING THAT WE'VE BEEN REALLY GOOD ABOUT IS WITHIN OURSELVES.
'CAUSE WE GET REALLY EXCITED ABOUT STUFF THAT WE WANNA DO AND THAT WE CAN SEE WORKING.
BUT WE'VE BEEN VERY GOOD ABOUT BRINGING OURSELVES BACK IS ASKING HOW DO WE MEASURE THAT? RIGHT? HOW DO WE MEASURE THE IMPACT OF THAT? THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT IDEAS THAT HAVE WORKED IN DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES THAT ARE AT DIFFERENT STAGES OF DEVELOPING THEIR OWN PLANS.
BUT ONE OF THEM WE ALWAYS BRING IT BACK TO.
AND, AND IT'S HARD SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE MEETING.
HOW DO WE MEASURE, IF WE CAN'T MEASURE THE OUTCOME OF HOW WE'RE SPENDING THIS MONEY, THEN MAYBE WE SHOULDN'T BE DOING IT THAT WAY OR WE SHOULDN'T BE DOING THAT ACTIVITY.
UM, BECAUSE THIS WE VERY SENSITIVE TO
WHAT EFFICIENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY COMMISSION.
AND ALSO DAN HELPED A LOT BECAUSE LIKE LAST YEAR WE DID HAVE THE BUDGET, BUT WE WERE A LITTLE, WE WERE ALMOST TOO LATE.
WE ARE GONNA SAY, HEY, WE ARE GONNA HAVE IT DONE BY THIS STATE AND WE DID IT.
INSTEAD OF CUSING US, YOU NOW SET THE STANDARD FOR OTHER PEOPLE TO WHERE WHEN YOU ASK FOR MONEY, FIXED IT.
PUT SOME DETAIL IN THERE SO THAT THEN IT IS REALLY TOUGH TO SAY NO WHEN YOU GOT DETAILS IT'S REALLY EASY.
IT'S SO EASY TO SAY NO TO THAT.
'CAUSE IT'S LIKE, NO, WE, THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
AND UH, NOW IT'S LIKE, LET'S PRETTY INVOLVED A LOT OF TRAINING ALL DIFFERENT PEOPLE.
UH, AND LIKE, UH, DAN SAID PROBABLY COULDN'T GET THAT TRAINING DONE.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT STATED CHARGE BEFORE, BUT IT'S PROBABLY PRETTY CLOSE TO THAT.
AND, UM, SO I, I DON'T THINK WE, WE CAN'T REALLY ADD IT TO THE BUDGET 'CAUSE WE DON'T EVEN HAVE A BUDGET YET.
BUT I WILL MAKE A MOTION TO SAY THAT THE CITY COUNCIL FINDS THIS BUDGET REQUEST TO BE REASONABLE IN, IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITY.
[00:50:01]
QUESTION BY COUNCILOR MARY PROTON THORNTON.AND IS IT SAFE TO PARAPHRASE THAT, THAT, UH, THE CITY COUNCIL FINDS REQUESTED BUDGET REASONABLE? YOU OKAY WITH THAT WORDING? YEAH.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
WE CALL TO VOTE COUNCIL OR, UH, MAYOR PRO THORNTON UH, UH, COUNCILOR MORRIS.
ANYTHING ELSE FOR BE ADJOURN? I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO DENY THE NAME CHANGE AND REQUEST PROMOTION OF THE TAG.
UM, YOU BELONG IN HU TAGLINE FROM THE COMMISSION IN THEIR UPCOMING WORK OBJECTION BY MAYOR PRO TEM TO DENY NAME CHANGE.
AND WHAT WAS THE SECOND PART? PROMOTE THE TAGLINE.
PROMOTE THE TAGLINE TO YOU BELONG IN HOW TAGLINE SECOND.
I DON'T HAVE YOU GUYS' VOICES ON YET.
ANY DISCUSSION? YEAH, I LIKE THAT TOO.
I WAS A LITTLE RESISTANT TO THE NAME CHANGE.
UM, I KIND OF LIKED THE NAME CHANGE.
LET'S OWN IT AND LET'S SHOW PEOPLE WHAT DEID AGREE CAN BE AND SHOULD BE.
LIKE WITH THE WORK WE SHOW 'EM WITH THE WORK.
AND THEN YOU GET PEOPLE LIKE THAT.
YOU WERE TALKING WHO'S LIKE, I DON'T LIKE GUY.
OH, WELL THAT'S WHAT YOU MEAN BY DII LIKE THAT.
SO THEN IT, IT WOULD BE STILL DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION, BELONGING COMMISSION.
SO THE WAY I LOOK AT IT, SO HU LUTHERAN CHURCH IS IN HU YEAH.
WE DO A LOT OF REALLY GREAT THINGS, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THEY'RE KNOWN BEST FOR IS FEEDING THE FIVE MM-HMM
THAT'S KIND OF THEIR, TO ME THAT'S THEIR TAGLINE.
THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE KNOWN FOR.
AND SO TO ME IT'S, YOU'RE THE DEIB COMMISSION, BUT YOU WILL BE KNOWN FOR PEOPLE ON, OKAY, THAT'S GREAT.
WHEN PEOPLE THINK ABOUT THAT, THAT'S KIND OF HOW I LIKE THAT.
THAT'S WHAT WE'LL WE KNOWN FOR.
THEN YOU ALL GONNA BUY US SHIRT? YEAH.
NICOLE VOTE THOMPSON CAME AT 6 51.
WE'RE HAVE A MOTION TO DENY CHANGE IN THE DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION AND BELONGING NAME FROM THE DEIB TO YOU BELONG IN HUDDLE COMMISSION IS THE MOTION TO DENY THAT, BUT TO PROMOTE THAT TAGLINE.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE VOTING ON THAT, BUT, UM, I'LL CALL YOU AT THE END.
THAT MOTION PASSES IS SEVEN ZERO.
I THINK THE LAST ONE IS I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE.
THE STRATEGIC PLAN IS PRESENTED EXCEPT ANY NOTION OF CHANGING THE NAME 'CAUSE WE JUST ADDRESSED THAT MOTION BY CUSTOMER OR MAYOR THORNTON.
YOU'RE STILL, WHAT'S THAT? NO, NO, YOU'RE SPLIT UP ANOTHER DISCUSSION ON THAT.