Equity Board · Wednesday, May 13, 2026 · City Council Digest

3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Minutes of April 8, 2026 Meeting

packet pp.3–5

▶ Watch from 2:02 Open packet at p.3 ↗

Staff report:

APPROVAL OF MINUTES a) 04-08-26 Equity Board Minutes Page [0000] CITY OF ISSAQUAH Equity Board 6:00 PM Gibson Hall, 105 Newport Way April 8, 2026 MINUTES SW, Issaquah, WA 98027

4. CHAIR REPORT

Opening Question

Lesley Millender-Irwin, Equity Board Chair

5. STAFF REPORT

Updates from April Meeting

Dale Markey-Crimp, Assistant to the City Administrator

6. AGENDA ITEMS

Recent Council Vacancy Process Improvements

30 min · Tisha Gieser, City Clerk · packet pp.7–12

Topics: Boards & Commissions

▶ Watch from 6:27 Open packet at p.7 ↗

Staff report:

Recent City Council Vacancy Process Improvements MAY 13, 2026 | EQUITY BOARD TISHA GIESER, CITY CLERK

Letter to Mayor and City Council on Council Vacancy Process (D) Facilitated by: Lesley Millender-Irwin, Equity Board Chair

60 min · packet pp.13–211

Topics: EquityBoards & Commissions

▶ Watch from 33:54 Open packet at p.13 ↗

Staff report:

The Administration recommends that the City Council fill the City Council Position No. 2 vacancy.

2318 segments .txt ↗

0:04 ↗ Okay. And the recording has begun.

0:07 ↗ >> Fantastic. Good evening everyone and

0:09 ↗ thank you for joining this evening's

0:11 ↗ equity board meeting. I'd like to call

0:13 ↗ the meeting to order this evening at

0:16 ↗ 6:32 p.m. [clears throat]

0:19 ↗ And Dale has already shared with me that

0:20 ↗ we have some excused absences, but looks

0:24 ↗ like we have a quarum board hearing this

0:27 ↗ evening.

0:29 ↗ Our next item is public comment.

0:32 ↗ I don't see we have any members of the

0:35 ↗ public here in person with us. Do we

0:37 ↗ have any online?

0:40 ↗ >> We do not. And we did not receive any

0:42 ↗ public comment ahead of tonight's

0:43 ↗ meeting.

0:44 ↗ >> Fantastic. Thank you, Dale.

0:47 ↗ Our next business item is the approval

0:49 ↗ of the minutes from the April 8th

0:51 ↗ meeting of the equity board. if

0:54 ↗ everyone's had an opportunity to review

0:55 ↗ them or if you want to take a moment to

0:57 ↗ do so and then we will vote on them.

1:14 ↗ [snorts]

1:21 ↗ Do we have a motion to approve the

1:24 ↗ minutes of the April 8th meeting of the

1:27 ↗ equity board as presented?

1:31 ↗ >> Yes.

1:32 ↗ >> Okay. So, we have a first. Do we have a

1:33 ↗ second or excuse me, discussion

1:36 ↗ >> before that or I did it incorrectly?

1:38 ↗ >> That's okay. I'm getting it.

1:39 ↗ >> Move it right.

1:40 ↗ >> Okay. Thank you.

1:42 ↗ >> Do we have a second?

1:44 ↗ >> I second.

1:46 ↗ >> Okay. All in favor to approve the uh

1:49 ↗ board meeting minutes as um presented.

1:51 ↗ Leslie, any discussion?

1:52 ↗ >> Oh. Oh, sorry. Any discussion? I knew a

1:54 ↗ part was coming in. Any discussion?

1:58 ↗ Okay. Hearing none.

2:02 ↗ Like to vote to approve the minutes of

2:04 ↗ the April 8th meeting. All say I.

2:07 ↗ >> Thank you. [clears throat]

2:11 ↗ >> Okay. The next one is me as well, which

2:13 ↗ is the chair report and the opening

2:17 ↗ question for this evening. So, I thought

2:19 ↗ I'd have a little fun and light

2:21 ↗ question. So, you have two minutes to

2:24 ↗ grab two things from your house.

2:27 ↗ What are you grabbing and why?

2:31 ↗ >> So, who would like to go first?

2:33 ↗ >> Grab two things.

2:34 ↗ >> You have two minutes to grab two things

2:36 ↗ from your house. What are you grabbing

2:38 ↗ and why?

2:38 ↗ >> Inanimate things.

2:40 ↗ It could be anything you can grab in two

2:43 ↗ minutes and exit your home with.

2:44 ↗ >> Okay.

2:45 ↗ >> Is it an emergency situation? Like we're

2:47 ↗ never coming back, things on fire. Need

2:50 ↗ more info.

2:51 ↗ >> It's not an emergency. You just have to

2:53 ↗ get out of the house in two minutes and

2:54 ↗ you can only grab two things.

2:56 ↗ >> So, what is it going to be and why?

3:04 ↗ >> Okay. So,

3:06 ↗ I have three [clears throat] pets, but

3:10 ↗ One of them you don't like so much.

3:11 ↗ >> Well, [laughter]

3:13 ↗ there's one I don't like so much, but

3:15 ↗ there's one that's too big for me to

3:17 ↗ carry. So, I would do my two little

3:20 ↗ pets. So, one cat and one dog.

3:22 ↗ >> Okay. And I'm assuming because you love

3:25 ↗ them dearly, that's the reason why you

3:26 ↗ would do that.

3:29 ↗ >> Yeah.

3:30 ↗ >> Okay.

3:30 ↗ >> Yeah. One of them. [laughter]

3:38 ↗ So, who wants to go next?

3:41 ↗ >> I'll say I'm just going to run with this

3:43 ↗ and I'll say my wallet and my passport.

3:47 ↗ >> Just so I can, you know, pay to travel

3:49 ↗ somewhere.

3:50 ↗ >> Yeah. Yeah.

3:52 ↗ [clears throat]

3:53 ↗ >> My phone and my watch.

3:56 ↗ >> Why your watch?

3:58 ↗ >> Uh because I got it as a gift from my

3:59 ↗ sister.

4:00 ↗ >> Oh, okay.

4:05 ↗ I'll go next. It's real simple. I

4:07 ↗ thought about this and I'm like, I'm

4:09 ↗ going to grab my glasses because without

4:11 ↗ them, I'm absolutely useless. I'm

4:13 ↗ middle-aged and proud. So, I will

4:14 ↗ [laughter] grab my glasses and and

4:17 ↗ because I'm not original, but it's

4:19 ↗ essential. My powerful handheld

4:21 ↗ computer, otherwise known as my phone.

4:23 ↗ >> Yeah.

4:24 ↗ >> Essential.

4:25 ↗ >> Yeah.

4:26 ↗ >> I'm going to go phone and car keys so I

4:28 ↗ can go somewhere.

4:29 ↗ >> Get away.

4:30 ↗ >> Mhm.

4:32 ↗ Hopefully my kids run and come with

4:33 ↗ [laughter] me. Have to grab them if

4:35 ↗ they're old enough. But yes, breathe the

4:37 ↗ room right?

4:39 ↗ >> You see me run, run, too.

4:41 ↗ >> I'll I'll take my mom's wallet and

4:44 ↗ [laughter]

4:46 ↗ my mom's wallet probably has more money

4:47 ↗ than mine. And I'll take a pillow cuz if

4:50 ↗ I had to sleep on the streets, I it'd be

4:52 ↗ really uncomfortable sleeping without a

4:53 ↗ pillow.

4:54 ↗ >> That's true.

4:54 ↗ >> There you go.

4:55 ↗ >> Good god.

4:55 ↗ >> Practical. I see that. Mom's wallet.

4:58 ↗ Mom's wallet.

5:00 ↗ >> Smart.

5:01 ↗ I can go next. I'm gonna assume I'm

5:03 ↗ heading to a lake for a swim.

5:05 ↗ >> So, I'm going to take a towel and a can

5:07 ↗ of coconut water.

5:10 ↗ >> I love the story you're building around

5:12 ↗ that. That's great. [laughter]

5:13 ↗ >> I'm going to cheat and pretend that my

5:15 ↗ bag has everything I need to do.

5:17 ↗ [laughter]

5:18 ↗ So, this way I have my phone and my

5:21 ↗ wallet and my glasses

5:24 ↗ and then uh my cat

5:27 ↗ >> and it has all of your name tags in it.

5:30 ↗ >> [laughter]

5:30 ↗ >> So, you just have a go bag at the door.

5:32 ↗ I like that. Paired woman.

5:35 ↗ [clears throat]

5:35 ↗ >> I'll go. Um, my dog, of course. And

5:39 ↗ then, um, my phone cuz it's my wallet,

5:42 ↗ too.

5:44 ↗ >> I assume my husband can make it out by

5:46 ↗ himself.

5:46 ↗ >> Yes. He's reading the room. He's going

5:48 ↗ to follow you.

5:48 ↗ >> Yeah, absolutely.

5:52 ↗ >> I'll go. My bag has everything and it's

5:55 ↗ I store everything in. So, my phone goes

5:57 ↗ in there, everything. So, I'll just grab

5:58 ↗ my bag and I'll grab my computers

6:00 ↗ because then I can get all my paperwork.

6:03 ↗ >> Done.

6:07 ↗ Anyone else?

6:10 ↗ I like that we got everyone in the room.

6:11 ↗ And do we have any folks online with us

6:13 ↗ or

6:14 ↗ >> We do not.

6:14 ↗ >> All right. Fantastic. We got a whole

6:16 ↗ bunch of practical folks that uh know

6:19 ↗ exactly what they're going to grab in

6:20 ↗ two minutes. Thank you. That was fun.

6:27 ↗ All right. So, our next agenda item

6:29 ↗ belongs to Dale.

6:31 ↗ >> It does. I have a very brief um staff

6:34 ↗ report statement um on things that have

6:37 ↗ happened since our last meeting a month

6:39 ↗ ago. Uh one is around the park rules and

6:42 ↗ regulations uh topic which I presented

6:45 ↗ on at our last meeting. We've moved

6:47 ↗ forward with that and we're in the

6:48 ↗ process of putting together um the the

6:52 ↗ actual full chapter right now is in

6:54 ↗ draft. The feedback from the board which

6:56 ↗ is captured in these notes um and

6:58 ↗ centered on a sort of human first

7:00 ↗ approach to enforcement um is something

7:03 ↗ that's been incorporated into the

7:04 ↗ enforcement matrix which is going to the

7:06 ↗ park board on Monday night um before

7:09 ↗ going into the draft and then the draft

7:11 ↗ of the code will come back to this board

7:14 ↗ um at our I believe our July meeting. Um

7:17 ↗ so the whole draft will come back to you

7:19 ↗ for review um before going to the

7:22 ↗ council committee. The second item as

7:24 ↗ followup from our last meeting is

7:26 ↗ actually the topic of tonight's meeting.

7:29 ↗ Um, and so at the previous meeting, the

7:31 ↗ board uh voted not to or voted to not

7:34 ↗ approve

7:36 ↗ didn't vote to approve I don't know the

7:38 ↗ exact terminology of what action was

7:40 ↗ taken, but didn't vote to approve the

7:42 ↗ work plan um in order to have a

7:45 ↗ discussion about an item the board felt

7:46 ↗ was left off the work plan. Um, that

7:49 ↗ item is tonight's main item. So, and

7:52 ↗ that is that summarizes my uh report on

7:56 ↗ progress since our last meeting.

7:59 ↗ >> Fantastic. Thank you, Dale. So, with

8:02 ↗ that being said, we have our next agenda

8:04 ↗ item and um we'll let uh Tisha introduce

8:07 ↗ herself and talk about our main item of

8:10 ↗ discussion this evening and then we'll

8:12 ↗ kind of uh reconvene as our group and

8:15 ↗ talk about what our next steps were

8:16 ↗ going to look like.

8:18 ↗ >> Thank you. I do have a few visuals to

8:21 ↗ help me stay focused. So, let me share

8:25 ↗ my screen here. All right. So, um my

8:29 ↗ name is Tisha Geyser. I'm the city clerk

8:32 ↗ in Isiqua and I have a our office has a

8:35 ↗ number of responsibilities, but one of

8:37 ↗ those is to uh attend city council

8:40 ↗ meetings, help prepare their agenda

8:42 ↗ materials, and to facilitate the

8:44 ↗ appointment process. And so Dale asked

8:47 ↗ me to come tonight to just talk to you a

8:49 ↗ little more about that. I know we put a

8:50 ↗ lot of information out in our council

8:53 ↗ packets about the process. So just bear

8:55 ↗ with me if you know some of this. Um but

8:58 ↗ I'll I'll keep the presentation short.

9:01 ↗ Um so these are our last five vacancies.

9:05 ↗ Uh you can see that there's a little

9:07 ↗ gap. We had two kind of clustered

9:09 ↗ together in 2018 2019 and then a

9:12 ↗ six-year gap. Um, and then we've kind of

9:14 ↗ had a slew of vacancies recently, um,

9:18 ↗ which the middle three vacancies were

9:20 ↗ all due to our isqua city council

9:23 ↗ members moving into the state

9:25 ↗ legislature, which um, don't know all

9:28 ↗ the reasons behind that, but I do feel

9:30 ↗ like Isizakqua has been very well

9:31 ↗ represented

9:33 ↗ um, as far as district 5 and district 41

9:35 ↗ go. Primarily district 5. So, and then

9:38 ↗ the most recent vacancy we had in March

9:41 ↗ was due to a council member um having

9:43 ↗ some ongoing health issues and feeling

9:45 ↗ like she wasn't in a position to

9:47 ↗ continue serving.

9:51 ↗ So, um these are kind of the and I'm

9:53 ↗ sorry the screen is small. Um but the

9:55 ↗ these are kind of the requirements for

9:58 ↗ when a vacancy occurs. State law says

10:01 ↗ that the city council has 90 days to

10:04 ↗ fill the vacancy. And if they don't do

10:06 ↗ that, then the uh appointment goes to

10:08 ↗ the King County Council who has an

10:10 ↗ additional 90 days to make an

10:12 ↗ appointment. And then if they don't make

10:14 ↗ an appointment, then the governor um

10:16 ↗ makes it. And then there's some minimum

10:18 ↗ requirements for the person who is

10:20 ↗ appointed. Um so they have to be 18.

10:23 ↗ They have to be a resident of Isiqua for

10:25 ↗ one year at the time of appointment and

10:27 ↗ they need to be in our city limits. Um,

10:30 ↗ interestingly with this last vacancy, we

10:32 ↗ actually had a number of folks reach out

10:33 ↗ who were interested in applying but who

10:35 ↗ unfortunately were outside of the city

10:37 ↗ limits. Um, and then you need to be a

10:39 ↗ registered voter. And then the depending

10:42 ↗ on when the vacancy happens, the

10:44 ↗ appointee generally serves until the

10:46 ↗ certification of the next general

10:50 ↗ election in an oddnumbered year. So

10:52 ↗ there's only elections for our city

10:55 ↗ council and mayor in odd years. So

10:58 ↗ because of this vacancy we just hit at

10:59 ↗ the beginning of 2026, they're not that

11:02 ↗ position is not going to be on the

11:04 ↗ ballot until November 2027. So the

11:07 ↗ appointment they just made was for about

11:08 ↗ a two-year term. That depends on a

11:11 ↗ couple factors. There's a candidate

11:12 ↗ filing period in May. So if depending on

11:15 ↗ when a vacancy occurs, there could be

11:18 ↗ the potential that that seat is on a

11:20 ↗ ballot fairly soon. Um so you know,

11:25 ↗ timing matters. As you can see, the

11:26 ↗ timing of the recent vacancies have

11:28 ↗ tended to be at the beginning of the

11:29 ↗ year. So, they've been serving for a

11:31 ↗ while uh or like a minimum of a year,

11:36 ↗ almost a year. All right. So, those are

11:38 ↗ a few of the basics. You know, I was

11:40 ↗ thinking a little bit about, you know,

11:42 ↗ so these are the requirements s I've had

11:45 ↗ some observations

11:47 ↗ um as the council I've seen the council

11:48 ↗ go through this process three times. Um

11:51 ↗ there's some other things that they tend

11:53 ↗ to think about. Um I know that they feel

11:56 ↗ that there's a you know often a pretty

11:58 ↗ significant learning curve with people

12:00 ↗ coming on the council. So often they're

12:01 ↗ also thinking about are these is this

12:04 ↗ person interested in continuing and

12:07 ↗ willing to consider running for a

12:08 ↗ position. Um they have a number they

12:11 ↗ have three standing committees on the

12:13 ↗ council that cover different topic areas

12:15 ↗ in the city and then there they also

12:18 ↗ have uh seats on things like our east

12:20 ↗ side fire and rescue board and cafe

12:22 ↗ water alliance. And then they have

12:24 ↗ regional seats where they serve on

12:27 ↗ various topic uh boards and commissions

12:30 ↗ and committees with folks from other

12:32 ↗ east side cities or other King County

12:34 ↗ cities. And so one of the other things

12:36 ↗ they seem to be looking for is kind of

12:38 ↗ like what subject area are they a little

12:40 ↗ weak in or they have did the prior

12:43 ↗ council member who vacated have so now

12:46 ↗ we're missing someone with an

12:47 ↗ environmental focus or public health

12:49 ↗ focus or so that tends to be something

12:51 ↗ that they're um that I've observed that

12:54 ↗ they're looking at it as well. And then

12:56 ↗ the last thing I wanted to mention here

12:58 ↗ that I've seen be a factor in the last

13:00 ↗ three vacancies um there the council has

13:04 ↗ three main sort of planning um retreats

13:06 ↗ a year. One of them is in the first two

13:09 ↗ or so months of the year. And so these

13:12 ↗ last few vacancies they've been eager to

13:14 ↗ get someone seated in time for that

13:16 ↗ first full day retreat because it's when

13:18 ↗ they're given a lot of information about

13:20 ↗ the city's budget, the work plan. So

13:22 ↗ those are um that's been a a timing

13:25 ↗ consideration. So I just wanted to share

13:27 ↗ a couple things. They I'm sure

13:28 ↗ individually have other factors um but

13:31 ↗ those tend to be some themes.

13:34 ↗ So let me just walk through the process

13:37 ↗ uh quickly with you and then I'll um

13:39 ↗ just have a few more slides here. So the

13:42 ↗ first step when someone announces their

13:45 ↗ vacancy is you know they give us a

13:47 ↗ resignation date and then uh I prepare

13:51 ↗ uh we call it an agenda materials for an

13:55 ↗ upcoming city council meeting at

13:57 ↗ [clears throat] which I ask the council

13:59 ↗ for input on the process and timeline

14:02 ↗ for that vacancy. They have rules of

14:04 ↗ procedure that outline some of this, but

14:06 ↗ this is an opportunity for them to

14:09 ↗ potentially they could do something

14:10 ↗ different if they wanted to or provide

14:13 ↗ some refinement. So they they have some

14:16 ↗ their policy says that they might choose

14:18 ↗ to do certain things and you know that

14:20 ↗ gives some parameters but this is the

14:22 ↗ meeting at which they give the specific

14:23 ↗ timeline. So um in the last three cases

14:26 ↗ I come to them with a proposed timeline

14:29 ↗ based on my best guess as to what they

14:32 ↗ might be um thinking and then they

14:35 ↗ provide input on on kind of the schedule

14:38 ↗ as well as do they want you know like a

14:41 ↗ meet and greet with the community do

14:42 ↗ they want anformational session um for

14:45 ↗ people who interested in applying um do

14:48 ↗ they want changes to the application you

14:50 ↗ know things like that so that's the

14:51 ↗ first step the second step is to open

14:53 ↗ the online application. We use a web

14:55 ↗ form um for this. Uh the third step is

15:01 ↗ been a factor in the last three

15:03 ↗ vacancies. The council has requested and

15:06 ↗ we've held it in this room in fact um

15:08 ↗ the last two times, but they've

15:10 ↗ requested a session where people can

15:12 ↗ come and learn more about the role

15:14 ↗ [clears throat]

15:14 ↗ and to understand if they might be

15:16 ↗ interested in applying. And I've been

15:18 ↗ really impressed with our community. the

15:20 ↗ we've had three in fairly close

15:22 ↗ succession and we've had you know like

15:24 ↗ 20 people at each event which has been

15:26 ↗ really wonderful to see. Uh sometimes

15:30 ↗ some board and commission members have

15:31 ↗ come but often we've actually had a

15:33 ↗ number of people come who have had no

15:34 ↗ involvement with the city of Isiziqua

15:37 ↗ and are just interested in volunteering

15:38 ↗ and learning more. And so um it's it's

15:41 ↗ been a great experience and it the

15:43 ↗ council members or mayor will just share

15:45 ↗ you know some basics about the role and

15:49 ↗ uh their experience.

15:51 ↗ So the fourth step is uh the application

15:54 ↗ closes and I screen them to make sure

15:57 ↗ that everyone who's applied meets the

15:58 ↗ minimum qualifications and then I share

16:00 ↗ the full uh application materials with

16:03 ↗ the city council.

16:05 ↗ Step five, um sort of a redacted version

16:08 ↗ of those materials are put in a p public

16:11 ↗ uh agenda and the applicants are given

16:13 ↗ an amount of time uh ranged from 3 to 10

16:17 ↗ minutes uh at which they'll be able to

16:19 ↗ provide a verbal presentation at a

16:21 ↗ future meeting.

16:23 ↗ Uh after the verbal presentations are

16:26 ↗ given that recently because of the

16:27 ↗ number of applicants, the council's then

16:29 ↗ chosen to narrow the number of

16:32 ↗ applicants. Um, that's usually happened

16:34 ↗ at the same meeting as step five. That's

16:36 ↗ usually also happened after a closed

16:39 ↗ session. The council's allowed to go

16:41 ↗ into a closed sort of private session

16:44 ↗ for a handful of reasons under state law

16:46 ↗ and one of them is to review

16:47 ↗ qualifications of appointment. So,

16:50 ↗ usually they've done a close session and

16:52 ↗ then they've chosen to narrow the number

16:55 ↗ of folks who move to the step seven,

16:58 ↗ which is another council meeting,

16:59 ↗ usually a week or two later, which is

17:01 ↗ the second round of interviews. And the

17:03 ↗ last few times, they've asked uh

17:05 ↗ questions, the same questions of each

17:07 ↗ applicant, and they've had some amount

17:10 ↗ of time to answer them. And then at that

17:13 ↗ same meeting, they've usually gone into

17:14 ↗ another closed session and then come out

17:16 ↗ and made an appointment, voted,

17:19 ↗ nominated and voted. Yeah, usually it's

17:21 ↗ been on multiple people, but not

17:22 ↗ necessarily. Um, and then someone is

17:25 ↗ sworn in at that time. I was I was

17:27 ↗ looking at the timing of this for the

17:29 ↗ last five vacancies and it seems is

17:31 ↗ often someone's appointed within one to

17:33 ↗ two months as seems to be the kind of

17:36 ↗ typical overall time, right?

17:39 ↗ >> When we have three months We have three

17:42 ↗ months as I uh yeah correct they have 90

17:45 ↗ days and they've typically been making

17:46 ↗ appointment. Now sometimes they might

17:48 ↗ have more notice of the resignation. So

17:51 ↗ that's starting that clock from the date

17:54 ↗ of the resignation to when the seats

17:55 ↗ fill.

17:57 ↗ So I wanted to talk about uh just a few

18:00 ↗ changes that were made in this recent

18:02 ↗ kind of suite of vacancies that have

18:05 ↗ occurred. Um I I feel that these are

18:08 ↗ positive changes. Um so the first one is

18:11 ↗ this informational session where the

18:13 ↗ council kind of invites people to come

18:15 ↗ learn more about the role. As I said

18:17 ↗ we've had really great turnout. Um and I

18:20 ↗ think it's been helpful to people to

18:21 ↗ understand the time commitment. Um you

18:24 ↗ know the compensation things like that.

18:27 ↗ um they've significantly trimmed the

18:30 ↗ written application and like cut it in

18:32 ↗ half

18:33 ↗ >> [clears throat]

18:33 ↗ >> um

18:36 ↗ for they just felt like it was more 10

18:38 ↗ questions was more than what they

18:40 ↗ needed. So feel like they've been

18:42 ↗ looking closely at the uh questions. Uh

18:45 ↗ they've also really been trying to get

18:48 ↗ the word out that they'd like applicants

18:51 ↗ to connect with them individually during

18:53 ↗ this process. this is something that

18:55 ↗ they're allowed to do. And I think they

18:56 ↗ feel like it's a beneficial for both the

18:59 ↗ applicant and for them to get to know

19:01 ↗ these folks. And so it's been a little

19:03 ↗ challenging to convey this to all the

19:06 ↗ applicants. We put it in all the printed

19:08 ↗ material. Um but that's been something

19:11 ↗ they've wanted highlighted. Um they've

19:13 ↗ also asked for us to try and promote all

19:17 ↗ of the benefits that come with this

19:18 ↗ role. So there is some compensation.

19:20 ↗ Currently it's around 1,800 a month. Um,

19:23 ↗ but they also there's a low-inccome

19:25 ↗ stipend, you know, there's a few other

19:27 ↗ things that they can are eligible to

19:28 ↗ participate in our retirement uh program

19:31 ↗ to some extent. So, they wanted that

19:33 ↗ featured and we've been trying to do

19:35 ↗ that. Um, and then they've also wanted

19:37 ↗ to, you know, communicate the time

19:39 ↗ commitment. This seems to be something

19:40 ↗ people are really interested in too when

19:42 ↗ they apply. They want to know what am I

19:44 ↗ looking at here? So, these are some of

19:46 ↗ the things we've been trying to be

19:47 ↗ better about communicating.

19:50 ↗ And then these were some specific

19:53 ↗ changes that were largely made after the

19:57 ↗ first. So I showed you we've had three

19:58 ↗ recent vacancies. The first one um was

20:02 ↗ the first one in six years. And so a lot

20:04 ↗ of the council members who were part of

20:05 ↗ that process were new. And there were a

20:08 ↗ little a few bumps in that process. Um

20:10 ↗ there were some people who applied who

20:12 ↗ um were vocal about not uh loving all

20:15 ↗ the elements of that experience. And so

20:17 ↗ the council asked um the clerk's office

20:20 ↗ to survey everyone who'd applied and got

20:22 ↗ some feedback and based on that feedback

20:25 ↗ the council made some changes. And so

20:27 ↗ these these are them.

20:30 ↗ So they put this first one might sound a

20:33 ↗ little confusing here. Basically they're

20:35 ↗ trying to be more uh intentional about

20:38 ↗ parts of the process in advance. So now

20:41 ↗ there's a list of things that the clerk

20:43 ↗ is supposed to ask them at that first

20:46 ↗ meeting I talked about when they're

20:48 ↗ working on their timeline and process

20:50 ↗ because they felt like a few things

20:51 ↗ could have been a little tighter uh

20:53 ↗ particularly with the second interview.

20:56 ↗ Um and that's been working well to get

20:58 ↗ more feedback. Um they also in the rules

21:02 ↗ really emphasize they want a commitment

21:05 ↗ of staff that all applicants get the

21:08 ↗ same information and that all applicants

21:10 ↗ are encouraged to meet individually with

21:12 ↗ council members andor the mayor. Um they

21:15 ↗ also formalized a process for narrowing

21:18 ↗ applicants. they it's recently they've

21:21 ↗ been getting high numbers of applicants

21:23 ↗ over nine nine and plus and so that they

21:26 ↗ have been choosing to kind of reduce the

21:28 ↗ group between that first and second

21:29 ↗ interview and they wanted that to be

21:31 ↗ more spelled out so there's they've got

21:33 ↗ a process for that now um also 10

21:36 ↗ minutes per person they had 14 people

21:38 ↗ apply um recently so having 10 minutes

21:41 ↗ per person was a long presentation so

21:43 ↗ they wanted some flexibility so now that

21:45 ↗ that shifts that that duration's

21:48 ↗ communicated three I think three to five

21:50 ↗ days in advance. Uh and then they there

21:53 ↗ were I don't want to get all you know

21:55 ↗ too detailed here but there was a little

21:58 ↗ discomfort um in that uh 2025

22:01 ↗ recruitment. A lot of a number of uh

22:04 ↗ applicants got nominated and then had to

22:06 ↗ kind of be in multiple rounds of voting.

22:10 ↗ So the council basically wasn't able to

22:12 ↗ make a decision on a first round of

22:13 ↗ voting. So then they had to go through

22:15 ↗ and revote on the people who'd been

22:17 ↗ nominated. As you can imagine, that's

22:19 ↗ kind of an uncomfortable thing when

22:21 ↗ you're one of the people who's been

22:22 ↗ nominated. And so, and the council felt

22:24 ↗ uncomfortable with it, too. So, now they

22:26 ↗ have a rule saying basically two council

22:28 ↗ members have to agree to put someone

22:30 ↗ sort of on the ballot. Prior it was one

22:33 ↗ one any one person could put someone on

22:35 ↗ the ballot. So, they've these might

22:37 ↗ sound like small things, but I do think

22:38 ↗ the the um cumulative impact has been to

22:41 ↗ make the experience improved. And then

22:45 ↗ the last one I actually think has maybe

22:47 ↗ made the biggest difference and that was

22:49 ↗ that they got some feedback that first

22:52 ↗ vacancy in 2025 um they had folks

22:55 ↗ sitting like this and they had the they

22:57 ↗ had seven finalists and they had them go

23:00 ↗ from you know starting with Dale was the

23:03 ↗ one to respond to the first question you

23:04 ↗ know then coming through Lorna Laur so

23:07 ↗ Lorna had all this time

23:09 ↗ >> and then Lorna was the first one to

23:11 ↗ speak with the next question and they

23:12 ↗ went back and there's a lot of feedback

23:14 ↗ back that it wasn't fair.

23:16 ↗ >> Um, and so, uh, the council has now

23:20 ↗ asked, and we have to, it has to be an

23:22 ↗ option because we can't exclude people

23:24 ↗ from our public meetings, but they're

23:25 ↗ now asking the applicants to sit in a

23:27 ↗ room off to the side where they can't

23:29 ↗ hear and come in one at a time. And they

23:32 ↗ are now settling on the questions. They

23:34 ↗ have all the applicants go into the

23:36 ↗ other room and then they settle on the

23:38 ↗ questions. They're kind of uh, the

23:39 ↗ council leadership provides them in

23:41 ↗ advance. The other council members get

23:43 ↗ to weigh in. They finalize them, they

23:44 ↗ call them in one at a time. After you've

23:47 ↗ interviewed, you can sit and stay. And

23:49 ↗ that has seemed to work much better. Um,

23:52 ↗ so with that, that's just an overview of

23:55 ↗ how uh my uh perspective on how this has

23:59 ↗ gone recently and some of the changes

24:02 ↗ that has been made have been made and I

24:04 ↗ anticipate more iterations um in the

24:07 ↗ future. But I'm also hoping that we

24:09 ↗ don't have any vacancies for a while

24:11 ↗ because there sure has been a flurry.

24:15 ↗ >> That concludes my presentation.

24:18 ↗ >> Great. Thank you, Tisha.

24:20 ↗ I know Tisha's here for questions and I

24:23 ↗ think then plans to stick around to hear

24:25 ↗ the discussion of the group. Um but

24:28 ↗ Leslie, I'll turn it back over to you.

24:29 ↗ >> Absolutely. So, thank you very much for

24:32 ↗ the the presentation. I think it

24:33 ↗ certainly um provides some context in

24:36 ↗ terms of what the um the city's process

24:39 ↗ is and how um deliberate it is and um

24:43 ↗ the the step process. Um I think we all

24:46 ↗ appreciate that. Um, I think with that

24:49 ↗ being said, um, I have a couple of

24:51 ↗ questions and I'm not sure, um, if

24:53 ↗ they're going to sound a whole bunch

24:54 ↗ like our our conversation later and I

24:57 ↗ suspect it will, but um,

25:00 ↗ the concerns that were have been shared

25:03 ↗ with me and I also um, share the same

25:06 ↗ concerns about the uh, selection process

25:09 ↗ is that it seems to be uh, fairly narrow

25:13 ↗ in terms of the recruitment. Um and it

25:17 ↗ um caused me to to wonder um listening

25:20 ↗ to your presentation and also prior

25:22 ↗ conversations which is how do people

25:25 ↗ find find out about uh the availability

25:27 ↗ of these these openings? Is is it just

25:30 ↗ that it is uh relegated to just a email

25:33 ↗ from the city or how is it that we're

25:36 ↗ working towards making sure that we're

25:39 ↗ utilizing those communications to touch

25:41 ↗ as many diverse types of backgrounds and

25:44 ↗ viewpoints, professional and

25:46 ↗ non-professional experiences to, you

25:49 ↗ know, to really have someone that is not

25:51 ↗ fit into kind of a bit of a a box that

25:54 ↗ they represent what is. What is that

25:58 ↗ process?

25:59 ↗ >> Sure. Yeah. So, the city council members

26:01 ↗ have had some input on that process too.

26:03 ↗ So, the recruitment process has been

26:06 ↗ very similar to when we do the board and

26:07 ↗ commission recruitment. So, it's

26:09 ↗ featured in the isquata insider which is

26:12 ↗ the newsletter that goes out every

26:13 ↗ Friday from the city um once or actually

26:16 ↗ I think it's been twice um for some of

26:19 ↗ the recent recruitments but at a minimum

26:21 ↗ once. Um there's a news item that goes

26:24 ↗ on the website. So when you open the

26:25 ↗ website there, it's one of the things

26:27 ↗ that's kind of stuck on the bottom. So

26:29 ↗ you see it, you know, anytime you're

26:31 ↗ visiting the um city's website. Then

26:34 ↗ there's been some um social media. I I

26:37 ↗ could not tell you which of our social

26:39 ↗ media platforms have been utilized, but

26:42 ↗ I I could certainly get you that

26:43 ↗ information if that was helpful. Um and

26:46 ↗ then the council's also asked uh that we

26:50 ↗ share the opportunity with any of our

26:52 ↗ nonprofit partners. So that's include

26:54 ↗ included our any of our human services

26:57 ↗ partners. So the agencies that we grant

27:00 ↗ to or have a relationship with our arts

27:03 ↗ partners in the arts realm, our economic

27:06 ↗ development partners, and they've also

27:07 ↗ asked us to outreach to the homeowners

27:09 ↗ associations in the area. Um, and then

27:13 ↗ you've probably gotten an email from me

27:14 ↗ if you were on the boards or

27:15 ↗ commissions. I I have typically sent a

27:18 ↗ communication to all board and

27:20 ↗ commission members which actually have

27:21 ↗ been a really robust I mean I've I've

27:24 ↗ really seen uh yet another value of our

27:28 ↗ boards and commissions because the last

27:30 ↗ two applicants have come from a border

27:32 ↗ commission um and have stepped into

27:35 ↗ their roles very uh kind of seamlessly

27:38 ↗ on the city council. So those um those

27:41 ↗ are some of the avenues. I will say just

27:43 ↗ an observation at the last um event we

27:47 ↗ had here, the city council elected

27:50 ↗ official event. What was surprising to

27:52 ↗ me as I shared is we had a number of

27:54 ↗ people who were sort of new to

27:56 ↗ interacting with the city. So it um you

27:59 ↗ know and they I I didn't I don't know

28:02 ↗ how all of them found out about the

28:03 ↗ event. We were promoting that as part of

28:05 ↗ promoting the opportunity. But I took it

28:07 ↗ as a positive sign that we were reaching

28:09 ↗ some people who hadn't yet, you know,

28:12 ↗ engaged with us. Um, so that's that's

28:16 ↗ how

28:16 ↗ >> Okay, I appreciate that. Thank you. know

28:18 ↗ I think my my my last question and then

28:21 ↗ I don't want to dominate the the

28:22 ↗ conversation but um

28:27 ↗ I was some of the feedback that I had

28:29 ↗ been given is that during this process

28:31 ↗ there are some individuals that were

28:34 ↗ given what was perceived to be

28:37 ↗ additional access or time with either

28:40 ↗ council members or within the process

28:43 ↗ that was certainly perceived as giving

28:45 ↗ them a bit of a a leg up in terms of the

28:48 ↗ selection process that that opportunity

28:51 ↗ was informal,

28:54 ↗ known about by certain individuals, but

28:56 ↗ ultimately um it was beneficial to them

28:59 ↗ and thus not beneficial to those that

29:02 ↗ did not know about the extra opportunity

29:04 ↗ to maybe have facetime with a council

29:06 ↗ member or some other individual that

29:08 ↗ could perhaps promote them or support

29:10 ↗ them in a way to move forward

29:12 ↗ successfully. So, um I know that we

29:15 ↗ discussed that. I'm sure it'll come up

29:16 ↗ this evening during the time that we

29:18 ↗ have our fuller discussion about this as

29:21 ↗ a board, but I just wanted to get kind

29:23 ↗ of your your

29:26 ↗ view on that.

29:28 ↗ >> Yeah. So, the council has had some

29:30 ↗ concern about that too because I think,

29:32 ↗ you know, I was thinking about it. It's

29:34 ↗ different when you apply for a job. You

29:36 ↗ don't think it's appropriate to reach

29:38 ↗ out to the hiring manager and say, "Can

29:39 ↗ we get coffee before the interview?"

29:41 ↗ Like, that's just not something you do.

29:44 ↗ In the case of these positions, it is

29:47 ↗ allowable and by our city, our elected

29:50 ↗ officials, it is encouraged. They want

29:52 ↗ everyone who applies to have met with

29:55 ↗ multiple of them before the interviews.

29:57 ↗ I think our challenge is communicating

30:00 ↗ that. Now, their cell phones and emails

30:02 ↗ are all on the website. So, I think

30:03 ↗ access to them is that's not like, you

30:06 ↗ know, you don't need to contact me to

30:08 ↗ get that information. That's out there.

30:09 ↗ But I think the harder thing is

30:11 ↗ communicating with people. you know, we

30:13 ↗ want you to do this. Now, folks who came

30:15 ↗ to those elected official events, the

30:17 ↗ council members were there and they were

30:19 ↗ telling them that um it was in the

30:21 ↗ written materials and has been, but you

30:23 ↗ know, it's hard. You're we just skim

30:26 ↗ things, right? So, um I think

30:28 ↗ [clears throat] it's still trying to

30:29 ↗ figure out I mean, with this last round

30:31 ↗ when we had a few people apply early and

30:34 ↗ I I um you know, reminder, reach out if

30:37 ↗ you haven't. So I'm in you know and if

30:39 ↗ there anyone has ideas think that's a

30:41 ↗ challenge is how do we make sure

30:43 ↗ everyone knows that now whether or not

30:45 ↗ people choose to utilize that I don't

30:47 ↗ know but I imagine that could be helpful

30:49 ↗ to them right and I think the idea is to

30:53 ↗ a two-way communication it's they can

30:55 ↗ kind of you know pitch themselves to

30:57 ↗ that individual but I think also they

30:59 ↗ can get some candid information about

31:01 ↗ what it's really like to serve you know

31:03 ↗ and ask some questions so I hopefully

31:06 ↗ it's beneficial to both parties

31:08 ↗ I think that's valuable, but I think

31:10 ↗ when it comes down to it that it it

31:13 ↗ needs to be built in my opinion into

31:15 ↗ more of a formal process that everyone

31:18 ↗ is aware of because I don't think any of

31:21 ↗ us that in our professional lives or our

31:23 ↗ volunteer lives have put our names

31:25 ↗ forward to do any number of things. And

31:28 ↗ the way that it goes, you may get

31:30 ↗ selected, you may not. But everyone, I

31:32 ↗ think if especially if you don't get

31:34 ↗ selected, you want to come away from the

31:36 ↗ process knowing that you were given

31:37 ↗ every opportunity to show yourself in

31:41 ↗ your best light that if you had an

31:42 ↗ opportunity to speak to individuals that

31:45 ↗ would help you either improve a pitch or

31:47 ↗ what have you. Any of those things along

31:49 ↗ the way to where you eventually were

31:51 ↗ told that you were not selected, please

31:53 ↗ try again, what have you. that you were

31:55 ↗ afforded every benefit, equitable

31:58 ↗ benefit to that process. And I think

32:01 ↗ this area that we've been discussing, I

32:04 ↗ think, is one that could use some

32:06 ↗ formality added to it to where I think

32:08 ↗ people would walk away from the

32:10 ↗ experience understanding that they were

32:12 ↗ given an equal shot across the board.

32:15 ↗ Leslie questions.

32:17 ↗ >> Yes. Are there any questions in regards

32:20 ↗ to what we just talked about? Thank you.

32:22 ↗ Sorry, I need to sit up. Uh, I have to

32:25 ↗ leave right now, but will will the

32:26 ↗ meeting minutes be handed out by email

32:28 ↗ or the video recording?

32:30 ↗ >> It'll be recorded and we'll have the

32:32 ↗ minutes that'll be available.

32:34 ↗ >> All right. Thank you so much. I'm so

32:35 ↗ sorry.

32:35 ↗ >> Good luck on your test.

32:36 ↗ >> Good. Good luck.

32:37 ↗ >> Computer science it up for us.

32:40 ↗ [laughter]

32:41 ↗ >> See you next month. Cash.

32:42 ↗ >> Thank you. Thank you so much.

32:44 ↗ >> So, you did have a question.

32:45 ↗ >> I did. Um, they're actually pretty

32:47 ↗ similar to yours. Uh my question is I I

32:50 ↗ was reading on one of the slides where

32:52 ↗ you said the information session was

32:54 ↗ optional. So my question around that is

32:56 ↗ what information is typically um shared

33:00 ↗ in that session and then what are we

33:02 ↗ doing to ensure that applicants who

33:04 ↗ don't attend that still receive the same

33:06 ↗ information and then I guess kind of on

33:08 ↗ that third end is why is it optional?

33:12 ↗ Um yeah, so I mean this is um the city

33:16 ↗ council are the ones who make the

33:19 ↗ appointment, right? So um I it's

33:21 ↗ optional because they they get to decide

33:24 ↗ um whether they direct us to to schedule

33:26 ↗ that event and they have wholeheartedly

33:29 ↗ been wanting that event. I mean, we had

33:30 ↗ one vacancy where the application um

33:34 ↗ period was most of December and um they

33:38 ↗ were insistent it didn't matter if it

33:40 ↗ was mid December. They wanted to have

33:42 ↗ that opportunity and so I expect it will

33:44 ↗ continue. It's just not, you know, it's

33:46 ↗ not mandated in their rules. Um so, uh

33:51 ↗ the information that's shared there is

33:54 ↗ available. I mean, I'm not exactly sure.

33:57 ↗ I've had folks email me and say, "I

33:58 ↗ can't attend. can I have the content?

34:00 ↗ And I send them the content. Um, you

34:02 ↗ know, as far as other people out there

34:03 ↗ who might be interested that we just

34:05 ↗ don't know who they are that, you know,

34:08 ↗ there's got to be some kind of some way.

34:10 ↗ Um, I'm trying to remember if I've added

34:13 ↗ the presentation to the uh the website

34:15 ↗ calendar because we did feature on our

34:17 ↗ website calendar and I can't that would

34:19 ↗ be another option, an avenue we could

34:21 ↗ take. Um, but we have shared it with

34:24 ↗ anyone who's reached out. I've emailed

34:26 ↗ them the the slides and and it cover has

34:29 ↗ covered some really useful things. The

34:31 ↗ our council members have to go through a

34:33 ↗ very rigorous financial disclosure

34:35 ↗ process. So, it talks a little bit about

34:36 ↗ that. It talks about some of the things

34:38 ↗ that they will be asked to vote on. It

34:40 ↗ goes over their compensation. It goes

34:41 ↗ over some of those regional

34:43 ↗ opportunities. It goes over please reach

34:45 ↗ out to them um during this process and

34:49 ↗ um some other things that I'm probably

34:52 ↗ missing. But those are some of the

34:53 ↗ basics. And then I just have one more

34:56 ↗ question. Um,

34:58 ↗ in regards to who applies, is there any

35:00 ↗ data available around who applies and

35:04 ↗ typically who is appointed? And I don't

35:07 ↗ mean necessarily like gender and race,

35:09 ↗ but u again like you were talking about

35:11 ↗ right like professionals um right like

35:14 ↗ disability just other um other

35:16 ↗ demographics. In addition to that,

35:20 ↗ Isiqua has

35:22 ↗ what I like to call

35:23 ↗ >> [laughter]

35:23 ↗ >> um a very strong like civic engagement

35:26 ↗ pipeline. And so again, right, when you

35:28 ↗ have people who are interested in

35:30 ↗ serving on council who maybe don't have

35:32 ↗ as much, right, um familiarity with like

35:35 ↗ boards and commissions who have never

35:36 ↗ served, are they typically looked at as,

35:39 ↗ you know, strong and viable candidates

35:41 ↗ or does it typically default to

35:43 ↗ individuals who have those

35:44 ↗ relationships?

35:46 ↗ >> Yeah. Well, looking at the last three

35:48 ↗ appointments, you know, one of the three

35:50 ↗ was not on a board or commission. The

35:53 ↗ other two were. I do think they're they

35:56 ↗ are thinking about just like you would

35:58 ↗ if you were a hire hiring manager, you

36:00 ↗ know, how quickly is this person going

36:02 ↗ to be able to get up to speed on our

36:05 ↗ capital improvement plan, on our land

36:07 ↗ use code, on, you know, our sewer rate

36:09 ↗ update, like all these things. C. I

36:12 ↗ think it helps because you know coming

36:14 ↗ from the equity board too you know a lot

36:15 ↗ of city speak you know a lot about how

36:18 ↗ our city works and so that the step in

36:21 ↗ is so I think it's a factor but it also

36:24 ↗ hasn't seemed to totally preclude

36:27 ↗ someone from being appointed it's

36:29 ↗ possible um it's possible count the

36:32 ↗ person I mentioned she may have served

36:34 ↗ on a short-term task force so she may

36:37 ↗ have had some city involvement did she

36:39 ↗ okay so she had been on a a task force.

36:42 ↗ So I guess yeah that that is a uh that

36:45 ↗ does seem to be something that they

36:47 ↗ value

36:48 ↗ >> and it doesn't take away right from like

36:49 ↗ what they bring right because I'm sure

36:50 ↗ that they bring valuable experience and

36:52 ↗ you know other but I'm curious to know

36:54 ↗ if right there's an opportunity for

36:56 ↗ people with you know a fresh set of eyes

36:58 ↗ right or different lens to learn you

37:01 ↗ know what I mean to step into those

37:02 ↗ roles so yeah [snorts]

37:04 ↗ >> just follow up real quick we are now

37:06 ↗ collecting some demographic information

37:09 ↗ we realized it was a little bit of a gap

37:10 ↗ We have incorporated that into our board

37:13 ↗ and commission application and we head

37:16 ↗ into our council application. So we are

37:18 ↗ now starting to get a little bit more um

37:21 ↗ information. Thank you.

37:23 ↗ >> All of it being it should be noted all

37:24 ↗ of it being optional.

37:26 ↗ >> It's all optional.

37:26 ↗ >> Yeah. So no one no one has to disclose

37:28 ↗ just any of their demographics.

37:32 ↗ >> Lorna Oh. So I think I saw Chris Lorna

37:36 ↗ and Kelly.

37:38 ↗ >> Okay. Um, when someone applies to the

37:42 ↗ job, right, you mentioned that you

37:44 ↗ emailed them back a confirmation that

37:46 ↗ you received their application.

37:49 ↗ >> They my uh they get a a confirmation. I

37:53 ↗ believe they get a copy of the form once

37:55 ↗ they submit it.

37:56 ↗ >> Yeah.

37:57 ↗ >> Um [clears throat] and then um what's

38:00 ↗ the next step? So the next step is then

38:02 ↗ confirming they've met the requirements

38:05 ↗ and then the then their next the next

38:08 ↗ communication to them is giving them

38:10 ↗ information about that next meeting

38:14 ↗ where they're going to be giving a

38:15 ↗ verbal presentation. So um and then they

38:18 ↗ start getting a lot of emails.

38:20 ↗ [laughter]

38:20 ↗ >> So I guess that goes into when they

38:23 ↗ apply is there a reason the whole

38:25 ↗ process isn't shared with them from the

38:27 ↗ start? Like I've been on a few hiring

38:30 ↗ panels at work and what we typically do

38:32 ↗ is um let's say I apply for a job. Then

38:36 ↗ what I get is thanks we got your

38:38 ↗ application. Yes, you meet the

38:39 ↗ requirements and then here's everything

38:42 ↗ start to finish. You could be knocked

38:44 ↗ out obviously between round one and

38:45 ↗ round two, but here's every the process

38:48 ↗ that we're going to go through. Here's

38:50 ↗ what you can do as far as like go meet

38:53 ↗ with these people, go call them. like

38:55 ↗ you just outline that whole process from

38:56 ↗ the start and that way it's like now on

39:00 ↗ them, right? Ownership's on them to

39:02 ↗ actually go and do that, to reach out,

39:04 ↗ to be engaged because now it's not, you

39:07 ↗ know, then it's I guess fair for

39:09 ↗ everyone to be there and do that. That's

39:11 ↗ kind of like the only thing I was

39:13 ↗ thinking if we do that or not.

39:14 ↗ >> We do. Okay.

39:16 ↗ >> We do. Um, so the if you were to look at

39:18 ↗ the um news item, that's the technical

39:21 ↗ term we call them on our website, it

39:24 ↗ said it, you know, they I had the that

39:26 ↗ list that I showed you. I, you know,

39:27 ↗ created a document with all of the the

39:29 ↗ benefits a council member has. That's

39:31 ↗ one of the the another bolded sentence

39:34 ↗ was reach out to your council members.

39:36 ↗ This is where you get their contact

39:37 ↗ information and then here's the

39:39 ↗ timeline. So, we have tried to

39:41 ↗ communicate all those things. Again

39:43 ↗ though, I do think that sometimes, you

39:45 ↗ know,

39:47 ↗ people are just busy and it's

39:49 ↗ >> I just wanted to make sure we're telling

39:51 ↗ them at the start about everything.

39:53 ↗ >> Yes.

39:53 ↗ >> Okay.

39:57 ↗ >> Oh, Lana.

39:58 ↗ >> Okay. So, you had mentioned that when a

40:00 ↗ council member Kates, the council is

40:03 ↗ looking for certain key strengths in the

40:07 ↗ possible candidates. So, for example,

40:10 ↗ when Marsha Michelle left, I know she's

40:13 ↗ really involved and has a lot of hands

40:16 ↗ and many pies. And so, I I can't I don't

40:19 ↗ remember what commission she worked

40:20 ↗ with. I'm assuming equity and human

40:22 ↗ services, baby. And so, um, were was

40:27 ↗ that highlighted in the opening for the

40:30 ↗ person so they know what to emphasize in

40:34 ↗ the application and their resume to make

40:36 ↗ them more marketable as the other

40:38 ↗ council members reviewed and looked at

40:41 ↗ them and there were two places that I

40:44 ↗ saw it could have fit in and I'm

40:46 ↗ wondering if it was put in both of those

40:47 ↗ places.

40:48 ↗ >> Yeah, that's a great question. It hasn't

40:51 ↗ been put anywhere. Um, I think that that

40:55 ↗ is um one of those things that has

40:59 ↗ uh

41:01 ↗ [sighs] so there's there's uh you know

41:04 ↗ the council has the discretion and

41:06 ↗ ultimate decision on making the

41:08 ↗ appointment and I so so I'm doing my

41:10 ↗ best to rep try and represent what how

41:12 ↗ they might think about that. I think

41:14 ↗ while they are certainly looking for

41:16 ↗ someone that has strengths to augment

41:17 ↗ the other six of them, I also get the

41:20 ↗ sense that there there's some amount of

41:22 ↗ openness. So, I would imagine um they

41:25 ↗ might not feel like they might eliminate

41:28 ↗ someone from applying who may not bring

41:32 ↗ that expertise. I'm just making it this

41:34 ↗ is my best.

41:35 ↗ >> In my job, and most of our other jobs,

41:38 ↗ I'm [clears throat] sure the same thing

41:38 ↗ happens, but they usually say

41:41 ↗ preferable, optional, lovely little

41:44 ↗ words. they put in parentheses after

41:46 ↗ that just to make sure you realize

41:48 ↗ that's not going to exclude you. But

41:51 ↗ hey, consider because to me that really

41:55 ↗ [clears throat] a long way in building

41:56 ↗ your resume and making yourself someone

42:00 ↗ you know that you want to sell to. And

42:02 ↗ also [clears throat]

42:03 ↗ if you had that then maybe I wonder if

42:05 ↗ they would have gone to the human

42:07 ↗ services website and done some research

42:09 ↗ just to study more as to what could

42:12 ↗ possibly they might need to do. And

42:16 ↗ [snorts]

42:17 ↗ >> so if I could just piggy back off of

42:19 ↗ Laura's comment here, I think it also

42:22 ↗ privileges someone who is savvy about

42:25 ↗ the process and they know, oh, the

42:27 ↗ council's going to look to fill the gaps

42:29 ↗ that council member uh Dim Michelle, you

42:32 ↗ know, vacated and they're going to know

42:34 ↗ that and they're going to prep for that

42:36 ↗ to be more successful. So, it kind of is

42:38 ↗ an insider knowledge. It feels like it

42:41 ↗ could be something like that

42:44 ↗ >> which you know is the for those who've

42:47 ↗ chosen to take advantage of that

42:49 ↗ interaction with the council members you

42:51 ↗ know that's where that can be helpful.

42:54 ↗ Um but yes understood.

42:58 ↗ >> Is the meeting recorded

43:01 ↗ the optional meeting?

43:03 ↗ >> The optional meeting has not been

43:05 ↗ recorded yet.

43:07 ↗ >> No but we've we've done three. They've

43:10 ↗ been great. We've I feel like we've been

43:12 ↗ improving the content that's delivered

43:14 ↗ at them. They haven't been recorded yet.

43:16 ↗ >> And that information that you're

43:18 ↗ providing during that meeting, is it

43:20 ↗ listed in this meeting is going to

43:23 ↗ explain blah blah blah. It's critical

43:26 ↗ information that

43:28 ↗ >> So,

43:29 ↗ >> yeah, we've so we've included it as

43:31 ↗ we've promoted the position. Basically

43:33 ↗ saying if you want to learn more, if

43:34 ↗ you're interested and want to learn

43:35 ↗ more, consider attending this event.

43:37 ↗ It's not mandatory. or you don't have to

43:39 ↗ attend to to be um

43:41 ↗ >> considered

43:41 ↗ >> considered. So um there's probably some

43:45 ↗ additional ways we could highlight the

43:47 ↗ event or try and make that information

43:50 ↗ um you know more paramount

43:53 ↗ but

43:55 ↗ yeah I don't know if I answered your

43:56 ↗ question

43:57 ↗ >> and I get both sides. It just feels it's

44:02 ↗ very a big wonder for me why someone

44:05 ↗ would choose not to attend that meeting

44:08 ↗ if it's so critical

44:10 ↗ >> and I wonder if members who attended or

44:14 ↗ members who what kind of feedback

44:17 ↗ everyone gets through this process just

44:20 ↗ for them to learn sometimes after job

44:23 ↗ interview someone will reach out to us

44:24 ↗ and say hey you know I'm really

44:26 ↗ interested here what could I do to be

44:29 ↗ more marketable

44:30 ↗ in the future like a learning but then

44:32 ↗ again we're education so we're always

44:34 ↗ trying to teach people so what are the

44:36 ↗ educational opportunities embedded

44:39 ↗ within the system

44:42 ↗ >> I want to make sure we get Kelly's

44:44 ↗ comment

44:44 ↗ >> oh sorry no no questions Kelly's

44:47 ↗ question

44:48 ↗ >> questions

44:49 ↗ >> my question

44:51 ↗ I'm trying to frame it as a question um

44:56 ↗ when I hear it all when I put it all

44:58 ↗ together it is all at the will of the

45:01 ↗ council and and I understand that that's

45:05 ↗ what they do but what they are doing is

45:08 ↗ selecting a council member from our comm

45:10 ↗ community community and the entire large

45:14 ↗ community who comes with a varied

45:17 ↗ experiences on how to how to even manage

45:20 ↗ something like this and what I what I

45:24 ↗ the feeling I get is that it's all from

45:26 ↗ the council's perspective and it's not

45:29 ↗ looked at it from a regular community

45:31 ↗ member who is trying to navigate. So for

45:34 ↗ example through this I tried to look at

45:36 ↗ the procedures. I realize there's

45:38 ↗ procedures for the you know for the

45:40 ↗ organization on everything. I look at

45:42 ↗ what the procedures are for um

45:46 ↗ uh you know making an appointment and

45:49 ↗ there are none literally there's like

45:52 ↗ two and none of them say anything that

45:54 ↗ you just said literally in the

45:56 ↗ procedures unless I just put it in or

45:59 ↗ I'm looking at an old procedures because

46:00 ↗ I looked. So what I'm telling you is I'm

46:04 ↗ not alone out there. So if you think

46:06 ↗ it's there and I don't think it's there

46:08 ↗ and I know I looked,

46:11 ↗ that's the problem, right? And that the

46:13 ↗ framing needs to change. So that's what

46:15 ↗ I'm trying to say is that I'm just

46:18 ↗ wondering how can we get the city

46:19 ↗ council to see it as an opportunity to

46:22 ↗ bring in a diversity and I mean

46:24 ↗ diversity in viewpoint, in diversity in

46:27 ↗ experience, in diversity and people who

46:29 ↗ they don't know, right? Literally,

46:33 ↗ literally, it is an opportunity to bring

46:36 ↗ in people they don't know. Which gets me

46:38 ↗ to my second point. One is how do we get

46:40 ↗ them to

46:42 ↗ think like a community

46:45 ↗ person and how they would enter into

46:46 ↗ this? And the second thing I want them

46:49 ↗ to

46:52 ↗ try to Well, now I lost my train of

46:54 ↗ thought.

46:56 ↗ >> It'll come back to me.

46:58 ↗ Mostly it's the viewpoint. It's it's it

47:01 ↗ at least needs to be written down in a

47:03 ↗ place that's public that we can all see

47:05 ↗ it, not just candidates. And it should

47:08 ↗ be the same every single time. Why does

47:11 ↗ it have to change every single time? I

47:14 ↗ want to make sure that we're getting the

47:16 ↗ most out of Tisha's time here and asking

47:18 ↗ the clarifying questions that you all

47:20 ↗ need to ask in order to have the

47:21 ↗ discussion that both Kelly and and

47:24 ↗ Leslie have started to have. I want to

47:27 ↗ make sure though that before that

47:29 ↗ conversation happens and sort of Tisha

47:31 ↗ and I take a bit of a backseat um that

47:33 ↗ you get the information you need on the

47:36 ↗ front end because opinions are great but

47:38 ↗ questions that are going to help you

47:40 ↗ form an opinion together as a board.

47:42 ↗ This is the time to ask those.

47:44 ↗ >> Okay. So Melissa, sorry. So Melissa and

47:48 ↗ then

47:50 ↗ Quan. Okay, got it. What would it look

47:52 ↗ like [clears throat]

47:54 ↗ if when the council or whomever is

47:57 ↗ notified of an upcoming vacancy, just

48:00 ↗ holds a public information session?

48:03 ↗ Because I feel like the information

48:04 ↗ session, even though it's optional, only

48:07 ↗ happens after an application period.

48:09 ↗ Just have it open for the community. And

48:11 ↗ I don't know if this is just like we've

48:12 ↗ explored this already. I have no idea,

48:13 ↗ right? So, I don't want to, you know,

48:15 ↗ knock on maybe a conversation you guys

48:16 ↗ have already had, but why wouldn't like

48:19 ↗ what would that look like to just say,

48:20 ↗ "Hey, community, right? Like, there's a

48:23 ↗ board vacancy getting ready to happen

48:25 ↗ and we're going to drop the application

48:27 ↗ on, I don't know, June 1st, whatever,

48:30 ↗ May 28th, right? Come to the Isiqua

48:34 ↗ Community Center for an open to the

48:36 ↗ public information session about what's

48:38 ↗ happening, right? how to apply, what to

48:41 ↗ expect like

48:43 ↗ what what does that look like? That way

48:45 ↗ it builds public trust, right? It speaks

48:48 ↗ to transparency, right, from the council

48:51 ↗ and it attracts people that they don't

48:52 ↗ even know are here in the community. You

48:54 ↗ know what I mean? That could be

48:55 ↗ interested and could lend a whole lot

48:58 ↗ more to this, right? It solves the

49:00 ↗ problem of meeting with your council

49:02 ↗ members individually, right? Because

49:04 ↗ maybe there's an opportunity to

49:05 ↗ socialize. like what does it look like

49:07 ↗ to just hold that meeting publicly prior

49:10 ↗ to the application process and then

49:12 ↗ maybe during the application process

49:14 ↗ maybe there's something else that

49:14 ↗ happens you know what I mean for those

49:16 ↗ candidates that have moved on to maybe

49:18 ↗ the second interview but if yeah what is

49:22 ↗ that possible

49:24 ↗ >> yeah definitely so um and to be clear

49:26 ↗ the event was is open to the public it

49:29 ↗ was just you know anyone come come if

49:31 ↗ you're um interested at all

49:34 ↗ >> they have to know about it right

49:35 ↗ >> well They yes, they'd have to know it

49:37 ↗ was happening. So, it's honor you. We

49:38 ↗ know it was noticed similar to how we

49:40 ↗ notice other events, though we probably

49:42 ↗ could have done more promotion. There's

49:44 ↗ always more promotion you can do. Um, my

49:46 ↗ memory is that the

49:49 ↗ >> my memory is that it was the goal was to

49:52 ↗ try and get the session towards the

49:54 ↗ beginning of the application process.

49:56 ↗ Usually, there's a four to six week

49:58 ↗ application process. So, they wanted it

50:00 ↗ to happen as early as possible. My

50:02 ↗ memory is with this last one, it was a

50:04 ↗ little bit more midway. Some of that is

50:06 ↗ just just what Saturdays are, you know,

50:10 ↗ the other six council members free. Some

50:11 ↗ of it's like just some logistics. So,

50:14 ↗ but that's, you know, that's some good

50:16 ↗ input. I don't think there's anything

50:17 ↗ precluding that from happening earlier.

50:20 ↗ >> Perfect. Christy.

50:21 ↗ >> Yeah. So, Tisha, thanks so much for

50:23 ↗ sharing all this information. Um, had a

50:26 ↗ specific question around the application

50:28 ↗ process because from what I recall, it's

50:30 ↗ online. and there's an online form to

50:33 ↗ complete and um I'm wondering to what

50:36 ↗ degree you can share maybe your your

50:39 ↗ thought on how accessible it might be to

50:43 ↗ um folks who speak other languages or uh

50:46 ↗ maybe um our older community members who

50:49 ↗ aren't so comfortable with technology or

50:51 ↗ maybe people who need uh screen readers

50:54 ↗ and other types of supports. So I I'm

50:57 ↗ just trying to think any in the spirit

50:58 ↗ of getting as many diverse candidates as

51:00 ↗ possible. Are are there barriers for

51:03 ↗ them to apply or what kind of supports

51:06 ↗ are available?

51:08 ↗ >> Yeah.

51:09 ↗ >> People Yeah. Other languages. Yeah.

51:11 ↗ >> We could we could I'm sure we could do a

51:13 ↗ better job. The things they've really um

51:16 ↗ the council members have encouraged is

51:18 ↗ they want to make sure that someone can

51:20 ↗ access the complete application before

51:23 ↗ they begin it. And so there's, you know,

51:25 ↗ at the top there's like a PDF that could

51:27 ↗ also be printed. Um, so you can see

51:30 ↗ every question you'll be asked in it

51:32 ↗ before you kind of enter formland,

51:34 ↗ right? Online formland. Um, the we do

51:37 ↗ have uh Google translate on our website.

51:40 ↗ So which should given that it's a web

51:42 ↗ form embedded in our website should

51:45 ↗ work. Um, and we actually recently

51:48 ↗ because of some federal requirements

51:50 ↗ will be needing to meet um do now have

51:53 ↗ some screen reading capabilities

51:55 ↗ embedded in our website. Um, that's new.

51:58 ↗ I'm not even sure if that was in place

52:00 ↗ at for this last application. But I also

52:02 ↗ think we could add some language. You

52:04 ↗ know, um, we would print the form. We

52:08 ↗ would we would accommodate if asked, but

52:10 ↗ we could probably be better about

52:11 ↗ putting some more information

52:12 ↗ proactively out there, letting people

52:14 ↗ know that.

52:16 ↗ And I'm thinking a little bit later in

52:17 ↗ the process with, you know, the the

52:20 ↗ presentation and interviews. Are there

52:22 ↗ accommodations for folks who aren't

52:24 ↗ comfortable speaking English to make

52:26 ↗ that possible? I mean, I think, you

52:29 ↗ know, there could be accommodation, but

52:30 ↗ how welcoming is that

52:34 ↗ communicated at the front of the

52:35 ↗ process? Because I can imagine some

52:37 ↗ folks feeling discouraged when

52:39 ↗ attempting.

52:40 ↗ >> Yeah. I mean, and the other thing about

52:42 ↗ this process, which is part of why I've

52:44 ↗ been so impressed at the number of

52:46 ↗ people who've applied, is it's very

52:47 ↗ public, right? And is aqua, we have a

52:50 ↗ high value a high level of transparency

52:51 ↗ here. We put, you know, I was telling

52:53 ↗ Dale, I looked at another city, nearby

52:55 ↗ city was going through a similar process

52:56 ↗ and they actually released very little

52:58 ↗ information about even I I my memory is

53:01 ↗ I didn't even see the names of the

53:03 ↗ people they were considering. we include

53:05 ↗ in our public facing content. You know,

53:07 ↗ the names they're complete applications

53:08 ↗ redacting sensitive information.

53:10 ↗ >> Yeah, they I mean I attached

53:11 ↗ >> Yeah.

53:12 ↗ >> recent ones for this packet for these

53:14 ↗ guys to look at.

53:14 ↗ >> Yeah. So, I think I actually think that

53:17 ↗ in itself can be a barrier to people. Um

53:20 ↗ but as far as the you know they are

53:23 ↗ expected to make a verbal presentation

53:26 ↗ in English presumably. Um we don't we

53:29 ↗ you know we could provide translators.

53:31 ↗ We could certainly adjust if a request

53:34 ↗ was made, but I would say at this point

53:35 ↗ we don't have that sort of built in. I

53:38 ↗ think another challenge with this

53:39 ↗ process and um a comment made about it

53:41 ↗ changing. It's I mean you saw we had a

53:44 ↗ six-year gap where there wasn't one, you

53:47 ↗ know, with our board and commission

53:48 ↗ recruitment. We do it every year and one

53:50 ↗ of the benefits of that is we learn

53:51 ↗ things, we tweak, we adapt, we get

53:53 ↗ input. this has been harder because it's

53:56 ↗ so it you know it's the frequency

53:59 ↗ changes and the the people running the

54:02 ↗ process change. So then um

54:06 ↗ so no beyond the application

54:11 ↗ we have not made accommodations nor have

54:14 ↗ we been asked to but it's not been

54:16 ↗ something we've addressed.

54:17 ↗ >> Okay. Thank you.

54:19 ↗ >> And then Quan had a comment or a

54:21 ↗ question?

54:22 ↗ >> Question. Questions. I have a couple

54:24 ↗ questions. Yes. No comments. Um, okay.

54:26 ↗ Uh, my first question is I hear you.

54:29 ↗ You're talking about um, you know,

54:31 ↗ community members, folks should reach

54:33 ↗ out to council members to get to know

54:35 ↗ them, understand the process. What is

54:38 ↗ there any internal guidelines regarding

54:41 ↗ um, council members actually reaching

54:44 ↗ out to individual members in the

54:46 ↗ community? And I speak like my

54:48 ↗ perspective about this is if you know

54:51 ↗ you're encouraged to meet but you can't

54:52 ↗ meet it but you have a personal

54:54 ↗ connection and I think this ties into

54:55 ↗ Kelly's and um Leslie's perspective but

54:58 ↗ you have a personal connection you know

55:00 ↗ you're you're volunteering but you're

55:01 ↗ not quite on the the boards and

55:03 ↗ commissions yet um and you just happen

55:05 ↗ to know people and so you get a text

55:07 ↗ from council member hey you should apply

55:08 ↗ for this and then you get a leg up you

55:10 ↗ know like so is there any like does

55:13 ↗ council members have any internal

55:14 ↗ guidelines regarding reaching out to

55:17 ↗ folks to encourage applying. I guess

55:19 ↗ that's my question.

55:20 ↗ >> None that I'm aware of.

55:22 ↗ >> Okay. Um and that regarding your slide,

55:26 ↗ could you share your slide again? I

55:28 ↗ think I have a I just have a quick

55:29 ↗ question about process.

55:31 ↗ >> Um I think I saw it was like you apply

55:34 ↗ then you present and then you go to

55:37 ↗ second interviews. Is that what I just

55:39 ↗ need to double check here real quick?

55:41 ↗ >> Yeah. Well, there's one. Okay.

55:44 ↗ >> So, yeah. So here's the verbal

55:47 ↗ presentation. Here's the step six is and

55:50 ↗ this depends they recently because of

55:52 ↗ the number of applicants at that first

55:54 ↗ meeting the council's chosen to select a

55:57 ↗ few to move to the second interview.

55:59 ↗ >> And is this process like an internal

56:02 ↗ document or like guidelines? Because I

56:04 ↗ don't like as someone who just recently

56:05 ↗ went through the process I do not feel

56:08 ↗ like that was a first interview. If I'm

56:10 ↗ doing a verbal presentation, it's like

56:12 ↗ you're you're not being asked questions.

56:14 ↗ And so I don't think it's fair to be

56:16 ↗ like

56:17 ↗ >> your next step is sec second interviews

56:19 ↗ because I never got interviewed. I'm

56:21 ↗ presenting. They took the information.

56:22 ↗ They went into executive counsel

56:25 ↗ to review qualifications, you know, like

56:27 ↗ so those are things I don't know. Is

56:29 ↗ there any internal documents about this?

56:30 ↗ >> Well, you're also making me so I added

56:32 ↗ the word interview. [laughter]

56:34 ↗ >> I that's how I your your point. Thank

56:38 ↗ you for making that point because you're

56:39 ↗ absolutely right. They if you look so

56:41 ↗ the the council has adopted rules of

56:44 ↗ procedure and they have a section on

56:47 ↗ council vacancies. They are not as

56:49 ↗ detailed as what I'm sharing with you.

56:51 ↗ They touch on some of these points not

56:54 ↗ all of these points. Um and they they do

56:58 ↗ refer to the verbal pres they do include

57:00 ↗ the verbal presentation. They do include

57:02 ↗ the Q&A as optional. And sometimes in

57:04 ↗ the past uh I think actually the 2019

57:08 ↗ process if I my memory is right the

57:10 ↗ council actually didn't do the Q&A from

57:12 ↗ what I can tell looking back at the

57:14 ↗ records they just went from the

57:16 ↗ presentations they made a selection so

57:18 ↗ this there has been some variance this

57:20 ↗ process the m most of it is um in their

57:24 ↗ rules but as I was also explaining um

57:27 ↗ the step one is where they really kind

57:31 ↗ of direct exactly what they're looking

57:34 ↗ for in,

57:36 ↗ you know, this year's process. Um, and

57:38 ↗ so there can be variations from year to

57:41 ↗ year. Um, but the their rules, and I'm

57:45 ↗ sorry I don't have like an excerpt. This

57:47 ↗ is kind of a summary. Their rules do

57:49 ↗ cover the things that are they've chosen

57:51 ↗ to kind of enshrine, and one of those is

57:54 ↗ that verbal presentation.

57:57 ↗ My last question is when someone does a

58:00 ↗ verbal, is there a minimum amount that

58:02 ↗ passes into second rounds or is there

58:05 ↗ were they are they usually capped at

58:07 ↗ two? So the council talked about that.

58:10 ↗ So they that first vacancy process this

58:14 ↗ first cluster so in 2025 they you know

58:17 ↗ received some um criticism over the fact

58:20 ↗ that they moved I think they may have

58:22 ↗ had 14 apply maybe two withdraw so 12

58:27 ↗ that presented and then they actually

58:29 ↗ chose seven people to move forward and

58:33 ↗ there was some criticism that that was

58:35 ↗ too many that if they were you know only

58:37 ↗ going to pick one in the end they should

58:38 ↗ have narrowed it down. Um I think uh so

58:42 ↗ I think they've been had that in

58:45 ↗ mentally, you know, in mind for these

58:47 ↗ next two processes and they've narrowed

58:49 ↗ it this last time to two and I think the

58:51 ↗ time prior it might have been to three.

58:53 ↗ There is nothing in their rules. They

58:55 ↗ debated whether they should put a

58:56 ↗ number. They just didn't feel like that

58:58 ↗ was going to be helpful. What they did

59:00 ↗ instead is say because of that first

59:02 ↗ one, one of the reasons there were seven

59:04 ↗ is because any council member could make

59:07 ↗ an unlimited number of nominations and

59:09 ↗ only one of them could basically put

59:11 ↗ someone on that list. And they were

59:13 ↗ like, maybe that's too open-ended. So

59:16 ↗ now it's two council members have to

59:18 ↗ agree to kind of put someone on that

59:19 ↗ list to move forward and then they vote

59:22 ↗ on the group.

59:24 ↗ >> That's helpful. Thank you. Any other

59:27 ↗ questions for Tisha?

59:32 ↗ Okay. I'd like to thank Tisha for her

59:35 ↗ time and coming to speak to us and and

59:39 ↗ uh receive our our comments and answer

59:41 ↗ our questions very thoughtfully. Um, I

59:44 ↗ think that, um, the fact that you're

59:47 ↗ here having this conversation with us

59:49 ↗ shows that there is a desire and a good

59:52 ↗ faith effort on the council's part to

59:55 ↗ consider

59:57 ↗ adding a a broader equity lens to this

1:00:00 ↗ this process because I think that that's

1:00:02 ↗ ultimately what we're we're getting at

1:00:04 ↗ and what our next aspect of our

1:00:06 ↗ discussion is going to be. Uh from my

1:00:09 ↗ perspective, um I think this process

1:00:12 ↗ simply needs to have a heightened lens

1:00:14 ↗ of equity applied to it because access

1:00:17 ↗ is ultimately what the consideration is

1:00:19 ↗ in in in my humble opinion in terms of

1:00:23 ↗ if there's anyone that's interested in

1:00:25 ↗ stepping into um city government as a

1:00:28 ↗ volunteer and it is a huge it's a yman's

1:00:30 ↗ task um that

1:00:34 ↗ everyone in the diversity of our

1:00:36 ↗ community is given that access to the

1:00:39 ↗ entire process. And just from our

1:00:41 ↗ questions, our our comments, I think

1:00:43 ↗ that there is an opportunity for us to

1:00:45 ↗ draft a letter um to the mayor and to

1:00:48 ↗ the council to really bring some um some

1:00:52 ↗ recommendations in terms of how we can

1:00:55 ↗ add more of a a broader equity lens to

1:00:57 ↗ this process because I I think that it's

1:00:59 ↗ it's necessary and and I I'm hopeful

1:01:02 ↗ that um at the end of what we put

1:01:04 ↗ together and present to the council um

1:01:07 ↗ and the mayor that it's going to be

1:01:08 ↗ something that's going to be strongly

1:01:10 ↗ considered because when the next opening

1:01:12 ↗ happens, I I think that all of us in

1:01:14 ↗ this room really want to know as members

1:01:17 ↗ of the equity board that um equity was a

1:01:20 ↗ consideration in the entire process.

1:01:24 ↗ So, thank you.

1:01:26 ↗ So, now you have time for discussion. Um

1:01:28 ↗ and and the way that I I'm not going to

1:01:31 ↗ structure this a lot. I think this group

1:01:34 ↗ has an opportunity to figure out how you

1:01:36 ↗ want to move forward with this letter.

1:01:38 ↗ Um, I think one thing I would encourage,

1:01:41 ↗ and I'm happy, Leslie, since you're

1:01:42 ↗ going to facilitate this, I'm happy to

1:01:44 ↗ sort of watch who's who's spoken, who

1:01:46 ↗ hasn't had a chance to speak. Um, it's

1:01:49 ↗ also 7:33. You can say we can stay here

1:01:51 ↗ as long as we want. Keep this recording

1:01:53 ↗ going as long as you want to. Um, but

1:01:55 ↗ would encourage you all to figure out

1:01:57 ↗ what plan you want around this letter.

1:01:59 ↗ Um, I imagine part of that work will

1:02:03 ↗ happen tonight. Part of that work will

1:02:05 ↗ probably have to happen by members of

1:02:06 ↗ this group, a subset of this group

1:02:09 ↗ outside of this and bring it back. So I

1:02:12 ↗ would make sure that we spend some

1:02:14 ↗ amount of time determining who has the

1:02:16 ↗ time, capacity, and interest on working

1:02:17 ↗ on this outside of this uh meeting and

1:02:20 ↗ is ready to come back in June with a

1:02:22 ↗ draft. Um because that's how our time

1:02:26 ↗ flows here is in months unfortunately.

1:02:29 ↗ Um, and I wouldn't want too much time to

1:02:30 ↗ pass uh from now. Though, as as Tisha

1:02:34 ↗ suggested, hopefully you have a long we

1:02:36 ↗ have a long time before our next vacancy

1:02:38 ↗ comes around. Um, I still think this is

1:02:40 ↗ a time feels timely. Um, and so, you

1:02:45 ↗ know, I would just encourage you all to

1:02:47 ↗ have a conversation about how you want

1:02:48 ↗ to do this and what ideas and topics are

1:02:50 ↗ on everyone's mind now that you've got

1:02:52 ↗ some more information from Tisha.

1:02:54 ↗ >> Okay. Absolutely. I I agree 100%. I I

1:02:56 ↗ guess let's just kick it off. One of the

1:02:58 ↗ things I I made a comment on on my own

1:03:01 ↗ is um based on Tish's presentation and

1:03:05 ↗ all of the discussion, does anyone want

1:03:08 ↗ to lay out what their concerns still may

1:03:10 ↗ be at this point that we can start

1:03:14 ↗ incorporating into a thoughtful letter

1:03:17 ↗ to the mayor and the council?

1:03:24 ↗ Oh, can I

1:03:26 ↗ >> I'm wondering if expectation my question

1:03:29 ↗ about is it clear as to what the council

1:03:32 ↗ is looking for especially now that I

1:03:36 ↗ realize the verbal presentation is it

1:03:38 ↗ it's not an interview and so the people

1:03:42 ↗ applying really need to make sure that

1:03:44 ↗ that verbal presentation is super

1:03:46 ↗ powerful and it's all of the different

1:03:48 ↗ aspects. So I know that step one was it

1:03:52 ↗ says what the process is

1:03:54 ↗ but to me it's all marketing and how do

1:03:57 ↗ you sell yourself? So what is in what is

1:04:01 ↗ the job description as to what city

1:04:04 ↗ council because city council is looking

1:04:06 ↗ for someone spec like general people but

1:04:09 ↗ they have things that they also want. So

1:04:12 ↗ how detailed is that or even if they're

1:04:14 ↗ saying preferable but what is that step

1:04:16 ↗ one that'll guide the key part when they

1:04:19 ↗ decide like what are they giving people

1:04:23 ↗ must haves do like what is the look for

1:04:27 ↗ what should people put in that interview

1:04:29 ↗ in that verbal presentation because

1:04:32 ↗ there is no interview

1:04:34 ↗ >> like what's weighted what's weighted

1:04:36 ↗ more heavily is it your experience is it

1:04:39 ↗ your neighborhood that you live in is Is

1:04:41 ↗ it an industry you're from or is it, you

1:04:44 ↗ know, your ideas of translating city

1:04:46 ↗ code into some sort of policy and and

1:04:49 ↗ terms that you needed to talk about

1:04:51 ↗ during the presentation? Like I think

1:04:53 ↗ also related to that like what the kind

1:04:55 ↗ of the job description is, the preferred

1:04:57 ↗ qualifications and is that actually who

1:05:01 ↗ they end up with. Are they consistent

1:05:04 ↗ with um evaluating candidates with that

1:05:08 ↗ upfront criteria

1:05:10 ↗ >> or [clears throat]

1:05:11 ↗ do they land on someone who doesn't

1:05:13 ↗ quite fit that?

1:05:16 ↗ >> I think in terms of who we are and what

1:05:19 ↗ we represent for the city, what our

1:05:22 ↗ concerns should be, and I don't want to

1:05:24 ↗ kind of close off conversation, but

1:05:27 ↗ what's the equity lens of our concerns?

1:05:29 ↗ So if we have questions or concerns that

1:05:32 ↗ we want to put forward as we put them in

1:05:34 ↗ a letter, what is the equity lens in

1:05:38 ↗ regards to anything that we would bring

1:05:40 ↗ up in conversation that we are bringing

1:05:42 ↗ into this letter saying please consider

1:05:45 ↗ this particular concern or we have a

1:05:48 ↗ question about this. How does that

1:05:49 ↗ dovtail to what we do as a equity board?

1:05:53 ↗ I think related to that, uh, what I see

1:05:55 ↗ is there's, I think, a distinct issue

1:05:57 ↗ around access. You know, for certain

1:05:59 ↗ populations, there may not be, um, as

1:06:03 ↗ much welcoming language to make them

1:06:05 ↗ feel like they're included and they're

1:06:07 ↗ welcome to apply and there's a lot of

1:06:10 ↗ um, support to help them along the way.

1:06:14 ↗ So, you know, and I think there are

1:06:16 ↗ certain groups, I kind of mentioned them

1:06:17 ↗ in my question. So I think there's

1:06:19 ↗ access issues and then I think parts of

1:06:21 ↗ this process just feel like

1:06:25 ↗ they're

1:06:26 ↗ maybe overburdening people who don't

1:06:29 ↗ have the time the luxury of time to

1:06:34 ↗ schedule appointments with all these

1:06:35 ↗ council members when maybe there should

1:06:39 ↗ be an open forum like a speed dating

1:06:40 ↗ session with all the council members

1:06:42 ↗ there. you just show up and you have

1:06:44 ↗ that because right now and I also think

1:06:46 ↗ like to Quan's point around maybe

1:06:48 ↗ texting and stuff like that I think it

1:06:50 ↗ priv there's a privilege thing here so

1:06:53 ↗ it's it's access for some people and

1:06:55 ↗ then it favors people who have

1:06:58 ↗ experience

1:07:00 ↗ uh existing relationships with council

1:07:03 ↗ members. So there's also this uh side

1:07:05 ↗ around who is being privileged in this

1:07:07 ↗ process and those things reinforce

1:07:12 ↗ oh it's it's another board or commission

1:07:14 ↗ member or someone who's been on a task

1:07:15 ↗ force you know like the last three

1:07:17 ↗ times. So it's not really creating you

1:07:19 ↗ know fair openings

1:07:20 ↗ >> and my point was also that access. So if

1:07:24 ↗ you don't know what to do, what to ask,

1:07:26 ↗ how to do it, you're never going to get

1:07:27 ↗ in because you weren't in the privileged

1:07:29 ↗ group of in the no. And I think that's

1:07:31 ↗ what to me what the equity part is

1:07:34 ↗ because most many families tell me I

1:07:36 ↗ don't even know how to start or what to

1:07:38 ↗ access. So how do I make a video if I

1:07:40 ↗ don't know what they're looking for?

1:07:43 ↗ Because I'm not in that privileged group

1:07:45 ↗ of knowing these specific people. So

1:07:51 ↗ >> it's like access to power.

1:07:53 ↗ >> If you don't have it and you've never

1:07:55 ↗ had it, how do you get that door open to

1:07:57 ↗ it?

1:07:59 ↗ I think the um

1:08:02 ↗ the ability to meet with council members

1:08:05 ↗ needs to be more outfront in the

1:08:08 ↗ application process and formalized. Um

1:08:12 ↗ while it it likely exists now in some

1:08:15 ↗ form, I think because that's been seen

1:08:17 ↗ to be problematic in um kind of removing

1:08:21 ↗ access to certain individual individuals

1:08:24 ↗ and providing much of it to others that

1:08:26 ↗ that particular process is more uh

1:08:29 ↗ publicized in some way. So, and I I love

1:08:34 ↗ Melissa's suggestion about having kind

1:08:36 ↗ of an open house aspect where I mean

1:08:39 ↗ that is absolutely it. Come as you are,

1:08:42 ↗ get the information and then with an

1:08:45 ↗ open uh application process, you could

1:08:47 ↗ then move forward. So, um I like that as

1:08:50 ↗ an idea. I think it's excellent.

1:08:53 ↗ I heard a lot of like discretion talk.

1:08:55 ↗ It was a lot of like well the council

1:08:57 ↗ gets to decide that and that's like what

1:08:58 ↗ the coun you know what I mean? And so

1:08:59 ↗ it's just kind of like maybe not in this

1:09:01 ↗ letter, maybe not, you know, maybe so, I

1:09:04 ↗ don't know, but it's a lot of yeah, just

1:09:07 ↗ processes, you know, and I think my mind

1:09:10 ↗ just naturally goes to what is it about

1:09:13 ↗ that process that

1:09:18 ↗ that's sticking that way? You know what

1:09:20 ↗ I mean? It's always the why. Oh, we've

1:09:22 ↗ done this, you know, forever and like

1:09:23 ↗ that's okay. Like we get to like change

1:09:25 ↗ things, right? But it just seems like um

1:09:29 ↗ I think it was Kelly who maybe said it

1:09:31 ↗ where it was just kind of like we're at

1:09:33 ↗ essentially like

1:09:35 ↗ their beck and call. You know what I

1:09:37 ↗ mean? Like they don't want to do it or

1:09:38 ↗ if they haven't done it or if they

1:09:39 ↗ choose to do it a certain way. It just

1:09:40 ↗ it just is what it is and we have to

1:09:42 ↗ deal with it. And I don't think that

1:09:43 ↗ that's again access right equitable.

1:09:46 ↗ It's it's I don't know. It's very

1:09:48 ↗ limiting.

1:09:50 ↗ I don't know how else to to verbalize

1:09:52 ↗ it, but it just seems very

1:09:53 ↗ >> I will add though that that it is their

1:09:56 ↗ that is their privilege as council

1:09:58 ↗ members like they they're I think it's

1:10:01 ↗ important to remind the board that we

1:10:02 ↗ are an advisory board. So you can advise

1:10:04 ↗ them but you know they are elected and

1:10:07 ↗ and in this case for some of them now

1:10:10 ↗ appointed but many of them have been

1:10:11 ↗ elected after being appointed like that

1:10:13 ↗ is their privilege as the elected

1:10:15 ↗ leaders of our community. So just know

1:10:18 ↗ that like part of the process of

1:10:21 ↗ representative government is that

1:10:24 ↗ they're allowed to set rules and make

1:10:26 ↗ these processes.

1:10:27 ↗ >> So keep that in mind like the there are

1:10:30 ↗ elections every four years for each of

1:10:32 ↗ their seats. Um you know many of them

1:10:35 ↗ run unopposed. Um

1:10:38 ↗ >> Oh absolutely. I think it was just more

1:10:40 ↗ about the things that are like not

1:10:41 ↗ formalized, right? Or the things that

1:10:42 ↗ are kind of just like questionable or,

1:10:44 ↗ you know, live somewhere but nobody

1:10:46 ↗ knows where or when, you know, just

1:10:48 ↗ those things that are

1:10:49 ↗ >> uh just bring up more questions. But

1:10:51 ↗ absolutely, you know, they're they're

1:10:52 ↗ here to make those decisions.

1:10:54 ↗ >> I think that's a good point to to to

1:10:57 ↗ remind and to let us know basically

1:10:59 ↗ exactly what their what their position

1:11:01 ↗ is. I think for for for myself it's

1:11:05 ↗ really about having the transparency in

1:11:09 ↗ the process and then also making sure

1:11:12 ↗ that the process is inclusive not

1:11:15 ↗ exclusive to individuals that may be in

1:11:18 ↗ the know or connected through

1:11:20 ↗ relationships in some way to where they

1:11:22 ↗ don't have that equal access. So, I

1:11:25 ↗ think we honor those folks on the the

1:11:27 ↗ council and the mayor and what they do

1:11:28 ↗ and how they were elected and trust that

1:11:31 ↗ they do the things that they do as

1:11:33 ↗ elected leaders in good faith. The other

1:11:35 ↗ aspect of it is that with all of that

1:11:39 ↗ responsibility given, I think that we as

1:11:41 ↗ a advisory board have a unique

1:11:44 ↗ opportunity to shine a light on those

1:11:46 ↗ things that they can do better as our

1:11:49 ↗ representatives to make sure that this

1:11:51 ↗ is an inclusionary process. So, I think

1:11:55 ↗ that that's kind of the the the the

1:11:58 ↗ focus that um I'd like to see our letter

1:12:01 ↗ go into to, you know, be grateful for

1:12:03 ↗ the the service and respect that

1:12:05 ↗ service. But, however, uh we want to

1:12:08 ↗ make sure that we are kind of shaking

1:12:10 ↗ the tree, so to speak, and bringing

1:12:13 ↗ things to the four that, you know, will

1:12:15 ↗ make them better as our as our

1:12:17 ↗ representatives.

1:12:18 ↗ >> Absolutely. I just wanted to remind the

1:12:20 ↗ group of like what you do and do not. I

1:12:22 ↗ mean you can say whatever you want in

1:12:23 ↗ this letter but in terms of

1:12:25 ↗ >> reaching an outcome that you would like

1:12:27 ↗ to see I think there there some

1:12:29 ↗ reminders around sort of positionality

1:12:32 ↗ that are important

1:12:33 ↗ >> of course

1:12:34 ↗ >> I think um

1:12:36 ↗ the open what is it the meeting session

1:12:38 ↗ was like only one event right Tisha

1:12:41 ↗ >> it was one event

1:12:42 ↗ >> yeah okay I like obviously there's

1:12:44 ↗ positive intent people are using their

1:12:46 ↗ free time but we assumed that people

1:12:48 ↗ would be free on a weekend we don't

1:12:50 ↗ assume you know I think that that's

1:12:51 ↗ where barrier and the lack of

1:12:53 ↗ transparency is it's like you think

1:12:55 ↗ everybody's free. Someone might be

1:12:56 ↗ working at a double job. Someone might

1:12:58 ↗ be working exclusively on weekends or

1:13:00 ↗ they have kids to care about or they

1:13:02 ↗ have needs and things to where they

1:13:03 ↗ cannot make it. And so I think the ask

1:13:06 ↗ would be if you want to be transparent

1:13:08 ↗ about it and you're you want to be

1:13:09 ↗ inviting then we have to change the

1:13:11 ↗ perspective of the information that

1:13:12 ↗ we're sharing. So if you're like we

1:13:15 ↗ can't be there in person then you know

1:13:17 ↗ these suggestions recording or maybe you

1:13:20 ↗ create the newsletter with a YouTube

1:13:21 ↗ video of like a three minute thing of

1:13:23 ↗ what does it mean to be city council and

1:13:25 ↗ is so that everyone who's on YouTube or

1:13:28 ↗ like can share or you can post the link

1:13:29 ↗ a QR code to be like if you would like

1:13:32 ↗ to know more so that you can be set up

1:13:34 ↗ for success whether it's a vacancy

1:13:37 ↗ position or a general election to put

1:13:39 ↗ your name in the ballot if you have

1:13:41 ↗ interest in it. So, I think that's where

1:13:42 ↗ the ask of how we can reach

1:13:44 ↗ transparency. We're not asking city

1:13:46 ↗ council to be like changing a bunch of

1:13:48 ↗ things or like going against whatever

1:13:49 ↗ rules they're setting. I think it's

1:13:51 ↗ we're finding barriers and there's not a

1:13:53 ↗ mutual understanding of what those

1:13:55 ↗ barriers are. And so, that's kind of

1:13:57 ↗ what we're I think we're trying to

1:13:58 ↗ achieve here.

1:13:59 ↗ >> Um, so if we had I I think that's an

1:14:01 ↗ excellent comment. You just actually uh

1:14:03 ↗ made me think of a question I wanted

1:14:05 ↗ just to kind of throw out there for you

1:14:06 ↗ all. Um, if we had a a theme for our

1:14:10 ↗ letter, what would that be? If we had a

1:14:13 ↗ theme overall, I know my answer. And

1:14:15 ↗ then also, this letter is written,

1:14:17 ↗ everyone's happy, it's ready to go.

1:14:20 ↗ What's our goal ultimately in delivering

1:14:22 ↗ this letter to the council on there?

1:14:25 ↗ What's our goal? So, what's our theme of

1:14:27 ↗ the letter and what's our goal?

1:14:31 ↗ >> Access.

1:14:33 ↗ >> Do we still want to do a letter? I guess

1:14:36 ↗ first question.

1:14:38 ↗ >> What

1:14:38 ↗ >> do we still want to do a letter after

1:14:41 ↗ we've heard everything that

1:14:44 ↗ she's told us?

1:14:45 ↗ >> Yeah.

1:14:46 ↗ >> Is the first question. I

1:14:48 ↗ >> think that's an excellent question. Uh

1:14:49 ↗ my answer would be yes. I still want to

1:14:51 ↗ do a letter. I think what Tisha has

1:14:53 ↗ shared with us is very informing. it uh

1:14:56 ↗ provides uh great context and uh kind of

1:15:00 ↗ a daylight into the situation, but

1:15:01 ↗ ultimately I think that from my

1:15:03 ↗ perspective, the letter is still

1:15:05 ↗ necessary because I think there are some

1:15:07 ↗ equity access issues that can really

1:15:10 ↗ make this process better. And I think

1:15:12 ↗ we're uniquely positioned to shine that

1:15:15 ↗ light.

1:15:17 ↗ >> I think the letter, as you noted,

1:15:19 ↗ Leslie, should have recommendations,

1:15:21 ↗ some maybe some specific

1:15:22 ↗ recommendations. So, one of the outcomes

1:15:24 ↗ I could see is having some continued

1:15:27 ↗ adjustments to the process that

1:15:30 ↗ create some of that opening for access.

1:15:33 ↗ And I do I think there's a better way of

1:15:37 ↗ phrasing it, but I think I see

1:15:41 ↗ I think as Tisha indicated like the last

1:15:43 ↗ three times

1:15:45 ↗ the process is reproducing what feels

1:15:48 ↗ like it might be the same a similar

1:15:50 ↗ outcome in terms of the profile of the

1:15:53 ↗ person appointed. And so

1:15:57 ↗ to me, that's also kind of how

1:16:01 ↗ the process is reproducing itself. And

1:16:03 ↗ maybe that's the intention because it's

1:16:06 ↗ it's it's producing a predictable

1:16:08 ↗ result.

1:16:08 ↗ >> Exactly.

1:16:09 ↗ >> And Exactly.

1:16:10 ↗ >> And it's reinforcing like privilege

1:16:13 ↗ status. So, and I that can get a little

1:16:16 ↗ complicated to communicate, but I think

1:16:19 ↗ we also want to make sure that is

1:16:20 ↗ undone. It's not just access on the

1:16:23 ↗ front end. It's actually success on the

1:16:27 ↗ the outcome side in terms of getting

1:16:29 ↗ more of those diverse candidates

1:16:31 ↗ successfully through and into

1:16:33 ↗ appointments. And I mean I know we can't

1:16:35 ↗ control that, but that's also like if

1:16:38 ↗ you start unpacking the process and

1:16:40 ↗ making it more equitable, we should

1:16:42 ↗ expect to see a more diverse outcome.

1:16:47 ↗ I think it would be helpful because I

1:16:50 ↗ think it would be helpful to clear to to

1:16:52 ↗ say very clearly what you see as being

1:16:55 ↗ reproduced. Um I think that you will

1:16:58 ↗ find that there are council members that

1:17:00 ↗ do not feel that that is the case. Um,

1:17:02 ↗ and if the thing that you feel like is

1:17:04 ↗ being reproduced is a privileging of

1:17:07 ↗ current board commissioner involved

1:17:09 ↗ folks who have been involved in city

1:17:10 ↗ process, I want to let you know that I

1:17:12 ↗ think you will hear from current council

1:17:14 ↗ members that they like that that's the

1:17:16 ↗ case and they would not want to move

1:17:18 ↗ away from that. So just just so you

1:17:19 ↗ know, you'll need to make a strong

1:17:20 ↗ argument as to why it would be valuable

1:17:23 ↗ to move away from that. If there's

1:17:26 ↗ another

1:17:28 ↗ characteristic or identity marker that

1:17:29 ↗ you feel like is being overprivileged in

1:17:32 ↗ the process, again, I think I would

1:17:33 ↗ state it.

1:17:34 ↗ >> Yeah.

1:17:34 ↗ >> Um given that if if you were to look at

1:17:37 ↗ sort of race and gender, um our last

1:17:40 ↗ three appointments have been two women

1:17:43 ↗ and two people of color.

1:17:44 ↗ >> Yeah. No, I know it's a trickier it's a

1:17:46 ↗ trickier statement.

1:17:47 ↗ >> It's a trickier statement to make.

1:17:49 ↗ >> Um

1:17:49 ↗ >> I think for me it's more people knowing

1:17:52 ↗ what to expect and what the whole

1:17:54 ↗ situation is. So even the idea of

1:17:56 ↗ recording what the expectation is and so

1:18:00 ↗ you kind of know what to look for in

1:18:02 ↗ your job description. If I know that to

1:18:04 ↗ be a city council and maybe it seems a

1:18:07 ↗ no-brainer to some people but to some

1:18:10 ↗ people new to the political environment

1:18:14 ↗ they might not know that you know join a

1:18:16 ↗ board join a commission work for two or

1:18:18 ↗ three hours get to know people and to me

1:18:20 ↗ like you kind of have to do that. That's

1:18:21 ↗ how you do all jobs. So that's why I can

1:18:24 ↗ see the city council would disagree that

1:18:26 ↗ privilege of information and data. So I

1:18:29 ↗ agree with that and how do we how do we

1:18:33 ↗ grow

1:18:34 ↗ >> leaders is I think my question.

1:18:36 ↗ >> Yeah. And I think that would be a more

1:18:39 ↗ viable approach because um I certainly

1:18:42 ↗ don't want us to come across as being

1:18:44 ↗ unnecessarily pugilistic but more of we

1:18:48 ↗ are shining light on what we are viewing

1:18:50 ↗ as some inequities in a process that in

1:18:55 ↗ good faith is intended to get a diverse

1:18:58 ↗ set of leaders but may need a lens that

1:19:02 ↗ only we can uniquely present that can

1:19:05 ↗ help improve this process. process. So I

1:19:08 ↗ think that would be more of a in my

1:19:11 ↗ opinion a sustainable way to approach

1:19:13 ↗ this where I think our job as an

1:19:17 ↗ advisory board is to challenge and to to

1:19:20 ↗ question but to be collaborative in

1:19:22 ↗ doing both of those things.

1:19:25 ↗ >> I think something Lorna just said jumped

1:19:27 ↗ out to me as maybe a title or at least a

1:19:29 ↗ framework for growing leaders like

1:19:32 ↗ within our community. You know what I

1:19:34 ↗ mean? I think that was just it just

1:19:36 ↗ jumped out you know and I think it it

1:19:40 ↗ can be communicated in a way where we

1:19:41 ↗ talk about right how do we give access

1:19:43 ↗ to individuals right who don't come from

1:19:46 ↗ right the civic engagement background

1:19:49 ↗ already and they can as well right and

1:19:51 ↗ continue to grow in that leadership kind

1:19:52 ↗ of sphere and also right how do we

1:19:55 ↗ attract individuals who don't know

1:19:57 ↗ what's happening so growing leaders

1:19:59 ↗ right or something right um to that

1:20:02 ↗ effect.

1:20:04 ↗ >> I don't know. It jumped out to me.

1:20:06 ↗ >> I think it's fantastic.

1:20:07 ↗ >> Okay. I think that's a very powerful

1:20:09 ↗ frame. Yeah.

1:20:10 ↗ >> So, is our theme possibly access slash

1:20:14 ↗ um growing uh leaders in the community?

1:20:17 ↗ >> Is that like growing leaders through

1:20:18 ↗ access, you know, or something like

1:20:20 ↗ that? You know,

1:20:21 ↗ >> to provide access for everyone in the

1:20:24 ↗ diverse community.

1:20:27 ↗ >> So, I think we we've done related work.

1:20:29 ↗ So remember with that Evans skull um

1:20:32 ↗ project that they did and it was looking

1:20:35 ↗ at how to bring more like a diversity

1:20:38 ↗ analysis of the boards and commissions

1:20:40 ↗ and so there were also recommendations

1:20:42 ↗ there for

1:20:44 ↗ >> recruiting diverse community members

1:20:46 ↗ into diverse

1:20:47 ↗ >> or into Yeah. So it if this is in fact a

1:20:52 ↗ pipeline that council's happy about

1:20:55 ↗ we're that's also you know where we're

1:20:58 ↗ trying to get you know if

1:20:59 ↗ recommendations from that you know

1:21:01 ↗ project were carried forward then that

1:21:04 ↗ pipeline is starting we would be seeing

1:21:07 ↗ it in the boards and commissions which

1:21:08 ↗ would also feed into the council

1:21:10 ↗ appointments. So yeah it's not this

1:21:13 ↗ isn't just like the one area that we're

1:21:15 ↗ also trying to grow leaders in.

1:21:19 ↗ And also what is the minimum age

1:21:21 ↗ requirement to apply is what 18.

1:21:23 ↗ >> You could speak to that as well, right?

1:21:25 ↗ Transitioning folks out of you know you

1:21:28 ↗ know high school have done other things

1:21:30 ↗ you know and and maybe that's not like

1:21:31 ↗ the target age range but if that's going

1:21:33 ↗ to be the minimum age requirement right

1:21:35 ↗ that too could speak to the growing

1:21:37 ↗ leaders. So, we just had a high school

1:21:39 ↗ fresh,

1:21:40 ↗ >> right? We have, right, high school

1:21:41 ↗ representatives on our boards and our

1:21:42 ↗ commissions, right, in order to, right,

1:21:45 ↗ introduce them into what local

1:21:47 ↗ government and civic engagement looks

1:21:48 ↗ like. These could be the ones, right,

1:21:50 ↗ going into those seats. So,

1:21:54 ↗ >> and I will make a statement that our

1:21:55 ↗ city council is diverse in age.

1:21:58 ↗ >> Yes.

1:21:58 ↗ >> Because we had a very young person and

1:22:03 ↗ you know, yeah,

1:22:04 ↗ >> huge gambit of ages. So I really

1:22:06 ↗ appreciated that of our city council.

1:22:09 ↗ Yeah,

1:22:10 ↗ >> it got it it's become very it's become a

1:22:12 ↗ lot younger in the last year and a half.

1:22:15 ↗ I think the average age has decreased

1:22:17 ↗ significantly. Um kind of wild.

1:22:22 ↗ So it looks like we have a working

1:22:24 ↗ theme.

1:22:26 ↗ Is our goal still to, and I just

1:22:28 ↗ captured this in notes, make

1:22:30 ↗ recommendations on how to add

1:22:34 ↗ more equity to the overall process, the

1:22:38 ↗ overall city council appointment

1:22:40 ↗ process.

1:22:42 ↗ >> Yeah. I mean, I'm hearing that we were

1:22:43 ↗ honing in on maybe equitable access.

1:22:46 ↗ Maybe that could be like the area to

1:22:48 ↗ start, but I don't know if folks think

1:22:50 ↗ it should be broader than that.

1:22:55 ↗ So, three people are going to volunteer

1:22:58 ↗ to do this, right?

1:22:59 ↗ >> And then bring back a draft by next one

1:23:02 ↗ that we can all look at.

1:23:04 ↗ >> Yes, I think that is the general plan. I

1:23:06 ↗ think that makes sense.

1:23:08 ↗ >> Sounds good.

1:23:09 ↗ >> Yeah, you can have you can have up to

1:23:10 ↗ four. That's less than corona. So, if

1:23:12 ↗ there are four people interested, but I

1:23:14 ↗ think with the Just want to do a quick

1:23:16 ↗ time check. We got about five minutes of

1:23:17 ↗ our regular meeting time left.

1:23:19 ↗ >> Um, it sounds I'm taking a hot shot

1:23:22 ↗ here. Sounds like definitely Leslie

1:23:23 ↗ wants to work on this letter. Um Leslie,

1:23:26 ↗ I don't know if you want to recruit

1:23:28 ↗ three [laughter] other people.

1:23:29 ↗ >> Absolutely. I mean, I would certainly

1:23:32 ↗ like to recruit at least two other

1:23:34 ↗ people, maybe three to work on the the

1:23:37 ↗ the letter

1:23:39 ↗ with the goal to bring back a strong

1:23:42 ↗ draft next month.

1:23:44 ↗ >> Yes. In two weeks.

1:23:45 ↗ >> Okay. In two weeks. Looks like we have

1:23:47 ↗ [laughter]

1:23:49 ↗ two important points.

1:23:51 ↗ >> Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. I'm just letting you

1:23:53 ↗ know our next meeting is on June 3rd.

1:23:54 ↗ So,

1:23:55 ↗ >> Oh my goodness. That's right.

1:23:56 ↗ >> That is in two weeks because it's a

1:23:57 ↗ special meeting.

1:23:58 ↗ >> Okay.

1:23:58 ↗ >> Because we had to reschedule because of

1:24:00 ↗ my vacation.

1:24:01 ↗ >> Do we have any volunteers to assist in

1:24:04 ↗ this effort?

1:24:05 ↗ >> I would volunteer, but I am gone next

1:24:07 ↗ week.

1:24:08 ↗ >> Okay.

1:24:09 ↗ >> Otherwise, I would have been there. I

1:24:11 ↗ would be there the second week.

1:24:12 ↗ >> Okay. Will you be able to consult and

1:24:14 ↗ review the maybe the final product

1:24:16 ↗ because I know that you wrote a very

1:24:18 ↗ strong letter.

1:24:19 ↗ >> Help after next week. Perfect. Okay,

1:24:22 ↗ fair enough. So, any takers?

1:24:27 ↗ >> All right, Brity. Awesome. All right, we

1:24:29 ↗ have two.

1:24:36 ↗ Anyone? Anyone? I want to help. I just

1:24:39 ↗ don't want to overcommit myself. I'm in

1:24:41 ↗ school and work, you know what I mean? I

1:24:42 ↗ don't want to drop the ball. I want to

1:24:44 ↗ help, but I don't want to

1:24:46 ↗ >> not show up fully.

1:24:48 ↗ >> Fair enough.

1:24:49 ↗ So, Quan, what are you what are your

1:24:51 ↗ thoughts? [laughter]

1:24:55 ↗ >> We haven't finished the other work yet.

1:24:57 ↗ >> No, we haven't. But we are

1:24:59 ↗ [clears throat] getting priorities. I

1:25:00 ↗ mean,

1:25:01 ↗ >> well, you all you all voted to not

1:25:03 ↗ approve your work plan in order

1:25:05 ↗ >> Exactly. That's kind of why we're we're

1:25:07 ↗ here because we have um set aside our

1:25:09 ↗ our work plan to prioritize and I think

1:25:12 ↗ this is a strong priority for us.

1:25:14 ↗ >> Okay. Well, I can help.

1:25:16 ↗ >> Okay. two weeks and then we had all

1:25:18 ↗ three. [laughter]

1:25:19 ↗ >> Okay. Fantastic.

1:25:20 ↗ >> Yes. Trying to avoid eye contact.

1:25:23 ↗ >> I know. I know. It's awful. As I'm

1:25:25 ↗ looking around, you have heavy eye

1:25:26 ↗ contact at everyone. So, what it sounds

1:25:28 ↗ like is Quan and Printy and Leslie are

1:25:30 ↗ going to draft um something next week.

1:25:33 ↗ Share it with with Kelly for feedback

1:25:35 ↗ the following week and then you'll

1:25:37 ↗ you'll get that to me pro like by the

1:25:39 ↗ time I need meeting materials. So,

1:25:40 ↗ Leslie, I'll touch base with you on

1:25:42 ↗ that.

1:25:42 ↗ >> Sounds good. Um, and then what will

1:25:44 ↗ happen is it'll come to the board for

1:25:46 ↗ discussion. Um, I can decide when Leslie

1:25:49 ↗ and I connect about the agenda, Leslie

1:25:51 ↗ Carick and I, we can decide if it will

1:25:53 ↗ be for discussion or for action or maybe

1:25:56 ↗ both. Um, at our June meeting and

1:25:59 ↗ that'll be an opportunity. I think I

1:26:02 ↗ thought your question was well put. Do

1:26:03 ↗ we still feel like a letter is

1:26:06 ↗ warranted? And so the board, similar to

1:26:08 ↗ when you chose not to vote to or you

1:26:10 ↗ chose to vote again, you didn't vote,

1:26:13 ↗ you didn't approve the work plan, um we

1:26:15 ↗ could also see a situation in which

1:26:17 ↗ there are people here that don't vote to

1:26:19 ↗ send the letter. Um and so I think

1:26:21 ↗ [clears throat] the task of the

1:26:23 ↗ subcommittee is to come up with a draft

1:26:25 ↗ letter that the full board feels like

1:26:27 ↗ they can vote on. Um, I will say as

1:26:29 ↗ individual members, I've always

1:26:31 ↗ emphasized this to this group, as

1:26:34 ↗ individuals, as members of this

1:26:35 ↗ community, you do not need to always go

1:26:38 ↗ through the equity board if you have

1:26:40 ↗ opinions and perspectives that you feel

1:26:42 ↗ need to be heard. Um, I know Kelly has

1:26:45 ↗ reached out directly to both our former

1:26:47 ↗ and current mayor, um, evidence of which

1:26:50 ↗ she sent to everyone. Uh, but also our

1:26:52 ↗ city council members, you know, they

1:26:55 ↗ have regular meetings. uh they have

1:26:57 ↗ committees of a whole. I was just there

1:26:59 ↗ on Monday night and we had an not the

1:27:02 ↗ most people we've had in the last few

1:27:03 ↗ months, but we had many people there to

1:27:06 ↗ make public comment. Um and so I really

1:27:08 ↗ encourage you to to take time to look at

1:27:10 ↗ the council agendas and see the topics

1:27:12 ↗ on the agendas. And you know, equity

1:27:15 ↗ doesn't just happen in this room. This

1:27:17 ↗ is not the one way you advise the city

1:27:19 ↗ on equity. You can show up to any single

1:27:22 ↗ public meeting. You can contact council

1:27:24 ↗ members at your will to let them know

1:27:26 ↗ your your perspectives on the work the

1:27:29 ↗ city does. So,

1:27:31 ↗ >> can I clarify something?

1:27:32 ↗ >> If we do, are we as individuals? Okay. I

1:27:37 ↗ just want to make sure.

1:27:37 ↗ >> Yeah. You you you can tell them that

1:27:39 ↗ you're a member of the equity board.

1:27:41 ↗ Absolutely. But you're not speaking on

1:27:43 ↗ behalf of the equity board. Um, and they

1:27:47 ↗ know that you can we had issues with the

1:27:50 ↗ former members of the equity board going

1:27:51 ↗ to school district meetings and having

1:27:53 ↗ it be misconstrued that they're

1:27:55 ↗ representing the city. Our council

1:27:56 ↗ members are familiar with all of you.

1:27:58 ↗ They approved your appointment to this

1:27:59 ↗ board. Um, and so you can remind them,

1:28:01 ↗ I'm a member of the equity board and I'm

1:28:03 ↗ here speaking um, from my own opinion,

1:28:06 ↗ not as a representative of the equity

1:28:08 ↗ board's opinion. And I wanted to throw

1:28:10 ↗ out not for we don't have to decide or

1:28:13 ↗ discuss today, but to just noodle the

1:28:15 ↗ idea that a couple of us go and meet

1:28:18 ↗ with each of the city council members

1:28:20 ↗ before we present the letter.

1:28:23 ↗ >> Oh, it's relationship wise wiser

1:28:27 ↗ usually.

1:28:28 ↗ >> Yeah.

1:28:29 ↗ >> Like to vote on it again before we send

1:28:31 ↗ it.

1:28:32 ↗ >> Absolutely [snorts] we will. We

1:28:33 ↗ absolutely have to. That's part of our

1:28:34 ↗ process. Yeah. Don't you worry.

1:28:39 ↗ Okay, Leslie. Um, anything else on this

1:28:41 ↗ topic before you can uh adjourn our

1:28:44 ↗ meeting?

1:28:45 ↗ >> Um, I do not have anything uh for the

1:28:48 ↗ good of the order. So

1:28:49 ↗ >> there there isn't even and there is no

1:28:51 ↗ other business this evening because it's

1:28:52 ↗ a special meeting.

1:28:53 ↗ >> Fantastic. Um, if there are another uh

1:28:57 ↗ no other uh questions, comments,

1:28:58 ↗ discussion items, then I'd like to close

1:29:01 ↗ the uh May 13th uh meeting of the equity

1:29:04 ↗ board at 8:00 p.m.

1:29:07 ↗ >> Wow.

1:29:08 ↗ >> Time.

1:29:11 ↗ >> All right, we are

1:29:13 ↗ >> Thank you. Thank you.

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