Laserfiche WebLink
<br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Council Worksession <br />September 12, 2017 <br />5:00 pm <br /> <br />Present: Mayor Valerie Johnson <br /> Councilmember Gina Bauman <br />Councilmember Brian Strub <br /> Councilmember Paul Jacobsen <br />Councilmember Mary Burg <br />Absent: <br /> <br />Staff in A ttendance: Dean Lotter, Tony Paetznick <br /> <br />Guests in Attendance : <br /> <br />Multi-Cultural Advisory Commission <br />Mayor Johnson stated she would like the Council to consider the creation of a Multi-Cultural Advisory <br />Commission. She believed it was important to learn more about the community leaders in th e City. She <br />provided the Council with a recap on the last task force meeting she attended with a local community member <br />where the group discussed how the City could improve engagement with the diverse population and <br />partnerships with the school district. She explained she was learning more about the ethnicities and religious <br />beliefs of the New Brighton residents after spending more and more time in the community. It was her goal <br />that all members of the community would have a voice and that trust would be improved between residents and <br />the City and its Public Safety Department. <br /> <br />Lotter requested the Council reach a consensus on this topic and provide staff with direction on how to <br />proceed. <br /> <br />Mayor Johnson explained she would like to see the City getting out ahead of this issue before an incident were <br />to occur that would require a special task force. She stated she would like to see the members of a task force <br />continue to serve if a Commission were to be created and asked for thoughts from the Councilmembers. <br /> <br />Councilmember Burg understood that other communities have started community engagement groups to foster <br />community. She did not believe there was any reason why the City should not pursue a task force. <br /> <br />Councilmember Jacobsen also supported the City pursuing a community engagement task force. <br /> <br />Councilmember Bauman questioned how the task force came about and how the members were selected. <br /> <br />Mayor Johnson stated the group came about organically and explained not all of the members knew each other. <br /> <br />Councilmember Bauman expressed frustration that the Council had not met all of the task force members prior <br />to the group meeting. She stated she did not want the City Council interfering in school matters. She <br />questioned what the group felt was missing from t he City. She indicated she would like to more know about <br />what the goals were. <br />