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<br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Council Worksession <br />January 23, 2018 <br />5:00 pm <br /> <br />Present: Mayor Valerie Johnson <br /> Councilmember Graeme Allen <br /> Councilmember Mary Burg <br /> Councilmember Emily Dunsworth <br /> Councilmember Paul Jacobsen <br />Absent: <br /> <br />Staff in Attendance: Dean Lotter <br /> <br />Guests in Attendance: Gail Nord, Casandra Schlangen, Claudia Valdez, and Nasreen Fynewever <br /> <br /> <br />The Council discussed an even numbered article that would be placed in an upcoming City newsletter. Mayor <br />Johnson requested the Council review the proposed article and speak with staff prior to Thursday if they have <br />any comments or corrections. She offered her support to the article being included in the next newsletter. The <br />Council supported the proposed article. <br /> <br />Mayor Johnson stated she was in favor of removing Ben Jones from the Planning Commission based on a <br />recent letter he sent to the editor speaking against the City Council. Lotter spoke to the norms of behavior that <br />have been accepted by the City Council and the City’s Commissions. <br /> <br />Councilmember Burg supported the Council taking this action at the City Council meeting. <br /> <br />Councilmember Allen stated he did not support removing Commissioner Jones given the fact the topic he was <br />addressing was not within the purview of the Planning Commission. <br /> <br />Mayor Johnson stated the even numbered election year was a big issue facing the City right now and she did <br />not believe Council appointed Commissioners should be speaking out against the City Council at this time. <br />She supported the Council removing Mr. Jones from his position in order to allow him to continue to speak his <br />opinion regarding this matter. She requested Councilmember Burg amend the City Council agenda in order to <br />discuss and take action on this item this evening. <br /> <br />5:00 p.m. – Interview Inclusive Community Task Force Applicants <br /> <br />Mayor Johnson welcomed Gail Nord. She asked Gail to tell the Council a little bit about herself and her <br />experiences pertinent to making New Brighton an inclusive community. <br /> <br />Gail Nord stated she has been involved in New Brighton and not ed she recently moved to the City. She <br />explained she has an intense curiosity on who was living in the community and wanted to reach out to them to <br />better understand what their lives were like. <br /> <br />Councilmember Dunsworth stated the Inclusive Community Task Force was being created to explore new