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Gather round, Iowa City.
Tonight, City Council will discuss some of the items passed in the Iowa Freedom Rider Resolution passed two weeks ago. The meeting kicks off at 4 p.m. #iowacity #protests2020 https://www.press-citizen.com/story/news/local/2020/06/26/iowa-city-mayor-calls-work-session-adopted-black-lives-matter-resolution/3263963001/
Tonight, City Council will discuss some of the items passed in the Iowa Freedom Rider Resolution passed two weeks ago. The meeting kicks off at 4 p.m. #iowacity #protests2020 https://www.press-citizen.com/story/news/local/2020/06/26/iowa-city-mayor-calls-work-session-adopted-black-lives-matter-resolution/3263963001/
Read here about some of the items in that resolution: https://www.press-citizen.com/story/news/2020/06/17/iowa-city-resolution-restructure-police-drop-charges-against-protesters-black-lives-matter/3202371001/
Also, here is a catalog of the the 18 days that lead to the Iowa Freedom Rider resolution being passed: https://www.press-citizen.com/story/news/2020/06/16/timeline-weeks-protest-culminate-tuesday-iowa-city-council-meeting/3197940001/
We're 15 out. Tune in here:
Tonight's work is to talk out the road ahead for carrying out the IFR resolution they passed. They are talking about tackling things through categories:
Right now, we've got police; truth and reconciliation; diversity, equity and inclusion; and housing.
Right now, we've got police; truth and reconciliation; diversity, equity and inclusion; and housing.
There is some move to make "police" "public safety" as it refers more widely to outcomes they are hoping to achieve.
Pro Temp Mazahir Salih is concerned takes away from the clarity of focusing on the police department as an institution to be reformed.
Pro Temp Mazahir Salih is concerned takes away from the clarity of focusing on the police department as an institution to be reformed.
Councilor Laura Bergus argues public safety gets the focus more towards the parallel institutions (ex. non-armed enforcement) that will manage public safety.
Councilor Mims is asking for some outside consultation from an institution like the UI Obermann Center to shepherd the Truth and Reconciliation in its work:
Truth and Rec commission "may be the biggest, most important thing we can do to impact systemic racism in our comm."
Truth and Rec commission "may be the biggest, most important thing we can do to impact systemic racism in our comm."
Here's how they carved those out:
(Structure: Category - resolution items)
Truth and Reconciliation – 2. Allocate $1 million; equity programs, housing plan, commission support; 5. Develop ad hoc Truth and Reconciliation Commission;
(Structure: Category - resolution items)
Truth and Reconciliation – 2. Allocate $1 million; equity programs, housing plan, commission support; 5. Develop ad hoc Truth and Reconciliation Commission;
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion – 3. Equitable recruitment, hiring, staff training; 7. Racial & Equity Toolkit expansion of use and education; 15. Increase art and celebrations of communities of color; 17. Establish Juneteenth as an official city holiday.
Police/public safety/policing – 1. Plan to restructure ICPD towards community Policing; 4. Report on gas/flashbang use on June 3; 6. 2021 legislative priorities supporting racial/social justice; 8. Increased oversight authority for CPRB;
... 9. Transparent and accessible ICPD budget details; 10. Military-grade equipment inventory review; 11. prohibit chokeholds and airway restricting maneuvers; 12. Police misconduct related to IA H.F. 2647; 13. Body camera and car recorder compliance; ...
... 14. Duty to intervene and stop excessive use of force; 16. prohibit use of tear gas, rubber bullets, flash bangs on peaceful protesters.
We're almost an hour into the work session and the largest discussion item by far has been what to call the "police/public safety/policing/police restructuring" category.
Idea I learned from algebra: Call it X. We'll solve for it later.
Looks like we have one: “Addressing policing and future of public safety” (offered by Salih)
Teague reads from a letter from Iowa Freedom Riders saying they have created four groups (Police; Housing; Truth and Reconciliation Committee; and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion). IFR calls for City Council to appoint liaisons to each committee.
Councilor Susan Mims asks for ad hoc committees be appointed to address individual issues, versus whole categories. Councilor Pauline Taylor agrees.
Here’s the IFR Letter:
Fruin mentions that many of these items aren't as simple as they seem. Even the Juneteenth holiday will require administrative work for things like union contracts before they will be complete.
For the following, the plan right now is for staff to update policy and send to Community Police Review Board for approval:
11-14 ^^above^^ (chokehold ban, bod camera compliance, etc.)
11-14 ^^above^^ (chokehold ban, bod camera compliance, etc.)
City Atty says the process for committees is first a group (mix of staff or council) develops resolution for the committee. Then the Council appoints to that committee to carry out that resolution.
There is some discomfort here about from council about treating the IFR as the defacto source of these changes. I keep hearing council subsume the changes as partly IFR, partly rest of public. They're trying to avoid making the conversation a tete-a-tete between Council and IFR.
You see this in wanting to create ad hoc committees as opposed to agreeing to work with the para-governmental committees/commissions created by the IFR.
A line from @Sara_BarronIC in the facebook feed: "IFR also asked that the council discuss how they will include people from *all* Black communities. They aren’t just fighting for IFR 
"
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Mims does it: "We were elected to represent all people in this community; not just the IFR." says their work to get them to this discussion is important but says she isn't comfortable depending on the IFR as the unified synthesis of Iowa City's voice.
Bergus says, "We've been doing a lot on the fly lately." That the quick action by council is not conducive to transparency. Says she would like the public to have some sort of staff/council product for the public to weigh in on versus open-ended/unstructured comment.
City Atty: "The expectation of the comm after years of the packet going out Thurs. is material council will discuss the next week will be included--to the extent it is possible--will be included in the packet Thurs. so there is time to look at it and provide feedback to council."
City Council says they will solicit the IFR for the work they've done toward the creation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Councilors Bergus and Janice Weiner volunteer to reach out.
Councilors will give that input to staff who will work with them to develop a draft charge resolution for the commission. It will be in the July 16 packet for public comment, council consideration, and potential passage at the July 21st meeting.
For anyone hearing a distrust of city staff, you'll find this from developers of big buildings to the folks spraypainting those buildings. People in Johnson County love making fun of Trump's deep state conspiracy but just mention the spectre haunting hall--city staff!
Teague said the bureaucracy can make black voices difficult to hear. Says they should think about how they can reimagine that process.
And the meeting is adjourned.
Thank y'all for tuning in. Send me any questions you have.
And the meeting is adjourned.
Thank y'all for tuning in. Send me any questions you have.
