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Regular City Council Meeting Monday,January 06, 2014 Page 25 not preclude partnering and developing a synergy among other advisory com- mission's and a Community Engagement advisory commission. Mayor Roe opined that civic engagement in itself indicated citizen ownership and endorse- ment of the process, providing a group of stewards of the community visioning process. Mayor Roe noted that the community visioning process would need up- dated in the near future; and suggested charging that group with that process, with part of their charge being to ensure responsible stewards of the vision and lan- guage of the vision and process moving forward. HRC Regarding the HRC retaining the civic engagement focus, Mayor Roe opined that to give them both goals would be too much. Councilmembers Willmus and Etten spoke in support of a separate Community Engagement advisory commission and HRC. Public Comment Gary Grefenberg, 91 Mid Oaks Lane As Co-Chair of the current Civic Engagement Task Force as a subcommittee un- der the HRC, and after eighteen months of trying to do both, Mr. Grefenberg opined that it was impossible; and stated that he refused to do both. Mr. Grefen- berg referenced the little support received by the task force from staff at this time and the challenges that created; and recommended that the Administration De- partment make staff available to take minutes and offer other support to the group. Mr. Grefenberg further opined that the Civic Engagement Task Force worked on most things primarily outside the HRC, and he saw no value in continued report- ing to the HRC before directly to the City Council. Mr. Grefenberg further opined that staffing civic engagement in a department and with designated staff was critically necessary to provide it with status, and a clear charge with the abil- ity to respond to the City Council as a separate advisory commission. Mr. Gre- fenberg referenced some of the issues that the HRC needed to address, and as- sured Councilmembers that they would have sufficient work to do without the civic engagement aspect. Mr. Grefenberg expressed his appreciation with the current collaboration he was seeing between the HRC, Civic Engagement Task Force and staff; and suggested civic engagement assist communications, but not be left up to communications staff alone. Mr. Grefenberg stated that the City was now at a new beginning with a new Communications Director in place, and expressed his appreciation at being asked by the Director for his suggestions; opining that this was the type of rela- tionship needed. For the success of the website, Mr. Grefenberg opined that it would be important to have the Civic Engagement advisory commission in place soon to work with staff. Mr. Grefenberg noted that one thing lost in the process, when the HRC agreed with the recommendation of the Civic Engagement Task Force as a separate