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Regular City Council Meeting <br /> Monday, May 13, 2024 <br /> Page 10 <br /> Councilmember Etten thought that brought up things he had heard from former <br /> members of the HRIEC and some people who were in the public who were not a <br /> part of the HRIEC. One of the considerations for having this not be a commission <br /> and not videotaped is that it allows for more frank and open conversations.He noted <br /> an example was given to him as a member of the MAC who has legal trouble in <br /> their past and was able to openly talk about that in what that person considers to be <br /> a safe space. As soon as there is a video going and make it open meeting law, that <br /> does not become a safe space for that person and the person cannot share personal <br /> experiences. When the group talks about how a regulation affects people who have <br /> experiences like someone in the group, at some point, that is going to be discussed <br /> and may not be something the person wants to be videotaped. The City loses that <br /> benefit. <br /> Councilmember Etten indicated this is something he heard from people where they <br /> felt it was something that changed how that person could talk and operate in the <br /> meeting. He thought, for him, it was an important thing to consider. If the City does <br /> a commission, then he thought the City cannot have any exceptions to the <br /> commission code or it gets very messy. When the person interviews for a position, <br /> it will be in front of the Council and that person will need to use Roberts Rules of <br /> Orders,but he thinks then the City starts making the space less comfortable. When <br /> this happens it may not allow the City to get the people that are needed for that type <br /> of commission or would allow the person to fully participate in a way that is so <br /> useful for the City. <br /> Councilmember Etten indicated he appreciated Councilmember Strahan's point <br /> about internal focus that others agreed on. For him,part of the reason this would be <br /> different is because of its extreme internal focus and it is thinking about how the <br /> City operates and what are the City policies being reviewed versus the very public <br /> output that a lot of the City Commissions have. Those are things that are important <br /> for him as he thinks forward about why he would lean away from a commission. <br /> He explained this is not about him but about the feedback he has heard and why he <br /> thought a distinction here is that internal focus and why a committee approach <br /> makes more sense for that, a clear distinction line in how these groups would <br /> operate, and what the groups would do in the City. <br /> Councilmember Strahan said her biggest concern was that it will get too loose and <br /> there is no continuity, because she knows that given changes in the Police <br /> Department and having different staff leave, it has had kind of fits and starts. She <br /> wants continuity for the people who are involved and an opportunity for it to be <br /> successful because the Council is also setting them up for failure if they are not <br /> providing an opportunity for it to be consistent. She agreed that setting up a regular <br /> meeting and people are a lot better off knowing when this meeting is a set meeting <br /> on the calendar. She thought people needed that consistency even if they cannot <br /> make it, but she also wanted there to be an expectation that the person is making <br /> some type of commitment. She indicated her understanding from the MAC is that <br />