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Regular City Council Meeting Monday, January 22, 2024 Page 9 the Commission looks to tweak this and the Commission finds ways to make sure that is not receiving short shift in the language. Mayor Roe stated he respectfully disagreed a little bit with Councilmember Schroeder on the first bullet point about the advice. He thought it does really fall more under duties and functions rather than role or overarching the other two. But, he did not want to dwell on it too much. He agreed with the Commission that it does not have to be doing a lot of what the original language was asking for. He asked for elaboration about what the Commission envisions as to how the ambassador part works, maybe in what areas the City does, what is going on in the community, how that looks, or what the Commission might be doing as ambassadors. He wanted to make sure he understood that part of it. Vice-Chair Becker thought a big part of using the word ‘ambassador’ is being part of a Commission feels like a nice entry point to participating in civic life. She thought the Commission was hopeful or has had conversations about how the Commission gets more citizens involved in civic life. She stated the initial reaction of everyone is that nobody is going to care about it until something matters to them. She thought they have to take the word ‘ambassador’, go into the community, and be excited about what it means to participate in the government because it is everyone’s government. She thought the more they can do that at schools, senior housing, and apartment meetings, that the Commission can show up and say they are ambassadors, not just for human rights and issues, but for the City. She stated that ‘ambassador’ is a great word for the Commission because the Commissioners will make people feel included when they go out and tell the people that they are included. She thought that was a lot of the Commission’s work and is not just engaging and showing up all of the time. Councilmember Strahan appreciated the ambassador item and thought it really reflects the E and I in the Commission name, Equity and Inclusion. Over the last three years it has been the most frequently requested Commission for people to be on. She noted the Commission has also been the most diverse and she appreciated the Commissioners taking a look at it holistically. She thought as soon as any one part of the HRIE is left out, then it becomes a whole different entity. She wanted to make sure that her fellow Councilmembers remember that this is all part of the piece and this is an aspiration for all of them. She appreciated the Commissioners for being there and how well represented the Commission has been at the parade. She also appreciated that the Commission is looked at as a type of conduit for the city and she wanted to make sure the City lifts up the Commissioner’s interest in being that advocate ambassador. Mayor Roe appreciated everyone’s time and hoped it helped to understand both ways in terms of where everything is coming from. He suggested the Commission meet with Councilmembers Etten and Schroeder to work through the wording. Qbhf!82!pg!354