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Regular City Council Meeting Monday, February 9, 2009 Page 18 Acting Mayor Roe indicated that, going forward from tonight's meeting, addi- tional analysis, discussion, and decision points would be coming to the City Council from staff. c. Discuss Neighborhood Diversity Commission City Manager Malinen briefly reviewed the staff report dated February 9, 2009; initial conversations with the City's Human Rights Commission (HRC); and pur- suit of goals and strategies brought forth from Imagine Roseville 2025 discus- sions. Mr. Malinen reviewed, from his role as Liaison to the HRC, opportunities to utilize that group of residents with a slightly different focus or charge, allowing further community engagement; recognition and enhancement of neighborhood involvement and diversity; and heightened awareness of the City's demographics. Mr. Malinen sought to build on the recent forum on diversity and discussions for educational opportunities, celebrating ethnicity and cultures; with an overall goal of involving the community and neighborhoods as a whole in that diversity. Mr. Malinen sought additional City Council interest and direction, or response to questions/ideas to pursue this further, anticipating drafting of an ordinance outlin- ing those goals and that broader mission for the HRC. Councilmember Pust sought reaction and comment from Mr. Grefenberg related to community engagement through this existing commission, given his past role as co-chair of the Imagine Roseville 2025 subcommittee dealing with issues of di- versity and neighborhoods. Councilmember Pust opined that she was supportive of providing this citizen group with a more defined focus to assist the City Coun- cil in reaching out to all of Roseville. Public Comment Gary Grefenberg Mr. Grefenberg noted his excitement when initially reading staff s proposal; how- ever, he cautioned that it needed to be done carefully and in concert with the HRC: to broaden their charge, rather than refocusing the group. Mr. Grefenberg opined that making the HRC more relevant to the entire community was a posi- tive step, allowing citizens to feel that they belonged to a community who re- spects them and wants to hear their voice. Mr. Grefenberg opined that people were getting tired of cynicism; that recom- mendations contained in the Imagine Roseville 2025 community visioning proc- ess, and expanded and further refined in the City's Comprehensive Plan Update could be broadened through work of the HRC, provided the standard purpose of the HRC was not being replaced. Mr. Grefenberg suggested that a clear under- standing of diversity AND neighborhoods, not just neighborhood diversity was essential to facilitate increased sensitivity to intolerance. Mr. Grefenberg opined that often people didn't express their difference, which led to quiet intolerance developing into dissent. Mr. Grefenberg opined that the City Council, as a com-