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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 1.29.24CITY OF FALCON HEIGHTS Community Engagement Commission City Hall 2077 West Larpenteur Avenue MINUTES January, 29 2024 at 6:30 P.M. A. CALL TO ORDER: 6:30 PM B. ROLL CALL: Cooley-Kistler_X_ Ebbesen_X_ Lindstrom__ Stockford_X_ STAFF PRESENT: Van der Werff_X_ C. PRESENTATION: D. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: 1. November 20, 2023 Community Engagement Commission Meeting Minutes E. AGENDA: 1. Officer Elections Ebbesen elects Stockford to be chair. Stockford appreciates the election and would like to set the agenda in collaboration with Van der Werff. Approved; 3-0 Cooley Kistler is elected as Vice Chair. She is unsure if she will be able to end her three- year term but will stay until another commission vacancy is filled. Approved; 3-0 Commissioners discuss recruitment ideas of more commissioners Ebbesen is elected as secretary. Approved; 3-0 Van der Werff will check with Lindstrom on commitments after he graduates high school. 2. Standing Rules Ebbesen notes one slight change from standing rules. Only one motion is needed and not a second motion. Stockford notes that these rules are slightly different from Robert’s Rules of Order, which are guidelines used for facilitating discussions and group-decision making by various kinds of organizations. Cooley Kistler motions to adopt standing rules; approved 3-0 3. CEC Schedule & Events Ebbesen checks date for Human Rights Day, which is December 10 on Tuesday. She notes a Human Rights Day can be done on another date if there are conflicts on December 10. Stockford wonders about dates for ice cream social and spring together. Van der Werff notes these are meeting dates and dates for both events have not been determined yet. But they generally are 3rd Thursday in July for Ice Cream Social and a Saturday in May for Spring Together. Commissioners discuss having a joint meeting with PARKS to discuss plans for Spring Together and Ice Cream Social. All commissioners are able to have a joint meeting on either March 4th and March 18th. Van der Werff will discuss with PARKS commission on getting a date for a joint meeting and determine dates for both City Events. Stockford brings up ideas of organizing events that attract more apartment dwellers and do more outreach. Ebbessen agrees and suggests Ramsey County Sherriff’s does events such as coffee with a cop, it would be great to so something similar with Council. Van der Werff agrees. Stockford likes the idea of having a meeting at public places for elected officials to do outreach with apartment dwellers. Cooley Kistler likes the idea and believes previous ideas were brought up. She remembers contacting management from certain apartment buildings to inform them about Spring Together and Ice Cream Social and they were happy to support those kinds of community building events. She also believes an event at the lawn of City Hall would draw more people and would not feel targeted. Stockford wants to make apartment dwellers more a part of the City and that the City sees them as a part of the City with the CEC being the liaison in between. He would like to contact all apartment buildings at some point and think of ideas to be more engaging with apartment dwellers. Ebbessen recaps, we will decide on a joint meeting with PARKs and once dates are decided for the events they will be added to the CEC meetings and events schedule. She wonders about Human Rights Day and if that should be added to the schedule. Stockford is in favor of continuing the event, but the turnout has been rather low and wonders if it is still worth having it. The Falcon Heights Community Event had a great turnout. But the previous Human Rights Day events were an evolvement of the Human Rights Commission and Stockford believes it should stay as a City Event, but does not necessarily have to be organized by Community Engagement Commission. Commissioners discuss the turnout of the Falcon Heights Community Engagement Night. Stockford agrees, City Hall front lawn is a great venue but believes using other venues within the City is a good start and coming to their apartments could serve as the invitation. Cooley Kistler motions to approve schedule and events; approved 3-0 4. Neighborhood Liaison Handbook Stockford explains he had put together a draft for the handbook using data from the liaison program. He was able to create an introduction, but felt there were a number of questions that were still left to be addressed. Neighborhood Liaisons are foundational to making people feel part of a bigger community. The handbook as it was were written for a different time and not very relevant anymore. Ebbesen agrees and wonders if both documents could be combined or if they should be more researched. Stockford says yes and notes its more an explanation of the roles of CEC with the handbook in mind. He would like to further research the purpose, mission, role and responsibilities of the CEC before being able to complete the Neighborhood Liaison Handbook as they both play a pivotal role. Ebbesen wonders if we want to wait for a council liaison assignment to finalize the handbook. Stockford believes the CEC should get to a consensus of what the purpose of the commission is and then get an idea of what the Council believes the purpose of the CEC is. Commissioners continue to discuss the Liaison Handbook. Stockford wonders if it aligns with the current comprehensive/strategic plan of the City. He likes the draft but think the CEC should capture more of the entire commission’s role rather than their role in just the liaison program. The Commission decides to table the handbook revision and would like to address questions raised tonight to be answered and finalized for the handbook. 5. Sister Cities Van der Werff explains the City Council has been in discussion about participating in Sister Cities International (SCI). At their workshop on Wednesday, December 6 they agreed it would be appropriate to involve the CEC for their help to identify and research cities. Commissioners discuss the benefits of participating in the program and determine it is not an appropriate time at the moment as they would rather focus on creating a plan to get more apartment dwellers involved and engaged in the community. F. INFORMATION/ANNOUNCEMENT No announcements. G. ADJOURNMENT: 8:00 PM