HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-02-26 DIAC Regular MeetingPersons with a disability who want to attend this meeting who may need assistance should contact the Assistant City
Manager’s office at 972-924-3325 two working days prior to the meeting so that appropriate arrangements can be made.
AGENDA
DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETING
Anna Muncipal Complex - Council Chambers
120 W. 7th Street, Anna, TX 75409
Monday, February 26, 2024 @ 6:00 PM
1. Call to Order, Roll Call, and Establishment of Quorum.
2. Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance.
3. Neighbor's Input.
At this time, any person may address the Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Commission
regarding an item on this meeting agenda that is not scheduled for public hearing. Also, at
this time any person may address the Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Commission
regarding an item that is not on this meeting agenda. Each person will be allowed up to 3
minutes to speak. No discussion or action may be taken at this meeting on items not listed
on this agenda, other than to make statements of specific information in response to a
citizen’s inquiry or to recite existing policy in response to the inquiry.
4. Items For Individual Consideration. a. Discuss the role of the City of Anna in acknowledging and celebrating Heritage
Months and Identity Recognitions. (30 min) b. Consider/Discuss/Act to advise the City Council to celebrate Anna's neighbors
from diverse backgrounds for their engagement in Anna Neighbor Academy. (10
min) c. Consider/Discuss/Act to develop a process flow and procedural guidelines for the
Commission. (20 min) d. Consider/Discuss/Act next steps for National Day of Prayer. (10 min)
e. Consider/Discuss/Act to approve the minutes from the January 22, 2024 Diversity
and Inclusion Advisory Commission Meeting. (2 min)
5. Reports. a. Discuss Anna Multicultural Night event. (10 min)
b. Recap Youth in Government Day. (5 min) c. Update Youth Employment Program. (2 min)
d. Update Project Unity Together We Dine Programs. (2 min)
6. Items for Future Consideration.
a. Consider/Discuss/Act to advise the City Council to celebrate Kimberly Winarski for
Anna Neighbor Academy/accessiblity and equal opportunity/Neighbors of Diverse
Backgrounds (Glenn Brown). (5 min)
7. Adjourn.
Persons with a disability who want to attend this meeting who may need assistance should contact the Assistant City
Manager’s office at 972-924-3325 two working days prior to the meeting so that appropriate arrangements can be made.
This is to certify that I, Taylor Lough, Assistant City Manager, posted this Agenda on the City’s
website (www.annatexas.gov) and at the Anna Municipal Complex bulletin board at or before 5:00
p.m. on 02/22/2024.
_________________________________________
Taylor Lough, Assistant City Manager
Agenda Item for discussion and action/consideration to send to City
Council in January 2024 as an actionable item:
Celebrate Anna Neighbors from Diverse Backgrounds Engagement in Anna
Neighbor Academy
ITEM (Sponsor: Commission Member Glenn Brown):
Commission offers that the Anna City Council recognize and celebrate Anna
Neighbors:
The Anna City Council would like to acknowledge and commend:
1) Anna Neighbors from Diverse backgrounds for responding in such a strong
and representative manner, reflective of Anna’s diverse makeup, to the
Neighbor Academy Experience.
NOTE: For consideration
1) Develop certificate and pictures of groups of participants from diverse
backgrounds for public display in Municipal Building Reception area.
- On a video monitor looping displayed with other community items in
the Municipal Entrance
2) Mayor, City Council, and D&I Chair present acknowledgement in
celebration at the Anna Multicultural Festival in 2024.
3) Cost: <$100.00
D&I Commission Advisory Process
1. For first review, the Commissioner should consider these questions:
i. Does this idea support the mission of the Commission and does the idea fall within the
duties of Commission?
1. Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Commission Mission is to work together to
ensure all neighbors are seen, heard, acknowledged, and celebrated.
ii. Does this idea support the City’s Strategic Plan (Strategic Outcome Area(s)/Success
Statement)
2. Discuss viability with the Chair or the Council liaison.
3. Email the staff liaisons requesting item for future consideration. Include desired title for agenda
and any related information or links. Please provide the proposed idea and details two weeks in
advance of the meeting to allow for staff, chair, and liaison review and send these in one email.
If an idea is proposed at a meeting for the next meeting, please also send this information to the
staff liaison prior to the next meeting.
i. Staff sets agenda and reviews with Chair the week prior to the meeting (and posting of
the agenda).
ii. Agendas are required to be posted 72 hours in advance of any public meeting.
4. Provide 5-minute update during posted meeting for Commission action.
i. Commission votes to move item forward or deny item from further discussion or action.
ii. If denied, the item should not be resubmitted for Future Consideration for a period of 6
months.
5. If the Commission votes favorably to place item on next agenda, provide additional presentation
and information to Commission for review, discussion, and if appliable, action to advise.
i. Staff may provide professional expertise to the Commission via memorandums or
presentations.
6. Commission will take action to advise the City Council.
7. Staff liaison provides report to the City Council following Commission action:
i. Council may direct City Manager during the report or individually later on;
ii. City Manager may place an item on the agenda, if needed, or direct staff (note: Council
follows same process for future consideration).
8. Signed minutes (at least one month lag) are placed on the City Council agenda for review.
9. Annually the Commission may provide a report in the form of a memorandum to City Council
outlining the projects they’ve proposed with their priorities among those projects.
D&I Commission Code of Conduct
•Timeliness and Attendance:
o Being on time is important to allow Commission meetings to begin and end within a
reasonable window.
o Advanced notice of absence is necessary to ensure quorum for a meeting except in the
case where an emergency arises.
▪Past meetings have been cancelled after the time in which the meeting was
supposed to start because 4+ members weren’t able to attend and did not
inform staff.
▪Notice is essential to respect the time of all Commission members, Council
members, staff, and the public.
o Attendance is recorded and reported to the City Council. Members may be removed at
the will of the Council.
o If a Commission member is not present during a discussion or vote, they are forfeiting
their opportunity to discuss or vote on an item. Decisions on items should only be
revisited when absolutely required to ensure projects keep moving forward.
•Coming Prepared:
o Staff will maintain a database of relevant project information to reference in project
discussions.
o Staff will include relevant project information in the agenda packet prior to meetings.
o Reading the packet and being prepared with the information provided will allow for
quality conversations and direction during the meetings.
o Attend annual orientation in June.
•Legal:
o Following the Open Meetings Act and the Public Information Act
▪Decisions are made at meetings, not between meetings.
▪Group texts, series of gatherings (meeting with one member, then another,
then another, then another) on a single topic may develop a predetermined.
o Neighbors’ comment is limited to 3 minutes. Commissioners may not ask questions of
the speaker, rather they may only respond with fact.
o Share other members’ contact information (including but not limited to email, phone
number, and address) only with their consent.
MINUTES
DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION ADVISORY COMMISSION SPECIAL CALLED MEETING
120 W. 7th St., Anna, TX 75409
Monday, January 22, 2024 @ 6:00 PM
1. Call to Order, Roll Call, and Establishment of Quorum.
Elijah Nelms called the meeting to order at 6:07 p.m.
Commission Members Present: Elijah Nelms, Yoshanda Sims, Dallen Morgan, Valencia Edwards
and Rahul Luthra. Quorum is present.
Commission Members Absent: Theresa King-Bell and Glenn Brown
Others in Attendance: Councilmember Kevin Toten, Assistant City Manager Taylor Lough,
Assistant to the City Manager Kimberly Winarski.
2. Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance.
Dallen Morgan provided an invocation and Kevin Toten led the Pledge of Allegiance.
3. Neighbor's Input.
Jeff Reece of 1237 Carinna Drive presented the Commission information on the Anna Art
Association. The association partners with school and local artists. He asked the Commission to
think of ways the association could be a part of events and programs in the future.
4. Items for Individual Consideration
a. Discuss Multicultural Event next steps.
Taylor Lough introduced Neighborhood Services Director Marc Marchand who discussed his
background and experience with special event planning and presented options for the spring
multicultural event. To ensure food trucks or vendors are in attendance staff had discussed paying
for a certain number of servings. Valencia Edwards suggested food trucks for Indian, Caribbean,
African food. She asked how data is gathered at events. Marc explained there are number of ways
to estimate attendance. The first year the targeted number of attendees is 500. The first year of
concerts in the park was 200 people. Staff is proposing Saturday May 4, 2024, from 10 a.m. to 1
p.m. at Slayter Creek Park with entertainment and vendors and food. The Commission discussed
the time being too early. Elijah Nelms asked the Commission thoughts on the name. Valencia
suggested Anna Multicultural Festival and the marketing needs to feature people of color.
Commission members agreed. Valencia stated she would look at the school district’s demographic
data. Taylor Lough shared the Commission could have a booth with the Commission’s mission and
set of questions to ask and welcome attendees. The Commission recommended the time for 11
a.m. to 2 p.m.
b. Consider/Discuss/Act to develop a process flow and procedural guidelines for
the Commission.
The Commission tabled this item. No action was taken.
c. Consider/Discuss/Act next steps for National Day of Prayer.
Taylor Lough reminded the Commission that this item was an item for Future Consideration in
October 2023 by Rahul Luthra. An event was previously held in Anna with area faith leaders.
Rahul and Dallen opted to work together to provide more information at the Commission’s next
meeting.
d. Consider/Discuss/Act to advise the City Council to celebrate Anna’s
neighbors from diverse backgrounds for their engagement in Anna Neighbor
Academy.
The Commission tabled this item. No action was taken.
e. Discuss the role of the City of Anna in acknowledging Pride month.
Elijah Nelms shared he was asked why the City of Anna did not fly the Pride flag. He shared the
city did not fly anything other than the State of Texas. He shared that Taylor, Texas held a Pride
parade. He suggested the city could share a social media post and pamphlet with resources and
events held elsewhere. In the future the city could hold a parade or event similar to the one in
McKinney’s Pride Festival. The city could also have yard signs that said, “All are welcome here,”
“Love is love” etc. if someone wanted to place one in their yard. Dallen Morgan would like more
information on the Veterans Lives Here signs. Taylor Lough shared that staff was seeking direction
from the Commission on how and what to celebrate. Yoshanda Sims would like the Commission to
advise what the city should recognize. Valenica Edwards encouraged members to bring a list of
items to the next meeting. Currently the city does not feature any heritage months with post on
social media or in its marketing materials.
f. Consider/Discuss/Act on approval of the of the minutes from the December
18, 2023 Special Called Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Commission
Meeting.
Elijah Nelms made a motion to approve the minutes. Dallen Morgan seconded. All were in favor.
Motion passed.
5. Items for Future Consideration.
a. Consider/Discuss/Act to advise the City Council to celebrate Kimberly Winarski for
Anna Neighbor Academy/accessibility and equal opportunity/Neighbors of Diverse
Backgrounds (Glenn Brown).
The Commission tabled this item. No action was taken.
6. Reports.
a. Current Projects: Youth in Government Day, Youth Employment Program,
Project Unity Together We Dine Program.
Taylor Lough shared she is still working on the agreement with Project Unity. Kimberly Winarski
shared seven students signed up for Youth in Government Day this Friday. Slayter Creek Middle
School is touring the building Wednesday. Staff have also attended Clemons Creek and events at
elementary schools.
7.Adjourn.
Elijah Nelms adjourned the meeting at 7:45 p.m.
Agenda Item for Future Consideration at January 2024 D&I
Commission Meeting.
Celebrate Kimberly Winarski/Anna Neighbor Academy/Diversity: Consideration
for discussion and possible action of sending to City Council in March 2024 as an
actionable item:
ITEM (Sponsor: Commission Member Glenn Brown):
Commission offers that the Anna City Council, recognize and celebrate Kimberly
Winarski.
The Anna City Council would like to acknowledge and commend:
Kimberly Winarski in designing the Anna Neighbors program to not only be
accessible to Neighbors from diverse backgrounds but provide equal opportunity
for an excellent civic engagement and leadership experience.
NOTE: For consideration
1) Options for the Physical Award
a. Purchase Crystal Like display with above citation engraved.
b. Develop display with certificate (with above citation) and pictures of
Ms. Winarski with groups of several cohort graduates from diverse
backgrounds.
2) Presentation of Award
a. Mayor, City Council, and D&I Chair present commendation in
celebration at the Anna Multicultural Festival in 2024.
b. Mayor, City Council, and D&I Chair present commendation in Council
Chambers during a City Council Meeting “following” the completion
of the Anna 2024 Multicultural Festival.
3) Cost: $100 - $250