Chambana Sun

City of Urbana City Council met Feb. 22.

Here are the minutes provided by the council:

A majority of a quorum of the Urbana City Council met in goal-setting session at 5:30 PM.

ELECTED OFFICIALS PHYSICALLY PRESENT: Diane Wolfe Marlin, Mayor; Phyllis D. Clark, City Clerk, CM Maryalice Wu, CM Christopher Evans, CM Shirese Hursey, CM Jaya Kolisetty*, CM Chaundra Bishop, CM Grace Wilken, CM James Quisenberry

*Denotes arrival after roll call.

ELECTED OFFICIALS ABSENT:

STAFF PRESENT: Darcy Sandefur, William Kolschowsky, Carla Boyd, Richard Surles, Tim Cowan, Sheila Dodd, Carol Mitten, Sanford Hess, Elizabeth Hannan, Charles Lauss, Bryant Seraphin, Lemond Peppers, Demond Dade, Mike Cervantes, Melissa Hendrian, Andrea Rudei, Kate Brickman

OTHERS PRESENT:

1. CALL TO ORDER

Mayor Marlin called the City Council Goal-Setting Session to order at 5:30 PM.

2. APPROVAL OF PUBLIC INPUT RULES

Vote to amend public input guidelines: proposed 30 minutes maximum time limit at 3 minutes a person. Motion to amend to adhere to the new guidelines by CM Quisenberry and seconded by CM Wu. Passed by roll call vote.

AYE: Wu, Evans, Hursey, Bishop, Wilken, Quisenberry

NAY: None

3. PUBLIC INPUT

Maurice Hayes an advocate working to address gun violence in our community through HV Neighborhood Transformation. Mary Ellen Warner a former city employee, hopes council will look at addressing gun violence as a coordinated effort between the cities.

4. RESUMED CITY COUNCIL STRATEGIC GOAL-SETTING

Mayor Marlin introduced the City staff present and turned it over to City Administrator Carol Mitten. City Administrator Carol Mitten began explaining the purpose of tonight’s meeting and explained the previous meetings outcomes.

Strategic Area #1 Public Safety had two strategies following previous sessions (see attachment E) and council expressed a need to work on it more in depth. Mitten introduced staff facilitator Will Kolschowsky.

Discussions

Kolschowsky explained the proposed format and opened it up to council to amend meeting structure as needed. Advised that groups break into small groups comprised of no more than two council members to a table with city staff to work on the strategies within Strategic Area #1 Public Safety.

CM Wilken proposed working through strategies individually.

Kolschowsky instructed groups to work in small groups to address root causes of community violence and to discuss the first strategy (see attachment E).

Strategy #1 Pursue Methods to Mitigate Community Violence.

"Root Causes of Violence"

City Clerk advised that the member of the public who placed recording devices on all of the tables to please remove them. City Administrator Carol Mitten asked that anyone who is uncomfortable could leave but that in order to have a productive meeting the meeting will carry on.

Kolschowsky asked groups to come back together as one central group and they reviewed the ideas that each of the groups wrote on their sheets. Asked groups to share measurable metrics for these ideas.

Created action step of job training and employment connections.

Group shared that they would like to expand Self Made Kingz and support similar programs that target young women.

Shared that they want to develop a summer jobs program in collaboration with school district, park district, and local businesses.

Shared the goal to fund programs that expose youth to career opportunities and partner with local community partners like Parkland.

Kolschowsky asked groups to break into small groups to address longer term solutions (see attachment E).

Strategy #2 enhance and expand public safety resources.

"Solving Violent Crime"

CM Wu exited at 6:42 pm.

Kolschowsky brought the groups back together as one.

Groups divided the strategy into “Staff and Stuff”.

Groups suggested that following the proposed community safety review that a more thorough planning on equipment could be done.

Shared the goal of developing a proposal to increase capacity of investigative section of UPD to solve violent crimes (staff/tech).

Discussions about additional personnel being added with the potential for unsworn and civilian investigative staff.

Discussions about street outreach and utilizing existing community resources with an alternative response model following the community safety review.

CM Kolisetty joined the meeting at 7:13 PM

Kolschowsky asked groups to get together as small groups to discuss public well-being as an added strategy.

Strategy #3 Public Well Being

Groups came back together.

Shared ideas as large group.

Discussed the importance of a centralized community center and a place for children and families to gather. Discussion of a health and wellness center.

Discussed vision zero and plan staffing. Discussed community outreach and the importance of connecting with individual neighborhoods.

Kolschowsky asked groups for clarification on their ideas and tried to find ways to combine them under shared strategies.

Group suggested finding or funding a program for victims of violence.

Summary and Final Actions

Kolschowsky asked groups to summarize and look at collective. (See attachment E for numbered strategies) Group agreed to place the following strategies under 1b:

- Develop proposal to expand Self Made Kings

- Develop summer job program in collaboration with park district and other governmental units and organizations.

Group decided to leave strategy 1a as it was with the addition of:

- Fund program to expose youth to career opportunities.

Group agreed to place the following action steps under strategy 1c:

- Adding tools to aid investigative tools.

- Promote community outreach, create liaison position, and promote community wellbeing. - Neighborhood groups.

Kolschowsky asked groups for clarity on timelines and expected turnaround for these goals and strategies. Discussion about duration versus deadline.

5. ADJOURNMENT

Mayor Marlin announced next steps, thanked staff, and declared the meeting adjourned at 8:00 PM

http://urbanaillinois.us/sites/default/files/attachments/2-22-22%20goal%20setting%20session%20min%20draft.pdf