Hunter
09/23/21
City counselors appear to be leaning towards resetting Iowa City’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission once again.
The Gazette reports that after allocating $200,000 for the position, the Council narrowly voted to reject appointing a facilitator to move the Commission forward during this week’s meeting. That’s despite a unanimous recommendation from the TRC to approve the expenditure.
One of the sticking points of the facilitator was that the firm was from out of state. Kearns and West was the only firm to respond to the city’s request for proposals. Current members of the Commission say they’ve done their research on the firm, interviewed Kerns and West staffers, and wanted to work with them.
Nevertheless, former Commission member and current Johnson County Supervisor Royceann Porter said that bringing an “outsider” in to lead the work would show “extreme disrespect” for the Black elected leaders of the community.
Current commission member Clifton Johnson said during the meeting that it makes no sense to reset the Commission again. Another commissioner, Daphney Daniel, said without support from the city and community, members might return to the council and say Iowa City isn’t ready for a Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
Mayor Bruce Teague, who voted against the facilitator, is in favor of restarting the Commission and re-imagining how the city gets to the goals set by the TRC. Mayor Pro-Tem Mazahir Salih, John Thomas and Pauline Taylor were the 4 votes against the agreement; Susan Mims, Laura Bergus and Janice Weiner voted in favor.