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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021 06 07 Discussion Item 1 - Community Dialogue Regarding City Policies and Practices • DISCUSSION ITEMS ITEM moa d CITY COMMISSION AGENDA I JUNE 7, 2021 WORKSHOP 1959 TITLE Community Dialogue Regarding City Policies and Practices SUMMARY The City Commission adopted Resolution 2020-19 at the July 13, 2020 City Commission Regular Meeting. Per this resolution, the City is committed to holding an annual workshop meeting open to the public for the purposes of assessing relevant City policies and practices. This workshop will be in the format of a round table discussion and is to include the Mayor and City Commission, the City Manager, the Police Chief, other relevant staff, and a select number of citizens and businesses of Winter Springs. From this workshop, the City Manager, or their designee, shall prepare and deliver a written report to the Mayor and Commission identifying successful implementation of plans and practices and also identifying areas in which the City can improve. This meeting will be the second workshop since the passage of the resolution. RECOMMENDATION Staff is recommending the City Commission conduct the Community Dialogue Workshop and discuss relevant City policies and practices with the input of residents. 1 RESOLUTION NO.2020- 1 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF WINTER SPRINGS, AFFIRMING THAT ALL PERSONS. ARE CONSTITUTIONALLY GUARANTEED DUE PROCESS AND EQUAL PROTECTION UNDER THE LAW, FREE OF RACISM AND UNJUST AND ARBITRARY DISCRIMINATION IN ALL FORMS; STRONGLY REJECTING RACISM AND ANY FORM OF UNJUST AND ARBITRARY DISCRIMINATION UNDER THE LAW, AND FULLY AFFIRMING AND SUPPORTING EQUAL JUSTICE UNDER THE LAW; STRENGTHENING THE CITY'S RESOLVE AGAINST RACISM AND ANY FORM OF UNJUST AND ARBITRARY DISCRIMINATION UNDER THE LAW BY ESTABLISHING A TRANSPARENT AND PUBLIC PROCESS FOR THE MAYOR, CITY COMMISSION AND THE CITIZENS OF WINTER SPRINGS TO ASSESS THE CITY'S RELATED POLICIES AND PRACTICES AND ENGAGE IN A PRODUCTIVE COMMUNITY DIALOGUE FOR THE OVERALL BETTERMENT OF THE COMMUNITY; PROVIDING FOR REPEAL OF PRIOR INCONSISTENT RESOLUTIONS, SEVERABILITY, AND AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE. WHEREAS, this Resolution is the collective expression of the Mayor and City Commission as the governing body of the City of Winter Springs pursuant to the City Charter and Ordinances; and WHEREAS, Article I, Section 2 of the Florida Constitution provides that all natural persons, female and male alike, are equal before the law; and WHEREAS, the 14th Amendment of the United States Constitution provides that no state shall deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws; and WHEREAS, under these fundamental principles, and history of Federal and State equal rights laws, all persons are constitutionally guaranteed due process and equal protection under the law, free of racism and unjust and arbitrary discrimination in all forms; and WHEREAS,since the creation of the City of Winter Springs in 1959, each and all Mayors and Commissioners, as well as each and all Winter Springs Law Enforcement Officers,of the City have taken an oath of office to support,protect and defend the Constitutions of the United States and State of Florida; and WHEREAS, the Mayor and City Commission strongly reject racism and any form of unjust and arbitrary discrimination under the law, and fully support equal justice under the law; and WHEREAS,the Mayor and City Commission also desire to express, as a matter of policy and practice of the City, the City's commitment to continuously and vigorously strengthen and foster within the organization and community at large human dignity, equality, diversity, inclusivity and equal justice under the law; and WHEREAS, the Mayor and City Commission recognize the substantial efforts regularly being made by the City Manager and all City Departments to evaluate, improve and implement 2 policies and practices to continuously afford all persons due process and equal protection under the law, free of racism and unjust and arbitrary discrimination, and to foster human dignity, equality, diversity,inclusivity and equal justice within the organization; and WHEREAS, the Mayor and City Commission desire to strengthen the City's resolve against racism and any form of unjust and arbitrary discrimination under the law by establishing a transparent and public process for the Mayor,City Commission and the citizens to assess the City's related policies and practices; and WHEREAS, the City Commission hereby finds this Resolution is in the best interests of the City of Winter Springs and its officials, employees and citizens. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT DULY RESOLVED BY THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF WINTER SPRINGS,SENUNOLE COUNTY,FLORIDA,THAT: Section 1. Recitals. The foregoing recitals are hereby adopted as material provisions of this Resolution and deemed fully incorporated herein by this reference. Section 2. Annual Public Assessment hLthe 2lgl2Land Cit LCommission. A. No later than June of each year,the City of Winter Springs shall conduct an annual assessment to evaluate how well the City is implementing policies and practices consistent with this Resolution. B. The annual assessment shall be conducted by the Mayor and City Commission at a duly scheduled workshop meeting open to the public. The workshop will be conducted in a round table format consisting of the Mayor, City Commissioners and a select number of citizens and businesses of Winter Springs and such other persons deemed to be a relevant stakeholder in the Winter Springs community chosen by the City Manager and City Commission. During the workshop meeting,the City Manager,Chief of Police,and other management personnel designated by the City Manager will initially report on said policies and practices for purposes initiating and engaging in a productive roundtable dialogue for the overall betterment of the community. An opportunity for public input shall also be provided. C. After considering the dialogue occurring at the workshop meeting and such other relevant and appropriate considerations, the City Manager shall prepare and deliver a written annual report to the Mayor and City Commission at a duly held regular meeting open to the public. The annual report will identify areas in which the City has successfully implemented the plans and practices and identify areas in which the City can improve in the implementation of such policies and practices. The annual report shall include an action plan that includes a schedule and budgetary considerations for implementing improvements to the City's policies and practices. Section 3. Severabilill. If any section,subsection,sentence,clause,phrase,word,or portion of this Resolution is for any reason held invalid or unconstitutional by a court of competent jurisdiction, whether for substantive or procedural reasons, such portion shall be deemed a separate, distinct, and independent provision, and such holding shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this Resolution. City of Winter Springs Resolution No.2020- Page 3 of 3 3 Section 4. Repeal of Prior Inconsistent Resolutions. All prior resolutions or parts of resolutions in conflict herewith are hereby repealed to the extent of the conflict. Section 5. Effective Date. This Resolution shall become effective immediately upon its adoption by the City Commission of the City of Winter Springs, Florida. RESOLVED by the City Commission of the City of Winter Springs, in a regular meeting assembled on the 130`day of July,2020. CITY OF WINTER SPRINGS,FLORIDA ,xe�"---4&—,—0 C LA , OR ATTEST: CHRISTIAN GOWAN,CITY CLERK Approved as to legal form and sufficiency for The Ci f Winter Springs only: �2 - ANTHONY A. GARGANESE, CITY ATTORNEY �" • A Cts •. City of Winter Springs Resolution No.2020- Page 3 of 3 4 Ila'll CITY COMMISSIONWORKSHOP MINUTES lip Ilal Mme" � MONDAY, SEPTE BER 21, 2020 AT 6:30 P CITY HALL— COMMISSION CHAMBERS 1126 EAST STATE ROAD 434, WINTER SPRINGS, FLORIDA 5 CALL TO ORDER Mayor Charles Lacey called the Workshop Meeting of Monday, September 21, 2020 of the City Commission to order at 6:30 p.m. in the Commission Chambers of the Municipal Building (City Hall, 1126 East State Road 434, Winter Springs, Florida 32708). Roll Call: Mayor Charles Lacey, present Deputy Mayor Ted Johnson, present Commissioner Jean Hovey, present Commissioner Kevin Cannon, present Commissioner TiAnna Hale, present Commissioner Geoff Kendrick, present City Manager Shawn Boyle, present City Attorney Anthony A. Garganese, present Assistant to the City Clerk Tristin Motter, present A moment of silence was held, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. The agenda was adopted without changes. Invitees who were present: Chris Deisler, Chief of Police Casey Howard, IT and Administrative Services Director Christopher Schmidt, Community Development Director Rabbi Maurice Kaprow Scott Marshall Treva Marshall Father John Bluett Michael Radka Buddy Balagia James Evans Octavius "Ocky" Clark PUBLIC INPUT Assistant to the City Clerk Tristin Motter read an email received from Ms. Jennifer Gonzalez, 277 Mockingbird Lane, Winter Springs, Florida related to comments, questions and concerns regarding Resolution 2020-19. DISCUSSION ITEMS 1. Community Dialogue Regarding City Policies & Practices Mayor Lacey started by giving a brief overview on what would be discussed during the Workshop. City Manager Shawn Boyle then explained what the City wanted to achieve during the Workshop. All invitees then briefly introduced themselves and provided brief backgrounds. Coach Ocky Clark spoke about the Winter Springs School Resource Officers that assisted the students in the school at one time stating, "They knew the kids because they were part of the community." The City's Resource Officers were replaced by Seminole County Sheriffs Office Deputies. Coach Clark additionally commented on how diverse the student body is. Mr. Scott Marshall relayed his current feelings and fear of encounters with law enforcement. However, with regard to Mr. Marshall's current feelings he also relayed that the Winter Springs's law enforcement has been very professional towards him in every encounter. Mrs. Treva Marshall also shared her feelings, experiences, and interactions regarding her family and law enforcement. Mrs. Marshall shared her support for Chief Deisler and suggested dialog take place between the African- American Community and law enforcement as a starting point for improvement. Following, City Manager Shawn Boyle asked the group, "What setting is best for people to - tell us what we can improve on?" Elaborating, Manager Boyle asked for opinions on holding smaller focus groups or less formal dialogue groups. Mrs. Marshall agreed more informal and smaller groups could help with getting people to be comfortable with sharing and giving opinions. Father John Bluett echoed the support for law enforcement. Father Bluett then asked Chief Deisler about the choke holds that have been seen in the media saying, "is any of that happening here? - What are your guidelines for police in terms of behavior in tough situations like that?" Chief Deisler responded by stating, "Our policy restricts choke holds or strangle holds unless an officer is justified in using deadly force." Mr. Buddy Balagia gave a recommendation of visiting the nearby parks and showing support for the Community. Chief Deisler noted that the City has done similar events before such as a pop-up ice cream truck event held at the park. Next, Mr.James Evans shared a story of when he witnessed firsthand racial profiling from an officer and expressed how it changed him. Mr. Evans then spoke about City events such as "Coffee with Cop" and asked "how do we get minorities to those ® � 7 events? - We can always reach out to the community, but how do you get the community to reach back?" Commissioner Geoff Kendrick encouraged engaging the community naturally, in the schools, on the playgrounds. Providing an example, Commissioner Kendrick spoke about the recent "First Responders Lunch-in" noting police, firefighters, and EMTs were brought into the schools to interact and engage with the students. Commissioner Kendrick also wanted to make known the "Chain of Command" and accountability structure the City has in place stating that the citizens are closer to the Police Chief in the chain of command than other cities. Commissioner TiAnna Hale expressed her thoughts, fears, and beliefs on discrimination and how she believes the City's police force is just and understanding. Continuing, Commissioner Kevin Cannon suggested having more family opportunities for outings or social events for the City's middle and high school students. "Get engagement of the young people then we will also get the engagement of the parents" Commissioner Cannon stated. Mr. Michael Radka spoke next giving his background and understanding of inequality. Mr. Radka echoed others when saying that the City is in an unusual situation; an unusual situation where the right decisions and actions are being made. He encouraged consistency, to do what we know is right, and expanding discussion and dialog of inequality out. Mr. Radka gave recognition and applause to the City for holding these"crucial conversations"then asked "What action are going to betaken? - How can we [citizens] help you in these efforts?" Commissioner Jean Hovey answered a previous question related to why the Resource officers were switched from Winter Spring's Police to Seminole County Sheriffs Office noting it was a discussion made by the School Board. Rabbi Maurice Kaprow recounted his past experiences and expressed his fears of discrimination. Rabbi Kaprow relayed though he does not experience fear in Winter Springs due to the City being warm and welcoming. "If we want to make people more at ease it's a communal effect, it's a family effect, it's all of us working together." Mrs. Gina Shafer, Winter Springs Village, Winter Springs, Florida gave a suggestion of holding something similar to the 2030 visioning session as well as potentially having officer mentors in the schools. Mrs. Sheila Benton, 474 Cedarwood Court, Winter Springs, Florida commented on the lack of representation for the disabled at the meeting. Manager Boyle then redirected the discussion to focus on the process of hiring and discharging employees. Chief Deisler echoed the City's zero tolerance of rule breaking for officers. Continuing, Chief Deisler gave a brief overview of how an officer gets hired with the City. Chief Deisler then addressed a question regarding body cameras stating currently the City does not have them. Manager Boyle noted it is a topic that will be investigated in the future. Manager Boyle readdressed the chain of command for the employees of the city commenting they are not afraid to ask questions and bring up concerns which in turn helps the City and its response time. Mr. Matt Benton, 474 Cedarwood Court, Winter Springs, Florida shared an experience from an acquaintance and explained how his perspective would have differed if the situation had happened to him. He encouraged those types of conversations to allow differences in perspectives to be found. Deputy Mayor Johnson commented and gave his opinion on School Resource Officers during his time in the school system and then suggested having the Winter Springs Police Department set up a booth at City events. Additional comments and commendation were given for the passage of Resolution 2020-19. City Manager Boyle said extensive notes had been taken and that more events similar to this workshop would likely take place to continue to hear from residents. Concluding, Manager Boyle thanked everyone in attendance for their participation and their respectful exchange throughout the night. Mayor Lacey opened "Public Input." No one spoke. Mayor Lacey closed "Public Input." MINEEMENIENEEMMIENSIM9 ADJOURNMENT Mayor Lacey adjourned the Workshop Meeting at 8:56 p.m. RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED: GS , Y '44• SPT Ed TRISTIN MOTTER ASSISTANT TO THE CITY CLERK f:• ���' �b iia '•. �. APPROVED: •• 5'r;��•.�Cti DEPUIi IA "OR TED JOHNSON NOTE: These Minutes were approved at the October 12,2020 City Commission Regular Meeting. 10