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HomeMy WebLinkAboutWomens Commission - Minutes - 01/24/1994MINUTES COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN JANUARY 24, 1994 Present: Amy Beuschlein, Sue Cottingham, Carolyn Duff, Kathy Everett, Audrey Faulkner, Lu Fisk, Dana Hiatt, Stevie Honaker, Doreen Kemp, Stephanie Lane, Brownie McGraw, Sally Miles, Lynne Warner, Chris Wood Absent: Mary Zamora Council Liaison: Gina Janett Staff Liaison: Colleen A'Hearn The January 24, 1994 meeting served as an annual retreat, per the following agenda and notes. The retreat provided the Commission an opportunity to welcome newly appointed members Amy Beuschlein, Carolyn Duff, and Stephanie Lane. Many thanks to Suzanne Jarboe -Simpson, Training & Development Coordinator with the City of Fort Collins, for her excellent job in facilitating the retreat. COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN RETREAT JANUARY 241 1994 DESIRED OUTCOMESIGOALS OF THE RETREAT: o welcome new members and incorporate them into the Commission o Celebrate 1993 accomplishments o Give all members the opportunity to become invested and committed to the work of the Commission o Review and reach consensus on our criteria/"filters" for deciding what work the Commission will undertake o Review our work plan and reach consensus on what the Commission wants to accomplish in 1994 o Decide on structure and time lines for accomplishing work plan items AGENDA ITEMS• 1) opening Exercise/Get-acquainted Activity 2) Dinner 3) Review of 1993 Accomplishments 4) Review of communication guidelines for working together; update as required 5) Review criteria/Ilfilters'l for deciding what Commission will work on; update as required 6) Review role of the Commission in regard to controversial issues: o what is more appropriate for women to do individually (or in conjunction with other organizations) and what is appropriate for the Commission to do? o How do we deal with issues of advocacy and under what circumstances? o How do we deal with legislative issues that we want the City Council to support? Under what circumstances do we ask for that support? How do we prepare to have the facts to back up our request? 7) Review of 1994 Fork Plan o Revisit and adjust/fine tune; make it specific enough that we can actually accomplish what we want to do. our goal will be to place every member at work on an issue/area of her own compelling expertise and/or interest. o Revisit traditional activities - does the Commission want to continue supporting them, and do we have the interest/expertise/time to do them consistently and well? o Decide on structure for accomplishing work plan items (i.e. Task Forces, liaison activities, volunteering to assist with traditional activities, etc.) o Begin work on spelling out specific objectives for work included in the work plan, and establishing a time line for carrying them out. Commission on the Status of Women Monthly Meeting Minutes January 24, 1994 Page 3 NOTES FROM FLIP CHARTS 1993 ACCOmDlisbments A list of 1993 accomplishments were brainstormed. More detailed information is included in the 1993 Annual Report (see copy attached). Brainstormed Items: * Fort Collins Library Reference Book of "Women In History" for PR-1 Schools * Creation of/awarding Marcile N. Wood award - getting it on City Council Agenda/TV * Communication level up * Essay contest Certificates and cash awards presented at televised Council meeting * Women's Suffrage Exhibit and Equality Day activities/buttons * Guest speakers/Educating selves * Picnic in July Acknowledged accomplishments of current and outgoing members and welcomed newly appointed members * Moved beyond structure discussion into purpose Established communication procedures * Task Force on Racism - Human Relations Officer - criteria - Recommendations to the Cultural Diversity Task Force - Support/Empowerment of the Multi -Cultural Advisory Committee (MAC) - Working with MAC and City staff in support of Oral History Project Commission on the Status of Women Monthly Meeting Minutes January 24, 1994 Page 4 * Sex Harassment Completed evaluation criteria for sexual harassment policies * Boards & Commissions Workshop * Position on Amendment #2 * Sponsoring Women's Financial Workshop * Women's Space - articles in The Triangle Review Communication Guidelines * Review * Clarify * What Does this mean? * Agreement/Support Ideal - Sending support materials appropriate to the agenda item, in time for inclusion with monthly meeting packets Alternative - Allocate some amount of time at each meeting to review materials. If needed - move items to next agenda. Sample tracking mechanism/matrix: Subject Action Item Who By When Criteria for OlPiltering/Screenin * Visibility * Credibility * Relevance * How will it impact women in this community? Will action/non-action negatively impact a subgroup of women? * Legal Implications (i.e., City Charter, Municipal Code, State Legislation (Campaign Reform Act an example) Commission on the Status of Women Monthly Meeting Minutes January 24, 1994 Page 5 Using the above filters helps focus the discussion. At some point, must call the question and decide. Need to check for clarity as a part of the discussion process. Filters in the past have been used mainly when we have trouble making a decision or for time -intensive topics. Controversial Issues Personal - Identify Issue - using own personal screen - Identify who else is working on issue (local, state, national level) - Are we interested in gaining support to deal with the topic? - Can the Commission take a position? Commission - Credibility Liaison Connections * information * structural * voluntary Will require developing information regarding what's currently being done in the area on a particular issue and by whom? Recognizes that the Commission cannot address every issue that impacts women as a Commission; other routes may be more appropriate and more effective (personal action, voluntary liaison, etc.)