NOTICE AND AGENDA
| COMMISSION ON DIVERSITY AWARENESS WEDNESDAY April 16, 2025 |
VIRTUAL TEAMS MEETING 211 WEST ASPEN AVENUE 1:30 P.M. |
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1.
Call to Order
The meeting was called to order at 1:30 PM
2.
Roll Call
| NOTE: One or more Commission Members may be in attendance telephonically or by other technological means. |
| CAROLYN KIDD, CHAIR SANDRA DARLING MANNY HERNANDEZ SILINA MARTINEZ |
MANDY MARTINEZ-GEBLER MINDY RIESENBERG ANGELICA SANCHEZ |
| Present | Absent |
| Carolyn Kidd, Chair Mandy Gebler, Vice Chair Sandra Darling Manny Hernandez Silina Martinez Mindy Riesenberg Angelica Sanchez |
3.
Mission Statement and Land Acknowledgment
MISSION STATEMENT
A commission to foster support, respect, awareness and appreciation of diversity among all citizens of Flagstaff.
LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The Commission on Diversity Awareness humbly acknowledges the ancestral homelands of this area’s Indigenous nations and original stewards. These lands, still inhabited by Native descendants, border mountains sacred to Indigenous peoples. We honor them, their legacies, their traditions, and their continued contributions. We celebrate their past, present, and future generations who will forever know this place as home.
Chairwoman Kidd read the mission statement and Commissioner Riesenberg read the land acknowledgment.
4.
Upcoming Opportunities and Announcements
Commissioner Hernandez wanted to plug the free Starlight in the Square event on April 24 at 7:00 PM. He said that they will turn all lights off and will have astronomy tours with the dark sky coalition.
Kim Robinson highlighted a Dinner with Dad event at Puente de Hojo on April 24. She also highlighted the annual dinner for the Lived Black Experience on 4/27 at the Sunnyside Market of Dreams from 1:00 - 3:00 PM and a community cookout on 6/17 at Clark Homes.
Kim Robinson highlighted a Dinner with Dad event at Puente de Hojo on April 24. She also highlighted the annual dinner for the Lived Black Experience on 4/27 at the Sunnyside Market of Dreams from 1:00 - 3:00 PM and a community cookout on 6/17 at Clark Homes.
5.
Public Comment
The Commission cannot act upon items presented during the Public Participation portion of the Agenda. Individual Commission members may ask questions of the public but are prohibited by the Open Meeting Law from discussion or considering the item among themselves until the item is officially placed on the Agenda. Each public comment or presentation will be limited to five (5) minutes.
The Commission cannot act upon items presented during the Public Participation portion of the Agenda. Individual Commission members may ask questions of the public but are prohibited by the Open Meeting Law from discussion or considering the item among themselves until the item is officially placed on the Agenda. Each public comment or presentation will be limited to five (5) minutes.
There was no public comment.
6.
Approval of Minutes
A.
Approval of Minutes - 3/19/2025 CODA Meeting
Commissioner Riesenberg commented that her name is misspelled in a few places.
Chairwoman Kidd called to item #4 where the last meeting is referred to as "last week," as well as item 8D, where Councilwoman House needs her last name capitalized.
Commissioner Hernandez moved to approve the minutes. Commissioner Sanchez seconded. The motion was approved on a voice vote.
Chairwoman Kidd called to item #4 where the last meeting is referred to as "last week," as well as item 8D, where Councilwoman House needs her last name capitalized.
Commissioner Hernandez moved to approve the minutes. Commissioner Sanchez seconded. The motion was approved on a voice vote.
7.
Action Items
A.
Proclamations
i.
Proclamation: Asian American Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders Heritage Month
Discussion on all proclamations happened simultaneously and is described under item 7 A ii.
ii.
Proclamation: Jewish Heritage Month
Commissioner Riesenberg appreciated that the language of the proclamation called out threats to antisemitism. Mr. Rhode noted that the current month of April is Arab American History Month and that the commission did not complete a proclamation for it. The commission gave direction for Mr. Rhode to draft a proclamation for Arab American History Month and attempt to have it recognized before the month concludes. Chairwoman Kidd moved to approve the language of both proclamations. Commissioner Reisenberg seconded. The motion passed via voice vote.
B.
Nominate CODA Member for Multi-Cultural County Park Exhibition
Chairwoman Kidd asked the commission if anybody would like to volunteer for the county art project. Commissioner Riesenberg said that she will be attending anyways this year as she has a friend who is involved with this year's projects. Commissioner Sanchez clarified that we are looking to nominate a member to help select the projects for next year. Commissioner Hernandez expressed his support as did Commissioner Martinez. Chairwoman Kidd moved for Commissioner Hernandez to be the commission's nominee with Commissioner Martinez serving as an alternate. Commissioner Sanchez seconded. The motion passed on a voice vote.
8.
Reports/Discussion Items
A.
Presentation from Sustainability Staff: Micromobility Share
Jamie Larson, The City's Housing and Transportation VISTA, and Jenny Neimann, the City's Climate Action Section Director presented on the possibility of bringing a micromobility vendor back to Flagstaff. Ms. Larson pointed out how micromobility would further the Metro Plan, the Regional Transportation Plan, and the Carben Neutrality Plan. Ms. Niemann discussed some of the concerns with such a program, like risk management, parking, and the community's resistance to change. She also discussed the possibility of integrating it with MountainLine and invited the Commission's feedback.
Commissioner Martinez expressed her appreciation for addressing equity as a part of this program evaluation.
Chairwoman Kidd asked if the City is building enough infrastructure for this type of program. Ms. Niemann said that there are several projects in the works and pointed out that micromobility can help to mitigate the impacts of construction closures.
Commissioner Sanchez shared support for the further efforts to address parking locations and suggested a cap on the cost to the city.
Commissioner Hernandez said that he likes micromobility in other cities. He suggested that only one company be selected through an RFP process to limit the clutter that micromobility could bring.
Commissioner Gebler also expressed support for keeping the project to one operator to reduce clutter.
Commissioner Martinez expressed her appreciation for addressing equity as a part of this program evaluation.
Chairwoman Kidd asked if the City is building enough infrastructure for this type of program. Ms. Niemann said that there are several projects in the works and pointed out that micromobility can help to mitigate the impacts of construction closures.
Commissioner Sanchez shared support for the further efforts to address parking locations and suggested a cap on the cost to the city.
Commissioner Hernandez said that he likes micromobility in other cities. He suggested that only one company be selected through an RFP process to limit the clutter that micromobility could bring.
Commissioner Gebler also expressed support for keeping the project to one operator to reduce clutter.
B.
Presentation from Sustainability Staff: Land Availability and Suitability Study + Code Analysis Project (LASS+CAP)
Jennifer Mikelson, the City's Housing Planning Manager presented on a code analysis project designed to understand how the City's planning and development code may be a barrier to achieving housing and climate goals. She said that they are currently doing a lot of outreach on the plan and hope to have some reccomendations for code changes by the end of summer.
Chairwoman Kidd thanked Ms. Mikelson and Ms. Pearthree for their time and expressed support for the public process they are going through.
Commissioner Hernandez asked what the top three findings are from the code analysis project and how is it impacting development. Ms. Pearthree said that our development density cap is low and there is too much parking. She also said that the City is getting larger units that are more expensive. Commissioner Hernandez said that he recalls a study by the Downtown Business Alliance which showed that Flagstaff is less dense than all of its peer cities and said that he believes the city is going in a better direction.
Chairwoman Kidd thanked Ms. Mikelson and Ms. Pearthree for their time and expressed support for the public process they are going through.
Commissioner Hernandez asked what the top three findings are from the code analysis project and how is it impacting development. Ms. Pearthree said that our development density cap is low and there is too much parking. She also said that the City is getting larger units that are more expensive. Commissioner Hernandez said that he recalls a study by the Downtown Business Alliance which showed that Flagstaff is less dense than all of its peer cities and said that he believes the city is going in a better direction.
C.
Updates from Working Groups
Commissioner Sanchez shared that there is a new contact for the library working group and that she is working on trying to get multi-lingual reading programs back into the library.
Commissioner Darling shared that there has been good progress as of late on the rainbow pavement project. She said that they will be sending out a survey to identify places that the community would like to see an installation. They will also be receiving a presentation on how the colored pavement in Cheshire came to be.
Commissioner Darling shared that there has been good progress as of late on the rainbow pavement project. She said that they will be sending out a survey to identify places that the community would like to see an installation. They will also be receiving a presentation on how the colored pavement in Cheshire came to be.
D.
Updates from Council Liaison
There was no update from the Council Liaison.
E.
Updates from Staff Liaison
Mr. Rhode reported that he received an invitation for CODA to participate in the annual Pride Parade. The commission agreed that participating in that parade is better than having a booth. Mr. Rhode said that he would reserve a spot in the parade and that it could be discussed at the May meeting.
He also summarized that the City Logo project was suspended at a Council Work session a few weeks ago.
He also summarized that the City Logo project was suspended at a Council Work session a few weeks ago.
9.
Agenda for Future Meeting(s)
Mr. Rhode pulled up the Parking Lot and want over the two items that he is hoping ot have for the commission in May: a possible presentation from the Transportation staff on current projects, and a draft of an anti-bullying policy.
10.
Adjourment
The meeting was adjourned at 3:04 PM.
| CERTIFICATE OF POSTING OF NOTICE
The undersigned hereby certifies that a copy of the foregoing notice was duly posted at Flagstaff City Hall on , at a.m./p.m. This notice has been posted on the City's website and can be downloaded at www.flagstaff.az.gov. Dated this day of , 2025. __________________________________________ Chris Rhode, Special Programs Manager |