OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Evansville Human Relations Commission Meeting - May 28, 2026

City Council — Thursday, May 28, 2026
BodyEvansville, Indiana
SessionCity Council
DateThursday, May 28, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 41:06
Transcript — Verbatim
0:20

This meeting is being transcribed.

0:22

This meeting is being transcribed and summarized.

1:02

Go ahead and call our meeting into order.

1:07

Commissioner Phipps, can you mute me?

1:09

Are you on two different devices?

1:11

We go on two different devices.

1:12

So feedback cover.

1:14

Okay, yes.

1:14

Hold up just for a moment.

1:18

Can you hear me well now?

1:20

Yes, we can.

1:24

All right.

1:28

So go ahead and start with our roll call.

1:31

Um, Commissioner Culver.

1:35

I'm here.

1:37

Commissioner Burris.

1:41

Present.

1:42

Commissioner Randall.

1:44

Present.

1:45

Commissioner Phipps.

1:49

Present.

1:50

And Commissioner Calvert is present.

1:53

Uh so we do have a quorum.

1:55

Um, go ahead and move in to agenda item number three, which is adoption of minutes.

2:02

Uh, these are from our April or excuse me, our March uh twenty sixth meeting.

2:08

Um, has everyone had an opportunity to review those on just for a moment if I can review it for two minutes real quick.

2:19

Yeah, no problem.

2:50

I'm sorry, we didn't have a meeting last month.

2:52

That's right.

2:53

It was canceled.

2:54

Correct.

2:55

Okay, we can I'm I'm good if everyone else is.

2:59

All right.

3:01

So any additions or corrections to be made.

3:07

All right.

3:08

Hearing none, I will entertain a motion to adopt the minutes as printed.

3:17

I second the motion.

3:20

All right.

3:21

Those in favor.

3:23

Those in favor?

3:24

Aye.

3:25

Aye.

3:27

Those opposed.

3:28

Hearing none.

3:29

All right.

3:30

We do not have any presentations for today.

3:34

Um so we're moving into new business.

3:39

Well, years past we have done the million father march.

3:43

And um, you know, that's kind of been one of the signature events of the commission for the last few years.

3:50

Um, so I just kind of wanted to put that on our radar uh just to see if that's something that we would be interested in doing again as a commission for 2026.

4:01

Um, and identifying some schools as well.

4:05

Um so I'll open the floor up for discussion on that.

4:14

Yes, I I believe uh this is Commissioner Phipps.

4:17

I believe that we should move to continue those efforts on um being at the same schools.

4:23

I do know that with one of the commissioners no longer with us, Commissioner Collins will have to have someone that would be able to be at that school when we have uh different commissioners in mind to go out and represent uh on those days.

4:41

So um I I believe it helps challenge.

4:44

I think we should have more engagement.

4:47

Uh uh, where we can put out more information on what our mission is at those locations.

4:54

I know we have those pledge cards, but uh, think we should start being proactive and and seeing what we can do to be more proactive in our community without reinventing the will.

5:08

So having more contact information or resources when we are out there because I noticed that we have fathers that come, but we also have other parents that may be in alignment of our mission uh where we want to provide them some resources while we're out there, so it's not just an every year thing that we do we can add on to the objective to make it a better mission or to serve the purpose of our commission throughout the year.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Community Engagement█████████████████████████████████████████████48%
Public Safety███████████████████████25%
Youth Programs███████████12%
Procedural████████8%
Strategic Planning███████7%
Summary of Proceedings

Evansville Human Relations Commission Meeting - May 28, 2026

The commission met on May 28, 2026, to discuss routine business, community outreach, public safety updates, and future events. Key topics included the Million Father March, strategic planning, gun violence statistics, issues at Garvin Park, the Dust Bowl event, and the transition of the barbershop health initiative. No public comments were made.

Consent Calendar

  • Adoption of minutes from the March 26, 2026 meeting: approved unanimously.

Discussion Items

  • Million Father March 2026: Commissioners discussed continuing the annual event. Commissioner Phipps advocated for expanded engagement and partnership with existing organizations to avoid reinventing the wheel. Schools for 2026 include Lincoln, Glenwood Leadership Academy, Lodge, AIS, and Washington. The first day of school is August 7, 2026.
  • Strategic Plan Update: A contract is working through the process; sessions with advisory boards are expected to start in July or possibly August.
  • Police and Community Relations: The chair noted a planned event by the NAACP and other organizations, similar to the commission's ongoing discussions. The mayor, police chief, and park director are meeting next week to address issues. Commissioner Phipps suggested the commission could serve as a convening organization to bring community partners together.
  • Community Gun Violence Update (Commissioner Culver): Reported 56 shots-fired runs from May 1–28, with 17 generating case numbers (actual shootings or evidence). Noted a stolen vehicle incident on May 20 involving two juveniles; one was apprehended. Highlighted ongoing problems at Garvin Park with juveniles, drugs, and guns.
  • Youth Outreach / Dust Bowl: Commissioners decided not to co-sponsor the Dust Bowl event this year due to a change in venue and planning committee, but encouraged individual commissioners to attend and be visible. Discussed using QR codes on survey postcards to gather community input, possibly with a prize incentive.
  • Barbershop Health Initiative: The commission transferred the program to the Minority Health Coalition. The first event is June 13 from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM at the same barbershops. Commissioners were encouraged to volunteer.

Key Outcomes

  • The commission will continue the Million Father March in 2026, expanding materials and partner involvement.
  • No official vote on Dust Bowl partnership; consensus to observe this year rather than co-sponsor.
  • Commissioner Burris will develop a QR code survey for community feedback, leveraging AI for a short, five-question form.
  • The barbershop initiative materials and logos were transferred; the commission's logo will appear on marketing materials.
  • The next meeting was scheduled for June.

Meeting Transcript

This meeting is being transcribed. This meeting is being transcribed and summarized. Go ahead and call our meeting into order. Commissioner Phipps, can you mute me? Are you on two different devices? We go on two different devices. So feedback cover. Okay, yes. Hold up just for a moment. Can you hear me well now? Yes, we can. All right. So go ahead and start with our roll call. Um, Commissioner Culver. I'm here. Commissioner Burris. Present. Commissioner Randall. Present. Commissioner Phipps. Present. And Commissioner Calvert is present. Uh so we do have a quorum. Um, go ahead and move in to agenda item number three, which is adoption of minutes. Uh, these are from our April or excuse me, our March uh twenty sixth meeting. Um, has everyone had an opportunity to review those on just for a moment if I can review it for two minutes real quick. Yeah, no problem. I'm sorry, we didn't have a meeting last month. That's right. It was canceled. Correct. Okay, we can I'm I'm good if everyone else is. All right. So any additions or corrections to be made. All right. Hearing none, I will entertain a motion to adopt the minutes as printed. I second the motion. All right. Those in favor. Those in favor? Aye. Aye. Those opposed. Hearing none. All right. We do not have any presentations for today. Um so we're moving into new business. Well, years past we have done the million father march. And um, you know, that's kind of been one of the signature events of the commission for the last few years. Um, so I just kind of wanted to put that on our radar uh just to see if that's something that we would be interested in doing again as a commission for 2026.

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