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Record of Proceedings

Evansville Commission on the Social Status of African American Males Meeting - August 27, 2026

City Council — Thursday, August 27, 2026
BodyEvansville, Indiana
SessionCity Council
DateThursday, August 27, 2026
StatusNEW · FILED
Video Record
0:00 / 51:00

Transcript — Verbatim
0:19

This meeting is being transcribed and summarized.

0:35

Okay.

0:36

Hello, everyone.

0:37

We're going to go ahead and call our meeting to order.

0:39

It is Thursday, August 27th, 2026.

0:43

Start with our roll call.

0:46

Commissioner Ted McCreary.

0:56

Thank you.

0:59

Commissioner Donovan Phipps.

1:02

Present.

1:03

Commissioner Rodney Culver.

1:06

Present.

1:08

Commissioner Darius Randall.

1:11

Present.

1:14

Commissioner Aaron Calbert is present.

1:17

We do have a quorum.

1:30

All right.

1:31

So has everyone had a chance to uh review minutes from our meeting last month.

1:38

And are there any corrections or anything that need to be made?

1:50

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

2:03

Anybody?

2:05

I second the motion.

2:07

Motion by Commissioner Phipps.

2:12

Aye.

2:13

Second by Commissioner Randall.

2:16

Those in favor?

2:18

Signify by saying aye.

2:21

Aye.

2:22

Aye.

2:23

This is weird.

2:26

All right.

2:28

So the motion carries.

2:35

So we'll go ahead and move into new business.

2:58

Oh, you're good.

3:00

Fall festival booth one day.

3:04

Shifts are from ten to two, two to six, and six to ten.

3:10

Um I did hear from Commissioner Ruff as well as Commissioner.

3:25

Austin Morris as well.

3:28

They were both available on Monday from the 10 to 2.

3:34

Um.

3:35

So if we could, I would actually like to fill a whole day for them.

3:40

So I know it can be really hard to find people uh, you know, to work during that week.

3:45

Um so and that would also be a good opportunity for us to collaborate and kind of get ourselves out as well.

3:52

Um just kind of what your thoughts on on that and what your availability may be for that Monday.

4:00

This is uh Ted McCreer.

4:02

I'll be available, but I'm representing um uh our board now as well as same one as well as the museum.

4:10

So I'm I'm available.

4:12

Okay.

4:13

Did you have a particular time uh that Monday?

4:16

Uh the morning shift.

4:18

10 to 2.

4:18

Okay.

4:20

So I know they need four for each shift.

4:23

Um I will uh be uh at the building um cooking.

4:31

I'm not gonna be at the site.

4:33

I'm gonna be at the building doing initial cooking.

4:38

Okay, I'll make note of that.

4:43

Um yeah, if we could.

4:45

Um then that way we can kind of get the responses immediate from everybody and share it as well.

4:54

Um with slides.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Public Engagement████████████████████20%
Youth Programs█████████████████17%
Public Safety████████████████16%
Procedural███████████████15%
Community Engagement███████████████15%
Strategic Planning██████6%
Technology and Innovation█████5%
Public Health████4%
Arts And Culture██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Evansville Commission on the Social Status of African American Males Meeting - August 27, 2026

The Evansville Commission on the Social Status of African American Males met on Thursday, August 27, 2026, at 3:30 PM in Room 301 of the Civic Center. The meeting was called to order with a quorum present. Commissioners discussed a range of topics including the upcoming Fall Festival booth, a debrief of the Million Father March, strategic planning, police-community relations, community gun violence, and youth outreach. Several community events and initiatives were announced.

Consent Calendar

  • Adoption of Minutes: The minutes from the previous meeting were approved unanimously by voice vote, with a motion by Commissioner Phipps and a second by Commissioner Randall.

Discussion Items

  • Fall Festival Booth: The commission discussed staffing a booth for the African American Museum at the Fall Festival. Shifts are 10-2, 2-6, and 6-10 on Monday. Commissioners Ruff and Morris were already available for 10-2, and Commissioner McCreary offered to cover 10-2 as well. Commissioner Phipps indicated he could be available all day. The group will send a survey to fill remaining shifts (2-6 and 6-10) and coordinate with the museum.
  • Million Father March Debrief: Commissioners shared experiences at different school locations. Commissioner Phipps reported handing out 25-30 cards with QR codes at AIS, but noted that administrators seemed unaware of the event. He suggested better communication with new school administrators. At Glenwood, the event ran smoothly with car line greetings. Commissioner McCreary reported a positive response at Lincoln, with a new traffic pattern reducing safety concerns. A Google survey is still being compiled to measure participation.
  • Strategic Plan Update: The commission’s strategic planning session is scheduled for September 24, 2026, from 3-4 PM. To avoid delaying the meeting, the group agreed to hold the regular commission meeting at 2 PM on the same day, pending room availability.
  • Police-Community Relations: No new updates were provided; the topic will be addressed during the strategic planning session.
  • Community Gun Violence: Commissioner Culver reported that in August 2026, there were 29 shots-fired runs, with only 7 generating case numbers (indicating injuries or evidence). He noted that three of those seven were from the same incident. He attributed the reduction to EPD’s targeted enforcement on stolen guns and illegal possession. Additionally, the department launched a first-responder drone on August 24, 2026, capable of reaching any location in less than 70 seconds. The drone is dispatched only in response to calls, not for general surveillance. Commissioner Phipps raised community concerns about privacy, and Commissioner Culver clarified that the drone is not used for random surveillance and that flock cameras are vehicle-only.
  • Youth Outreach: Commissioner Ruff met with staff to discuss outreach strategies, including recruiting mentors and coaches for the commission. The group discussed filling six vacancies by the end of 2026 and creating a flyer to promote openings. A new appointee, Mr. Baker, was recently sworn in.
  • New Attendance Incentive: Commissioner Ruff mentioned a new attendance incentive program announced by the superintendent and mayor. It is a district-wide lottery drawing open to all students. Commissioner Phipps noted the program encourages parental involvement and school pride.

Key Outcomes

  • Minutes Approved: Unanimously adopted.
  • Fall Festival Booth: Shift scheduling to be finalized via survey; commissioners will volunteer.
  • Strategic Planning: Meeting moved to September 24, 2026, at 2 PM (regular meeting) followed by strategic planning at 3 PM.
  • Million Father March: Feedback collected; improvements to school communication noted.
  • Gun Violence Update: Drone program officially launched; crime statistics for August shared.
  • Youth Outreach: Recruitment efforts to begin; flyer to be created.
  • Events Announced:
    • Youth Men Empowerment Summit: October 15, 2026, 9:30 AM - 3:30 PM at the Event Plaza, featuring motivational speaker Aaron Green.
    • Father-Son Lunch: October 17, 2026, at Memorial.
    • 2026 Annual Dinner and Mayor’s Celebration of Human Rights Awards: October 2, 2026, at 6:30 PM at Old National Events Plaza, keynoted by Rev. Dr. William J. Barber. Tickets $65, deadline September 11.
  • Adjournment: Motion by Commissioner Ruff, second by Commissioner Randall; meeting adjourned.

Meeting Transcript

This meeting is being transcribed and summarized. Okay. Hello, everyone. We're going to go ahead and call our meeting to order. It is Thursday, August 27th, 2026. Start with our roll call. Commissioner Ted McCreary. Thank you. Commissioner Donovan Phipps. Present. Commissioner Rodney Culver. Present. Commissioner Darius Randall. Present. Commissioner Aaron Calbert is present. We do have a quorum. All right. So has everyone had a chance to uh review minutes from our meeting last month. And are there any corrections or anything that need to be made? Hearing none, I will entertain a motion to adopt the minutes as printed. Anybody? I second the motion. Motion by Commissioner Phipps. Aye. Second by Commissioner Randall. Those in favor? Signify by saying aye. Aye. Aye. This is weird. All right. So the motion carries. So we'll go ahead and move into new business. Oh, you're good. Fall festival booth one day. Shifts are from ten to two, two to six, and six to ten. Um I did hear from Commissioner Ruff as well as Commissioner. Austin Morris as well. They were both available on Monday from the 10 to 2. Um. So if we could, I would actually like to fill a whole day for them. So I know it can be really hard to find people uh, you know, to work during that week. Um so and that would also be a good opportunity for us to collaborate and kind of get ourselves out as well. Um just kind of what your thoughts on on that and what your availability may be for that Monday. This is uh Ted McCreer. I'll be available, but I'm representing um uh our board now as well as same one as well as the museum. So I'm I'm available. Okay. Did you have a particular time uh that Monday? Uh the morning shift.

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