Meeting of the Parks and Rec Commission to order at 6 32 p.m.

All members are present except for Commissioner Johnson who is absent and unexcused.

All right, approval of park and park and parks and recreation commission minutes from August 12th.

We have one set of minutes for approval.

Are there any objections or changes to note?

All right.

I see no objections.

So the minutes stand adopted.

We will move to public business from the floor.

Time for members of the public to address the commission on non-agenda items.

And I believe Elisa's going to speak.

Okay.

Thank you.

Hello, um Chair Jorgensen Owen and members of the commission.

I've just passed out a handy little PowerPoint for everybody.

This is one that we've adapted from boards and commissions trainings we've done in the past.

So you know, several of you who've been through those trainings, this will look really familiar.

But we're trying to be better at coming to commissions as they start their new cycle for the year and just getting everyone on the same page with basics of how a commission works, what you're here to do.

So what you guys did with approval of finits, that was awesome.

Thank you for doing that by consent.

Um, Jessica, just so you know, typically we will have iPads with all of your agenda materials in front of you.

Right now, apparently there's an issue with the iPad passwords.

Um, but all of the agenda materials are also published ahead of the meeting, too.

Um just basically going through come to the meeting prepared.

If you have questions about what's going on ahead of the meeting, reach out to Bridget or Lisa.

Um there's a section in here on quasi-judicial hearings.

The parks and recreation commission doesn't do clause judicial hearings, so you don't need to worry about that.

Um a big thing is ethics and public disclosures.

Um just remember that you are appointed officials and you're serving in an advisory capacity to the city council.

Um so when you're interacting in your official capacity, just be aware that it could be a public record potentially.

Um also um we have some information in here, just like basics of the open meetings act.

So um try not to have you know extensive written conversations about items that you're going to be considering as a commission, be it email um or on social media, because those can be considered violations of the open meetings act.

Um for the code of ethics, it doesn't like it's all really based on financial interest, right?

So that's an indirect or direct um never I can never say it um benefit.

So just the part I have in here is the core part.

So if you have a financial interest in a decision that's um has a substantial possibility that would give you a financial interest, um, and that would change the outcome of the decision, that's kind of the threshold for you guys.

With you guys, it's not going to come up very often.

You're again, you don't appropriate money.

Um, and you're giving advice to the city council, but just be aware of if there's you know another organization you work with that comes before you, just be aware um, because we have, of course, like the official adopted code of ethics, but then just also thinking about um just thinking about um if how things look, right?

So if something looks like it could be a conflict of interest, always just err on the side of declaring like hey, I'm on the board of such and such organization too.

We're talking with them about this item.

Just err on the side of being careful.

Um other than that, we have um some information on the role of the chair in here.

You guys are gonna select your chair here pretty quickly.

Um the chair presides over the meeting and um guides the conversation along.

So all of your conversation goes through the chair.

Um staff might set aside time ahead of the meeting to talk to the chair or provide the chair a cheat sheet.

Um and then just be kind, be respectful.

Always make sure you're allowing space for each other to speak.

Everyone on the commission is an equal.

Um just making sure that the majority rules, but the minority has the right to be heard and to attempt to change the minds of the majority.

So remember, no member has the right to dominate the discussion and be mindful of allowing equal opportunity.

Um the next few slides in this little packet are about the open meetings act.

The big thing to remember on the open meetings act is that any time you have a quorum of your body in this room or outside of this room, that could constitute a public meeting.

So just be aware in a small town that if you're at an event and you're chatting about things, uh, try to keep the conversation you know away from commission business and only do commission business in formal open meetings.

Um violations of the open meeting act can be bad.

Um executive sessions, we're not really gonna cover that.

You guys would never really have a reason as a board to go into executive session.

So the rules are you can there's the exception to open meetings act for executive sessions.

Those aren't kinds of things that are really going to apply to you guys as a body.