- Okay. Well, I'll go ahead and call this meeting to order. Uh, this is the meeting of the city of Bloomington
- city council's interview committee. Uh, quick, uh, go around the room with instructor role.
- I'm Matt Flaherty. I'm an at-large city council member. I'm Andy Ruff. I'm at-large council member also.
- Hi, I'm Courtney Daly. I'm city council member for district five. And, uh, welcome, uh, Lissandra and
- We appreciate your interest in serving on the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration Commission.
- So thank you for applying and yeah, for joining us today for an interview. I'll explain just a little
- bit about the process and then we'll probably have some questions for you and also have time for you
- to ask questions of us about the process.
- The city council divides appointments to boards and commissions across 3 interview committees to interview
- and make recommendations. So that's this committee's job. This is 1 of our commissions and.
- We will make, I think we're considering 2 applicants for a vacancy currently and we'll make our final
- recommendation to the city council at our next coming regular session, which is, I think in a couple of weeks.
- So as far as our timeline and process, that's what our role is today and kind of a timeline to anticipate
- action and follow up communication from Deputy Clerk Crossley. With that, maybe we could just get started
- with you introducing yourself and sharing a bit more about why you're interested in serving on this
- commission. Hey, my name is LaSonda McCoy. I'm interested in serving on this commission. I was a former
- Bloomington Police Department social worker and now
- They somewhat saw me doing that job because I told them that I wanted to continue to work in the schools.
- I was a former preschool teacher for almost 30 years. So then someone saw me that being a police department
- social worker and and I told him I still want to volunteer at the Black Culture Club at South High School.
- So he saw me working with over 70 kids. So they basically created this job for me now. So I'm a social
- worker for the school resource officers and I love my job. I love working with kids. So what reason
- why I wanted to
- applied for this because one time, so last year I was one of the 60 women on the movement. I got, I
- was one of those women that the commission put me in as an award. And then also as a faith-based person,
- I spoke at this Martin Luther King celebration like before that, the year before that. So I've been
- a resident of this city for 40 years and I come and go between IU and a school corporation and the city.
- So I wanna be that person to help bridge the gap. So that's why I'm interested in being a part of that
- commission.
- because I feel like I love the city of Bloomington, I love the school corporation, and I just want to
- be that person that's that liaison between all three things, IU, and city of Bloomington, and the Martin
- Luther King school corporation. So I think being a part of the Martin Luther King commission will help
- me to be able to do that, to bring more children out, bring more youth, get more youth involved in that.
- Amazing, thank you.
- The other committee members have questions for Sandra. Yeah, hi. So again, thank you so much for being
- here today. What experience or skills would you say that you would bring to the commission to be an
- effective team member? First of all, being a social worker, I'm an active listener. And I'm used to
- dealing with conflict. I'm used to dealing with conflict. And I feel like bringing people together,
- sometimes you're not going to agree on everything, right? So with my job as a social worker, I find
- myself bringing
- people together, like other grownups together, like administrators together, kids with administrators.
- I've been an advocate between when parents come in, sometimes the administrator might call me in to
- be that person that bridge that gap too. So I feel like I could bring active listening. I could think
- I could help conflict resolution. I'm part of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, and I hold many offices in
- that sorority. So I feel like I'm an organizer.
- I just I think I bring a lot of skill sets to things like that. First, I like people. I love people.
- So I feel like I like to speak and talk to people and communicate with people. So I feel like I could
- bring that aspect to it, too. That's why I want to be a part of it. And I also feel like I want to bring
- more people in the city to this program. You know, like to be more involved because I am a people person.
- I'm a former pastor's wife and I'm ordained minister too, so I just love talking to people. I don't
- know a stranger. I can go in the grocery store, I can go anywhere, and I talk to everyone. So I just
- feel like I wanna get more people in the city of Bloomington more involved in things, more in the community.
- And I feel like everybody should be treated equal, and I feel like that no matter who they are, we can
- get them involved. Like in a month or so, I'm gonna go out there on seminary and talk to some of the
- homeless people.
- with the ministry group that's going out there. So I just feel like I just want the bridge that gap
- to bring everybody and let everyone feel a part of being involved in whatever the city is doing.
- I love that. Thank you. Yeah, no, no, no questions. I'm just super impressed with your background, your
- experience, your positions and your enthusiasm for doing this kind of work. I can see it coming right
- oozing through you right now even
- Yeah. Yeah. And I agree. Uh, and maybe just an additional question or two for me. Um, so, uh, the commission,
- uh, just to confirm how logistics, they meet on the fourth Wednesday of the month, uh, from six to seven
- PM here at city hall. Um, occasional remote attendance is okay, but most meetings should be in person.
- Like there's rules around the commission being able to have quorum and therefore be able to meet. Uh,
- sometimes we are challenged by that with different commissions at times. And so just wanted to check.
- your availability and ability to commit for the, you know, the term of the appointment to regularly
- attend meetings, participate in the commission's duties, all that. Does that time and availability work
- for you? Yeah, I can. I helped with the gala. I helped plan one of the people playing the gala this
- year. Yeah, I understand. I understand. Great. Additional questions or? Yeah, I mean, just to follow
- up a little bit more on what you were saying earlier. I mean, first of all,
- One of the questions I usually ask is about, you know, working with people when there's conflict,
- you know, difference of opinion. I don't think I need to ask that of you. That's pretty clear as a social
- worker. That's one of your strengths that you've got a lot of tools. But I love your enthusiasm for
- bringing more of our community into the event. Do you have any ideas or thoughts on how we might be
- able to do that or how you would
- personally be involved in encouraging greater attendance. Okay. So for instance, like being in the schools.
- So like right now we had the youth summit, the black youth summit coming up, right? So on that person,
- like there's people in the city reaches out to, so I could make sure all, I go to all the high schools,
- even though they send an email, I literally go to all the high schools and I go to all the middle schools
- to make sure I get those minority males there. Cause I think it's a good program. When I believe in
- something, I will support it. So,
- I am that person hands-on, like, I can make phone calls, I'll knock on your door. I'm like, you need
- to come be a part of this. You know, like, whatever it takes to get people involved, that's who I am,
- to make sure they get there. And let them know, be aware, because sometimes people are just not aware
- of what's going on, you know? So we have to, like, maybe email, send up flyers, or just knock on our
- doors, or give them phone calls to invite them, let them know what's happening. Great. OK, wonderful.
- Thank you for that follow-up. Appreciate it. I did just have one question.
- based on conversations so far. Can you hear me all right, Alessandro? I can hear you. So it seems to
- me there's so much potential in all your roles to have this synergistic interaction in all that you
- do. Do you foresee it being just wide open, everything, the way you can interact, the way you can bring
- that this is commission and your I you work in your us your school, your blooms and minor community
- school system work. Or do you see boundaries anywhere? Is there any need for boundaries? Or can you
- just take this and just do whatever you can come up with? I don't think there's some boundaries. No,
- because I said that's what Dr. Martin Luther King stood for equality for all right.
- everybody should be included. So no, I don't feel like there should be boundaries. We put those boundaries
- there because we judge people without really getting to know who they are. So I feel like you get to
- talk to people and get to know who they are. There shouldn't be any boundaries for anybody feeling welcome
- to be a part of any of this that we're doing. Thank you. Do you have questions for us, Lysandre, either
- about the council's role, how we interact with commissions, the commission itself, the process
- of appointments, any of that?
- Not really. I was shocked that it was, I was shocked that it involved all this. But I'm okay with it
- because like I said, I'm okay with it because like I said, I help with the GALA and with the, you know,
- every year when the Black Male Commission, they get together at Fairview, I'm a part of that.
- I make sure, because like when I started working for the Bloomington Police Department, I started asking
- the chief, I'm like, we need to be a part of that. So I was able to start going to that, you know, the
- first day of school at Fairview.
- So I would go to that. And so then I got the police department start coming. I'm kind of disappointed
- to see them this year, but I got them to start coming to those things. And then when I started working
- for Cute Modern Kind of School Corporation again, I told the powers that be, we need to be there for
- that too. So I believe that person, like I said, a lot of times people just don't know things are happening
- and things are going on. So I'm that person. I'll try to make people aware, you might want to be a part
- of this. This is a good thing. This is a good cause.
- and make it more work. So I've gone to that for years, the Martin Luther King celebration, and I've
- gotten other people of diversity that come, they didn't know existed, so they come and they like it.
- So my daughter, she's older now, I remember one year when Coretta Scott King came to the city of Bloomington,
- and my daughter was actually able to take a picture with her. So I'm gonna, yeah, I'm gonna probably
- go up there for years. So I'm like, why not help with it?
- Well, thank you again for your interest in serving on the Commission and your volunteer efforts supporting
- the GALA and other things as well in the community. We are I think at the end of the interview. And
- so just again, three or eight next steps. This committee's job is to make a recommendation. I think
- we are considering two folks for appointment to the Commission and only one vacancy. You should hear
- one way or the other from Deputy Clerk Crossley within the next
- two to three weeks, I think. And even if you're not appointed at this time, A, appreciate again your
- interest and B, would encourage you to keep an eye on vacancies because they do come up with some regularity
- and we always need people who are enthusiastic and willing to serve in these capacities for the city.
- So thank you again and have a great evening. Okay, thank you. Thank you for having me. Thank you so
- much. Take care.
- You also spoke to our other candidate, is that right? Yes, I spoke with Jettna this afternoon. So she
- is going into her junior year at IU, so enthusiastic. A lot of energy, a lot of great enthusiasm,
- really warm. I loved her for the spot, for two reasons. Because of her youth, getting that college experience
- on the commission.
- She's heavily involved in the Neal Marshall Center, Black Student Union, and in both of those roles,
- she's taken on leadership roles where she's done a lot of organizing of events and has a lot of hands-on
- experience of actually putting together large events. So she sounded really experienced for her age
- and very capable. Okay.
- was my perception. Did you check in about time commitments and availability and all that as well? Yeah,
- I did. I didn't remember the exact day and time that I told her it would be once a month, probably about
- an hour to two for each meeting, set time. Her only question about that was, are they in person? I said,
- ideally, yes. I explained to her quorum issues, or not issues, but the need for quorum.
- And I, you know, I said, when she asked about being in person, I said, however, if from time to time,
- you know, once in a while, maybe you're traveling or something else has come up, if they have quorum
- for in-person, you can once in a while. So she all sounded all good with that. Well, it seems like we
- have two great candidates then. Yeah, exactly. And one vacancy, I believe. Let's see.
- the current membership as well. Well, there's a real vacancy that, no, there's not, sorry. There's just
- one vacancy. I know. There are a couple of things that are up next year. This is where it lays and also
- said they look great. I pulled up the email and she said that Dr. Glow recommended the student that
- was, and so,
- She said the students she always recommends are always excellent. Lysandra is engaged to respect the
- community members whose work and connections would be beneficial to our commission. I think her work
- with the youth, which I am with, well, with the commission's goals, she's involved in a lot of organizations.
- So my only hesitation would be to question if she has time for another commitment, which she clearly
- mentioned she could handle. And she said, I ultimately lean towards
- Well, Sandra, for this one, however, I would be happy to have either person join as a luxury to choose
- between two great candidates. Yes, she did say it because I asked her why she was interested in the
- role. She said she is from Indianapolis, but she's here. She doesn't want to just be involved in IU.
- She wants to be involved in the Bloomington community. So she started looking into how she could get
- involved and
- Dr. Globe recommended this commission. That was the other part of our conversation. Well, Andy,
- this is our. They're both great and I don't think the commission will.
- Jennifer, do you have any thoughts? It's really hard. The only thing I can think of is if one of the
- appointments whose terms are up next year, obviously, or if somebody resigns ahead of any time this
- year, either one of them. This is like the second meet I've had today where everybody's been like, this
- has been a really good pool of applicants. It's just really hard. I do know I've been trying to go,
- There's an emoji day that's happening at the end of this month on campus where I plan on going in my
- capacity to talk to students about getting involved in boards and commissions. And I do know that also
- Dr. Glow, when she talks to students, they end up applying. There are a couple of students that she
- had talked to and I had talked to when I had went and they ended up applying for some boards and commissions
- and they actually got appointed.
- So I won, actually won an award for the Black History Month Gala this year. So it's just really hard
- because when you see LaSondra, you see her everywhere. But yeah, it's hard. I maybe lean towards,
- I'm sorry, the student's name. In that direction, for the sake of more student involvement,
- your recommendations and
- Kind of like I think Lissandra is going to be there and going to be participating in volunteering. And
- there probably will come a time when she can serve on the commission. And students' time is limited
- also. And so I'm comfortable in that direction again, knowing that there's no bad choice here and that
- we can't pick both. And if we could just also really communicate to Lissandra that we think she's great
- and hope that she considers serving in the future.
- Yeah, I was gonna ask when you make the calls, do you ever like convey a message like that? Oh, I do.
- Okay. Oh, yeah. Yeah, I definitely do. Great. Andy, what are your thoughts? Well, I did a little defer,
- especially since you talked about, but I like what Matt said that, I mean, there's a potential.
- we could, this could be the start, or not the start, because she's obviously engaged to the student,
- but of creating another Lysandra in the form of the student, get her involved in stuff like this, right?
- That's, yeah, that's why I love the idea of getting college students involved. So I really like that.
- If there is another opening that happens in June, could we just plug Lysandra in right away without
- even having to win? We'd have to meet and make the recommendation, but we could do that sort of thing
- without interviews, if we wanted to.
- I moved to. See, see what. Yes, but I need to. Jennifer, thanks for including the little quick screenshot.
- Well, thank you. Applications weren't showing up for us in on board. And so we don't have. We need to fix that.
- Um, I moved to a point to see, see to John Ayala Ruiz or the Dr. Martin Luther King birthday. 61,
- but yes. Yes. Okay. Yes. Yes. Yes. Okay. And so I will put that together for the packet for the September
- six meeting. Sounds right. Um, and then.
- That's it. Thank you. Yeah. Yes, thank you. Yeah. Thank you, too, for making this work. Yeah, no,
- thank you. Thank you. Adjourned. Adjourned. OK.