Diversity group hopes for new city advisement commission

By CHARITY SMITH

csmith@yourdailyglobe.com

Ironwood — The Ironwood Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Group may soon become a permanent fixture within the city of Ironwood’s government structure, according to group member Gerry Gripper.

“In my opinion, (the ordinance) elevates the concept of human relations, equity, inclusion, diversity. It elevates it to a municipal concern that has an ongoing presence, rather than a bunch of us rag-tag citizens running around trying to change the world,” Gripper told the Daily Globe. “Just the notion of it being elevated, even to an advisory capacity within the city structure, would say a lot should it pass about the city’s commitment to these kinds of issues and provide a process by which things could be considered along that spectrum.”

The ordinance, according to Gripper, will allow for the creation of a five-person commission, to be known as the Human Relations and Equity Commission to advise the city commission and departments.

Gripper said that once established the group will look over all new or amended ordinances before they are instituted. Gripper said the ordinance lays out two-year terms of office for the new commission and terms will be staggered so that they’ll always be some overlap of experienced and inexperienced members.

“There’s a section that outlines duties and it is clear that it is advisory and does not have any regulatory powers,” said Gripper. “Its job is to be advisory to the city commission.”

The idea of implementing the group into the city government was the brainchild of former mayor Annette Burchell, a founding member of the group. Gripper said city manager Scott Erickson is on board with the idea, too.

Gripper said that the process was started by Erickson last fall. Erickson brought to the diversity group several different models of how the new commission could function in local government, based on how similar groups were implemented in other small cities in Michigan, as well as nationally.

Gripper said they found one in particular that the group liked and Erickson used it as a model and put together a draft ordinance.

The diversity group was presented with the preliminary draft and offered feedback, Gripper said.

The group also started working with the city last year to go through all 35 articles of city ordinances and the city charter to look for language that “might not be diversity sensitive,” Gripper said. The group provided “pages of suggestions” to the city, such as changes in wording and excluding outdated wording, he said.

Gripper said the team is halfway through a review of their suggestions with Erickson, and will meet with him again next week. Gripper said he expects they will discuss the ordinance for the establishment of the new commission, as well.

“When it gets to the point where Scott is good with a final draft, my understanding is that he’ll take it to the city commission for further action,” said Gripper. “I’m not aware of any timeline.”

Gripper said a new Human Relations and Equity Commission would not lead to the end of the diversity group. He sees the two groups working together.