Oshkosh DEI committee debates mission language, appoints designee and agrees to pursue existing city contractor for facilitation

The Oshkosh City Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee spent much of its meeting refining a mission statement, appointed a committee designee to an equity academy run by the Oshkosh Area School District and voted to use the city’s existing contractor to help develop the committee’s action plan.

The committee voted to designate Angie (last name not specified in the transcript) as the city’s representative to the Integrated Comprehensive Systems for Equity (ICS) Community Equity Ally Academy organized by the Oshkosh Area School District. "I would like to make a motion for Angie to be the designee," a committee member said; the motion was seconded and approved by roll call. The committee recorded an affirmative vote count in the meeting minutes.

Members then spent extensive time debating wording for the committee’s mission statement. Several committee members read proposed language aloud. Committee member Tim Timber read a draft that included, "The mission of the diversity, equity, and inclusion, DEI committee is to promote changes needed in Oshkosh to create a more welcoming, connected, and equitable city consciously including voices who have been historically marginalized and excluded in its planning and function." Other members proposed shorter mission language, a separate vision statement, and that any detailed tasks be set out later in an action plan. City staff advised that the ordinance creating the advisory body already sets an advisory role and suggested keeping the mission concise and placing operational detail in the action plan.

After the mission discussion, the committee considered hiring a facilitator to help develop an action plan and measures. City staff noted the city has an existing contract with a consultant team (identified in the meeting as FEI) that has been conducting an internal equity assessment and could be asked to extend its work to support the committee. A motion to proceed with the city's existing facilitator and to invite that contractor to the next meeting passed by roll call.

The committee also voted to table additional mission-wording work to a later meeting to allow time for further edits and to hear from the facilitator. Multiple members emphasized completing a short, clear mission at the next meeting and using longer service and purpose language in separate documents and the plan.

Ending: The committee asked staff to invite the city’s contractor (FEI) to present at the next meeting and to circulate meeting materials in advance. Members agreed to continue mission finalization at the next session and to consider subcommittees or short-term ad hoc groups to vet facilitator options and draft outreach plans.