Huber Heights commission debates workload and next steps from community plan

Commission members on Aug. 7 spent substantial time discussing how the Cultural Diversity Commission will use the city’s recently delivered community plan (referred to in the meeting as the “Rama plan”) and what the commission’s responsibilities should be going forward.

“We all need to have a really clear understanding of what is expected of us and what our roles are,” said Christie (commission member), who expressed concern about changing the commission’s scope and asked that the group decide how much time members can commit outside monthly meetings.

City staff and commissioners said council — not staff — is the appointing authority and therefore must clarify the commission’s mandate. Jeffrey (city staff liaison) told the commission he could help arrange a meeting between the commission and council to nail down expectations. “I will try my hardest to orchestrate that,” he said, describing a proposed meeting to align the commission’s recommended activities with council’s legislative charge.

Why it matters: Commissioners said the Rama plan includes both long‑term recommendations and “low hanging fruit” that the commission can implement quickly. Members asked for a firm list of responsibilities so they can prioritize work for the end of 2025 and into 2026, and avoid informal mission creep that leaves initiatives stalled.

Proposed next steps: Commissioners suggested placing a workshop-style agenda item at the Sept. 4 meeting to collect and prioritize projects, set a time commitment expectation for members, and decide whether the commission will only make recommendations or also assist with execution. Staff said they will circulate the underlying legislation for the commission’s review so members’ ideas can be aligned with the commission’s legal scope.

Ending: The commission agreed to make roles and a 2026 work plan the top item at its September meeting, with staff circulating the relevant legislation in advance.