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Councilmember Howell stated that in regard to the equal employment opportunity statement she <br />does not see a need to include that the City will not be discriminating against race including traits <br />associated with race such as hair. <br /> <br />Administrative Services Director Lasher noted that they are required to include this section. <br /> <br />City Administrator Hagen shared that legislation was passed in 2023 that specifically called out <br />identifying these attributes. <br /> <br />Councilmember Musgrove added that there are a lot more statuses than those which are listed in <br />the equal employment opportunity statement. She asked if this is meant to be limiting to just those <br />that are listed. <br /> <br />Administrative Services Director Lasher explained this is a pretty succinct way to identify who <br />they will not discriminate against. She noted this has been vetted by the legal team at the League <br />of Minnesota Cities. <br /> <br />City Attorney Knaak reiterated that the League of Minnesota Cities’ legal team has vetted this <br />thoroughly and does not see why this would be a problem. <br /> <br />Administrative Services Director Lasher explained that they have an opportunity to be defended <br />by the League of Minnesota Cities attorneys in the past. She noted that since this is vetted by those <br />attorneys then if there was an issue, they would have found it. <br /> <br />Councilmember Musgrove stated that the last grouping of statuses seems to be calling out specific <br />things while leaving out others. <br /> <br />Administrative Services Director Lasher explained that she can take this feedback and research <br />this item to come back at a future meeting to provide more reasoning for this. <br /> <br />City Attorney Knaak shared that categories are being broadened at the legislative level. He added <br />that a lot of this is being guided by the EOC. <br /> <br />Councilmember Howell commented that people move all over the world or they trace their <br />ancestry, and their hairstyles are always changing and she does not see a need for this to be in the <br />policy. She explained that she would find it helpful if they could color code the policy to call out <br />what they are required to include for language so that they do not have to spend Staff and Council <br />time debating things that cannot change. <br /> <br />Administrative Services Director Lasher reviewed the personal communications and use of social <br />media section of the policy, which is a new section. She shared that this is a recommendation of <br />the League of Minnesota Cities. She asked if the Council was supportive of this item. <br /> <br />Councilmember Howell asked about the point that says if anyone publishes something related to <br />city business and there is liable to be confusion whether they are speaking on behalf of the City it <br />would be best to identify themselves by saying something about how this is just the individual's <br />City Council Work Session / December 12, 2023 <br />Page 7 of 10 <br /> <br />