Iowa City Truth and Reconciliation Commission postpones chair, vice chair vote
Commissioner Lauren Merritt, who was appointed to the commission on Monday, made a motion to postpone the vote on which commissioners will fill the roles of chair and vice chair.
Eric Harris listens to speakers during a Truth and Reconciliation Commission meeting on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022. Recently, the Iowa Supreme Court recommended the dismissal of three charges against Harris, the former Iowa City commissioner.
October 6, 2022
The Iowa City Truth and Reconciliation Commission postponed its vote on electing new a chair and vice chair at its Oct. 6 meeting.
Since Amel Ali, the commission’s former chair, was suspended in August, vice chair Chastity Dillard has been the interim chair. Following Ali resigning on Sept. 27, the commission needed to cast a vote on which current commissioners will take on the roles of chair and vice chair.
Commissioner Lauren Merritt, who was appointed onto the commission on Monday, made a motion to postpone this vote until the commission’s next meeting.
Merritt said she thinks the postponement is necessary so she and the other new commissioner, Marie Krebs, can become acquainted with the rest of the commissioners before voting.
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Several commissioners agreed with this sentiment, and Merritt’s motion to postpone the vote passed unanimously.
The vote will now take place at the next Truth and Reconciliation Commission meeting on Oct. 20. Currently, vice chair Dillard will still act as the chair of the commission.
Commissioner Eric Harris suggested all commission members take the two weeks in between meetings to make time to properly meet and get acquainted with each other.
“I’m saying if we all meet in small groups and talk with each other, then the next meeting that we have…we can take a vote,” Harris said.