Central to the meeting was the planning for the Pride event, which the commission has slated as a community gathering. The approved budget of $2,000 aims to fund crucial aspects of the event, including T-shirts, which proved popular in previous years. Attendees previously appreciated the opportunity to take home a commemorative shirt, contrasting with earlier events where participants had to bring their own. The commission deliberated on the potential of utilizing generic T-shirt designs to avoid the need for new designs each year, and plans were made to use last year’s leftover inventory.

A DJ, who previously contributed to a past event, has generously offered their services for free, reducing some of the financial burdens. Last year’s event expenditures included approximately $1,200 for T-shirts and $225 for ice cream, as well as various other supplies. The commission is considering using part of the funds to increase attendance through advertising. Suggestions included placing ads in utility bills, though the transition to paperless billing among residents poses a challenge. The local Carver County News was identified as a potential advertising platform, and reaching out to the communications department for further details was suggested.

The commission also explored sponsorship opportunities, considering inviting sponsors to fund specific elements of the event, such as art projects or ice cream. The motion to allocate the $2,000 budget for the event passed unanimously.

In addition to the Pride event preparations, the meeting touched on several other topics. The commission acknowledged the need for planning a cultural heritage month, although specific meetings for this initiative have yet to occur. The commission expressed admiration for the organization of past events and discussed the potential involvement of local restaurants to enhance future celebrations.

Updates on Indigenous Peoples’ recognition and veterans’ acknowledgment were limited, with no new initiatives reported at this time. However, the importance of having staff representatives at subcommittee meetings was highlighted to ensure coordination and compliance with city standards, especially when no specific events are planned.

A notable part of the meeting was the commission’s focus on the concept of neurodiversity for the month’s “belonging message.” A word cloud was presented, emphasizing neurodiversity as a recognition of the value in neurological variations among individuals, akin to biodiversity. This message sparked a discussion, including a quote from Dr. Thomas Armstrong: “Instead of pretending that there is a normal brain to which all other brains must be compared, we need to admit that there is no such brain.”