The full Fishers City Council had its first look at a proposal from the task force charged with recommending changes to the council’s process for forming its own committees and appointing people to boards and commissions.

The task force is chaired by Council President Selina Stoller, with other members John Weingardt, Cecilia Coble and Crystal Newmann.  The new document, heard at first reading  Monday night, calls for minority representation on council committees, but allows the council president to make the final decision on appointments.  Currently, the full council votes on those appointments.

The sole task force Democrat, Crystal Neumann, voiced disappointment in the recommendation, which she says “does not speak to me and it does not speak for me.”  She supports minority representation on council committees, but believes having the council president have the final say on appointments will hurt diversity efforts. “Diversity is important to Fishers because we are a growing city,” Neumann said.

Neumann also called for more collaboration among task force members.  She says the group has had only one in-person meeting.

Democrat Jocelyn Vare said this proposal would put appointment decisions behind closed doors, rather than subject to a public council vote.

Council President Stoller responded, pointing out the task force looked at other cities, such as Indianapolis and Carmel, to put together this proposal.  Stoller  addressed the issue of diversity.

“I am going to promote diversity within the community,” said Stoller.  “I feel we are a very diverse community.  We do need that representation and that representation should be moved forward.”

Councilman Pete Peterson was critical of the provision taking away the council vote on appointments and giving that authority to the council president.  He called the task force document ”unnecessary, it’s more government, it gets in the way.”

Todd Zimmerman said the the council debate may look uncomfortable, but urged the council not to abandon the task force work but move forward in an effort to find the right language.

The task force proposal has received first reading, which is the first procedural hurdle and needs only one vote.  With divisions on the council over this proposal, the question now is –  where does the task force go from here?