Board of Aldermen 3-10-2020 Page 19
| Know when | ran for Alderman and | told people | was running for Alderman, they looked at me quizzically,
not knowing exactly what that job was. The way | explained it was, “it’s really like being a member of a City
Council’. So | would support efforts to move us in that direction. | know that we can’t do it by ourselves, that
we have to get the Legislature to assist us in moving in that direction, but | would support that. But | will
also support this Ordinance.
Alderman Harriott-Gathright
Initially | was not in favor of it, | like the idea that he did remove the last part of it. But! think back to when |
came to the Board and Brian was here. And | remember he went around and he asked each one of us
what we would choose and some said “Alderman” and some said “Alderwoman”. But what | liked was the
fact that he as the Chairperson or the President, you know, really took the time to talk to us about what we
wanted. It wasn’t a male telling us about these things, he was asking what or how did you feel about it. For
example, when | ran, | ran to serve on the Board of Aldermen and that’s the way my conversation was with
people that | am running for the Board of Aldermen to serve on that Board. So | never had a problem with
whether it was Alderwoman or Aldermale, or whatever. | went pretty much by what was in the books. And
it never bothered me because | knew who | was. As far as the little girls out there, they know who each one
of us are without a doubt in their mind. They don’t need to be, a name is definitely going to tell them it’s
(inaudible) but | will support it. But | really didn’t think we need Legislation for that because | think that
everyone on this Board would never have a problem of someone being called Alderperson just as we didn’t
have a problem with people who wanted to be called Alderwoman.
Alderman Dowd
Again, | really don’t think we need Legislation to do this and we could very easily call people like we did
with Alderwoman. But because of the feelings associated behind the movement of to be all inclusive and
because | do support the fact that if they want to be called Alderwoman or Alderperson, | didn’t have a
problem with that, | just didn’t think we needed the Legislation. But |! will support the Legislation.
President Wilshire
So | just want to chime in on this, as Alderwoman Kelly did say, that this Board hasn’t always looked this
way. | mean one term | was the only woman on the Board. And it was all middle aged and older white
males.
Alderman Lopez
Alderbro’s?
President Wilshire
Alderbros. They weren’t really bro’s though. And | appreciate this coming forward. Does it need
Legislation? Maybe not, but | am going to support it. | think it’s a good idea, | think we should move
forward with this. But | have to say that this Board did not always look like this and | am very happy that it
does right now.
Alderman O’Brien
Yes being definitely afraid of sensitivity training, | think I'll change my vote. It’s come to that now.
Alderwoman Lu
| just wanted to, a couple things, | feel as though | never had any thought that | couldn’t be Alderwoman, it
never occurred to me. It only gave me the impression that it was a surprise and | guess | feel as though
since already its in effect and taking place and | guess | kind of sense that we don’t enact Ordinances
