HomeMy WebLinkAboutBHRCMinutes_2015_02_16Brookings Human Rights Committee Minutes
Monday, February 16, 2015 at 12:00 p.m.
Suite 230, Room 241- Brookings City & County Government Center
Attendance: Penny Hauffe, Patty Bacon, Shafiqur Rahman, Steve Bayer, Sam Jennings, Hanna
Larsen, Judy Karen, Chandradhar Dwivedi and Lawrence Novotny. Absent: George Hamer.
Also present: City Attorney Steve Britzman and City Staff Shari Thornes.
Hauffe called the meeting to order at 12:00 pm. A motion was made by Bacon, seconded by
Karen, to approve the agenda. Motion carried.
Review and action to approve Brookings Human Rights Ordinance revisions. Clarification was
requested regarding response to complaints, not engagement as a compliance body; any
investigations would not be done instead of the City Manager, but as an aiding body or in the
unlikely event the City Manager is the focus of an investigation; and “quasi-judicial” and other
concerns regarding legally binding language. The legality of proceedings is a concern, but the
process can be articulated to set the boundaries of what the commission will or will not/can or
cannot do. The City Attorney can provide some background and guidance, but would not be able
to facilitate each hearing or accept directives from the Human Rights Commission that an alleged
violator must be legally charged. There were several concerns or uncertainties if an issue can be
resolved in articulation of the process and procedure from the time a complaint is levied through
resolution.
Adjourn. A motion was made by Rahman, seconded by Jennings, to adjourn. All present voted
yes; motion carried. Meeting adjourned 12:59 p.m.
Submitted by Sam Jennings.