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HomeMy WebLinkAboutBHRCMinutes_2015_11_23Brookings Human Rights Committee Minutes Monday, November 23, 2015 at 5:30 pm Suite 230, Room 241, Brookings City & County Government Center Attendance: Penny Hauffe (chair), Steve Bayer (vice-chair), Lawrence Novotny (recorder), Chandradhar Dwivedi, George Hamer, Elliot Johnson, Judy Karen and Shafiqur Rahman. Absent: Maggie Owens. Also present: Shari Thornes (city clerk); Derrick Powers (Police Dept LGBT liaison), Dan Berg (Brookings High School business/personal law teacher), Emma Lucchesi (Brookings High School senior) and Dayliah Aadland (Brookings High School senior). Chair Hauffe called the meeting to order at 5:32 pm. A motion was made by Bayer, seconded by Rahman, to approved the amended agenda adding a request from Brookings Committee for People who have Disabilities and a report on Educate for Equity. All present voted yes; motion carried. A motion was made by Bayer, seconded by Rahman, to approve the October 8 and October 16 minutes. All present voted yes; motion carried. The judging of the MLK contest was scheduled on December 11, 2015 at 8:00 am. At this time it will be determined if a regular meeting will need to be held in December. High School Class Presentation: Bayer reported on the presentations to two Brookings High School business law classes regarding the role of the HRC. The classes consisted of freshmen thru seniors. Students were very engaged and asked questions about what they can do and how to get involved. Bayer’s response was to create a school version of the city’s HRC. Instructor Berg reported at the meeting that Bayer motivated the students. A small group of them are interested in forming a student human rights group. Berg reported Principal Von Fischer is supportive of creating a student human rights group. The two students present see a need for a group as they see the human rights of others students being violated. Students would be more willing to bring forth and discuss human rights issues with other students then with adults. The primary role of the student group would be to educate to prevent problems. The question raised, what would be the relationship between the school human rights group and the city HRC? Some suggestions included having a liaison, co-sponsoring events and a joint annual meeting. The City Attorney will need to determine the formality of a liaison relationship. The City Clerk will research other school/city models and share the Brookings HRC funding documents with the student group. Demystifying Differences Conference: Novotny was invited this past spring to represent the HRC on a SDSU Student Association planning committee to organize a conference entitled “Demystifying Differences.” The conference is scheduled for March 18-19, 2016. Friday evening will be a mixer and panel. Saturday with open with keynote speaker tentatively Ms. Tutu (relative of Desmond Tutu), and close with keynote speaker Ms. Chavez (relative of Cesar Chavez). Several workshops will be offered as well. The conference is open to students and community. The Brookings High School delegation left at this point. Election of Vice-Chair: Sam Jennings submitted his resignation from the HRC and as vice-chair. His term was up this December. A nominating committee of Hauffe and Hamer nominated Bayer as vice- chair. Bayer left the room during this discussion. A motion was made by Hamer seconded by Dwivedi, to elect Steve Bayer as vice-chair. All present voted yes; motion carried. Bayer rejoined the meeting. Annual Report: Johnson volunteered to draft the 2015 committee report with the assistance of Dwivedi. Off Campus Housing Fair: The Off Campus Housing Fair will be held in the Student Union on December 1. The HRC has been invited to have a table to distribute the renter’s rights brochures. Novotny, Johnson and Hamer volunteered to staff the table. Commission Transition: Thornes reported the procedures and forms have been drafted. The City Attorney is currently drafting the administrative hearing rules. All of the rules and regulations for the conduct of compliant procedures will be presented as a resolution for approval at the December 8th City Council Meeting. Committee members are encouraged to attend the Council Meeting. The HRC will generate a list of potential mediators who are experienced in mediating conflicts. Good candidates are retired judges, retired attorneys and ministers. Members can suggest names that would be a good fit. Committee members were asked to reserve either January 6 or 7 for a mandatory full-day training on becoming a commission. Committee Membership: Eight candidates were interviewed for the vacancies. Elliot Johnson was appointed to the SDSU student position. Maggie Owens was appointed to the vacancy created by the resignation of Patty Bacon. An appointment is pending for the vacancy created by the resignation of Sam Jennings. Disabilities Committee Request: The Committee for People who have Disabilities is advocating the Brookings Health Systems Expansion Plans include a family restroom that is physically visible and without obstructed access in the primary public entrance and lobby space. The Disabilities Committee will be bringing this issue before the City Council on December 8th when the Council will be discussing funding for the expansion project. The Disabilities Committee is seeking support for its position and is looking for individuals to speak on it. A motion was made by Dwivedi, seconded by Hamer, to go on record in support of the Disabilities Committee request regarding the family restroom in the Brookings Health Systems Expansion project. All present voted yes; motion carried. Johnson left the meeting. Spring Diversity Potluck: Some City Council Members indicated it was difficult for them to attend the potlucks when they are held on Sunday afternoons. The HRC decided that holding the potlucks on a weekday evening would result in decreased attendance. Sunday afternoons allow for more public attendance. The Diversity Potluck will continue to be held on Sundays with the next one scheduled for April 10, 2016. Rahman will schedule a faculty member originally from Spain to speak. Bayer stated he would like to see a community conversation about “Islamic radicalism.” Dwivedi will inquire about partnering with the Brookings Interfaith Dialogue Group and holding a panel discussion. Reports/Updates: a) Awards Event, October 29 – Attendance was good. At the next meeting the challenge offered by MaryJo and Dick Lee will be discussed. City staff had a problem with the Performing Arts Center not being set up in adequate time before the event started. The Aramark staff serving wine and beer did not direct attendees to the non-alcoholic beverage options at the catering tables. b) EEOC Workshop on Diversity/Bias/Respect, October 20 – 45 people were registered and 37 attended. Dwivedi thought the presentations dealt with how to deal with your co-workers while he believed the presentations should have focused on how human resource managers handle conflicts in the workplace. Thornes stated she received good feedback verbally from human resource managers who attended. Unfortunately, the presenter packed a lot of material into a limited timeframe and was not available for questions following the presentation. City staff will conduct an e-mail survey from the workshop attendees. c) Youth Mentoring Panel, Community Common Read, November 12 – Approximately 220 students attended with 5 community members present. Some committee members voiced a concern regarding the lack of community members. Bayer emphasized the goal of the panel was to reach the youth mentors of tomorrow. The student response at the end was overwhelming. Hannah Larson reported that she had extremely positive feedback from her students, and almost every student stated the panel was their favorite event of all of the common read activities. The panel video is available for viewing on the City’s website: https://cityofbrookings.legistar.com and select November 12, 2015 Human Rights Committee meeting. Hamer left at this point. The Committee discussed options to promote HRC events since the Committee does not have the funds to do extensive print or radio media promotion. The HRC needs to become effective in the use of social media – tweeting, facebook and e-mail blasts. d) Police LGBT liaison – Powers reported that he meet with the SDSU Gay-Straight Alliance at the beginning of the fall semester and will meet again with GSA at the beginning of the spring semester. Several Brookings police detectives will be attending a sexual violence institute in Sioux Falls on December 2-4. Powers left at this point. e) Budget – Thornes reported that there is less than $400 remaining in the 2015 budget. There are some outstanding bills. Novotny requested that a $1000 from the 2016 budget be allocated to the Demystifying Differences Conference. This request was postponed to another meeting. It was recommended that any funds remaining in the 2015 budget be allocated to the Demystifying Differences Conference. f) Educate for Equity Conference – Conference coordinator Charlotte Davidson will be asked to submit a report. Annoucements: a) Sioux Falls Diversity Summit held on November 17. The announcement of this event arrived too late to allow attendance. Executive Session: A motion was made by Bayer, seconded by Rahman, to go into executive session to discuss discrimination complaints. All present voted yes; motion carried at 7:44 pm. A motion was made by Rahman, seconded by Bayer, to come out of executive session. All present voted yes; motion carried at 7:53 pm. Adjourn: Meeting adjourned at 7:55 pm. Submitted by Recorder Lawrence Novotny.