HomeMy WebLinkAboutBHRCMinutes_2016_02_04Brookings Human Rights Commission Minutes
Thursday, February 4, 2016
Suite 230, Room 241, Brookings City & County Government Building
Chair Hauffe called the meeting to order at 12:00 pm.
Attendance: Penny Hauffe (chair), Steve Bayer (vice-chair), Lawrence Novotny (recorder), Chandradhar
Dwivedi, George Hamer, Judy Karen, Maggie Owens, Shafiqur Rahman and Shari Thornes (City Clerk).
Absent: Laura Renee Chandler and Elliot Johnson.
A motion was made by Novotny, seconded by Rahman, to approved the agenda. All present voted yes; motion
carried. A motion was made by Rahman, seconded by Owens, to approve the November 23, 2015 and
December 11, 2015 minutes. All present voted yes; motion carried.
Schedule quarterly meeting. City staff will conduct a doodle poll.
2016 goals and 2015 annual report. Several individuals submitted edits and additions to the draft
report. The commission will discuss actions to improve the city’s 2016 MEI score during the quarterly
meeting. Proposed goals:
Inclusivity/Advocacy/Awareness:
o Combined Annual Butler Human Rights Award
o Dr. Martin Luther King Awards
o Spring & Fall Diversity Potlucks
o Campus-Community Common Read; participation in the book selection, promotion of events,
and development and promotion of a community CCR event
o Renters Rights Brochure; develop Spanish translation
o Participate in SDSU Renters Fair
o Develop a renters/landlords workshop/forum that can be presented in conjunction with the
Renter's Fair on Campus twice a year and seek to partner with Brookings Housing to present it
to community members/landlords
o Expand City website
o Co-sponsorship of Common Good Film Series
o Implement language support “language line” available in all city departments
o Continue to develop multicultural resources to provide to schools and the public
o Continue sponsorship of training to include periodic speakers, films and other educational
Resources
Commission transition:
o Expand City website to include educational materials regarding filing a complaint
o Secure and train mediators
o Continued training on complaint process
o Continued development of Commission’s role in the community
o Attend local and regional training opportunities pertaining to human rights issues
Partnerships
o Provide support and encouragement to Brookings High School Human Rights Committee;
student representatives invited to attend quarterly meetings as liaisons
o Continue to pursue a statewide human rights meeting and meeting with State Human Relations
Comission
Policies/Programs/Services
o Recommend improvements to city policies, programs and services to improve Brookings MEI
score
o Facilitate and co-sponsor diversity training for the Brookings Police Department and other local
law enforcement agencies.
A motion was made by Novotny, seconded by Hamer, to adopt the 2015 report as edited and the 2016
goals as proposed. All present voted yes; motion carried.
Reports/Updates:
A. King award event: Owens did an excellent job of announcing the award recipients at the January
26 City Council meeting. Karen volunteered to take down the posters. Cottonwood Coffee took
the posters down early because students’ addresses were on the back. The commission needs to
prevent the addresses displaying in the future. It was suggested to also send the King contest
informational material to the Boys & Girls Club. Expanding the contest to the SDSU campus was
also suggested.
B. Brookings High School Human Rights Committee: Bayer reported the formation of a student
human rights group in the high school. The group is now an official student group and meets on
the second and fourth Wednesdays. The commission will invite representatives to attend the
quarterly meetings and establish an official liaison with the group.
C. Demystifying Differences Conference: Students and faculty from SDSU, as well as Novotny
representing the BHRC, are planning a diversity conference on the SDSU campus March 18-19. The
conference planning committee has requested funding support from BHRC. No action was taken
since the planning committee had not confirmed the keynote speaker or had a definite program
outline.
D. Spring Diversity Potluck: The speaker is Jose Gunzalez, SDSU agronomist from Spain. The
commission needs to promote the potluck and reach out to additional groups.
E. Off-campus Housing Fair: The Fair is set for February 5 in the Student Union, instead of April 10 as
anticipated. Novotny will place the rental rights brochures on the BHRC table at the opening of the
fair (10 am) but he cannot be present. Hauffe will be present in the afternoon. Thornes has a table
cover for future events.
F. Community Common Read: 25 book titles have been submitted and all were rejected. The
common read committee is now reviewing additional books.
G. Meeting with Mayor Reed: The Mayor is meeting with the chair and vice-chair of all of the city’s
boards, committees and commissions regarding needs, issues and input on training opportunities.
H. Legislative updates: HB 1008, the transgender bathroom bill, passed the House by 58-10 and is
pending in Senate Education committee. Bayer, who is also the school board president, reported
the Brooking Schools will follow Federal law instead of the proposed state law. HB 1112, the
SDHSAA transgender policy bill, passed House State Affairs committee on February 3, 2016 and will
be heard on the House floor next week. HB 1107 allows religious discrimination passed House
State Affairs yesterday and will be heard on House floor next week.
I. Commission transition procedures update: City Attorney Britzman, City Clerk Thornes, Chair Hauffe
and Vice-chair Bayer are formalizing complaint procedures and creating an internal checklist.
J. Educate for Equity workshop: The receipt of a report on this October 2015 SDSU workshop which
was partially funded by the BHRC has been cancelled.
Adjourn. Motion made to adjourn at 1:05 pm.
Submitted by Lawrence Novotny, Recorder.