HomeMy WebLinkAboutHRCMinutes_2018_03_12Brookings Human Rights Commission Minutes
Monday,March 12, 2018
Room 300 Community Room, Brookings City & County Government Building
Attendance:Steve Bayer, chair;Maggie Owens, vice-chair;Lawrence Novotny, recorder;George Hamer;Penny
Hauffe;Hanna Holmquist; Erinn Osborne; Shafiqur Rahman (county representative);Kas Williams (SDSU liaison);
Shari Thornes, city clerk-staff (via telephone)
Absent:Laura Renee Chandler; Meagan Irvine-Miller (student representative)
Chair Bayer called the meeting to order at 11:59 am.
Kas Williams is acting as SDSU’s diversity officer and will be serving as SDSU’s liaison with BHRC.
A motion was made by Owens, seconded by Osborne,to adopt the agenda.All present voted yes;motion
carried.
A motion was made by Owens, seconded by Holmquist, to approve the minutes of the February 12 meeting. All
present voted yes; motion carried.Novotny announced he will not be at the April meeting.
Honors College Award
The SDSU Fishback Honors College recognized the BHRC with the college’s Outstanding Community Partner
Award on February 15 for our hosting of the community common read events.Novotny and Holmquist were
present to accept the award on behalf of BHRC.The award (an engraved glass plaque) will be housed in the City
Clerk’s Office.
MEI
The Human Rights Campaign has issued the standards for the 2018 MEI scorecard.The standards changed
slightly from 2017.The city still has a few goals to achieve,which can be performed by executive action.The
MEI sub-committee (Novotny, Hamer, Chandler and Thornes) will be reviewing the standards and the goals.
Thornes is working with the Human Rights Campaign to issue a press release recognizing Brookings as the first
city in South Dakota to enact a comprehensive LGBTQ inclusive ordinance.The press release will be issued on
March 14.
Novotny and Hamer on behalf of BHRC submitted information to Mayor Corbett asking him to sign onto the
National Coalition of Mayors Against LGBT Discrimination.The board of Brookings PFLAG also submitted a
similar letter to the Mayor.A press release will be issued when the Mayor signs on.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.Awards
The BHRC decided to proceed with a similar schedule as the previous contest events, but to have two weekends
to read and judge the essays.A sub-committee consisting of ?????will propose contest themes and consider if a
prize (such as a King book) other than cash should be awarded.
Inclusivity Team
Team members held two meetings with Michelle VandeWeerd, the school’s curriculum coordinator, and
interested teachers from the schools.Nine teachers were at the January meeting and one teacher at the
February meeting (due to re-scheduling after snow storm).Discussion was held on issues teachers are seeing in
the classroom. Future meetings will focus on developing goals and tasks to implement the Teaching Tolerance
Curriculum.
Legislative Updates
SB 160 would have prohibited gender identity education in grades K-7,was killed in committee by 4-2.
HB 1296 would have required school districts to develop policies regarding use of facilities by transgender
persons,was killed in committee by 11-1.
SB 202 would have required the posting of signs on public restrooms,was killed in committee by 8-0.
SB 200 would have imposed restrictions on refugee resettlement,was killed in committee by 8-1
SB 136 would have allowed the use of other languages to take the drivers exam test,was killed in committee by
5-1.
Diversity Potluck
Time will be made available to introduce the members of the BHRC at the Diversity Potluck.
Butler Award
A press release was sent out seeking nominations.Bayer proposed the idea of recognizing a certain Brookings
High School student.Rahman stated the Butler award is for recognition of lifetime achievement and not for a
one-time event.Some other cities (such as Iowa City) have a student award.It was discussed to consider
establishing a student recognition award that is not tied to the Butler award.This student award will be given
only to a deserving student or class and would not to have to be awarded annually.Thornes will draft a proposal
for consideration for the next meeting.
Comprehensive Master Plan
The BHRC comments were submitted and are under consideration.
Strategic Plan
The BHRC comments were submitted.The City Council still is in the process of developing the plan’s framework.
Annual Report
The BHRC annual report for 2017 has been finalized and submitted.
Complaint Process
The city received a human rights complaint regarding having a service or emotional support animal. Thornes and
City Attorney Steve Britzman are working to hopefully resolve the issue without having to go through the formal
complaint process.
It is proposed that the BHRC partner with the Brookings Committee on Disabilities to develop a training program
for landlords on the use of service and emotional support animals.This training program would also apply to
animals in businesses and public places.
The complaint intake process needs to be reviewed and finalized.Owens, Thornes and Steve Britzman are
working on developing and finalizing a process on how to properly handle a complaint intake.
Adjourn:Motion made to adjourn at 12:55 pm.All approved.
Submitted by Lawrence Novotny, recorder