HomeMy WebLinkAboutHRCMinutes_2018_05_14Brookings Human Rights Commission Minutes
Monday,May 14, 2018
Room 300 Community Room, Brookings City & County Government Building
Attendance:Steve Bayer, chair;Maggie Owens, vice-chair;Lawrence Novotny, recorder;George Hamer;Erinn
Osborne; Shafiqur Rahman (county representative);Shari Thornes, city clerk-staff
Absent:Penny Hauffe; Hanna Holmquist; Meagan Irvine-Miller; Kas Williams (SDSU liaison);
Chair Bayer called the meeting to order at 11:58 am.
A motion was made by Hamer, seconded by Rahman,to adopt the agenda.All present voted yes;motion
carried.
Diversity Potluck.The attendance at the Sunday,April 15th potluck was approximately 75-80 guests due to the
late snow storm that occurred on Saturday.Three totes of food were collected and donated to the food pantry.
The reading of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Contest Essays by the first place winners was well received.
A modern languages professor who attended would like to do a presentation on what it means to be latino/a.
The Commission will invite the professor to attend a fall BHRC meeting.
Community Common Read.The campus committee is asking if BHRC wants to partner on the campus events.
The Commission needs clarification on what “partner” means and involves. The week of October 15-19 was
proposed as a tentative date for our event.
Inclusivity Team.Lawrence Novotny, Dianne Nagy, and Annette Luthy have been meeting with the school
curriculum coordinator, Michelle VandeWeerd, and interested teachers and established these goals:
1.Everyone treated with dignity and respect
2.Diversity celebrated
3.All voices heard
4.Justice and equal opportunity for all
5.Hate and bias-motivated activities are reported, tracked, and responded to
We have established these anticipated outcomes:
Students better prepared for life in a diverse and democratic society
Positive school climate with safe, secure learning environment
Teachers have confidence and tools to accommodate increasingly diverse students
Greater curricular alignment across grades and schools
Reduction in student absenteeism and office referrals
The team will be meeting to develop strategies.
Commission Vacancy.Laura Reneé Chandler resigned to become the diversity officer at University of South
Dakota.Since student representative Megan Irwin Miller just graduated from SDSU, she was appointed to
Chandler’s position on the Commission.The city is currently advertising for a student representative.
Committee Structure.The Commission is considering an awareness plan and a social media plan.Osborne
volunteered to draft proposals for both.The BHRC has 4 main goals with numerous objectives and 16
subcommittees to work on them.
Equity Lens.A broader equity lens needs to be developed for the city that includes social sustainability.The
BHRC and the Sustainability Council work jointly on developing the equity lens.
Municipal Equality Index Score.
The city’s insurance booklet has been updated to include language referencing transgender services.
The renters rights brochure needs to be updated to include the new ordinance language that
discrimination based upon sexual orientation and gender identity in public housing is not allowed.
We also need to provide diversity training to landlords.
Volunteer Leadership Coffee with Mayor.Both Bayer and Owens are unable to attend on June 7.Hamer will
represent BHRC.
Budget Planning.Draft of 2019 budget is due end of May.BHRC is being level funded at $4,284 plus $5,000 for
common read event and has requested $2,500 for continuing diversity training.We need to look at a budget for
complaint process mediators,which will cost $150/hour.
Complaint Process.The existing complaint is now moving to the mediation process.
Youth Awards.Announcements soliciting nominations for our new youth award were sent to the schools. No
response was received. Since this was sent via email, staff needs to check if there was a filter block.The
announcements will be sent again.
City Manager Transition.The new city manager has been hired and he is overlapping with the current city
manager for 3 weeks. The new manager will be meeting with all of the city committees and boards.
Announcement.Sioux Falls diversity conference is July 19.
The meeting adjourned at 12:55 pm.
Submitted by Lawrence Novotny, recorder