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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHRCMinutes_2017_03_13Brookings Human Rights Commission Minutes Monday, March 13, 2017 Room 300, Brookings City & County Government Building Attendance: Steve Bayer, chair; Lawrence Novotny, recorder; Penny Hauffe; Judy Karen; Maggie Owens (present via telephone); Laura Renée Chandler; Meagan Irvine-Miller; Shari Thornes, city clerk-staff Absent: George Hamer, vice-chair; Shafiqur Rahman; Chandradhar Dwivedi; Guests: Benjamin (Chris) Hartzler representing SDSU GSA (Gender & Sexuality Alliance); Amber Slabaugh – a nontraditional student who was attending as part of a class assignment. Chair Bayer called the meeting to order at 12:04 pm. A motion was made by Hauffe, seconded by Miller, to adopt the agenda. All present voted yes; motion carried. Minutes of the last meeting will be available to approve at the April meeting. Mission Statement Novotny distributed proposed changes to the mission statement and additional changes were made at the meeting. This proposed mission statement will be considered at the next meeting: The mission of the Brookings Human Rights Commission (BHRC) is to improve human relations in the Brookings area by fighting discrimination through education and a complaint resolution procedure. The Commission seeks to protect the rights of and prevent and eliminate bias and investigates complaints alleging discrimination against individuals or groups because of their sex, race, color, creed, religion, ancestry, disability, familial status, or national origin, age, marital status, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, or political affiliation with respect to origin, with respect to employment, labor union membership, housing accommodations, property rights, education, public accommodations or public services. The Commission promotes educational activities to make Brookings an inclusive and welcoming community. Resolution of Inclusion: The proposed Resolution of Inclusion was adopted unanimously by the City Council at the February 28 meeting. Hamer did an excellent job of introducing the Resolution. Many individuals came forward to speak in favor of the Resolution. Supporters of the Resolution were asked to stand and more than 100 people stood up. The City Manager suggested the Resolution be considered by the School Board and the County Commission. The School Board will consider it on March 13 and the County Commission on March 21. The Resolution helps inform the public the HRC exists and gives the HRC more empowerment to fulfill the mission. Discussion needs to continue around the issues that were brought forth during the public testimony on the Resolution. A subcommittee (Novotny and Hauffe) was formed to continue this discussion. Several members from the community who spoke before the Council Meeting will be asked to join the subcommittee. Thornes came across signs in Nashville placed in windows of businesses announcing the business or town as being welcoming. A motion was made by Hauffe, seconded by Karen, to obtain similar signs to be distributed to local businesses. All present voted yes; motion carried. SDSU Housing Fair: Owens expressed that the SDSU Housing Fair was not a good use of the Commission’s time. One person visited the Commission’s table, which was located around the corner from the landlords tables. Owens felt it would be better for the Commision to give the Renters Rights brochures to landlords to distribute at their tables. Additionally, the Commission needs to request landlords provide a link to the brochure on their websites and promote it on social media. A member of HRC who is committed to this task can be added as an administrator to facilitate the HRC Facebook page. Butler Award: Nominations are due by March 31. Spring Diversity Potluck April 9: Kas Williams will promote the Potluck on her campus radio program. Novotny will distribute posters around Brookings. Irvine-Miller will ask Chi Sigma Alpha to be a campus sponsor, so posters can be distributed on campus. Town Hall Meeting on Race Relations and Marginalized Communities: Laura Renée Chandler and Kas Williams obtained a grant for a town hall meeting, which will be an open dialogue surrounding race relations between marginalized communities, law enforcement, and the media. The town hall meeting will be at the Performing Arts Center on April 30, and the featured speaker will be Sybrina Fulton, mother of Trayvon Martin, who was killed 5 years ago in Florida. A meet and greet involving various groups will be held on April 26. Thornes will contact the Police Department regarding both events. Owens will connect with the Sioux Falls Human Relations Commission and invite them to the town hall meeting. The HRC may publish an ad in the Town & Country Shopper. Community Common Read: Irvine-Miller reported four books are being considered.  One dealing with illegal dreamers (immigrants)  One dealing with a girl who escaped after being captured by ISIS  A book on high profile public shaming  A book on how Arab American lives have changed before and after 9/11 How Does It Feel to Be A Problem? A book will be selected at the next Common Read meeting. Meeting Schedule: Meeting on the second Tuesday of each month will not work for Owens from September to December. Friday meeting dates will be considered during those months. Owens left. MEI: The HRC attorney is reviewing the Brookings Human Rights Commission ordinance. Bayer reported the high school now has a SAGA (sexuality and gender alliance) group, which the HRC could sponsor. Legislative Updates: Novotny advised SB 149 will allow child placement agencies to discriminate based upon their religious beliefs was passed and was signed by the Governor. Bayer, on behalf of HRC, sent a letter to Governor Daugaard requesting him to veto the bill. Our Brookings legislators voted against SB 149. SB 124, which would have originally required legislative authority for refugee resettlement was amended to require that Lutheran Social Services will now provide an annual report to the Legislature on refugees. This amended bill will not have any negative impact and was passed. SCJ 15 commended President Trump for keeping the country safe from Islamic terrorists. The Muslim community from Sioux Falls provided at least an hour of good opposition testimony. Bayer contacted our Brookings legislators on behalf of HRC and asked them to vote against the resolution. All three said they would. The resolution was eventually tabled. Calendar: March 31 – Butler Award nominations deadline April 1 – SDSU Wacipi April 9 – Diversity Potluck April 10 – Human Rights Commission meeting April 26 – Meet & Greet to discuss race relations and marginalized communities April 30 – Town Hall Meeting on race relations and marginalized communities Adjourn: Motion made to adjourn at 1:20 pm. All present voted yes; motion carried. Submitted by Lawrence Novotny, recorder.