HomeMy WebLinkAboutHRCMinutes_2020_05_20
Brookings Human Rights Commission Notes (unapproved)
Wednesday, May 20, 2020
Community Room, Brookings City-County Government Building, and Zoom online meeting
Attendance: Meagan Irvine-Miller (chair – in-person); Matt Rhodes (county representative & vice-chair – in-person);
Lawrence Novotny, (recorder – in-person); Marilyn Hildreth (via Zoom); Hanna Holmquist (via Zoom); Jason
Meusburger (via Zoom); Erinn Thomas (via Zoom); Casey Bell (city human resources technician – staff liaison – in-
person); Marci Gebers (police liaison – in-person);
Absent: Kati Hanson; Susan Rotert (city human resources director – staff liaison); Kas Williams (SDSU liaison);
Chair Miller called the meeting to order at 12:02 pm.
Rhodes moved, Holmquist seconded, to adopt the agenda. Motion passed.
Meusburger moved, Rhodes seconded, to approve the minutes of the February 18 meeting. Motion passed.
Meetings were not held in March or April due to government offices being closed on account of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Liaison/EC/Staff Reports:
Eight good applications were received for Hauffe’s vacant position. Miller & Rhodes selected an applicant which the
mayor will forward to the City Council on June 09.
Wren Murphy’s student position expired in May and they decided not to re-apply for the position. Miller will be reaching
out to some SDSU student organizations to seek some nominations.
School Board Liaison
In the past we had discussed it would be beneficial to have a liaison with the Brookings schools. Roger DeGroot, school
board member and former superintendent, volunteered to serve. Novotny moved, Rhodes seconded, that we accept Roger
DeGroot as the school board liaison with BHRC. Approved by roll call. Bell, along with the City Manager, will draft a
document outlining the role of liaisons.
Goals and Leadership Areas:
Meusburger moved, Rhodes seconded, that we adopt the 2020 goals that were distributed via e-mail prior to this meeting.
Approved by roll call.
Chair Miller asked members to sign up to serve on 3 of the leadership sub-committees. The 3 members will select who
among them will serve as the coordinator.
Awards:
A press release will be sent out soliciting nominations for the Butler award, youth award and youth ally award. June 30
was set as the deadline for nominations.
Common Read
The SDSU Common Read book is There,There by Tommy Orange, an enrolled member of the Cheyenne and Arapahoe
tribes of Oklahoma. The book was selected to coincide with the opening of the new American Indian Student Center this
fall and with the Wokini Initiative. Common Read activities will play off the theme of the book: THERE
Truth – storytelling
Healing – trauma, adversity, violence, renewal
Exploration – of self, space, history of colonization, identity, culture, awareness
Relationships – community, kinship, connection, intertwining, unity
Empowerment – acknowledging/naming the past and looking to the future; education; purpose
The author is scheduled to speak on November 17.
Novotny moved, Meusburger seconded, that BHRC purchase the Common Read book for those members who want one.
Approved by roll call.
Potluck
The consensus at the December meeting was to have only one potluck per year – in the spring.
Fall Town Hall
Due to the uncertainty of the Covid-19 pandemic status, we will not plan a town hall forum for this fall.
Miller stated it still would be nice to have some kind of outreach event to the community; maybe a Zoom type meeting or
webinar type presentation. Maybe this can be combined with our community common read event.
Other
Rhodes announced that the activities originally planned as part of the Bush Community Innovation Grant have been
postponed due to Covid-19. The activities may start this fall and probably will take the form of teleconference focus
groups.
Hildreth announced that Bienvenidos a Brookings has joined the SD Dream Coalition. The Coalition received a $200,000
Bush Foundation grant. The Dream Coalition provides financial assistance to help meet the needs of immigrant and
migrant families. To date, about 150 families are being helped in the Sioux Falls and Brookings areas.
The City received the letter and application for the 2020 MEI scorecard.
Next meeting Scheduled for Wednesday, June 17.
Adjourn: Meeting adjourned at 12:42 pm.
Submitted by Lawrence Novotny, recorder