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Brookings Human Rights Commission Minutes
Thursday, January 20, 2022
Go To Meeting App
Attendance: Nieema Thasing (chair); Dianne Nagy (vice-chair); Lawrence Novotny, (recorder); Dan Berg; Tracy
Chapman: Chisimdi Iheme (student representative); Erinn Thomas; Charlene ‘Charlie’ Ward (county
representative); Marty Stanwick (sheriff’s office liaison); Keith Theroux (police liaison); Alex Wood (SDSU
liaison); Casey Bell (city human resources & staff liaison)
Absent: Joel Gindo; Erica Moore; Mikaela Neubauer (library liaison); Michele Vande Weerd (school liaison);
Chair Thasing called the meeting to order at 5:30 pm.
Tracy Chapman was introduced as the new member of the BHRC who replaced Meagan Irwin-Miller She will be
joining the media WG.
Nagy moved, Berg seconded, to adopt the agenda. Motion passed.
Wood moved, Nagy seconded, that the minutes of the December 16 meeting be approved with this correction: In
the paragraph on Effectiveness of BHRC, replace “metrics” with “data collection systems”. Motion passed.
Public comment:
Iheme announced there are international students that would like to meet with BHRC. This will be arranged.
Liaison Reports:
Brookings Police Dept (Theroux): The community policing program, including ride-alongs, have been postponed
due to COVID. The BPD conducted a security assessment of the high school building. A grant opportunity will
enable security improvements to be made.
Sheriff’s Office (Stanwick): The jail expansion has been opened up. Three new deputies have been hired. A
COPS grant enabled the hiring of a deputy to focus on community policing with duties such as starting
neighborhood watches, attending city council meetings, and trying to address the needs of the communities in the
county.
Marci Gebers was the Brookings police department’s liaison. She is now working in the sheriff’s office and will
also be a liaison to the BHRC.
Brookings school (reported by Berg in absence of Vande Weerd): The Bobcat Plains Academy is starting up at
the Boys & Girls Club.
SDSU (Wood): The Wintrode Opportunity & Success Center opened on January 11. An outside person will
conduct ally training on April 21. This will be open to the community.
Common Read:
Ward has replaced Irvin-Miller as BHRC’s representative on the campus common read committee which meets
every two weeks. The 2022 common read book is Crossing the Line by Kareem Rosser. Books will be ordered
for BHRC members at a cost of $20-$25 per book.
Compliant Training:
City attorney Steve Britzman updated the documents. The updates will be reviewed by the training WG then
presented to the BHRC.
Diversity potluck:
Tentatively scheduled for April 3.
Budget;
We were able to carryover funds from 2021 for the Griffith lecture and merchandise. Our 2022 budget is the
same as last year’s - $7000.
Last year an order was placed for thank you cards and mugs. The cost came in $35 over the $500 that was
budgeted. Ward moved, Berg seconded, that we approve an additional $35 expenditure for the mugs. Passed.
Diversity Signs:
The signs are in. The inclusivity WG will draft a press release informing the public they can come to the city
administrative offices to get a sign.
Ideas List:
The ideas list for 2022 was reviewed. The purpose of the list is to narrow our focus of activities for 2022. After
discussion, it was decided that we would focus on two areas:
Working with the immigrant population to help them understand their rights and the complaint process.
For this we will need to interact with Bienvendos a Brookings and Brookings Multi-Cultural Center
Supporting the LGBTQ community. There will be a meeting at Cottonwood Bistro at 5:30 on January 24
to start planning for Brookings Pride.
Tabled
History of BRHC to an indefinite time
Election of chair & vice-chair
Statewide HRC meeting
Thasing is waiting to hear back from Vermillion HRC.
Griffith Lecture:
There is a rumor that the Griffith lecture originally scheduled for this fall which was cancelled may be
rescheduled in early 2022.
Liaisons:
Thasing has made contact with the University Police Department about them having a liaison.
Sustainability Council needs to designate their liaison to BHRC.
Novotny moved, Nagy seconded, that Ward be designated as BHRC’s liaison to the Brookings Disabilities
Awareness Committee. Passed. Will the disabilities committee have a liaison to BRHC?
MLK contest:
The theme was Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love
can do that.
Received 18 essays from Mickelson Middle School, 4 posters from Advance, around 50 posters from K & 1st
grades, and around 15? Posters from 2nd & 3rd grades.
Winners are:
POSTERS
K-1st grade
• 1st- Norah Miller (Teacher- Mrs. Acheson)
• 2nd- Shiloh Butzin (Teacher- Miss Lamp)
• 3rd- Ana Kramer (Teacher- Miss Lamp)
2nd & 3rd grade
• 1st- Madilynn Doty (Teacher- Mrs. Eidem)
• 2nd- Tanner Frank (Teacher- Mrs. Eidem)
• 3rd- Naomi Nyongbela (Teacher- Mrs. Eidem)
ADVANCE
• 1st: Doug Hakeman
• 2nd: Matthew Lindberg
• 3rd: Shelly Egeberg
• HM: Drew Maag
ESSAYS
• 1st- Isabella Park (Teacher – Mrs. Tellinghuisen)
• 2nd- Shae Lefers (Teacher – Ms. Lacher-Starace)
• 3rd- Madeline Enderson (Teacher – Mrs. Meyer)
• HM- Samuel Caugherty (Teacher – Mr. Lacher-Starace)
The awards presentation will occur at the January 25 city council meeting.
The Advance winners wouldn’t be attending due to COVID restrictions and transportation issues. Ward and
Thasing will arrange a presentation at the Advance board of directors meeting on February 23.
Black Culture Awareness WG report:
The Brookings Public Library has a month of activities scheduled for February. See library website for listing of
events.
Inclusivity WG report:
The listening session with the indigenous community is scheduled for February 17.
We are exploring ideas on welcoming new arrivals to Brookings.
Legislative WG report:
SB 46 Governor Noem’s Fairness in Women’s Sports Bill: A statement was e-mailed to the Senate State
Affairs Committee which passed the bill by 8-1. The bill passed the Senate by 26-7-2 with Brookings Senator VJ
Smith voting no.
HB 1025 designates Juneteenth as a legal holiday. Members of the Juneteenth committee submitted comments to
the House State Affairs Committee which passed the bill by 12-1. Bill is scheduled for the House floor on Jan 24.
Media WG report:
Will be seeking photos and statements from BHRC members as to why they are a member.
Adjourn: Meeting adjourned at 6:49 pm.
Submitted by Lawrence Novotny, recorder