HomeMy WebLinkAboutHRCMinutes_2023_06_08
Brookings Human Rights Commission Minutes (unapproved)
Thursday, June 08, 2023
Brookings City/County Government Center and Zoom Meeting App
Attendance: Nieema Thasing (chair - online); Dianne Nagy (vice-chair – in person); Lawrence Novotny
(recorder and CLEAR Partners liaison – in person); Behnoosh Amandi (county representative – in
person); Amanda Fickes (in person); Carla Gatzke (in person); Mark Johnson (online); Erica Moore
(online); Joseph Ulloa (student representative – in person): Mikaela Neubauer (library liaison – in
person); Nancy Olson (city human resources & staff liaison – in person);
Absent: Emma Qurashi (student representative & behavioral health liaison); Alyssa Castillo (SA
diversity liaison); Marjoanne Collins (SDSU liaison); Caleb Johnson (police liaison); Michele Vande
Weerd (school liaison)
Chair Thasing called the meeting to order at 5:31 pm.
Nagy moved, Moore seconded, to approve the agenda with moving the budget to the top. Motion
approved.
Ulloa moved, Nagy seconded, to approve the 3 sets of minutes with these changes. Motion approved.
• March 09 – change Mark Johnson to attending instead of being absent
• April 13 – no corrections
• May 11 – change PEAR to PEAK
Public Comment
Thasing reported she received a comment from a citizen about BHRC: “All right. This is great. We are
doing stuff.”
Budget
Right now there is $2992 in uncommitted funds. This does not include the carryover funds from last
year. Moore moved, Nagy seconded, that BHRC give $150 to Brookings Pride to cover the rental cost
of the public address system. Motion passed.
Moore moved, Fickes seconded, that future budgets include a line item for Brookings Pride with the
same funding amount as exists for Juneteenth and Indigenous Peoples festivals. Motion passed.
Anti-bullying PEAK campaign
These BHRC members will serve on the PEAK task force: Amanda Fickes (has a social worker’s
degree), Erica Moore, Behnoosh Amandi, and Joseph Ulloa. Moore will chair the task force and
convene it before our July meeting. The task force members are also responsible for finding
representatives from the following to also serve on the task force: a representative of CLEAR Partners, a
member of the Brookings Interfaith Council, possibly a member from the Brookings League of Voters, a
representative from the Brookings school system, possibly a representative from the SDSU student
educators group, a representative from the Boys & Girls Club.
Other old business:
The library’s book bag has 6 copies of Nice Racism. Neubauer will bring the bag to the July meeting
and she will lead a book club discussion.
Fickes will conduct doodle polls to schedule meetings with the police chief (to discuss pamphlets) and
with Marlene Schulte (to conduct DEI training).
Nagy and Thasing will be meeting with deputy city manager Jacob Meshke to discuss the citywide DEI
and Welcoming Initiative.
Officer elections will be conducted at the July meeting. Nagy will transition from vice-chair to chair.
Thasing will move from chair to past-chair (and advisor) position. Those interested in becoming vice-
chair should contact Nagy to learn more about the duties.
Common Read
Ulloa is a member of the campus common read committee. The book An Immense World deals with
sensory issues – how animals relate to their environment – and does not have a human rights theme. We
are suggesting that the campus common read committee work with the Brookings Disabilities
Awareness Committee this year since campus common read suggested partnering on the white cane
awareness event.
Ulloa moved, Gatzke seconded, that the common read funds be transferred to the BHRC general budget.
Motion passed.
Bus shelter
The city constructed a bus shelter on 3rd Avenue in front of the former Food Pantry house. This is the
only bus shelter in the city and it is not ADA complaint. The shelter has been vandalized numerous
times and the city wants to remove it. Our question is what is the purpose of this particular shelter and
should BATA be involved in the removal decision. Ulloa moved, Moore seconded, that BHRC is in
support of removing the bus shelter if it is not complaint with federal ADA regulations. Motion passed.
Disabilities liaison
Moore moved, Amandi seconded, to designate Joseph Ulloa as BHRC’s liaison to the Brookings
Disabilities Awareness Committee. Motion passed.
Attendance policy
Thasing and Casey Bell had a conversation with 2 BHRC members who had poor attendance at our
meetings. They want these individuals to remain on the BHRC.
All members are asked to inform either the chair, vice-chair, or staff if they cannot attend future
meetings.
It has been pointed out that the BHRC’s member attendance and expectations policy does not agree with
our ordinance. Gatzke and Novotny volunteered to re-draft the policy and bring forward at a future
meeting.
Liaison Reports
SHERIFF’S OFFICE (Thasing): Marci Gebers who was the liaison is no longer employed by the
sheriff’s office.
LIBRARY (Neubauer). The library received 2 grants.
• One is a visibility disability awareness engagement initiative. The library is partnering with
Advance for a series of activities on June 16.
• SD Humanities Council has funded a continuation of the community dialogue series. Neubauer
is looking for facilitators to partake in training on August 26 with the kickoff event on September
12.
Ulloa moved, Gatzke seconded, that BHRC be a co-sponsor of the library’s community dialogue series.
Co-sponsoring will be promoting the series. Motion passed.
Johnson left at this point.
CLEAR (Community Law Enforcement Action Response) PARTNERS (Novotny): CLEAR was
looking for support for trans youth after the passage of HB 1080 which bans trans healthcare. There is a
new counseling agency in Brookings. One of At Ease Counseling’s focuses will be working with the
LGBTQ community.
Working group reports
SOCIAL MEDIA/COMMUNICATIONS
Amandi will work with Neubauer and Nagy in drafting a brochure for BHRC.
LGBTQ AWARENESS
It is estimated that between 200 -300 attended Brookings Pride on June 03. There were around 20
vendors – both organizations and commercial. The commercial vendors and 2 food trucks were very
happy with their sales. BHRC had a booth at Pride that was staffed by Gatzke and Qurashi.
The pride flags were flown from June 02 – June 09. Only 2 of were stolen.
INTERNATIONAL OUTREACH
Fickes volunteered to chair the WG. Ulloa joined the WG.
INCLUSIVITY/COMMUNITY OUTREACH
The press release was sent out seeking nominations for the Butler award. A press release will be sent
out seeking nominations for the youth award and the youth ally award.
TRAININGS/COMPLAINT PROCESS
The corrections and changes recommended at the March 30 training session has been done. Now the
WG and/or BHRC have to discuss them.
AFRICANS IN THE DISPORA
Juneteenth will be celebrated on June 17 in Pioneer Park. Need people to staff the BHRC booth.
INDIGENOUS PEOPLES festival will be held at the middle school again.
Adjourn:
Meeting adjourned at 7:18 pm.
Submitted by Lawrence Novotny, recorder