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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuman Relations Commission - Minutes - 02/12/2004Human Relations Commission Minutes February 12, 2004 5:30 — 8:20 p.m. _ www_kgov_com/cityclerk/human-relationsphp_.......... Council Liaison: David Roy Staff Liaison: Angelina Powell Phone V: 407-7393 Phone: 221-6525 Chairperson: Ken Gordon Phone: 217-6317 Vice Chairperson: Mary Gomez Phone: 491-3702 A regular meeting of the Human Relations Commission was held on February 12, 2004 at the CIC Room, 300 W. Laporte Avenue. HRC Members present Elaine Boni, Jack Coleman, Caroline Tu Farley, Maryanne Ingratta, Mary Gomez, Ken Gordon Jr., Rita Klepac, Parker Preble HRC Members absent Kimberly Clouser w/notification Staff Liaison present Angelina Powell I. Call to Order. The meeting was called to order by Chair Ken Gordon at 5:30 p.m. II. Guest Speaker. Former Mayor and past board & commission member Kelly Ohlson was invited to speak to the Commission on Board Effectiveness. Kelly advised: • Awareness/participation when Council is working on their legislative and policy agendas • Awareness/submittal when Budget proposals requested • Awareness of Council's Six Month Planning Calendar... available through Staff Liaison Angelina Powell (apowell@fcgov.com.) • Good working relationship with Council Liaison • Attendance of Council Meetings, especially if an HRC topic is on the agenda • Understanding of differences between resolutions (1 reading and more administrative policy in nature) and ordinances (2 readings and legislative in nature —becomes part of the City Code.) • Memo with bullets (e.g. Natural Resources Board) have been adopted by Council resolution. • Feedback should start before Council's study session work, it's then they're forming their impressions and providing staff direction • The subcommittee system is very effective... they glean information to be considered in a succinct version by the larger commission. • Consider use of Cable Channel 27 public service announcement system. • Be an action oriented advisory commission. The HRC is not a private human relations agency. It needs to provide respectful and appropriate procedures and advice to City Council. 0 "Get some wind" (successes under your belt.) Human Relations Commission Page 2 III. Approval of Minutes. Chair Ken Gordon entertained a motion for acceptance of minutes for the January 8, 2004 meeting. Elaine Boni made a motion to approve the minutes. Jack Coleman seconded the motion. Parker noted an error on the bottom of page two and requested the minutes be changed to Vice Chair Gomez (vs. VC Gordon) All voted in favor of accepting the minutes as revised. Chair Ken Gordon entertained a motion for acceptance of minutes of the ssnecial meeting on January 16, 2004. Caroline Farley made a motion to approve the minutes. Maryanne Ingratta seconded the motion. All voted in favor of accepting the minutes as presented. IV. Subcommittee Reports. Human Relations Award Subcommittee. No report. Diversity Subcommittee No report. Police Subcommittee. No report. Executive Delegation Subcommittee: No report. V. Liaison Reports Northern Colorado Multicultural Corp. NCMC Liaison Parker Preble attended their January meeting. FYI, NCMC normally meets the first Thursday of each month at 4:30 p.m. in the Mt. Antero Building on the campus of Front Range Community College. The NCMC has recently had a retreat and under the leadership of their Chair Michael Ester are working on their work plan. The HRC interaction plans include: having dinner with NCMC board members and inviting them to work on the Human Rights Protection Ordinance (HRPO) Task Force. There are also plans to attend each others meetings. Erasicm Film Series. EFS Liaison Rita Klepac reported a theme of legal activities and diversity has been selected for the 2004 film series. They are currently looking for films and speakers for the series that will take place the last two weeks of September and the first two weeks of October at the Senior Center. Face to Face. 172F Liaison Elaine Boni attended their January meeting. FYI Face to Face meets the first Tuesday of each month at 8:30 a.m. in 215 N. Mason Conference Room 3B. John Kefalas of the Northern Colorado Social Legislative Network which meets every other Thursday from 7:30- 8:30 a.m. at Hwy 34 and I-25 was a guest. First Call, a non-profit volunteer clearing house, has a website that offers translation to various languages. Check it out at www.firstcall-vc.org. VI. Budget Report. Staff Liaison Powell distributed a report of actual expenses for 2003 as well as budget for 2004. Due to time constraints, discussion was tabled to a future meeting. VII. Old Business Election of Officers/Subcommittee Chairs. Parker Preble moved to accept the slate of nominees established at the January 8, 2004 meeting. Rita Klepac seconded the motion. All voted in favor of the proposed slate of officers/subcommittee chairpersons. The new officers/subcommittee chairs are: Human Relations Commission Page 3 Position Nominee HRC Chair Ken Gordon HRC Vice Chair Mary Gomez Diversity Subcommittee Chair Maryanne Ingratta Police Subcommittee Chair Elaine Boni Human Rights Award Subcommittee Chair I Kimberly Clouser November meeting. Staff Liaison Powell asked if the November meeting could be set on a date other than November 11, 2004 as it is the Veterans Day holiday. The Commission agreed setting the meeting a week earlier could work for them. Angelina will send members a revised 2004 meeting schedule. Training. Vice Chair Gomez proposed the following training schedule: Wednesday, March 3, 7-9 p.m., Parker Preble's home —Brown Eyes/Blue Eyes Film Thursday, March 11, during HRC meeting, Barb Catbagan—Human Rights Office processes. Later this year (to be determined later) —Team Building Later this year (to be determined later) — Government Legislation Citizen Liaison Program (CLP). New Police Subcommittee Chair Elaine Boni to take lead on making contacts for new members (Elaine Boni, Maryanne Ingratta & Caroline Tu Farley) to complete Citizen Liaison Program training. The training consists of getting information from Police Services Internal Affairs (IA) staff on the IA process and a Police Ride -a -long arranged with staff in Patrol. Angelina to provide information on the history of the CLP to Police Subcommittee members. Past Meeting Reflections. Parker Preble asked Chair Gordon to add this topic to Old Business at future meetings so that members might have the opportunity to reflect/provide feedback. Parker shared feedback on the City Attorney's staff visit and executive session on January 8. VIII. New Business. Board & Commissions Diversity Survey Data. Work to develop a focused target marketing recommendation for City Council for increasing minorities on Boards & Commissions was directed to the Diversity Subcommittee. Human Rijzhts Protection Ordinance Task Force. Chair Gordon asked for volunteers to serve in the HRPO Task Force effort. Rita Klepac volunteered to make contacts with prospective task force members. Vice Chair Gomez was named to "head up" the Ad Hoc committee by Chair Gordon. Parker Preble and Jack Coleman to help as needed. Police Subcommittee. Chair Gordon sought volunteers to work with new Police Subcommittee Chair Elaine Boni on the assignment `B" from City Council: "Citizen Complaint Process_The Council would like the HRC to review the complaint processes referenced in Chapter 13 and in Section 2-140 of the City Code and provide any suggestions on how it might be simplified, easily accessible, safe and confidential. Secondly, the Council would like the Commission to work with the community and provide feedback relative to harassment, profiling and the complaint processes. This may include an analysis of current processes, procedures and practices referenced above." Ken Gordon, Parker Preble & Jack Coleman will work on the subcommittee with Elaine. Human Relations Commission Page 4 Staff Liaison Role. Staff Liaison responsibilities are outlined in the Board & Commission Manual pages 7-9. Staff support is available to boards and commissions through staff members assigned as liaisons to help. Chair Gordon set expectations with Commissioners they become self- sufficient, aspiring to become experts in answering questions raised by citizens on HRC/diversity/discrimination topics. He preferred that citizen contact questions not be referred to the Staff Liaison. Each commission members was invited to share their perspective. Most (if not all) agree that as a non -voting member, Angelina offers a historical and City organizational perspective that is appropriate at discussion periods when Commissioners are forming their impressions and making their decisions. Community Involvement Chair Gordon has been approached and is working with the Larimer County Workforce Diversity & Economic Vitality Committee (Chair: DonMarostica, Loveland City Council) and the Fort Collins Church Network (senior pastors of Charasmatic & Evangelical churches.) Media Relations. Chair Gordon encouraged commission members to speak to the media, especially the chairs of subcommittees who are "driving things, drafting memos." He also encouraged all members to consider taking turns drafting a Soapbox for the Coloradoan. Community Wide -Racism Forum. Chair Gordon invited member Caroline Tu Farley to consider taking lead on a community wide forum on racism. (Caroline accepted the invitation.) He invited those members who are not currently working on the Human Rights Protection Ordinance or the Police Subcommittee to participate in planning a forum in a spring or summer timeframe. Maryanne Ingratta volunteered to help. Appeal. An appeal request was forwarded from the City Manager in the case of Charlotte Hofer (whose case had been dismissed by Human Rights Officer Barbara Catbagan.) The appeal procedures document was distributed and a hearing date of March 25 was set. IX. Announcements. Chair Gordon will be speaking at the Plymouth Congregational Church, 916 W. Prospect on Sunday, February 22 at 9:30 a.m. on the topic of Is Fort Collins a Welcoming/Diverse Community? X. Adjournment. Elaine Boni made a motion to adjourn. Maryanne Ingratta seconded the motion. The meeting was adjourned at 8:20 p.m. Next meeting of the HRC will be held Thursday, March 11, 2004, 5:30 p.m. at the CIC Room, 300 W. Laporte Avenue. Approved: /- l OR Cy�,S Jd�•.� Ken Gordon, Jr. Chair A lina Powell, Staff Liaison