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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuman Relations Commission - Minutes - 03/14/2013City of Fort Collins Human Relations Commission Regular Meeting Minutes March 14, 2013 5:30 p.m. CIC Room, 300 LaPorte Avenue, City Hall West, Fort Collins, Colorado The Human Relations Commission promotes acceptance and respect for diversity through educational programs and activities to discourage all forms of discrimination based on age, disability, gender, race, religion etc. Council Liaison: Mayor Karen Weitkunat Staff Liaison: Melissa Herzog Recorder: Michele Dunlop Commissioners Present: Colleen Conway, Myles Crane, Christine Hays, James Owiny, James Lesco, Mary Lyons, Preety Sathe, Faith Sternlieb Unexcused Absent: Kent D. Bryans Others Present: Mayor Karen Weitkunat, Linda Rumney, Program Coordinator for Adult Resources for Care and Help, Pranaya Sathe, President of the Youth Advisory Board, Langston Stuckey, member of the Youth Advisory Board, Bridgette Johnson, Director of the Colorado State University Black/African American Cultural Center Meeting Summary: 1. Council Liaison Mayor Karen Weitkunat generously took time from her busy schedule to attend this meeting, She acknowledged to the commissioners her appreciation of HRC's good work including collaboration with other B&C's including the Youth Advisory Board, Women's Commission, Senior Advisory Board and the Commission on Disability. 2. Guest speaker Bridgette Johnson, Director of the Black/African American Cultural Center at Colorado State University thanked the HRC for its various contributions to MLK celebrations and she described several relevant events and activities at CSU. She also provided HRC with contact information for UniverCity's Fort Collins inclusivity initiatives. Guest speaker Linda Rumney, Program Coordinator, Larimer County Adult Resources for Care and Help (ARCH) distributed helpful handouts from the Larimer County Office on Aging and discussed the background, functions and services which ARCH provides to our community. 3. Planning for the HRA breakfast is on track. While Governor Hickenlooper advised HRC that he is regrettably unable to attend on May 2nd, the HRC is exploring alternative speakers. 4. The speaker for the April 11th HRC meeting will be Eleanor Dwight of the United Nations Association Northern Colorado Chapter. The HRC also authorized future presentation invitations to leaders from Project Self-Sufficiency and the Community Foundation. Call to Order: Chair Myles Crane called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. Agenda Review: Chair Myles Crane requested to move approval of the minutes down the agenda, so guest speakers could have an opportunity to give their presentations first. He also suggested that Commissioner James Owiny, who was feeling unwell at the time, be permitted to lead off with his committee report. Commissioner James Lesco moved to approve these changes to the agenda. Commissioner Mary Lyons seconded the motion, which was approved 8:0. Media and Community Recognition Committee: Committee Chair James Owiny shared the results of the February 21st, 2013 meeting of the Media and Community Recognition Committee. The meeting had no quorum, and no public input. Members of the committee discussed options for advertising the Human Relations Awards breakfast. They also began narrowing down the list of invitees for the breakfast. A tentative list was circulated to all members, and feedback was requested. The Media and Community Recognition Committee will review feedback at its next meeting, on Thursday, March 21st. Committee Chair James Owiny assured commissioners that planning for the breakfast is on track and noted that the committee is currently reviewing options for keynote speakers. Myles Crane regretfully added that Governor Hickenlooper would not be able to attend the breakfast, but would like to be kept in mind for future events. Committee Chair James Owiny provided an update on the status of the congratulatory letters for the Martin Luther King essay award winners. He anticipated having the congratulatory letter, as well as the Human Relations Awards breakfast invitation letter, finalized the following week with Staff Liaison Melissa Herzog. Finally, he reminded commissioners that nominations for the Human Relations Awards are due Friday, March 15th at close of business. Guest Speakers: Chair Myles Crane introduced the evening’s first guest speaker, Mayor Karen Weitkunat, and thanked her for taking time out of her very busy schedule to address the Commission. Mayor Weitkunat welcomed new commissioners Faith Sternlieb and Mary Lyons. She emphasized how proud she is of the Human Relations Commission for reaching out to other groups, and cited its work with both the Youth Advisory and Senior Advisory Boards as prime examples. She recognized that working with other groups, sharing the burden and sharing information achieves the best results for the community. She marveled at the level of organization and commitment shared by all members of the Commission, applauded the work the Commission has done, and thanked the Commission for committing itself to the people of Fort Collins. Mayor Weitkunat expressed interest in the new events that the Commission will bring in 2013. Chair Myles Crane observed that Mayor Weitkunat’s visits to the Human Relations Commission say a lot about her commitment as Council Liaison, and thanked her a second time for coming. Commissioner Christine Hays inquired into the status of information gathered from a 2012 meeting of all City of Fort Collins boards and commissions. Mayor Weitkunat thanked her for the reminder and promised to look into an update. Chair Myles Crane proceeded to introduce the evening’s second guest speaker, Bridgette Johnson, Director of the Colorado State University Black/African American Cultural Center. Bridgette extended a heartfelt thank you to members of the Commission who served as judges for the Dr. Martin Luther King celebration. She provided background on the Student Diversity Programs and Services offices at Colorado State University, which include: El Centro, Native American Culture Center, Asian Pacific American Culture Center, Resources for Disabled Services, GLBT Resource Center, Women and Gender Advocacy Center, and her own office, Black/African American Cultural Center. The purpose of her office is to serve as a resource for the entire campus and help with student retention. She explained that her goal is to make sure the whole campus feels included, and that opportunities are available for those who feel oppressed and marginalized. The Black/African American Cultural Center, in partnership with the Poudre School District, offers pre-college mentoring to students through the 3rd and 12th grades who identify as African American. The office also provides leadership programs, discusses opportunities to study abroad, and organizes workshops and culture programs (including the recent MLK celebration). Bridgette discussed the possibility of partnering with the Human Relations Commission to host a MLK breakfast in 2014, with an aim to provide scholarships for local students planning on attending Colorado State University. She went on to share information about UniverCity, whose inclusivity committee recently concluded that, although Fort Collins is a great place to live, this isn’t the case for everyone. She talked about how racism and sexism are still alive, and the importance of focusing on less privileged members of the community. She transitioned into a discussion of the alarming findings brought forward by the Losing Ground panel. The panel discovered that African American and Hispanic Latinos are in a worse position than they were in the 1960s in every area: education, housing, unemployment, poverty. Bridgette emphasized that a strong disparity still exists, and that there’s much work to be done. Commissioner Christine Hays talked about her experience moving from a very diverse region of the United States to Fort Collins. She expressed the hope that, as the city grows, a greater diverse element will come into town, and asked if the Black/African American Cultural Center has any plans to encourage this influx. Bridgette answered that, although her office does not recruit students, there’s definitely an effort to go out and attain more diversity. She discussed the absence of ethnic diversity in the community. The culture of the City of Fort Collins, she explained, is rich – but the domestic minority culture isn’t. Chair Myles Crane mentioned that Langston Stuckey, a member of the Youth Advisory Board, was in attendance, and asked him if he’d like to share his experience with the Commission and its guests. Langston shared an experience from his time in Junior High School. His friend’s family, unable to afford the rent on their home, was forced to move into a local Fort Collins Mission. Langston’s Mom reached out to the family and invited them to stay with the Stuckeys while they went to school. Langston had the opportunity to share his home with people who were really struggling. He described it as an eye opener, and conveyed his desire to serve as a gateway to let more privileged members of the community know what it’s like on the other side. Bridgette agreed that many of the students she works with have heartbreaking stories, and that it’s hard to believe it’s happening in Fort Collins. She talked about experiences the students are subject to on a daily basis – “I can’t play with you” “I can’t invite you to my birthday party” “Pretend you don’t know me when my mom picks me up” – that the Poudre School District denies are happening. She noted her participation on a Poudre School District committee created to help teachers become more culturally responsive and to increase diversity in the district. Although Bridgette observed that the City of Fort Collins is behind the margin on diversity and equity, she also explained that there are good people who want to make a difference, and expressed appreciation for the many opportunities ahead of her. Chair Myles Crane thanked Bridgette for coming and went on to introduce the Commission’s final speaker, Linda Rumney, Program Coordinator for Adult Resources for Care and Help. Linda talked about her experience working with older and disabled adults. She explained that she sees the sad side of the situations people end up in as they age or become disabled, without knowing what services are available to them or how to find those services. Her program, ARCH, helps these people navigate what is an increasingly complex system, by helping them find resources and services to remain as independent as possible in the community. She asked that members of the Commission think about referring adults who are over the age of 60, younger disabled adults or even adults who are struggling to care for their parents to ARCH. ARCH’s goal is to be the first place to start to save people a lot of aggravation. Linda distributed an annual report from the Office on Aging, as well as the Answers on Aging Resource guide for older adults. The guide, she explained, is always in the process of being revamped. She expressed her openness to any suggestions or questions. Commissioner Mary Lyons discussed her experience with the Senior Advisory Board, which has a strong interest in transportation for the elderly. She reported on a study in process to combine the Loveland and Fort Collins transportation systems, and asked if ARCH is familiar with the transportation gap that exists for the elderly (and especially disabled elderly) in the community. Linda answered that getting municipalities to cooperate with one another and fill in transportation gaps is a huge problem. Seniors who live in the corridor between Fort Collins and Loveland receive no service if they aren’t able-bodied enough or don’t have the cognitive ability to take advantage of FLEX. She acknowledged that a regional group is working on addressing the issue, and went on to challenge commissioners to look at a bus schedule and figure out how long it’d take them to get to work, and with how many transfers. Commissioner Faith Sternlieb commented that it would take 45 minutes and one transfer to travel to Colorado State University from her home – only a mile away. Linda said that she would have to make three transfers over two hours to get to work, and concluded that this wasn’t a realistic option. Low income community members have to ask not only whether they can afford housing, but whether it’s accessible. Commissioner James Lesco added that buses start at 7:00 a.m. and stop at 6:00 p.m., which limits their availability to anyone who starts work at 7:00 or ends work after 6:00. He asked if MAX has plans to expand its services. Linda answered that, in the short term, she doesn’t anticipate a rapid expansion of MAX services. The City of Fort Collins’ goal is to eventually phase in arterial streets and develop a more inclusive transportation route, but that it’s going to be a process of many years. Commissioner Mary Lyons remarked that the Senior Advisory Board put together a map of where seniors are concentrated including retirement and assisted living communities, and, based on this map, almost no seniors actually have access to the Mason corridor. Linda agreed that this is the current reality and that many seniors in the community are isolated. Chair Myles Crane offered brief commentary on ARCH’s Answers on Aging. He credited Linda with spearheading the effort and taking the time to personally revise and edit the book. He praised the book for being clear, easy to read and understand, and encouraged commissioners to bring any suggestions to Linda. Linda answered that her group has begun work on the next version of Answers on Aging, and they’ll be working on expanding resources through an online directory. Minutes Approval: Chair Myles Crane thanked Commissioner Christine Hays for editing the February minutes in his absence. Commissioner Mary Lyons motioned to approve the minutes for the February 14, 2013 meeting of the Human Relations Commission. Commissioner Colleen Conway seconded the motion, which was approved 7:0. Budget Report: Staff Liaison Melissa Herzog announced an available budget of $3,600.68. Standing Committee Reports: Executive Committee: Chair Myles Crane outlined the anticipated schedule for future guest speakers. Commissioner Faith Sternlieb announced Eleanor Dwight of the United Nations Association as April’s guest speaker, and Chair Myles Crane went on to confirm Tracy Hays for May. He noted that Governor Hickenlooper has declined the Commission’s invitation to speak, and that the Alliance for Suicide Prevention is waiting on board approval. He discussed two potential speakers: Diane Knight, President-Elect of Project Self Sufficiency, and Ray Caraway, President of Community Foundation of Northern Colorado. He requested authorization to invite them to speak at different months in 2013. Commissioner Faith Sternlieb suggested inviting a speaker from the recent Losing Ground panel to attend the Human Relations Awards breakfast. She recommended either Kevin Vaughan or Burt Hubbard, who were instrumental in compiling the Losing Ground report, and who have been all over the state presenting the information to different universities and communities. Losing Ground found that since the 1980s, the status of minorities in Colorado has decreased horribly. The report covers a number of different issues: education, economics, single parent families, prison populations, etc. Commissioner Christine Hays elaborated upon the illusion that Martin Luther King’s dream has been achieved. Losing Ground discovered that no one had looked at the reality of what was happening to demographics. Commissioner Christine Hays asked if she should go forward with Commissioner James Owiny’s original plan to contact the Bohemian Foundation for a guest speaker, or if she should follow up with Commissioner Faith Sternlieb’s proposal. After the Commission discussed the benefits brought by each proposed speaker, Commissioner James Lesco moved that Commissioner Faith Sternlieb work with Commissioner James Owiny to decide who, in order of precedence, the Commission will contact as well as to approve invitations to Diane Knight and Ray Caraway to speak at future HRC meetings. Commissioner Preety Sathe seconded the motion, which was approved 6:0. Commissioner Christine Hays abstained. Government Relations Committee: Committee Chair Preety Sathe provided an overview of the February 19, 2013 meeting of the City Council. The Council declared February 17-23 as National Engineers Week and February 24-March 2 as Peace Corps Week. Ten people were present for Citizens Review, with diverse issues ranging from construction to Rocky Mountain Innosphere. Committee Chair Pretty Sathe also provided an overview of the March 5, 2013 meeting of the City Council. The Council declared March 8 as International Women’s Day and the month of March as Women’s History Month, March 31-April 6 as First Robotics Week, and March 18-24 as Fix-a-Leak Week. Apart from the City Council, two bills were passed in the legislature. HB-1229 (Universal Background Check) passed in the House and will proceed to the Senate. SB-011 (Civil Union Bill) passed in both the House and the Senate. Committee Chair Preety Sathe took an additional moment to remind Commissioners that there are a few open slots available to sign up for City Council meetings. She reminded that Commissioners who agree to attend meetings are only asked to stay for the Citizens Review Board. Educational Outreach Committee: Committee Chair Christine Hays distributed minutes for the March 11, 2013 meeting of the Educational Outreach Meeting. She provided an overview of topics the Committee has decided to tackle in 2013. They include: physiology of aging/healthy aging (Myles Crane and Mary Lyons), functional illiteracy and illiteracy in general (Colleen Conway and Christine Hays), and mental health (Christine Hays and Preety Sathe). She encouraged any Commissioners who would like to join in on an issue to contact her by the end of the month. The Committee is considering small coffee talks, information sheets and panels as possible delivery systems for its findings. Commissioners Faith Sternlieb and James Lesco both volunteered to join the mental health study. Committee Chair Christine Hays moved on to a discussion of the scoring sheet provided for Human Relations Awards nominations. The scoring sheet provides numbers weighted according to priorities assigned by the Human Relations Commission. Committee Chair Christine Hays encouraged Commissioners to look at a nomination, try the scoring sheet and then contact her with any problems or requests for clarification. Chair Myles Crane thanked Committee Chair Christine Hays for her summary and her excellent work in developing the scoring process. Liaison Reports: Chair Myles Crane launched into liaison reports with an update on the Center for Public Deliberation, which will offer facilitation training on April 6th. He also discussed the Office on Aging Advisory Council, which featured speakers from Volunteers of America. The Council discussed a program that helps seniors over the age of 60 to have nutritious no cost or low cost lunches in town. The program requests donations of $2.50, although most seniors pay on average $1.85. The actual cost of the meal is $5.10, or $13.00 when administrative costs are included. Additionally, at least one member of the Office on Aging Advisory Council has offered to help the Human Relations Commission with its physiology of aging program. Pranaya Sathe announced that the Youth Advisory Board has decided to push its Jobs of the Future Fair into November, after scheduling conflicts limited resources for the event. She noted that the Board would still appreciate help from the Human Relations Commission. Commissioner Christine Hays shared that the Center for Women will be hosting a presentation on April 12th at Colorado State University from 12:00-1:00 PM. She announced her intention to attend the presentation and added that she’d briefed the Women’s Commission on their role in the Human Relations Awards breakfast. Commissioner Faith Sternlieb provided an update on her progress with the National Resource Advisory Board. She concluded, based on a discussion with a member of the water committee, that it would be important for the Human Relations Commission to try to educate the marginal communities in Fort Collins on the anticipated upcoming drought. She suggested looking into communities the drought might affect and investigating any gaps or discrepancies. After Chair Myles Crane suggested that Commissioner Faith Sternlieb invite a member of the water committee to speak at an upcoming meeting, Commissioner Preety Sathe moved to authorize Commissioner Faith to send out an invitation. Commissioner Mary Lyons seconded the motion, which was approved 7:0. Commissioner Mary Lyons wrapped up liaison reports with an overview of the March 13 meeting of the Senior Advisory Board, which featured a presentation from the Department of Social Sustainability’s Joe Frank. Currently the Senior Advisory Board is working to push the idea of an intergovernmental agreement between Fort Collins and Loveland to shore up gaps in transportation. The Board is also working to raise funds to expand the Senior Center Facility. At this time the Board still needs to come up with an additional $390,000 (out of $500,000) in funds. Old Business: Commissioner Christine Hays motioned to contact Karen Buchanan to request a team building retreat from 5:00-8:00 p.m. on May 21st. Commissioner Preety Sathe seconded the motion, which was approved 7:0. Chair Myles Crane asked Commissioner Faith Sternlieb if she had anything to add about the United Nations Association and its United States Humanitarian Award. Commissioner Faith suggested it might be appropriate to ask guest speaker Eleanor Dwight about ways the Human Relations Commission could collaborate with the United Nations Association on the award. Motion to Adjourn: Commissioner Mary Lyons made a motion to adjourn. Commissioner James Lesco seconded the motion. The motion was approved 7:0. The meeting was adjourned at 7:23 p.m. The next HRC regular meeting is scheduled on April 11, 2013, at 5:30 p.m. in the CIC room.