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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuman Relations Commission - Minutes - 04/13/1978MEMORANDUM DATE- May 5, 1978 TO: Human Relations Commission ERCQM: Mary Ann Kennaugh, Aaa nistrative Aide RE: Minutes of the April 13, 1978 Regular Meeting I. Call to Order Meeting was called to order by Chairman Napheys at 7:40 p.m., City Council chambers, 300 W. LaPorte Avenue. II. Roll Call Members Present: Ben Napheys Kelsey Smith Bob Zimdahl Paul Salas Don Shoemaker Janet Wengert Members Absent: Pam Sysun, excused Paul Thayer, excused III. Consider Approval of Minutes Staff: John McGraw, Hunan Resources Director Mary Ann Kennaugh, Administrative Aide Guests: CSU journalism class students Commission Member Zimdahl moved approval of the March 10, 1978 regular meeting minutes as distributed. Commission Member Shoemaker seconded and minutes were approved 5 - 0. Ayes: Commission Members Napheys, Smith, Zimdahl, Salas, and Shoenaker. Nays: None. 100% Recycled Bond ~ Fort Collins Human Re&icns Commission • Minutes of the April 13, 1978 Regular Meeting Page Two IV. Receive Report on Recommendations to City Council of Replacements for Current Vacancies Chairman Napheys noted that Janet Wengert and Paul Thayer had been appointed to the Commission and that Don Lambert had resigned. Following were points of discussion: - Salas: I am upset that City Council did not appoint at least one of the people we remanded; is there any value to us making reca:mendaticns? My position is that City Council acts as it wants anyway; I don't want to spend my time making reoartrendations. - Zimdahl: I have discussed the situation with the Mayor and he is aware of our feelings. I would suggest that we re -submit the two names we pre- viously reconumded for appointment (Judy Duran and Bonnie Hyra) and that we recommend that City Council choose one of then for appointment to fill Don Lambert's vacancy. - Shoemaker: That sounds reasonable to me. I would like to see only one name submitted — Judy Duran, backed up by the fact that we would like to see a Chicano appointed. - Smith: I was disappointed by Council's actions, but did not feel that they were obligated to appoint those people we recommended. - Napheys: I was upset that City Council did not accept our recommendations. Perhaps we can make another recommendation using stronger language; I am open to recommending one or two names. commission Member Napheys moved that the Human Relations Commission submit Judy Duran's name to City Council as their reecammmendation for filling Don Lambert's vacancy. Commission Member Salas seconded and motion passed 5 - 0. Ayes: Commission Members Napheys, Smith, Zimdahl, Salas, and Shoemaker. Nays: None. The letter of recommaxndatiom will include a cover letter from Chairman Napheys; such letter shall include a statement such as: "In the event that they (City Council) do not accept Judy Duran, the Human Relations Commission recommends that Bonnie Hyra be appointed." V. Receive Report from Chairman Napheys on the Police Grievance Procedure Chairman Napheys indicated that the Ordinance allowing the Human Relations Commission to hold closed sessions, in relation to the Police -Grievance Pro- cedure, had passed on second reading. A six-month review period of the procedure calls for the Police -Grievance Pro- cedure to be an agenda item for the September meeting. Jay Davis, Police Department, has indicated that he will be collecting data on the Procedure and will have it available at the time that a review is made. Fort Collins Hunan Re*cns Commission • Minutes of the April 13, 1978 Regular Meeting Page Three VI. Handicapped Advisory Committee Chairman Napheys noted that there currently are no nxmnbers on the Handicapped Advisory Committee. Janet Wengert indicated she would serve on the committee and was so appointed. Paul Salas was appointed to the Fund Expenditure Committee. VII. City Council Advisory Committee Commission Member Zimdahl (Chairman of the City Council Advisory Committee) indicated that the Committee as such had not met, but that he had met with Paul Salas, Rosita Bachmann, and other representatives from the minority community to discuss human relations and minority membership on City boards and commissions. Copies of a table indicating total applicants, total fanale and minority applicants and total female and minority applicants appointed were distributed and reviewed. (It was noted that the table is not totally accurate, due to some voids in records, but gives a general view of the situation.) Some conclusions draw: The number of female applications compared to male are representative of the population, but females are not appointed as often as males. Minorities are not applying for the hoards and commissions, and very few have been appointed. only two Spanish surnamed members appear can the membership lists. Ziadahl indicated the following were points of discussion at the meetings with Paul Salas, Fr. Bart Nadal, Velma Valdez, Santana Moore, Glenda Poteste, Mary Roybal, Sharnl Enocksom, Larry Mendoza, Judy Duran, Ernie Romero, Isabelle Carrillo, Reverend Vega and -himself: 1. People do not know they can participate. 2. Pule don't ]mow haw to apply. 3. People are not sure any purpose will be served if they are appointed. 4. Overt/covert discrimination. 5. Lack of employment and feeling uncomfortable in being on a Commission where they feel they don't belong. 6. Lack of commmmmmication between Anglos and Chicanos. WHAT ISSfES =RD YOU RAISE IF APPOINTED? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Need for Spanish books Home rehabilitation. Streets and sidewalks. Meeting places for kids Hiring policies. Transportation. Buses. in the Fort Collins Public Library. and elderly. Streetlights in Andersonville, Buckingham and Alta Vista. Fort Collins Human ReSions Cammission • Minutes of the April 13, 1978 Regular Meeting Page Four Discussion as follows: - The most important qualification to consider is the viewpoint the applicant will bring to the board or commission; minorities can offer a unique and important point of view as a member of a commission. Minorities don't feel they are part of the community, and it is the function of the Human Relations Com- mission to bring it to the attention of the City Council; lack of "qualifi- cation" is a qualification for appointment to some boards. - The possibility of foaming some type of Mexican American Advisory Committee to the Human Relations Comatision; possible problem to avid here is a paterna- listic attitude. - Direct involvement of minorities through a "flood" of applicants when a vacancy occurs. - Action to be taken by the City Council Advisory Committee at this point is: 1) Continue contact on an informal basis with both City Council and minorities. 2) Disseminate an abstract of City boards and commissions and their functions to minorities. - Female applicants are also a problem, although the lesser of the two problems. It is a multi -problem of the systematic exclusion of certain indi- viduals. For now, the problem of women applicants will be tabled to focus on the minority problem. Zmxbhl suggested (and was given approval by the Commission) to lay the ground- work for presenting the problem to City Council and talking to City Council members informally before any kind of formal meeting and get their feelings about the chances of succeeding in terms of a "fair hearing". Further, Zim- dahl indicated he would compile an abstract of various City boards and com- missions to be distributed to the minority community. At the direction of the Human Relations Commission, the City Council Advisory Committee will report back to the Commission on: 1. Precise recampndations on: a) how to illicit more applicants from the minority co mrdty, and b) how to formally approach City Council to advise then of the problem concerning lack of minority applicants and appointments. VIII. Fund Expenditure Committee *Ming John McGraw gave a brief explanantion of UWASIS (United Way of America Service Identification System) and indicated that staff has been working with United • Fort Collins Human Relpations Commission • Minutes of the April 13, 1978 Regular Meeting Page Five United Way to coordinate applications and processes of the Tarimer Human Resource Board and United Way. The finding principle is being changed from an "agency" orientation to a "program" orientation. The Fund Expenditure Ccami.ttee should get started before May. The function of the Committee (along with the other members of the 7arimer Human Resource Board) is to recommend to funding sources appropriations to the various agencies applying for revenue sharing funds. Sane problems to be addressed regarding the system are: 1. Cooperation of the agencies and possible violation of the Anti -Trust Act. 2. Confidentiality. IX. Report on Police Department Annual Report Item was not discussed; deferred to next meeting. X. Other Business No other business. XI. Adjou nunent Commission Member Zimdahl moved that the meeting be adjourned. Commission Member Smith seconded and motion passed 6 - 0. Ayes: Commission Members Napheys, Shoemaker, Smith, Zimdahl, Salas, and Wengert. Nays: None. Meeting adjourned. -at 9:45 p.m.