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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuman Relations Commission - Minutes - 10/09/2008FORT COLLINS HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION Regular Meeting — October 9, 2008 5:30 p.m. Council Liaison: Lisa Poppaw Staff Liaison: Rebecca O'Donnell 11 Chairperson: Elaine Boni 11 1� A regular meeting of the Human Relations Commission was held on Thursday, October 9, 2008 in the CIC Room, 300 W. Laporte Avenue, Fort Collins, Colorado. BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Elaine Boni Kent Bryans Maya Jairam Cristina Lane (nee Matsushima) Karen Wong -Brown EXCUSED ABSENCE: Kelly Evans Joann Ginal UNEXCUSED ABSENCE James Ross STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT: Rebecca O'Donnell, Staff Liaison Angelina Sanchez -Sprague, Recorder 1. CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order at 5:40 p.m. by Chair Elaine Boni. PUBLIC INPUT. None 2. GUEST SPEAKER. None. 3. AGENDA REVIEW. The agenda was revised to include the following additions: Old Business: City Logo and business card order New Business: How City Works/Maya and Human Rights Day Proclamation/Elaine APPROVAL OF MINUTES Cristina Lane made a motion to approve the September 11 HRC minutes as amended. Karen Wong -Brown seconded the motion. The minutes were approved 5:0. BUDGET REPORT/APPROVED EXPENDITURES Becky reported that the HRC has spent approximately $1,700 leaving an available balance of approximately $2,200. The Media & Community Recognition Committee will be looking at prepaying 2009 Human Relations Breakfast expenses such as reserving a room at the Lincoln Center and a deposit paid to the caterer. HRC October 9, 2008 — Page 2 4. COMMITTEE REPORTS Executive Committee/Elaine. Elaine reported on the Special Meeting of the Commission held on September 25'. The Commission approved the Letter to the Editor drafted by Kent Bryans on Japanese Internment Camps. They also reviewed plans for the October 13, 2008 Coffee Talk on the same subject. The Human Award Breakfast is being honored at the Board & Commission appreciation event on Wednesday, November 5, 5:30-7:30 p.m., Lincoln Center (Canyon West Room.) Mark Grant of Cable 14 was present to record portions of the meeting. Additionally, he was looking for suggestions for individuals to interview about the award. The video will shown at the event. Elaine asked Commission members to review the 2008 Work Plan in anticipation of drafting the 2009 Work Plan due to the City Clerk's office by November 301". Members offered suggestions for improvements. Karen Wong -Brown made a motion to approve the HRC 2009 Work Plan with the suggested changes. Maya Jairam seconded the motion. The motion was approved 5:0. Media & Community Recognition/James. Elaine distributed a copy of the article she wrote for NIOTA. It speaks to what the HRC does and with which other organizations the HRC works. Members offered suggestions for changes. Kent suggested adding information about the upcoming Human Rights Day Proclamation. Maya Jairam made a motion to approve the article as amended. Christina Lane seconded the motion. The motion was approved 5:0. calendar. Educational Outreach/Elaine. Karen reported all is set to go for the Japanese Internment Camp Survivor Coffee Talk to be held Monday, October 13, 2008, Harmony Library. Dr. Douglas Ishii, CSU Biomedical Sciences Professor is the featured speaker. Joann & Karen worked on a list of sample questions. Karen, Elaine & Kelly will be in attendance. Karen made a motion to approve $50 in Downtown Bucks in appreciation of Dr. Ishii's participation in the event. Cristina Lane seconded the motion. The motion was approved 5:0. calendar. Government Relations/Kelly. Elaine read an email from Kelly relative to the Commission taking a position on Amendment 46—Discrimination & Preferential Treatment by Governments (prohibits discrimination or preferential treatment based on race, sex, ethnicity or national origin in education, employment and contracting.) Elaine asked if the Commission would be willing to come out against the amendment. Cristina Lane made a motion that the HRC take a stand against Amendment 46. Maya Jairam seconded the motion. The motion was approved 5:0. Maya said she'd be willing to HRC October 9, 2008 — Page 3 write a letter to the editor using as background information amendment information available through the League of Women Voters' web site. She can work on it Monday, October 13 and will distribute a draft for Commission member review. 5. OLD BUSINESS Becky spoke to Maryanne and received the HRC brochure electronically. City staff updated the brochure with the City logo and the HRC insignia and put it into a word format for easy editing. Minor edits were made to the HRC brochure. Becky also received from Maryanne the original business card mock ups with the tag line in both English and Spanish. Becky worked with City staff and provided the Commission with a mock up of the new City standard board and commission business card. Becky stated because the HRC has long had their own distinct insignia, they will be able to include the HRC insignia on the back of their business cards. Becky asked the Commission to review the business card and asked for approval to proceed with ordering cards. Becky stated the minimum card order is 250 per person and there was a $30.00 additional fee per order for double sided printing. Becky will also advise Maryanne that business card printing will need to go through the City vendors; and will request reimbursement via DBA bucks for prepaid services. Cristina said she'd like to see the HRC insignia share the front of the card with the City logo. She also had concerns about the expense of a two-sided card. Maya agreed. There was some discussion about how often the need for a Spanish version would be needed, and with the amount of information on the standard Board and Commission version, whether there would be space for the tag line. Elaine suggested an additional mock-up a provided by revising the back of the card to include both English and Spanish tagline translation and a smaller HRC insignia. Maya made a motion to have City staff provide two mock ups of business card revisions to the November meeting. The cards would be edited to include: 1) the new template single -sided with the HRC emblem in the lower left front and without the HRC tagline on the back; and 2) the new template with a smaller HRC insignia on the back and both the English and Spanish tagline translations. Kent seconded the motion. The motion was approved 5:0. 6. NEW BUSINESS Maya reported she had a friend who regularly watches City Council meetings. He wondered what specifically the Mayor's role was and how does the City Council factored into influencing the outcome of what's been happening economically on the national stage; as well as, issues related to housing and global warming. She believed that as members of a Board and Commission that we, the Commission, have a responsibility to help citizens understand how government works and to keep Fort Collins at the top of its game. Becky suggested members identify topic areas where there is a void of information for citizens and she would to communicate to City staff the topics identified to be added to the City of Fort Collins web. HRC October 9, 2008 — Page 4 Angelina provided general information about the purview of local government (City and County,) state government, and the federal government and the role of the Mayor (as she has acted as an Executive Assistant to Former Mayor Ann Azari). She also said the local economic concerns were redevelopment of the Foothills Mall and the collection of sales tax to fund the areas of service the City provides to their residents. She offered to meet with Maya and her friend to answer their questions more specifically. Human Rights Day is December 10, 2008. Becky asked the Commission to clarify if there will be a regular December HRC meeting, stating there had been a suggestion to do charitable work in December rather than have a regular meeting. Elaine said she'd be open to the Commission's preference and offered to look at ideas including cancellation of the December meeting. A December meeting decision will be made at the November meeting. 7. CURRENT EVENTS Maya noted that October was Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Elaine noted that NIOTA was meeting Tuesday, October 14 from 6:30-8:30 at the Community of Christ Church on 280 E. Oak. She asked if one of the members would be available for about 5 minutes to distribute HRC brochures and provide general information about the HRC the first part of the meeting. Karen Wong -Brown agreed to attend. 8. LIAISON REPORTS Elaine went to the Larimer County's Office on Aging meeting in which United Way/211 Gordon Thibedeau spoke. Given the current economic situation, senior assistance donations have decreased and his office is doing their best to work with the resources available to them. There is concern that senior citizens don't have increased job and financial resource options available to them as do younger members of the community who can better help their financial situation with job availability and training opportunities. Elaine also attended the Citizen Review Board and spoke with Lt. Dodd, their Board Liaison about the Citizen Liaison Program training. He's available to provide training to members when the Board is ready. Karen is on the email list for the Commission on Disability. She's receiving their minutes. 9. UPCOMING EVENTS 2008 October i Breast Cancer Awareness Month October 9, Thursday Regular HRC BOARD MEETING 5:30 p.m. October 14, Tuesday -- Educational Outreach Meeting at 5:30 p.m., Bean Cyi Government Relations Meeting at 6:00 p.m., Bean C) October 16, Thursday 11 Media/Community Recognition Meeting 5:30 at Mugs October 21, Tuesday City Council Meeting 6 00 p.m. November Native American Awareness Month HRC October 9, 2008 — Page 5 STANDING COMMITTEES C Educational Outreach Government Relations Recognition Chair Joann / Kelly / Karen / Maya Chair Kelly / Elaine / Joann Chairs Cristina & James / Maya / i 10. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 7:19 p.m. lame Boni, Chairperson Re ecca O'Donnell, L-a-i s on