HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuman Relations Commission - Minutes - 01/14/2016City of Fort Collins Human Relations Commission (HRC)
January 14, 2016, 5:30 p.m. Meeting Minutes
Location: CIC Room, City Hall West, 300 Laporte Avenue, Fort Collins, Colorado 80521
Council Liaison: Council Member Bob Overbeck Staff Liaison: Beth Sowder Recorder: Michele Scalva
Present: Colleen Conway, Myles Crane, Johanna Ulloa Giron, Joseph D. Leske, Jimena Sagas, Preety
Sathe, Victor Smith, Nancy Tellez, and Mary Vivo.
Guest Presenters and Community Input: Wanda Winkelmann, City Clerk and Rita Knolls, Chief Deputy
City Clerk from the City of Fort Collins; Lynn Barker, Wayne Folsum, Deborah James, Pennie Martin, and
Lynn Thompson from the Fort Collins Homeless Coalition. Community members: Kimberly Chambers,
Northern Colorado Equality/PRIDE; Brittiany and Aaron Hoagland; and Lester Washington.
CALL TO ORDER
The meeting commenced at 5:30 p.m.
GUEST SPEAKER PRESENTATIONS
City Clerk Wanda Winkelmann is visiting City boards and commissions to gather feedback on the topic
of compensation for City Council Members. The current charter stipulates the City to pay
councilmembers. A hand-out was provided. Commissioners can email their feedback to Liaison Sowder
or Clerk Winkelmann at wwinkelmann@fcgov.com.
Lynn Thompson from the Fort Collins Coalition for the Homeless (http://fccan.org/fchc ) along with
homeless community members presented on homelessness issues, requested the HRC to not support
ticketing homeless individuals for resting or camping particularly when the shelters are full, and shared
personal experiences of being homeless and circumstances that perpetuate it including fines and lack of
affordable housing.
PUBLIC INPUT
Kimberly Chambers with Northern Colorado Equality/PRIDE introduced herself and the organization.
Meeting Highlights Summary
1. Guests Wanda Winkelman, City Clerk, and Rita Knoll, Deputy City Clerk, addressed a
proposed election code change to allow elected officials to decline all or part of their compensation
during their service.
2. Members of the Fort Collins Homeless Coalition addressed the HRC about the camping
violation ordinance and limited availability of affordable housing in Fort Collins.
3. Issues involving Equity and Inclusion in Fort Collins were discussed.
4. Plans for a 2016 series of HRC and Poudre Library District sponsored forums were discussed.
Brittiany Hoagland spoke about: 1) the City of Fort Collins website information on “forcible rape” and
emphasized an update/revision; 2) the national analysis of Fort Collins for antidiscrimination of the
LGBTQIA community and compared the local rating to the Colorado Springs rating; and 3) discriminating
service policies in area bars affecting specific groups and provided documents of patrons' comments
about their experiences posted on social media. Information was provided to the HRC.
Lester Washington shared experiences of racial discrimination in his professional and educational
careers.
AGENDA REVIEW
The meeting agenda was reviewed and unanimously approved.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
The November meeting minutes were unanimously approved.
BUDGET REPORT
Due to it being the first meeting of 2016, a budget report was not available. It will be provided at the
February meeting.
MEETING BUSINESS
Welcome New Commissioners: Commissioners Giron and Tellez will serve on the Educational Outreach
Committee. Commissioner Crane will also join the EOC while continuing with the Media & Community
Recognition Committee.
2015 Annual Report: A copy was provided for review. The 2015 Annual Report was unanimously
approved with inclusion of any requested edits. Submit feedback to Vice Chair Conway by January 20th.
Equity and Inclusion Memo and Update: Copies of the draft memo were provided. Chair Smith
summarized actions that lead to creating the draft memo to submit to City Council. Commissioner
Crane’s hand-out of feedback regarding memo was reviewed. Commissioners discussed community
equity and inclusion. Chair Smith will revise the draft memo to incorporate the meeting’s discussion and
will share it with Commissioners for review. The memo was unanimously approved pending revisions.
On February 8th from 4-6pm at City Hall there will be a presentation on community equity and inclusion
for the Council Futures Subcommittee.
Citizen Guest, Kimberly Chambers, suggested the “World Café” concept as a method to gain information
from the community.
2016 Education Forums: Meeting scheduled for Monday, January 25th 7-8:30pm at the Old Town Library
Community Room for all community organizations interested in being part of the education series.
Potential speakers will be connected with forum topics and attending youth may organize forum
activities.
ColoradoCares Health Care Initiative: Commissioner Vivo shared that Amendment 69 will be on the fall
2016 State Ballot and is a single-payer health system. It promises to cover more Colorado citizens than
the Affordable Care Act.
Short Term Rentals: Tabled to February meeting.
Other per commissioners: Commissioners Leske and Sagas may attend the MLK Day Parade and carry
the HRC banner.
STANDING COMMITTEE AND LIAISON REPORTS
Executive Committee (EC): Updates are emailed.
Government Relations Committee (GR): Updates are emailed.
Educational Outreach Committee (EOC): Programming updates emailed by EOC Chair Sagas and a
planning meeting is scheduled for January 25th 7-8:30pm, Old Town Library Community Room.
Media & Community Recognition Committee (M&CR): Commissioner Crane emailed a liaison report.
Committee updates are emailed.
UPCOMING Events/Announcements
Department of Social Sustainability announcements: Fort Collins State of the City presentation is
Monday, February 29th, 6-7pm, CSU Lory Student Center Theater.
CLOSING/Call for Adjournment
Commissioners unanimously approved to adjourn at 7:50 p.m.
Next HRC meeting is Thursday, February 11, 2016, at 5:30 p.m. at the Fort Collins Traffic Operations
Center, 626 Linden St, Fort Collins, CO 80524.