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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1996 HRRC MinutesEDINA HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION JANUARY 16,1996 7:00 PM - MANAGER'S CONFERENCE ROOM Members Present: Members Absent: Staff Present: Nancy Atchison Idith Almog Susan Wohlrabe Bob Brandel Carol Fecker John Crist Erick Strand Betsy Flaten Shirley Hunt -Alexander Sharon Ming Tom Oye Ardis Wexler Hugh Wooldridge Minutes Approved. The motion of Betsy Flaten to approve the minutes of December 19, 1995, was seconded by Sharon Ming; the motion carried. Chair's Report. John Crist stated that he had to leave early and that I st Vice Chair Ming would take over for him at that time. He offered congratulations to Betsy Flaten for the wonderful article on her in About Town. Chemical Health Advisory. Betsy Flaten reported that there has not been a Committee meeting since last month. The Minnesota Students'Survey results are now out, and the Committee will be studying them. Unfortunately, marijuana use is up, and tobacco is too. Perhaps Kathy Iverson from Edina Chemical Awareness could come to a Commission Meeting and share information. Currently, Tom Oye and Betsy Flaten are the only two Commissioners on the Chemical Health Advisory Committee. Betsy indicated that she would like to see additional Commissioners join. SHeRPA. Nancy Atchison reported that the Family Services Collaborative is moving along. At the last Advisory Meeting, it was suggested that more Edina people on the working groups for the Collaborative. There may be a development of a Parent and Consumer Ad Hoc Committee to help critique planning and implementation in order to assure that the process is user friendly. This would be similar to a consumer testing group. The "Proposed Minimum Standards for the Local Resource Centers" will be included in the Commissioners' next packet. Bob Brandel, Sharon Ming, Nancy Atchison, Tom Oye and Betsy Flaten have been meeting to work on the development and functioning of Edina's Resource Center. Nancy Delin of the School District is the Chair of this local implementation group. CDBG Funding Process. Sharon Ming reported that if Greater Minneapolis Daycare Association had $25,000 in new funding from Edina they would be able to help 16 to 20 families. However, if more of the CDBG funds were allocated to daycare, it would mean less support for the HOME Program. There were 4300 hours of service to Edina by HOME last year. Edina is the second largest city behind Bloomington using the HOME Program. However, Sharon pointed out the need for additional funding demonstrated by GMDCA. Sharon Ming's motion that the Commission recommend to the City Council that funding for GMDCA be half of the total CDBG funds allocated to human services and up to $25,000. The motion was seconded by Nancy Atchison, and the motion carried. Furthermore, the HOME Program will be evaluated, and the entire proposed CDBG budget will be brought before the Commission at its next meeting. It was noted that this proposed increase to daycare would bring its program back to the original intent. At this time, Vice Chair Ming took over for John Crist. A resounding appreciation was expressed to John for his service as Chair for the last two years. Working Groups. Betsy Flaten as the incoming Chair in February remarked that the function of the three working groups is to help program the meetings with speakers, etc. The Human Rights Group will be revisiting the draft of the Hate and Crime Response. They also might recommend that the new Adaptive Recreation Supervisor or Curt Wiehle attend a future Commission meeting. The Human Needs Group will be connecting with the Family Services Collaborative and evaluating the funding process. The Human Relationships Group will work on completing the Heroes tape from the last Cultural Event. Hugh Wooldridge and Ardis Wexler will be joining the Human Relationships Group. Betsy Flaten will meet with the three working groups before the Commission in February in readiness of a discussion of the calendar for the upcoming year. Volunteer Recognition. It was pointed out that Kathy Iverson has never received a Mayor's Award. She has worked on Youth Services and the Inclusive Committee for the School District. Betsy Flaten will prepare information on her in order to submit her name as a nomination. New Business. Tom Oye thanked the Commission for the plant he received while recuperating at home; he appreciated the kind words and support. Adjournment. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 8:38 PM. Respectfully submitted, Sharon Ming, Vice Chair Edina Human Relations Commission SM/sw EDINA HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION DECEMBER 17,1996 7:00 PM - MANAGER'S CONFERENCE ROOM Members Present: Members Absent: Nancy Atchison Shirley Hunt -Alexander Carol Can-nichiel Hugh Wooldridge Betsy Flaten Sharon Ming Tom Oye Ardis Wexler Jim Zappa Staff Present: Susan Wohlrabe Guests Present: Laura Tueting Nelson Hope Melton Joyce Repya Minutes Approved. The motion of Nancy Atchison was seconded by Carol Carmichiel to approve the minutes of October 15, 1996, and November 19, 1996; the motion carried. The Community Circle Collaborative. Nancy Atchison introduced Laura Tueting Nelson, Communications Coordinator of the Edina School District, and Hope Melton, a member of Edina League of Women Voters. Laura explained that the School District will be involved in The Community Circle Collaborative, which is a metro -wide dialogue project being undertaken by a growing number of organizations and individuals throughout the Twin Cities in 1997. A program is envisioned in which at least 200 people from all walks of life join together --five to 15 at a time --in 46community circles" held throughout the metro area to discuss the question: ",How does racial and economic segregation of housing affect educational achievement and life opportunities?" It is hoped that this process will both build understanding and produce practical recommendations for actions that organizations, policy makers and individuals can take. Each community circle will be as economically, ethnically, racially and politically diverse as possible, and each group will meet for approximately ten hours and be led by a trained facilitator. The community circle approach provides a framework for dialogue that allows participants to address an issue, examine different views on both the problem and possible remedies and pursue concerns and solutions that interest and motivate them toward action. Facilitators will be trained in January of 1997, and the circles themselves will begin shortly thereafter. A final conference for all participants to share their ideas and solutions will take place in the spring. The motion of Jim Zappa was seconded by Carol Carmichiel that the Commission support the idea with committee follow-up; the motion carried. Nancy Atchison and Jim Zappa will organize a committee and report back to the Commission in January. Community Development Block Grant Funding. Joyce Repya, Associate Planner, was welcomed. She explained that the 1997 CDBG funds would likely be one percent less than 1996; therefore, out of an anticipated total allotment to Edina of $187,768, the human services portion would be $37,554 which is typically 20% of the total amount. The Commission acknowledged that it is important to remember that 52% of Edina's population in poverty is seniors. The question was raised as to why Bloomington is able to use HRA dollars for funding of human services. It was agreed that the providers should be encouraged to share their proposals with the Commission earlier next year -- preferably at the January meeting. This year the proposals will be considered by the Commission at its February meeting and a report submitted to the City Planner for inclusion within the formal presentation to the City Council in March. Chair's Report. Betsy Flaten reported that there is a Diversity Group at the High School, and it recently went on an exchange to Richfield High School. Apparently, a play production is in the workings, which will require some funding. It was suggested that members of the Diversity Group come and speak at a Commission meeting in the future. Tom Oye and Betsy Flaten recently spoke at the High School on racism. Unfortunately, there was not enough time for a good dialogue in order for the students to raise questions and respond. League of Minnesota Human Rights Commission Mediation Training. Sharon Ming indicated that she attended two weekends of a training program in mediation of human rights grievances in November at the Roseville City Hall. She remarked that it was an excellent opportunity and that it consisted of 30 hours of training. It was a good investment of time, and she is now able to offer mediation services for the State Supreme Court. Edina Community Resource Center. Edina has hired a director, Sandra Stevenson, for its newly - created Resource Center in Room 336 of the Community Center. At this time, the City is remodeling the office area as an inkind service, and the School District is providing the space. A marketing plan is needed as is the recruitment of a Community Council. It was suggested that Sandra be invited to the March Commission meeting. Adjournment. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:00 PM. Respectfully submitted, Betsy Flaten, Chair Edina Human Relations Commission BF/sw EDINA HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION FEBRUARY 20,1996 7:00 PM - MANAGER'S CONFERENCE ROOM Members Present: Members Absent: Nancy Atchison Idith Almog Bob Brandel Shirley Hunt -Alexander John Crist Tom Oye Carol Fecker Erick Strand Betsy Flaten Sharon Ming Ardis Wexler Hugh Wooldridge Staff Present: Susan Wohlrabe Guests Present: Julie Cardinal Shabnam Beheshti Bill Taft Minutes Approved. The motion of Ardis Wexler to approve the minutes of January 16, 1996, after adding Hugh Wooldridge's name to Members Present, was seconded by John Crist; the motion carried. Chair's Report. Betsy Flaten announced that Tom Oye's wife, Martha, died two days ago. Flowers will be sent on behalf of the Commission. Betsy circulated a brochure from Shirley Hunt -Alexander which announced The Sehlin Lecture at the University of Minnesota School of Social Work on February 23rd. Getting Acquainted. All Commissioners introduced themselves, sharing background and interests. , Mission and Objectives. Hugh Wooldridge reviewed the Commission's Mission Statement, the beliefs and the parameters. This process will be continued at the next meeting. Youth Development. Julie Cardinal, Youth Development Coordinator, was introduced along with two students from the Youth Service Advisory Council, Shabnam Beheshti and Bill Taft. The Youth Development Catalogue was passed out, and its focus is on youth development in the schools through enrichment, leadership and service learning. Bill is a representative to the Community Education Services Board and has been involved with Youth Serving Youth, CHAMPPS, Buddies, Embassy International, Project Earth and SPAR. In a partnership with Minneapolis Crisis Nursery, 20 quilts were made for their beds, and this also applied as a math project. Mini -Grants Sub -Committee helped with band field trips where groups were non mobile. Enrichment is an important piece of youth development. Fifteen student mentors participate in business and relationship mentoring. Shabnam went to Washington D.C. for a conference on Networks and Services. Services are to be developed within the curriculum rather than just having them as extra -curricular opportunities. Julie indicated that they have been trying to develop a handbook for parents for service opportunities with the hope of educating people in the area of service learning. An issue is how to help the teachers integrate the service into the classroom. At the present time, there is an Ethical Values Program at Highlands School. United Way provides Family Ties which matches families with activities and Kinship which provides mentoring. There in no human rights officer at the High School; however, there is one at Southview. It would be helpful to have a female attorney speak to the student body at the High School. Chemical Health Advisory. A summary of the last meeting was passed out. SHeRPA. The Family Services Collaborative newsletter was distributed. The Commissioners agreed that it was very well done. Hennepin County Community Prevention Coalition. The motion of Nancy Atchison was seconded by Ardis Wexler to support this Coalition with payment of the $100 membership fee; the motion carried. CDBG Funding. The packet from Joyce Repya regarding the 1996 Community Development Block Grant Budget was reviewed. The Commission expressed concern with the budget as proposed by Planning staff. At the Commission's January meeting, the motion had been made and carried which recommended that the City Council approve funding to GMDCA for at least $18,966.50 (one-half of the total allocated to human services) and up to $25,000. Staff s proposed budget took into account the Commission's concern about allocating more to daycare but only raised it to $15,000. Because the Human Relations Commission's high priority is daycare and because emphasis was placed on research concerning the other providers who are funded through CDBG, the Commissioners agreed to stay with their proposal made at the January meeting. Nancy Atchison's motion to communicate with the Planning Department that the Human Relations Commission will submit their original recommendation of January 16th to the City Council was seconded by Bob Brandel, and this recommendation states that funding for GMDCA be half of the total CDBG funds allocated to human services and up to $25,000. The motion carried. Working Groups. Before the next meeting in March, the three groups will review the Action Plans for project ideas. New Business. Nancy Atchison suggested that the Commission write a letter to the High School Principal indicating the Commission's support of Julie Cardinal and her program. Betsy Flaten will take care of this. Adjournment. With no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:35 PM. Respectfully submitted, Betsy Flaten, Chair Edina Human Relations Commission EDINA HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION MARCH 19,1996 7:00 PM - MANAGER'S CONFERENCE ROOM Members Present: Bob Brandel John Crist Betsy Flaten Shirley Hunt -Alexander Sharon Ming Tom Oye Hugh Wooldridge Members Absent: Idith Almog Nancy Atchison Carol Fecker Erick Strand Ardis Wexler Staff Present: Susan Wohlrabe Guest Present: Nei Johnson Minutes Approved. The motion of Bob Brandel to approve the minutes of February 20, 1996, was seconded by Sharon Ming; the motion carried. Chair's Report. Betsy Flaten shared a story by Martha Oye from the book entitled "Reflections: Memoirs of Japanese American Women in Minnesota." Tom Oye's sister, Maye Mitsuye Oye Uemura, is another author in this book. The stories are poignant and beautifully written, and there are family pictures as well. Tom Oye thanked the Commission for their thoughtfulness while he was in the hospital and for the flowers at Martha's funeral. Joint School District/City Project. Betsy reported that School Board Members Phyllis Kohler and Frank Bennett have proposed an initiative which would identify and implement specific solutions to Edina's underage drinking problem by May 15, 1996. A group will be formed consisting of representatives from the School District, City, community and youth workers. The group's charge will be to identify and have in place procedures which will respond quickly and effectively when an underage youth is found to have consumed alcohol. $1500 is needed for a coordinator to handle calls and make contacts. Strategic Planning/Objectives. Hugh Wooldridge reported that the Commission's community objectives should be evaluated as to whether or not they are still applicable. The Commissioners therefore reviewed them, and it was determined that the 8th objective become a strategy. The internal objectives will be further reviewed to determine their applicability. The Work Groups will be considering the objectives for projects, and each group could plan for a month on the agenda for self education. Summer Education Cooperative: A Literacy Project of the City and Community of Richfield. Nei Johnson, a fifth grade teacher at Richfield Intermediate School, was introduced and welcomed. A statement she shared was: "An educated fool is one who gains knowledge but keeps it for himself." She has fought very hard for student literacy, and as a result the Richfield Co -Op Summer School was created, having followed a three-year communication with the Mayor. Her recommendation to the City of Richfield was to offer an academic summer school for children as an alternative to sports. Holy Angels donated six large rooms, and Nei generated funding from groups to whom she spoke. There were 51 students the first year and two recruited teachers. Nei believes strongly in a positive connection with students, and she still does home visits with her summer school students. She hopes that her effort can become wide spread as other communities mobilize for the welfare of the children. Edina, Eden Prairie and Bloomington are being invited to join her program, and Minneapolis and St. Paul would hopefully follow. The ultimate hope is that the program would become state wide. This project has not cost the City of Richfield anything; families have donated their time to help work with their children at the school. This summer's program will be at Hope Presbyterian Church, scheduled for six weeks beginning June 17th from 8 AM to noon daily. The ages range from post kindergarten through tenth grade The House of Prayer donated a blue bus. High school students volunteer to help, and there will be workshops in May. CD13G. Sharon Ming reported on the two proposals which went before the City Council regarding Community Development Block Grant funding. Ultimately, the Council agreed on $18,000 to go to GMDCA. There just isn't enough money to adequately fund all the programs; perhaps Edina Realty could help fund the HOME Program through their Foundation. Sharon was commended for the excellent job she did in her research. SHeRIPA. The minutes from the last local committee meeting of the Family Services Collaborative will be included in the next packet. Senior Services. Shirley Hunt -Alexander shared that the Edina Senior Center is involved in a seminar with senior advisory committees of Bloomington, Eden Prairie, Richfield and Edina regarding senior services. Through the Area Agency on Aging, the Generation Project was created, which is similar to the Family Services Collaborative, but with its focus on senior services. There have been discussions between SHeRPA's Collaborative and the Generation Project to see how they could work together. Shirley will be investigating a fall session at which time a senior services informational session could be conducted for Edina's Commission and the commissions of the other south Hennepin cities. Adjournment. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:15 PM. Respectfully submitted, Betsy Flaten, Chair Edina Human Relations Commission BF/sw EDINA HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION APRIL 16,1996 7:00 PM - MANAGER'S CONFERENCE ROOM Members Present: Members Absent: Nancy Atchison Idith Almog Carol Fecker Bob Brandel Betsy Flaten John Crist Tom Oye Shirley Hunt -Alexander Hugh Wooldridge Sharon Ming Erick Strand Ardis Wexler Staff Present: Susan Wohlrabe Guest Present: Alice Randall Minutes Approved. The minutes of the last meeting were amended as follows: Tom Oye's sister's name was misspelled and corrected as Maye Mitsuye Oye Uemura, and it was added that "Tom appreciated the flowers from the Commission at Martha's funeral." With no additional corrections, the motion of Tom Oye to approve the minutes of March 19,1996, as amended was seconded by Nancy Atchison; the motion carried. Family Services Collaborative. Alice Randall, Community Education Services/Edina Public Schools Liaison to the Collaborative, was introduced and welcomed. Alice has been assigned the task of coordinating efforts to establish a local resource center for family services in Edina. She reported that there are three committees at work at this time --Space Committee, Staffing Committee, and Resources Committee. The Space Committee has toured the Community Center and looked at a converted classroom for ideas. Approximately 900 square feet are needed for three offices and a waiting room. If space is utilized in the Community Center, the Community Education Services Board and the School Board must approve the move -in. A cost analysis is being done, with a look at in-kind contributions. The Staffing Committee has indicated the need for a full-time coordinator, a full-time administrative assistant, a receptionist and a counselor. Human service agencies could contribute to the counselor's position. There is the need to isolate Edina providers and invite them to participate; perhaps a social service fair could be held. The Resources Committee will be preparing a cost analysis. Ann Boerth has developed a profile of Edina which will be distributed to the Commissioners. The Resource Center concept needs to be marketed/presented to small groups or one-on-one. The Memo of Understanding will be sent to the Commissioners for their information. Youth and Alcohol Initiative. Betsy Flaten reported that she had a meeting with Sheila Kosek, Edina High School's Student Assistance Coordinator. Sheila indicated that she would be willing to work one day a week over the summer as the assessment counselor for 69 I's (alcohol violations). Because of her current position, she has a relationship with the Police and the courts. Betsy is presently preparing a proposal to The Edina Foundation for funding this project. After evaluation at the end of the summer, it could become a part of the regular budget. Another project discussed concerned youth workers developing an action plan for children who could benefit from serving in missionary work. Paulette Hutton is coordinating an effort to connect with churches and youth leaders regarding this proposed project. ECA's Program for Ninth Grade Parents. Kathy Iverson and Jan Buth have planned an event for parents of ninth graders regarding parenting issues on Saturday, April 27th, at 10:00 AM at Centennial Lakes Centrum Building. There will be a group facilitator as well as small group discussions. Proposed Parent/Family Expo. It was suggested that a Parent/Family Expo be held next fall with a variety of workshops. The League of Women Voters and the Human Relations Commission could be co-sponsors, and this would replace the traditional Expo. This event could be initiated by the School District with the support of the Commission. Robin Larkin and Betsy Flaten will be meeting with Ken Dragseth to discuss the feasibility of such an event. This expo would be community outreach --a gift from the School District to the community. The purpose would be to bring people together and explore what activities can be done together. Internal Objective Revised. With some deliberation, it was suggested that the second Internal Objective be revised as follows: "100% of the Edina Human Relations Commission feel they received timely and adequate information regarding human services organizations being considered for funding including financial resources and the organization's mission, objectives and results." Adjournment. The working groups met, and the meeting was adjourned at 9:15 PM. Respectfully submitted, Betsy Flaten, Chair Edina Human Relations Commission BF/sw EDINA HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION MAY 21,1996 7:00 PM - MANAGER'S CONFERENCE ROOM Members Present: Members Absent: Staff Present: Nancy Atchison Bob Brandel Susan Wohlrabe Betsy Flaten Carol Fecker Shirley Hunt -Alexander Sharon Ming Guest Present: Tom Oye Ardis Wexler Ken Rosland Hugh Wooldridge Senior Services. Shirley Hunt -Alexander indicated that an emphasis should be placed on looking at services which seniors have access to in Edina. She has investigated the possibility of holding an informational meeting next fall after having spoken to Kate Huston of the Area Agency on Aging (AAA). The AAA is currently engaged in a planning process called the Generation Project, which is comparable to the Family Services Collaborative but focused on services to seniors. At this meeting or seminar, providers funded by the City could explain their programs and indicate what they believe are unmet needs. The idea would be to bring all the providers together in one place to look at what the City is accomplishing and what more can be done for seniors. It was suggested that a representative from the Generation Project talk to the Commission in early fall before the event is scheduled. Ken Rosland remarked that the City is working with the YMCA to develop new space for the Senior Center, which would be a favorable situation for both parties. The commitment on the City's behalf would be a 20 -year payment to them, and the YMCA would finance the construction of the building with the commitment to operate it. The object is to slowly build some of the senior programs into the activity of the YMCA which would eventually result in a more advanced senior program. With regard to the possible fall senior informational meeting, Ken suggested that the Commission secure a professional to run the event, with financial support from The Foundation. Summer Student Assistance Project. Betsy Flaten was pleased to report that The Edina Foundation had approved the funding requested in the amount of $1750 for chemical assessment services to Edina families and students who receive a 691 citation (alcohol violation) during the summer. Sheila Kosek of the School District will provide the summer assessment as she had been doing through the school year. She will need a telephone in her office and one day a week set aside to be there. Minutes Approved. The motion of Nancy Atchison to approve the minutes of April 16, 1996, was seconded by Tom Oye; the motion carried. Local Resource Center Funding. Ken Rosland indicated that money for funding Edina's local Resource Center should not have to be taken from the budget for human services. He is hopeful that this money can be reallocated in another way. $27,500 is needed for office space and a full- time coordinator. Human service agencies will provide in-kind services in staffing through the Memo of Understanding, which is the agreement linking the agencies together in a collaborative effort toward the success of the Resource Center and the network system. Mr. Rosland suggested that the Commissioners communicate the importance of this in-kind support to the providers during the upcoming budget proposal process. Budget Proposal Process. The Commissioners agreed to set the date of the proposal hearings for Tuesday, July 16th, at 4:45 PM. The follow-up meeting --at which time the proposed budget is drafted --will be Tuesday, July 23rd, at 7:00 PM. In the meantime, each Commissioner will be studying an individual proposal as assigned: Senior Community Services .......................... Tom Oye Storefront/Youth Action ................................ Shirley Hunt -Alexander & Betsy Flaten Cornerstone Advocacy Service ...................... Nancy Atchison VEAP ............................................................. Hugh Wooldridge West Suburban Mediation Center .................. Bob Brandel Share -A -Home ............................................... Sharon Ming Women in Transition ..................................... Carol Fecker Senior Linkage Line ....................................... Ardis Wexler Every proposal will be sent to each Commissioner so that all proposals can be reviewed in preparation for the June 18th meeting. The date for the hearing was set for Tuesday, July 16, 4:45 PM, in the Manager's Conference Room. The date for the follow-up budget preparation meeting was set for Tuesday, July 23, 7:00 PM, in the Manager's Conference Room. Bias/Hate Crime Response Plan. The draft was reviewed and timeline discussed for presentation to the City Council. This will be carried over to the June Commission Meeting. Adjournment. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:00 PM. Respectfully submitted, Betsy Flaten, Chair Edina Human Relations Commission BF/sw EDINA HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION JUNE 18,1996 7:00 PM - MANAGER'S CONFERENCE ROOM Members Present: Nancy Atchison Bob Brandel Betsy Flaten Shirley Hunt -Alexander Sharon Ming Tom Oye Ardis Wexler Hugh Wooldridge Members Absent: Staff Present: Susan Wohlrabe Guest Present: John Crist John Crist was welcomed. He shared that he had truly enjoyed serving on the Commission and would be willing to work on completing the video project from the Cultural Expo. Minutes Approved. The motion of Ardis Wexler to approve the minutes of May 21, 1996, was seconded by Nancy Atchison; the motion carried. Chair's Report. Betsy Flaten reported that the funding application to The Edina Foundation for the Summer Early Intervention Program was approved in the amount of $1,750. At this time, Sheila Kosek, the Project Coordinator, has been at the High School for two weeks. She indicated that between May 15 and the end of the school year there were 27 691's --as many as there were all last summer. Sheila is positive about the police officers working with her. Kathy Iverson will mention in the Sun -Current that Sheila is available on Tuesdays on a drop-in basis. Betsy reported that youth ministers recently attended a Chemical Health Advisory Committee meeting; it was a positive experience. Because of the excellent response, it was suggested that a letter be sent to churches and religious organizations in Edina with regard to the concern about hate crimes. A meeting could then be held to discuss how Edina might handle issues around hate crimes, and this could be tied into the Bias/Hate Crime Response Plan. This would compliment whatever the religious community is planning to do, and hopefully the newspaper would highlight it as a way the community is demonstrating solidarity. The intent of the meeting would be to let other organizations know what is going on. The Commission could serve as a catalyst and use the Bias/Hate Crime Response Plan as the centerpiece of this meeting. The motion by Sharon Ming that this planning issue be referred to the Human Relations Work Group was seconded by Ardis Wexler; the motion carried. It was also suggested that the Edina Peacemakers co-sponsor the event. Budget Proposals. SFYA: Their increase was $2000 over 1995 or 5.6%. Betsy Flaten and Shirley Hunt -Alexander reported that the School District will be funding them $118,000. A physical and sexual abuse program has been added, as well as a truancy early intervention program. Senior Community Services: Tom Oye reported that their request is a 42.8% increase and that Edina represents 7% of their clients. Apparently, Edina funds .34 FTE. Cornerstone Advocacy Services: Nancy Atchison reported that their request is a $300 increase. They have indicated that they will be participating in the Family Support Network of the Collaborative. The Commission will check into the funding of the intervention program by other communities. VIEAP: Hugh Wooldridge reported their proposal to be an increase of $1600. A majority of their support comes from the religious community rather than from governmental agencies. VEAP is a heavy volunteer organization. Their transportation program no longer serves wheelchair people and so a lift is not an option. West Suburban Mediation Center: Bob Brandel reported that Edina clients make up the lowest percentage. Their request is $100 over 1996. Share -A -Home. Sharon Ming reported that their request is an increase of $600. Questions needing answers were the total number of matches made in 1995 and a breakdown in communities, and how client fees are deten-nined. Women in Transition: Betsy Flaten reported that their request represents an increase of $258. The largest portion of their funding comes from United Way; no other neighboring cities contributed this year. Senior Linkage Line: Ardis Wexler indicated that their proposal is an increase of $773. Their activity represents a computer-based operation with peer -related clients. Bias/Hate Crime Response Plan Proposal. Nancy Atchison, Tom Oye and Betsy Flaten will submit a draft of the original plan to be presented to the City Council in the fall. Adjournment. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:30 PM. Respectfully submitted, Betsy Flaten, Chair Edina Human Relations Commission BF/sw EDINA HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION HEARING JULY 16,1996 7:00 PM - MANAGER'S CONFERENCE ROOM Members Present: Nancy Atchison Betsy Flaten Shirley Hunt -Alexander Sharon Ming Tom Oye Ardis Wexler Hugh Wooldridge Members Absent: Bob Brandel Staff Present: Susan Wohlrabe Senior Communily Services - Sandy Miller - Requesting $14,565 (1996 funding is $10,200) Senior Community Services identifies, develops, coordinates and provides services that help meet the needs of people 55 and older; it is a provider of ongoing, long-term case management. The Senior Outreach Program assists vulnerable adults to remain independent in the community and assists them and their families in securing and monitoring needed services. Over I 100 volunteers serve in the agency. Edina clients (252 in 1995) represent 7% of all Senior Outreach clients throughout suburban Hennepin County. West Suburban Mediation Center - Sue Nelson & Jim Campbell - Requesting $2,200 (1996 funding is $2,100) West Suburban Mediation Center utilizes trained volunteer mediators to resolve conflicts or disputes. Mediation is also used forjuvenile offenses such as vandalism, shoplifting, intra - family disputes, theft and minor assault. The Center is certified by the MN Supreme Court and is the only community mediation program serving Edina. There are 60 volunteer mediators, with Edina having the greatest number of volunteers. Cornerstone Advocacy Service - Susan Neis - Requesting $5,000 (1996 funding is $4,700) Cornerstone provides advocacy and crisis intervention for victims of domestic abuse. Victims and their children are helped to overcome the barriers they encounter in their struggle to live violence -free lives. Through short-term safe housing in local hotels, Cornerstone provides shelters and meals for two to three days for persons in imminent danger of domestic assault. Their 24-hour Help Line provides immediate access to emergency services. VEAP - Susan Freeman - Requesting $7,000 (1996 funding is $5,400) The VEAP Transportation Program provides door-to-door service seven days a week between 8:30 AM and 9:00 PM for all Edina residents who are low-income, disabled or elderly. The Transportation Coordinator plans the van route and assigns the private car trips to a volunteer home phoner who contacts volunteer drivers for private car trips. All VEAP's 17 van drivers and I 10 private car drivers are volunteers; VEAP needs more Edina volunteers. Senior Linkage Line - Andrea Skolkin - Requesting $1,323 (1996 funding is $550) Through the use of a comprehensive computerized resource file, Senior Linkage Line provides infon-nation about senior services and programs for older adults. The ma or function of the program is to establish easily -identified local information and referral sites. The sites are operated by trained senior volunteers who research services to meet the needs of the callers and then follow up to ensure the callers received the services being sought. 15% of the calls are somewhat complex and require case management. Storefront/Youth Action - Beth Fagin - Requesting $38,026 (1996 funding is $36,000) SFYA provides prevention, intervention and treatment programs for youth and their families. Specifically, the Youth Counseling Program assigns youth to counselors who meet with them and their parents through solution -oriented family counseling delivered in a flexible manner either at the school, in the home or at the office. Problem identification and treatment planning will drive the delivery of services. There will be a social worker in every Edina elementary school next year. Women in Transition - Lonna Szczesny - Requesting $2,058 (1996 funding is $1,860) The Woman in Transition Program provides specialized career development and employment services to low income women in crisis, enabling them to secure stable employment to support themselves and their families. Their request is to fund full services to a minimum of three low- income Edina women. Their services are provided on a sliding fee based on the participant's current income and ability to pay. Through this program, women establish realistic goals based on skills, aptitudes and interests. Share -A -Home - Judy Loehrer - Requesting $4,000 (1996 funding is $1,700) Share -A -Home allows older adults and persons with disabilities to continue independent living in their own homes and to avoid premature or unnecessary nursing home placement by matching them with live-in companions who provide services in exchange for less expensive housing. The staff person interviews and screens potential live -ins and obtains references and a police report. Once a match is made, there is consistent monitoring and mediation provided if needed. An average match lasts for one year; the longest one was seven years. EDINA HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION SEPTEMBER 17,1996 7:00 PM - MANAGER'S CONFERENCE ROOM Members Present: Members Absent: Staff Present: Carol Carmichiel Nancy Atchison Susan Wohlrabe Shirley Hunt -Alexander Bob Brandel Sharon Ming Betsy Flaten Guest Present: Tom Oye Ardis Wexler Alice Randall Hugh Wooldridge Jim Zappa Edina Community Resource Center. Alice Randall, the School District's liaison to the Family Services Collaborative's Resource Center in Edina, was introduced and welcomed. She reported that in her role she represents both the City and the School District in a collaborative effort for the entire community. At this time, both the City Council and the School Board, through its Revenue Enhancement, have approved the concept of the local resource center, each funding $20,000 in 1997. Room 336 at the Community Center will be the Edina's Resource Center. The City of Edina through in-kind services will begin reconstruction of this room in October, creating two offices, a conference room, a reception area and a work room. A coordinator will be hired in November, and a targeted opening date is between January I and January 15. A Community Council will be created and will oversee the ongoing operations of the Resource Center. The Fairview Auxiliary has committed $35,000 toward computers and phones. There will be a grand opening of some sort in January; Hugh Wooldridge offered communications support regarding this endeavor. Minutes Approved. The motion of Tom Oye to approve the minutes of June 18, 1996, July 16, 1996, and July 23, 1996, was seconded by Hugh Wooldridge; the motion carried. New Members Welcomed. Carol Carmichiel and Jim Zappa were introduced and welcomed as new Commissioners. Each shared with the Commission her/his profile. Budget. In August, the City Council reviewed the Commission's budget proposal for 1997, and there were no apparent items of concern. The City's 1997 budget will be formally approved in its entirety on December 26, 1996. State League of Human Rights Conference. Tom Oye reported that he attended the 25th Conference of the League of Minnesota Human Rights Commissions. At that time, Edina was recognized for the 25th year of the Human Relations Commission. The keynote speaker was Dr. Thomas Custer, professor of communications at Bethany Lutheran College, and the topic was "Vision for the Future." He noted that the public has disappeared or leveled off, and he said that the government is picking up costs when concerned individuals do not come forward. He remarked that there is a necessity to rejuvenate the public we once had so that private entities will not be fearful. People need to step up to the plate and make commitments. The State League is an example of "public" --it provides an opportunity to discuss common problems and come up with common solutions. What causes discouragement is that individuals do not feel "big enough" to tackle issues; nevertheless, every opinion has value. There is a need to put concerns on the table and work at them collectively for solutions. Affirmative action was originally intended for all people, but it has now come to be considered discriminatory. It was mentioned that "politically correct" used to mean kind treatment and understanding of a situation with the goal of working toward a solution which would not hann anyone. Now, however, Dr. Custer said that it is being used by some politicians to do whatever they believe the public is feeling. Conflict resolution and mediation continue to have value in solving problems. Other speakers remarked that many individuals fail to recognize their own power; they need to share their feelings with others. The disappearing public is made up of people who do not feel they need to vote because they don't care about either candidate. It was noted that art is a medium for expression in the political and social realms and a way for all people to express themselves. Bias/Hate Crime Response Plan. The revised plan was reviewed. It was suggested that the City Attorney review it before presentation to the City Council. Perhaps the Commission could study plans from other cities. The Commission asked for statistics from the Police Department. Discussion of the plan will be continued at the next Commission meeting. Mediation Presentation at City Hall. Susan Wohlrabe reported that due to an inquiry of Sue Nelson of West Suburban Mediation to Mayor Richards and Ken Rosland, West Suburban will conduct a presentation for City staff concerning services provided by the Center and how referrals are made. The date and time will be shared when developed. Mediation/Edina School District. Sharon Ming reported that a great deal of money is spent by the School District for employee issues when mediation could be used instead. Apparently, Dr. Dragseth would like information about the mediation process. Carol Carmichiel, a mediator by profession, could provide a mock mediation for School District personnel. Sharon Ming will contact Dr. Dragseth in this regard. A goal mentioned would be to teach students to do their own mediation, thus training them to become mediation -oriented adults. Advanced Mediation Training. Tom Oye reported on a workshop for people who had completed at least 30 hours of training. The League is working with the American Arbitration Association to train people for $500 per day, and grant money is being sought to subsidize this tuition expense. It will be scheduled on Saturday and Sunday twice a month for 30 hours. Adjournment. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 8:55 PM. Respectfully submitted, Sharon Ming, 2nd Vice Chair Edina Human Relations Commission EDINA HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION OCTOBER 15,1996 7:00 PM - MANAGER'S CONFERENCE ROOM Members Present: Nancy Atchison Carol Carmichiel Betsy Flaten Shirley Hunt -Alexander Sharon Ming Tom Oye Hugh Wooldridge Jim Zappa Members Absent: Bob Brandel Ardis Wexler Staff Present: Susan Wohlrabe Guests Present: Gene Marault Kathy Iverson Concerned United Birthparents. Gene Marault was introduced and welcomed. She is a representative of the Minnesota Branch of C.U.B. (Concerned United Birthparents), and she shared with the Commissioners a bill in the House of Representatives relating to adoption. If the act were to finally be approved, it would provide for release of birth infon-nation to adopted persons. She stated that under the present closed system of adoption, each member of the adoptive triad is vulnerable to unnecessary emotional damage and that the principle of confidentiality has been shown repeatedly to be the cause of many problems. C.U.B. advocates a comprehensive reform of adoption laws and practices as a means of providing for the child's lifetime needs through cooperation between a child's birth and adoptive families. The Commission agreed that at this time they would not get involved other than keeping in contact. The Intergenerational Dialogue Tool. Kathy Iverson, Chemical Health Coordinator for the City of Edina, was welcomed. She reported on " The Intergenerational Dialogue Tool: A Strategy for Community Building" which was developed by James Gambone, Ph.D. This Tool was designed to help communities rebuild and face issues, reaching every sector of the aging society with the message of bringing all generations together to discuss and act upon the important political, social, cultural and economic issues. Each generation of people within a community should be included in discussing issues and opportunities, and they need to be involved in solving community problems and creating opportunities. The Commission agreed that this could be framework for the next Cultural Expo; the expense for this program is $3,500. Four months is the approximate time needed to plan. Jim Zappa, Carol Carmichiel, Shirley Hunt -Alexander and Hugh Wooldridge will meet with Kathy and Jim Gambone before the next Commission meeting. Chair's Report. Betsy Flaten reported on the Summer Student Assistance Project. This program was funded by The Edina Foundation and provided for chemical assessment services to Edina families and students who received a 691 citation (alcohol violation) during the summer. Sheila Kosek of the School District provided the assessments early in the summer; however, due to an accident, she was unable to finish the program. Therefore, the remainder of the summer 691's are being processed now. SFYA has made funding available for this assessment process again next summer because of the leftover funds. Sheila will be invited to attend a meeting of the Commission sometime in the near future. Bias/Hate Crime Response Plan. Nancy Atchison reported that it would be helpful to have Mort Ryweck, State Project Coordinator of the Hate Crimes Response Network, come to a Commission Meeting. The Commission agreed that crimes need to be identified properly for the appropriate response. Other cities' policies should be examined to determine how they are being used. Generations Project. Shirley Hunt -Alexander reported that the Commission should make plans to have a person come to a future Commission Meeting to talk about senior issues. Edina Community Resource Center. Nancy Atchison reported that members of the Community Council are going to be appointed soon. There will be a parent representative; additionally, there will be a number of community people and just a few providers. Marketing will be an important key. The Community Council will be accountable to the community and not just to the School District or City Council. League of Minnesota Human Rights Commission Mediation Training. The League will be providing a training program in mediation of human rights grievances in November at the Roseville City Hall. It will encompass two weekends --November 16-17 and November 23-24 from 8 to 5:30. Carol Carmichiel and Sharon Ming indicated an interest. Presentation by West Suburban Mediation Center. On October I Ith, Susan Nelson of West Suburban Mediation Center made a presentation to City staff on mediation and the Center's services. It was well attended, and good questions were asked. It is hoped that this will increase referrals to the Center as a result of staff s contact with the public. Mediation at the School District. Carol Carmichiel will meet with the Assistant Superintendent and Rod Kesti to investigate mediation services for School District personnel in order to lessen the financial burden associated with legal fees within the District. High School Multi -Cultural Group. At Edina High School, a multi -cultural group is being formed which will have connections beyond the City. It will meet with students at Armstrong High School. The Commission agreed that it would be a good idea to invite this group to a meeting at some time. Adjournment. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:10 PM. Respectfully submitted, Betsy Flaten, Chair Edina Human Relations Commission Members Present: Nancy Atchison Carol Can-nichiel Betsy Flaten Tom Oye Hugh Wooldridge Jim Zappa EDINA HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION NOVEMBER 19,1996 7:00 PM - MANAGER'S CONFERENCE ROOM Members Absent: Shirley Hunt -Alexander Sharon Ming Ardis Wexler Staff Present: Susan Wohlrabe Guest Present: Ken Rosland Edina Community Resource Center. Ken Rosland, City Manager, was welcomed. He is a member of the Board of Directors of SHeRPA and Edina's Implementation Committee of the Family Support Network for the Family Services Collaborative. Ken remarked that there would be more assignments for the Human Relations Commission in the next few years in the area of human services. Our soon -to -be -open Community Resource Center is a leap in that direction which came about as a result of the Family Services Collaborative which was funded by a State grant. SHeRPA, as the coordinating agency for the collaborative, designed the Family Support Network which became a model for other communities. At the present time, the SHeRPA Board is on hold while the emphasis is placed on a family services collaborative with the school districts. The Network planned for four individual "service centers" in each City --Edina, Eden Prairie, Bloomington and Richfield --with a centralized Hub; each center would provide services in a "one-stop shopping" fashion, assuring that people would be led through the system and not left hanging with unmet needs. Memorandums of Understanding (MOU's) would keep the providers together and involved in contributing their resources in the centers. Each community is responsible for forming its own center. Edina will hire a full-time coordinator and a part-time support person; the Resource Center will be located in Room 326 of the Community Center. The City is providing in-kind remodeling of this room, and the School District is providing the site. The targeted opening is mid-January. The Hub has hired a full-time director, Ann Boerth, and its location will also be at the Community Center. At the present time, a team of City and School personnel is interviewing five final candidates for the coordinator of Edina's Center. and a decision will be reached very soon. Ken explained that State funding will be available for two more years and that some of the Commissioners will be a part of the evaluation process to determine if we are meeting the needs of the original concept. If the program does truly succeed, Edina would probably support it singularly if the Hub and Collaborative should happen to fail. The School District is benefitting from a significant amount of Revenue Enhancement funds -- $70,000 a quarter --as a result of spending a certain amount of time in human services. The Collaborative is asking for a small portion of these funds and has to form a Community Council in order to be eligible for the money. This Council will be an advisory wing of the Human Relations Commission and ultimately report to the City Council. Eventually, the Family Services Collaborative should stand on its own and SHeRPA would move forward to take on new planning tasks. Marketing is and always will be a key issue. A format for developing a communications plan has been discussed by Hugh Wooldridge and Alice Randall. Intergenerational Dialogue Tool. Hugh Wooldridge and Jim Zappa reported on the Intergenerational Series developed by Dr. James V. Gambone which brings generations together to discuss a scenario at a cost of $3,500. As a result, 75 people would become a "community" with a wide range of diversity and would dialogue over an issue that would permit or promote an action. The process itself is as important as the issue. Dr. Gambone would provide the complete selection process and the issue, and he would serve as the facilitator for the dialogue to steer the process. Thereafter, he would attend the first meeting of the post -dialogue task force. 25 groups have participated in this process in California, and the St. Paul Police Department has as well. Roseville is a place where Dr. Gambone has done a dialogue, and Falcon Heights want to be intergenerational in everything they do. The challenge would be to pick the topic and, as a result, action steps would be developed from the process. Perhaps this type of event could be tied into SHeRPA. The Commission agreed that this whole concept is worth considering and should be decided by January. Community Development Block Grant Process. At next month's Commission Meeting, Joyce Repya of the Planning Department will entertain discussion regarding Commission recommendations for funding of the human service portion of the Community Development Block Grant. Last year's CDBG material will be included with the mailing of the December meeting material. Adjournment. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 8:50 PM. Respectfully submitted, Betsy Flaten, Chair Edina Human Relations Commission BF/sw EDINA HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION NOVEMBER 21,1995 7:00 PM - MANAGER'S CONFERENCE ROOM Members Present: Members Absent: Staff Present: Bob Brandel Idith Almog Susan Wohlrabe John Crist Nancy Atchison Carol Fecker Shirley Hunt -Alexander Betsy Flaten Erick Strand Sharon Ming Tom Oye Ardis Wexler Hugh Wooldridge Minutes Approved. The Motion of Tom Oye to approve the minutes of September 19, 1995, was seconded by Sharon Ming; the motion carried. Chair's Report. John Crist reminded the Commission that a slate of officers needs to be developed for the upcoming election of new officers for 1996 beginning February. Bob Brandel recommended nominations then, and the following were made: Chair, Betsy Flaten; I st Vice Chair, Tom Oye; 2nd Vice Chair, Sharon Ming. This slate of officers will be presented and voted upon at the next meeting. Chair Crist welcomed the two new members --Ardis Wexler and Hugh Wooldridge --and explained that the Commissioners had divided themselves into three work groups: human rights, human needs and human relationships. He encouraged the Commissioners to think about the operations of these groups for the next meeting. Chemical Health Advisory. Betsy Flaten explained that the Chemical Health Advisory Committee works in cooperation with Edina Chemical Awareness, which is the City's action arin for chemical health issues. Kathy Iverson is ECA's director, and she recently held a tea at Centennial Lakes to thank all the people who have served with her. The CHAC will be hearing from the County's Prevention Coalition regarding innovative programs and policy. An Action Alert Network is being developed. Betsy reported that results will be coming back soon from the Minnesota Student Survey regarding chemical use and mental health issues. This survey is done state-wide every three years. Betsy encouraged the Commissioners to consider becoming involved with the CHAC. SHeRPA. Sharon Ming brought the Commissioners up to date regarding SHeRPA's activities. SHeRPA has been the lead facilitating agency of the planning process for the Family Services Collaborative, which is a partnership between the primary family -serving institutions and organizations in Bloomington, Eden Prairie, Edina and Richfield. It includes community residents and representatives from the four cities, school districts, Hennepin County, Public Health and community-based family service providers. The goal of the collaborative is to create an integrated, community -driven and user-friendly system of family and child support services. Initiated in March of 1994, with financial support from the State of Minnesota, the Family Service Collaborative entered into implementation in October of 1995. At this time, each of the four communities is looking into the development of local resource centers, which would be central resources of information for customers, providers and others seeking information about services. The service information system will be coordinated and managed by the Resource Center Support Hub (SHeRPA) and be comprised of First Call for Help and other primary databases/directories of services. The centers will provide initial intake and assessment, provide 24-hour crisis intervention intake and be accessible on evenings and weekends in order to connect families to needed resources, to provide follow up, and to initiate and support service coordination among providers. The Edina Committee at this time is looking into ways to connect with local providers in order to ensure their linkage into the network along with their ongoing commitment. Life Issues Classes at the High School. Tom Oye and Bob Brandel reported that they had recently attended Life Issues classes at the High School in order to share their views and experiences regarding discrimination and racism. They indicated that a change in the format might bring a better response from the students. Perhaps youth groups could lead discussions and bring in their own peers as the audience. Another idea suggested was that school personnel intern during the summer in corporate offices in order to learn about diversity through their human relations programs; this knowledge, in turn, could be applied in the classroom. Working Groups. The following topics were identified as issues to address and work on during the upcoming year: Human Needs--SHeRPA and the Commission's funding process; Human Rights --mediation and an harassment statement/policy; Human Relationships --a Commission pamphlet and a cultural event. The two new members were encouraged to connect with one of the groups. Hazing. Betsy Flaten remarked about the troublesome nature of the hazing which took place at the High School this fall. Perhaps the Commission could take a proactive role in educating people about their human rights, dignity and boundaries. This might come under the area of the Human Relationships Working Group. Reference should be made to the Bill of Human Rights at the United Nations. A possible speaker could come from the University. The issue is to look at what takes place at someone else's expense. There could be presentations at the schools regarding the dangers of hazing. This Commission could generate community support to help the High School improve the problem. Adjournment. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:20 PM. Respectfully submitted, John Crist, Chair Edina Human Relations Commission EDINA HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION JANUARY 17,1995 7:00 PM - MANAGER'S CONFERENCE ROOM Members Present: Members Absent: Staff Present: Nancy Atchison John Gordon Susan Wohlrabe Dorie Barman Shirley Hunt -Alexander Jan Buth Phyllis Kohler John Crist Erick Strand Betsy Flaten Sharon Ming Ming -Fen Ni Tom Oye Minutes Approved. Jan Buth's motion to approve the minutes of December 13,1994, was seconded by Tom Oye; the motion carried. Bias Crime Response. The Commissioners agreed that the draft of the Bias Crime Response is an outline of policy, and it needs to be defined and implemented. The list of people to be contacted should become more inclusive. When the final report is completed, it will go to the City Council for their approval. John Crist will work with John Gordon to re -work the draft for the February Commission Meeting, and other Commissioners are encouraged to participate. Commission Priorities. The Commissioners handed in their homework to John Crist, which were answers to the following three questions: 1) Write down an item he/she feels is important and that he/she would like to work on. 2) Write down a problem area or an area of improvement of the Commission itself. 3) Write down any advice he/she has for the Chair of the Commission. John will summarize the answers and make a report at the February Meeting. It was agreed that the Commission needs to review its priority list every so often. Budgeted Assistance for the Chemical Health Advisory Committee. Betsy Flaten reminded the Commission of the $374 approved by the City Council to provide note -taking and transcription for the meeting minutes of the CHAC. Susan Wohlrabe and Betsy will look into finding the appropriate person to perform this task in 1995. No -Fault Grievance. Tom Oye reported the incident of a woman who alleged discrimination when a particular store insisted that she print her name and phone number when she used her charge card. Tom called the store manager and was told that their policy initially called for obtaining the name and phone number when the charge card did not print the name. The manager indicated that this requirement is no longer in effect. The information is obtainable through a computer program. Tom called the woman and explained this to her, but he was not sure she was completely satisfied. SHeRPA'S STRATEGIC PLANNING. Nancy Atchison reported that input is needed from the Commission for SHeRPA's strategic planning process, and she asked the following questions: 1) What human services issues do you see emerging in our community related to the research, planning and coordination of services? 2) What do you believe are the local roles and responsibilities to address these issues? What are the regional roles and responsibilities to address these issues? Responses from the Commissioners regarding issues and responsibilities were: the frail elderly, medical and dental concerns of young adults still living at home, how to access resources, desegregation, moderately priced housing, and how SHeRPA can be involved in identifying the people who need services. Cultural Event. Ming -Fen Ni gave a status report on the Committee's planning of the Cultural Event to be held on Sunday, March 19th. The mosaic contact person is Diana Hedges of the Art Center, and she is arranging a painting workshop for students at the Center. The art product will be on display at the Edina Library from March 12th through March 18th. Thereafter, installation in a permanent site will be scheduled. Hopefully, about 400 mosaic tile and paint kits will be sold at the event. Wild Rumpus Bookstore will conduct the Book Fair, and the contact for this event is Mary Wilson Swatosh of the Edina Library. There will be two story-tellings at the event --one of European background and one of African American background. The Chinese American Dance Theater will be performing, and there may be the Korean Children's Choir as well. Each performance will be about 15-20 minutes. Twelve people will be identified for video taping, and these tapes will be viewed during the event. Deborah Morse -Kahn of the Historical Society will have a Context History ready to be passed out at the event. Fund raising letters will be sent out on January 20th to 25 businesses, and follow-up telephone calls will be made by January 31st. Applications will also be made to various organizations and The Edina Foundation. There will be three articles in the Edina Sun -Current; press releases are being prepared and flyers designed. The budget for the Cultural Event is approximately $3,000. Slate of Officers. Tom Oye presented the following slate of officers for election: - Chair, John Crist - I st Vice Chair, Sharon Ming - 2nd Vice Chair, Dorie Barman. It was unanimous that the above -stated slate be approved for 1995. At this time, thank-yous and farewells were given to Jan Buth as she has offered her resignation. Adjournment. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:25 PM. Respectfully submitted, John Crist, Chair Edina Human Relations Commission EDINA HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION DECEMBER 19,1995 7:00 PM - MANAGER'S CONFERENCE ROOM Members Present: Members Absent: Guests Present: Idith Almog Nancy Atchison Sandra Eliason Bob Brandel Tom Oye David Vick John Crist Erick Strand Carol Fecker Hugh Wooldridge Staff Present: Betsy Flaten Susan Wohlrabe Shirley Hunt -Alexander Sharon Ming Ardis Wexler Guests from the Edina School District were introduced and welcomed --Sandra Eliason, Director of Curriculum and Instruction; and David Vick, Assistant Superintendent for Elementary Education. Sandra reported that there are currently 323 students of color out of 6,138 total students in the Edina School District, which represents 5.26%. Regarding teachers of color, there are I I out of 339 total full time, which represents 3.24%. The student figures do not indicate any significant change. Students of color typically do not choose to come into the Edina school system under open enrollment. The teacher figures are up from last year, and the District is trying to recruit more. It appears that other school districts are doing the same thing. Retention is an important issue; it is hoped that new teachers learn to like the community. The District strives to meet the needs of all their teachers. Retention is the big piece in the recruitment factor, with the goal of bringing the number of teachers of color up to the percentage of the students of color. The hope is to get these teachers in all of the Edina schools. Currently, the highest percentage of students of color is Asian at 50%; there are low numbers of Hispanics and Indians. The teachers of color ratio is 50% Asian and 50% African American. These teachers play an important role in the recruitment of new teachers. Edina parents have extremely high expectations and therefore it is not always easy to recruit teachers of color. It is a fact that it takes a while to get adjusted in this community, and it is extremely challenging to work in the Edina school system. It is considered a high-intensity environment with great demands. Betsy Flaten has helped to recruit teachers of color, and all nine principals are on board to move in this direction. Apparently, there is competition among the communities to get teachers of color, and it is especially hard to secure them at the secondary level because of greater opportunities for them in the business world. Sandra described the following teacher training programs: 1) SEED - This stands for Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity which is a national program to learn how to facilitate staff development in order to implement an inclusive curriculum; 2) Build a Solid Multicultural Curriculum, Anderson School - Through the Anderson School, teachers work with a culturally diverse group of colleagues to design multicultural lessons; 3) REACH - This stands for Respecting Our Ethnic and Cultural Heritage with the purpose of increasing knowledge and understanding about diverse ethnic groups and reviewing K- 12 multicultural curriculum; 4) Native American Culture, Four Winds School - This provides an opportunity to learn more about American Indian history, culture and language and develop an interdisciplinary model for integrating Native American culture into the curriculum; 5) Mini -Sabbaticals - Eleven teachers participated in this three -to -five day program with several Minneapolis schools during the first three weeks of May; 6) Multicultural Material Review Workshop on May 15; 7) Dreams and Realities of Educating African American Youth Conference on May 19-20; and 8) Multicultural Environment in a Learning Organization - This was provided to all district administrators in August. Sandra explained that all new textbooks are reviewed by the Inclusive Committee of which Betsy Flaten and Tom Oye are members. The legislature has empowered teachers more today than before to take advantage of training, and much more training is done at the site. There will be new curriculum in language arts which will include the best multicultural literature. A reconsideration process allows anyone to speak up regarding the display of any improper material. David Vick reported on the desegregation issue. In 1987, all the first -ring suburbs got together and decided they needed to meet more often to work toward voluntary integration. A group was thereafter formed called CIPP, and guidelines were developed and approved by nine districts. $200,000 was allocated for planning, and there would be no forced busing. At this time, the Downtown School is alive and well, and the northwest project in Robbinsdale--middle school --is up-and-coming. In 1992, a telephone survey of over 2000 homes confirmed that there is enough interest to pursue working and planning together. The Downtown School is for students K- 12 and is located in an attractive downtown area. Students are welcome here from all nine districts. At this time in Edina, there are 20% of the students in alternative programs, with the Downtown School serving as another choice. The issue is to allow choice, and the legislature has authorized ten million dollars in this endeavor. Presently, a NAACP court case in Minneapolis could throw the whole thing out. LINKS is a support network for new teachers to help them, encourage them and reduce the chances of them leaving right away as they adjust to new communities. As changes occur, students serve as a link to their parents, helping them to adjust and actually being a "reality check" for them. Minutes Approved. The motion of Sharon Ming to approve the minutes of November 21, 1995, was seconded by Betsy Flaten; the motion carried. Family Services Collaborative/SHeR.PA. Betsy Flaten reported that training is an essential element in the success of the Collaborative. The Working Groups will be meeting again in January; a list of these groups and their activities will be included in the mailing of these minutes. CDBG Funding for Daycare. Sharon Ming reminded the Commissioners that the time for approving Year XXII of the Federal Block Grant was near and that typically 20% of the money allocated to Edina goes to human services. For year XXI or 1995, 32% of the human services allotment was slated for daycare --specifically the Greater Minneapolis Daycare Association --and this amount was $13,000 out of the $40,911 which was appropriated for human services. Sharon reported that it takes 14 to 16 months for a family to get off the daycare waiting list. In 1991, funds were not administered well; funds had not been used up by the end of that year so the usual amount was not requested for the next year. At this time, the GMDCA is serving four Edina families, and there are 60 families on the waiting list. It was pointed out that an additional $5,000 would have helped a great deal last year. What would be the impact on the HOME Program if it were cut back this next year in order to increase funding for GMDCA? This item will be brought back to the Commission at their next month's meeting. Election of Officers. Chair Crist presented the slate of officers approved at the last Commission meeting; no additional names were added. The motion of Idith Almog to approve the following slate of officers for service beginning in February, 1996, was seconded by Ardis Wexler; the motion carried. The slate approved is as follows: Chair, Betsy Flaten; 1st Vice Chair, Tom Oye; 2nd Vice Chair, Sharon Ming. Adjournment. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9: 10 PM. Respectfully submitted, John Crist, Chair Edina Human Relations Commission JC/sw Sharon Ming Ming -Fen Ni Tom Oye Erick Strand Carol Fecker Community Development Block Grant Budget. Joyce Repya, the City's Associate Planner, presented the 1995 Community Development Block Grant Budget as proposed by staff. She explained that the City of Edina's entitlement is $204,554, which is a 3.2% increase over last year. As in previous years, the funding of human services within this budget is limited to no more than 20%; therefore, human service funding cannot exceed $40,911. Joyce reported that the funds requested this time for human services equal 20% of Edina's entitlement; thus, staff is proposing to honor all of these requests. They are as follows: H.O.M.E. (Housing & Outdoor Maintenance for the Elderly), $24,893; GMDCA (Daycare Subsidy), $13,000; and C.A.S.H. (Homeline), $3,000. The Commission voiced its concern with the daycare issue in that there are currently 32 families on a waiting list. However, to help them with an additional $5,000 would mean having to take funds from either H.O.M.E. or C.A.S.H. because of the 20% already allocated to human services. Perhaps the Commission could look into additional funding for daycare when it begins its budget deliberation in June. Charlie Warner, Housing Programs Manager for C.A.S.H., handed out brochures with information regarding Homeline. Finally, in determining support for staff s proposal, the Commission commended staff for its work in developing the budget but expressed its ongoing concern regarding the continuing large number of families on the waiting list for daycare and therefore requested the opportunity to explore with staff any options for increasing the size of the daycare subsidy next year to more adequately meet the need. Tom Oye's motion to approve the 1995 CDBG Program budget as submitted, but have a committee look into ways of improving dayeare funding, was seconded by Betsy Flaten; the motion carried. Sharon Ming and Shirley Hunt -Alexander offered to work with Joyce Repya ahead of time in order to be better prepared for next year. Bias Crime Response. John Gordon and Dorie Barman agreed to be co -leaders of a team to work on making changes in the draft Bias Crime Response policy. Hopefully, this can then be looked at and approved at the next Commission Meeting. After that time, in its newly re -drafted state it will go before the City Council for approval. Minutes Approved. Betsy Flaten's motion to approve the minutes of January 17,1995, with the following changes, was seconded by Tom Oye: The No -Fault paragraph on page one was changed with the second sentence to read "Tom called the store manager and was EDINA HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION FEBRUARY 21,1995 7:00 PM - MANAGER'S CONFERENCE ROOM Members Present: Members Absent: Staff Present: Dorie Barman With Almog Susan Wohlrabe John Crist Nancy Atchison Betsy Flaten Guests Present: John Gordon Joyce Repya Shirley Hunt -Alexander Charlie Warner Sharon Ming Ming -Fen Ni Tom Oye Erick Strand Carol Fecker Community Development Block Grant Budget. Joyce Repya, the City's Associate Planner, presented the 1995 Community Development Block Grant Budget as proposed by staff. She explained that the City of Edina's entitlement is $204,554, which is a 3.2% increase over last year. As in previous years, the funding of human services within this budget is limited to no more than 20%; therefore, human service funding cannot exceed $40,911. Joyce reported that the funds requested this time for human services equal 20% of Edina's entitlement; thus, staff is proposing to honor all of these requests. They are as follows: H.O.M.E. (Housing & Outdoor Maintenance for the Elderly), $24,893; GMDCA (Daycare Subsidy), $13,000; and C.A.S.H. (Homeline), $3,000. The Commission voiced its concern with the daycare issue in that there are currently 32 families on a waiting list. However, to help them with an additional $5,000 would mean having to take funds from either H.O.M.E. or C.A.S.H. because of the 20% already allocated to human services. Perhaps the Commission could look into additional funding for daycare when it begins its budget deliberation in June. Charlie Warner, Housing Programs Manager for C.A.S.H., handed out brochures with information regarding Homeline. Finally, in determining support for staff s proposal, the Commission commended staff for its work in developing the budget but expressed its ongoing concern regarding the continuing large number of families on the waiting list for daycare and therefore requested the opportunity to explore with staff any options for increasing the size of the daycare subsidy next year to more adequately meet the need. Tom Oye's motion to approve the 1995 CDBG Program budget as submitted, but have a committee look into ways of improving dayeare funding, was seconded by Betsy Flaten; the motion carried. Sharon Ming and Shirley Hunt -Alexander offered to work with Joyce Repya ahead of time in order to be better prepared for next year. Bias Crime Response. John Gordon and Dorie Barman agreed to be co -leaders of a team to work on making changes in the draft Bias Crime Response policy. Hopefully, this can then be looked at and approved at the next Commission Meeting. After that time, in its newly re -drafted state it will go before the City Council for approval. Minutes Approved. Betsy Flaten's motion to approve the minutes of January 17,1995, with the following changes, was seconded by Tom Oye: The No -Fault paragraph on page one was changed with the second sentence to read "Tom called the store manager and was