Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2009 HRRC MinutesEDINA HUMAN RIGHTS & RELATIONS COMMISSION TUESDAY, MAY 12, 2009 7:00 PM - MAYOR'S CONFERENCE ROOM Members Present Arnie Bigbee John Cashmore Lisa Finsness Jessi Kingston Bob Mayer Meg Newell Ralph Overholt Russ Stanton Student Members Shara Mohtadi Emma Weisberg Council Member Mary Brindle Staff Liaison Susan Howl Members Welcomed and Introduced Council Member Brindle welcomed the seven newly -appointed Commission Members, and introductions were made all around. Member Stanton shared that he and the Student Members were the three who had stayed on board. Council Member Brindle reported that the Commission had been "at rest" due to members retiring, attendance requirements and voluntary resignations. Commission Officers Nominated • Member Cashmore seconded Student Member Mohtadi's motion to nominate Member Stanton for Chair of the Commission. There being no other nominations on the floor, the motion carried unanimously. • Member Finsness seconded Member Mayer's motion to nominate Student Member Mohtadi for 1' Vice Chair of the Commission. There being no other nominations on the floor, the motion carried unanimously. • Member Newell seconded Member Overholt's motion to table nominations for the 2nd Vice Chair until a future Commission Meeting; the motion carried unanimously. Meeting Frequency and Dates Determined • Student Member Mohtadi seconded Member Newell's motion that the Commission meet ten times during the year on fourth Tuesdays; the motion carried unanimously. Commission Binder Reviewed Staff Liaison Howl discussed each tabbed subject in the Commissioners new binders. The binders combine history with current information pertaining to the Commission's mission and projects. May 12, 2009 HRRC Minutes Page Two By -Laws Sub -Committee Created The following Commission Members volunteered to become the By -Laws Sub - Committee of the Commission for the purpose of reviewing, rewriting and presenting updated by-laws at the next meeting: Newell, Kingston, Bigbee and Overholt. Human Services Funding Process Discussed Staff Liaison Howl agreed that a schedule should be created for the Commissioners to earmark what lies ahead regarding the human services 2010 funding process. Other items of consideration were: • The need to review the Commission's funding proposal form • The assignment of each Commissioner to a specific provider's proposal • The necessity to publish the RFP in the Sun -Current and City Extra • The need to intentionally share the RFP with known providers serving Edinans • The intention to devote the next Commission meeting to the review of the RFP in order to equip providers with what they need for requesting 2010 human services dollars Meeting Wrapped Up Chair Stanton led the following discussion: • The Commissioners decided to postpone strategic planning for the time being. • The date for the next Commission meeting was determined: Tuesday, May 26th, 7 PM, Mayor's Conference Room. • The Commissioners agreed to bring calendars to the next meeting in order to review meeting dates for potential conflicts. Meeting Adjourned There being no further business, Chair Stanton declared the meeting adjourned at 9 PM. Respectfully submitted, Russell Stanton, Chair Edina Human Rights & Relations Commission EDINA HUMAN RIGHTS & RELATIONS COMMISSION TUESDAY, MAY 26, 2009 7:00 PM - MAYOR'S CONFERENCE ROOM Members Present Arnie Bigbee John Cashmore Lisa Finsness Jessi Kingston Bob Mayer Meg Newell Ralph Overholt Russ Stanton Student Members Shara Mohtadi Emma Weisberg Staff Liaison Susan Howl Minutes Approved After acknowledgment of the agenda, Member Finsness seconded the motion of Member Newell to approve the minutes of May 12, 2009; the motion carried. By -Laws Subcommittee Report Rescheduled Member Newell shared that she submitted a draft of HRRC's by-laws to the Commission's subcommittee and asked that changes/suggestions be e-mailed to her. She will continue to work on the draft and present it to the full Commission at the September meeting. As the by-laws are being re -written, the subcommittee will reflect on the State Statutes and focus on being inclusive with holidays. It is important to remember that the by-laws are the Commission's internal operating rules, while the City's ordinance regarding HRRC is enforceable law. Status of the School's Diversity Council Shared The Commission's Staff Liaison reported that a message from Gwen Jackson, Ph.D., the School District's Director of Human Resources & Administrative Services, stated that the School District no longer has a diversity council. At the present time, the District is looking for a different model and is considering the building of equity teams within the different schools—with the teams overseen by a team leader. This concept will be investigated later in the summer. Member Cashmore seconded Member Kingston's motion: • That Chair Stanton connect with Dr. Jackson to discuss the District's vision regarding a diversity council; and • That Chair Stanton communicate to Dr. Jackson the Commission's desire to support a newly -created District diversity council; and • That Chair Stanton share with Dr. Jackson that the Commission is fortunate to currently have two student members. The motion carried. Funding Proposal Process Reviewed Having reviewed the application for 2010 funding, the Commissioners discussed updating/editing: • Make sure that the providers share specifically how the funds will be used. • Make sure that the providers check in during the year with updates to highlight progress and to determine if goals are being met. Student Member Mohtadi seconded the motion of Member Kingston to add the following to Item 6.5 on Page Four of the Request Form for Human Services Funding: "Describe how the funds will be used and provide a breakdown. " With eight ayes and Member Cashmore's nay, the motion carried. Based on the deadline of June 22nd for the submission of proposals by providers, two scenarios of dates were reviewed regarding the next Commission meeting, the hearing with providers and the follow-up meeting to draft a proposed 2010 human services budget. The Commissioners decided the following: • The date for the next Commission meeting will be Tuesday, July 7th, at which time the proposals will be reviewed and questions prepared to send back to the providers. • The providers' hearing will be Tuesday, July 21St -time to be determined. • The follow-up Commission meeting to draft a proposed 2010 human services budget will be Thursday, July 23rd. Member Newell seconded the motion of Member Cashmore to begin the July 7th Commission meeting at 6:30 PM; the motion carried. Student Member Mohtadi seconded the motion of Member Cashmore to begin the July 23'd meeting at 6:30 PM; the motion carried. The Commissioners agreed that the funding application should be sent to the providers currently funded and posted in the Sun -Current, on the City's website and City Extra. Additionally, the Commissioners asked the Staff Liaison to send it to the following: • High School Student Groups through Rachael Grenier • Edina ABC • Minnesota Housing Partnership • Minnesota AIDS Project • District 202 • Free Arts Minnesota Adjournment There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:00 PM. Respectfully submitted, Russell Stanton, Chair Edina HRRC RS/sh EDINA HUMAN RIGHTS & RELATIONS COMMISSION THURSDAY, JULY 23, 2009 6:30 PM - MAYOR'S CONFERENCE ROOM Members Present Arnie Bigbee John Cashmore Jessi Kingston Bob Mayer Shara Mohtadi, Student Meg Newell Ralph Overholt Russell Stanton, Chair Members Absent Lisa Finsness Emma Weisberg, Student Staff Susan Howl The Commissioners disclosed the amounts each one recommended to fund the providers' requests for 2010. As a result of arriving at averages for each proposal and working within the total amount allocated for the funding of 2009 human services, the following action took place: • Student Member Mohtadi seconded Member Mayer's motion that no dollars be allocated to Free Arts Minnesota; the motion carried. • Student Member Mohtadi seconded Member Newell's motion that no dollars be allocated to Women in Transition; the motion carried. • Member Cashmore seconded Member Overholt's motion that $5000 be allocated to The Bridge; the motion carried. • Member Kingston seconded Member Mayer's motion that $7000 be allocated to Store To Door; the motion carried. • Member Cashmore seconded Member Bigbee's motion that $2000 be allocated to Tubman; the motion carried. • Member Newell seconded Chair Stanton's motion that $22,000 be allocated to VEAP; the motion carried. • Member Cashmore seconded Member Bigbee's motion that $1500 be allocated to Edina School Readiness; the motion carried. • Member Kingston seconded Member Newell's motion that $15,365 be allocated for Cornerstone; the motion carried. • Member Cashmore seconded Member Bigbee's motion that $25,000 be allocated for Senior Community Services; the motion carried. • Member Kingston seconded Member Mayer's motion that $3500 be allocated to Normandale Center, $1500 to STAND, and $6000 to ABC; the motion carried. • Member Bigbee seconded Member Newell's motion that $2400 be allocated to Conflict Resolution Center; the motion carried. As a result, the following draft 2010 human services budget was proposed for the City Council's review: Senior Community Services 25,000 Cornerstone 15,635 VEAP 22,000 The Bridge 5,000 Conflict Resolution Center 2,400 Normandale Center 3,500 Store To Door 7,000 Tubman 2,000 STAND 1,500 Edina School Readiness 1,500 ABC 6,000 TOTAL $91,535 The Commissioners had previously agreed to propose keeping the funding for the Edina Resource Center at the 2009 level --$37,200. Adjournment There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:30 PM. Respectfully submitted, Russell Stanton, Chair Edina Human Rights & Relations Commission EDINA HUMAN RIGHTS & RELATIONS COMMISSION TUESDAY, JULY 7, 2009 6:30 PM - MAYOR'S CONFERENCE ROOM Members Present Members Absent Staff Liaison Arnie Bigbee Shara Mohtadi, Student Susan Howl John Cashmore Emma Weisberg, Student Lisa Finsness Jessi Kingston Bob Mayer Meg Newell Ralph Overholt Russ Stanton Minutes Approved After acknowledgment of the agenda, Member Bigbee seconded the motion of Member Mayer to approve the minutes of May 26, 2009; the motion carried. Domestic Partner Resolution Discussed Member Cashmore presented information from OutFront Minnesota regarding domestic partner benefits. OutFront Minnesota's mission is to make the state a place where GLBT Minnesotans have the freedom, power, and confidence to discern the best choices for their own lives. He reported that the cities of Duluth, Minneapolis and St. Paul have established registries whereby domestic partners are recognized as full, equal and valued participants in their respective communities. Member Cashmore indicated that if the City of Edina were to establish a registry as such and encourage other municipalities to move forward, it might contribute to Minnesota's decision to become the 18th state to offer a domestic partner benefit program for its employees. Member Finsness seconded the motion of Member Cashmore to invite OutFront Minnesota to the September Commission meeting to share legal information regarding Edina becoming the fourth Minnesota city to recognize domestic partners' relationships through a registry. The motion carried. The legal counsel for OutFront Minnesota will be invited to the September 22"d Commission meeting. A sub -committee consisting of Members Cashmore and Kingston will cover the preparations for this opportunity to learn about the establishment of a domestic partner registry in the City of Edina. Proposals for 2010 Funding Discussed Being assigned to a specific provider(s), each Commissioner presented his/her respective proposal. He/she plans to field back questions from the other Commissioners to the assigned provider, asking that answers be returned to City Hall ASAP. This procedure would reduce if not eliminate questions during the hearing with the providers. The Commissioners handled the following presentations and plan to field questions to the providers: • Member Stanton, VEAP and STAND • , Member Mayer, Edina ABC • Member Finsness, Tubman and Edina School Readiness • Member Bigbee, Cornerstone and Normandale Center • Member Cashmore, Senior Community Services and Store to Door • Member Kingston, Women in Transition and Edina Resource Center • Member Overholt, The Bridge and Free Arts Minnesota • Member Newell, Conflict Resolution Center In the event that providers might have limited availability before the hearing on July 21st, the Commissioners agreed that every effort would be made to contact them with the questions as soon as possible. In preparation for their work at the meeting two days after the hearing, it was shared that there would be no increase applied to the City's 2010 human services budget due to the economy and projected loss of revenue. The Commissioners should go into the budget development session using the 2009 amount as a guideline/highest amount or even look at the possibility of a budget cut by the City. Worksheets will be provided for the Commissioners' use during the sharing and deliberating at the meeting on July 23rd. Meeting Adjourned There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:30 PM. Respectfully submitted, Russell Stanton, Chair Edina Human Rights & Relations Commission RS/sh EDINA HUMAN RIGHTS & RELATIONS COMMISSION TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2009 7:00 PM — MAYOR'S CONFERENCE ROOM Members Present Members Absent Guests Arnie Bigbee Shara Mohtadi, Student Phil Duran John Cashmore Emma Weisberg, Student Meredith Pedroza Lisa Finsness Jessi Kingston Staff Bob Mayer Susan Howl Meg Newell Ralph Overholt Russ Stanton OutFront Minnesota Staff Attorney Introduced and Welcomed Phil Duran, Staff Attorney for OutFront Minnesota, and an intern, Meredith Pedroza, were introduced and welcomed. He shared the organization's mission statement: "OutFront Minnesota's mission is to make our state a place where GLBT Minnesotans have the freedom, power, and confidence to make the best choices for their own lives." OutFront Minnesota is the largest organization of its kind in the state and is known for its work at the Legislature. The definition of a domestic partner is someone who serves a role in another person's life without a legally -recognized marriage. Domestic partner relationships resemble married couples, and these partner relationships can be same-sex or different - sex. Because of the immergence of AIDS in the 1980's and its association with same-sex partners, insurance companies have been reluctant to allow partners to be added to health plans. Employers have worked with insurance companies to come up with a new concept: private employment -based arrangements regarding domestic partnerships. At this time, 3000 private employers offer domestic partner benefits. COBRA does not apply to domestic partners. Under the IRS, spousal benefits are considered fringe benefits; the federal government does not recognize domestic partnerships, but partner benefits are taxable income to employees. There is no standardized license for domestic partners, so employers must create their own. The greatest concern at this time is State law which points out that local government can only add employees' spouses and children to their coverage by premium -based health insurance. Currently, municipalities are creating ways to define "family" and "eligibility" for a benefit plan, which would be less formal than a health plan. What the City of Edina cannot do as a local government is to extend medical benefits to its employees' partners; however, benefits such as sick time and leaves of absence might become possibilities. What the City of Edina can do as a local government is to create a registry ordinance which would be open to everyone. This was done by Minneapolis in 1991 and by Duluth and St. Paul in 2009. This registry is considered symbolic in nature, and currently there is no federal movement in this direction. The Commission might consider pioneering this on behalf of the City, bringing a registry to a centralized place in Edina for keeping signatures on file. Member Finsness seconded Member Cashmore's motion that the Commission would prepare research as a first step to bring recommendations to the City Council—i.e. an Edina registry, revisions to the City's personnel policy and union contracts regarding non-medical benefits for employees' partners. The motion carried. Members Kingston and Cashmore will compile questions for Ceil Smith, Assistant to the City Manager, and Roger Knutson, City of Edina Legal Counsel, regarding the City's bargaining units and personnel policies. Minutes Approved Member Bigbee seconded Member Cashmore's motion to approve the minutes of July 7, 2009; the motion carried. Member Bigbee seconded Member Overholt's motion to approve the amended minutes of July 21, 2009—changing "Ministry" to "Center" and adding Shara Mohtadi; the motion carried. Member Kingston seconded Member Bigbee's motion to approve the amended minutes of July 23, 2009—adding Shara Mohtadi; the motion carried. Co -Representatives Appointed to the Edina Community Council Member Mayer seconded Member Newell's motion that Members Cashmore and Finsness be Co - Representatives appointed to the Edina Community Council; the motion carried. Registration Confirmed for the 2009 Human Rights Day Conference & Forum Because of Bremer mini -grants made available to the League of Minnesota Human Rights Commissions, registration for Edina's Commissioners could be covered for attending the 2009 Human Rights Day Conference & Forum on December 4th. The Commissioners all indicated that they would be able to attend this event. Proposed 2010 Human Services Budget Reformulated Because of the recently -disclosed news that the human services budget for 2010 would be reduced by ten percent, the amounts for each provider proposed in July were revisited. Three motions failed due to lack of a second motion or a majority of nays. Member Mayer seconded Member Overholt's motion to reduce the proposed 2010 human services budget by ten percent across the board—to the amount of $82,381.50; the motion carried. Member Finsness seconded Member Bigbee's motion to apply the ratio to each signified amount in order to balance the total; the motion carried. Old Business Carried Over • Revision and review of Commission Bylaws • Contact with the School District regarding its Diversity Council • New information regarding the Commission's domestic partner "project" New Business Shared On Tuesday, October 20th, the 2010 proposed human services budget will be presented to the City Council by Chair Stanton. It was recommended that the Commissioners be there to support him. Meetin-g Adjourned There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:10 PM. Respectfully submitted, Russell Stanton, Chair Edina Human Rights & Relations Commission RS/sh EDINA HUMAN RIGHTS & RELATIONS COMMISSION TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2009 7:00 PM - MAYOR'S CONFERENCE ROOM Members Present Arnie Bigbee John Cashmore Lisa Finsness Jessi Kingston Bob Mayer Shara Mohtadi Meg Newell Ralph Overholt Russ Stanton Emma Weisberg Staff Susan Howl Minutes Approved Member Finsness seconded Member Cashmore's motion to approve the minutes of September 22, 2009; the motion carried. By -Laws Revisions Reviewed Chair Stanton and Member Newell each presented a draft of new Commission by-laws. Discussion took place regarding proper notice given to the public regarding meetings and meetings of an emergency nature. It was pointed out that the Commission was created by an ordinance to be an advisory body of the City Council with specific duties. The by-laws must be tied back to this City ordinance. Member Cashmore seconded Member Mayer's motion that the By -Laws Sub - Committee reconvene to work the two drafts into one new by-laws document for approval at the next Commission meeting. The motion carried. Report Given on the School District Diversity Council Chair Stanton and Member Finsness recently met with Gwen Jackson, the School District's Director of Human Resources and Administrative Services. At this meeting, it was disclosed that there no longer is a diversity council at the schools; however, there is a multi -cultural liaison in place. In order to study and review the needs at the schools, the District has hired the consultant who has been working with the WMEP schools. Mrs. Jackson indicated that she would like to connect with the Commissioners and be able to attend their meetings. Member Overholt seconded Member Mayer's motion to invite Mrs. Jackson and the liaison to a Commission meeting in order to learn about bullying programs that are currently in place at the School District; the motion carried. Domestic Partner Process Reviewed Chair Stanton reported that he had visited with Ceil Smith, the City's Assistant to the City Manager, regarding union and personnel policies pertaining to sick leave. A sub -committee consisting of Members Bigbee, Cashmore and Kingston will bring back recommendations to the full Commission in order to develop a report/ordinance revision to present to the City Council. Input from Phil Duran, legal counsel for OutFront Minnesota, will be included. Things that will be considered are: • Bereavement and sick leave recommendations • Establishing a registry like that of Duluth, Minneapolis and St. Paul • Language stating that contractors working with the City need to provide bereavement and sick leave benefits for their employees Commissioners Updated on Budget Presentation to the City Council Chair Stanton reported on his presentation made to the City Council Members at their work session on October 20, 2009, pointing out the following recommendations: • That the dollars allocated to STAND be transferred over to an operational line within the HRRC budget so that the money can be used for speakers at educational events and for other community activities • That the money allocated to the ABC Program be redirected to the other providers, because the City is not able to use public dollars in ways that do not provide direct service Member Finsness seconded the motion of Member Kingston that the money recommended to fund STAND be transferred over to the Commission's operational budget; the motion carried with one nay and one Commissioner abstaining. Member Mayer seconded the motion of Member Kingston to invite the City attorney to the next meeting in order to clarify the protocol for the funding of human services by the City; the motion carried. Report Made by New Appointee to the Edina Community Council Member Finsness shared that she had attended her first meeting of the Edina Community Council on October 20t' and that the group was a diverse body of representatives from the community. This will be a good opportunity to learn and feed information to the Commission from the Council, as it supports the operations of the Edina Resource Center and benefits from a family services collaborative. Next Meeting Date Announced The majority of Commissioners agreed that the Tuesday before Thanksgiving would work for the date of the next meeting—November 24`x' at 7 PM. Adjournment There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:05 PM. Respectfully submitted, Russell Stanton, Chair Edina Human Rights & Relations Commission RSlsh EDINA HUMAN RIGHTS & RELATIONS COMMISSION TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2009 7:00 PM – MAYOR'S CONFERENCE ROOM Members Present Member Absent Arnie Bigbee Lisa Finsness John Cashmore Jessi Kingston Bob Mayer Shara Mohtadi Meg Newell Ralph Overholt Russ Stanton Emma Weisberg Guests Gordon Hughes Gwen Jackson Roger Knutson Staff Susan Howl Agenda Approved Member Cashmore seconded Member Bigbee's motion to approve the agenda of this meeting— November 24, 2009. The motion carried. Funding Process, Domestic Partner Benefits & Open Meeting Law Discussed Gordon Hughes—City Manager, and Roger Knutson—City Attorney, were introduced and welcomed. Regarding the funding of human services, Mr. Knutson explained that the City of Edina is a creature of the State of Minnesota and cannot do anything on its own. Edina, without a charter, is a statutory city and cannot make charitable contributions or fund political activities. However, the City could fund the speakers for particular public events. As long as providers act as the City's agent for human services that the City could otherwise provide, professional services—such as a food shelf—can be funded. However, it would be beneficial to have a contract in place with each provider, specifically detailing the proposed use of the funding. In regard to the Edina ABC Program, Mr. Hughes indicated he would meet with the Executive Director to investigate legitimate ways for the City to fund specific needs within the infrastructure of the ABC Program. Regarding the question of domestic partner benefits, the City's insurance programs are covered by State Statute; however, there could be partner benefits such as sick and bereavement leave. The City must be mindful of the interplay between sick leave, bereavement and FMLA. What is done locally must meet minimum requirements under FMLA; however, the City, like other employers, is always free to provide benefits above and beyond federal FMLA and State leave laws. FMLA does not currently require that employers provide unpaid leave for the care of a domestic partner. At this time, specific State law only applies to married couples, but there is no statute that prevents the registration of domestic partnerships within a city. There were questions regarding the homestead law, and Mr. Hughes indicated he would provide follow-up information. The Commission indicated that it intended to continue its work on preparing a resolution with background for the City Council's consideration regarding domestic partner benefits and a City registry. This could be a topic for a work session with the City Council in 2010. Regarding the Open Meeting Law and the requirement of public notice, serial and virtual meetings (group e-mail) are considered violations. Sub -committees numbering less than a Commission quorum would not require public notice. Special meetings of the Commission always require an agenda. Revised Bylaws Accepted Member Bigbee seconded the motion of Member Newell that the work of the Bylaws Committee— Members Bigbee, Kingston, and Stanton—be acknowledged and that the Bylaws revision be accepted by the Commission. The motion carried. Domestic Partner Subcommittee Report Tabled Student Member Mohtadi seconded Member Cashmore's motion that the Domestic Partner Subcommittee report be tabled until the Commission's meeting in December. The motion carried. Report Given Regarding School District Equity Teams Gwen Jackson, Director of Human Resources and Administrative Services of the School District, was introduced and welcomed. She shared that the School District's Diversity Council had unsuccessfully tried to find its purpose for the past three years. As a result, it has disbanded. In order to continue efforts to respect diversity, work will be done directly with each of the school buildings. The focus will be "race," and there will be diversity and equity training with the principal. Because the student population has changed quite a bit, this particular focus is necessary. Fifty people are being trained at this time in order to have an equity team within each of the buildings by spring of 2010. The overall goal is for people to be comfortable with people who are different and to learn about other cultures. The equity teams will provide training for all staff and opportunities for students. There will be students on the equity team at the High School. The Commission questioned whether the School District could broaden its definition of equity, and it was explained that learning about other cultures and races would help narrow the achievement gap. A Somali tutor is providing help for students after school, and their parents will be invited in to learn about expectations. A desired outcome is that counselors improve connections with students. Minutes Approved Member Mayer seconded the motion of Member Newell to approve the minutes of October 27, 2009; the motion carried. Nominating Committee Selected Members Bigbee, Mayer and Newell will constitute a Nominating Committee and will present a slate of officers to the full Commission for nominations at the February 2010 meeting. Commissioners Reminded of Upcoming Human Rights Day Conference On Friday, December 4`h, the League of Minnesota Human Rights Commissions (LMHRC) will host the Human Rights Day Conference and Forum in St. Paul. The day will be filled with break -away sessions, and the Commissioners were reminded of particular ones to attend to qualify as attendees through Bremer funding. December Meeting Rescheduled In order to conduct business at hand before the holidays, the December Commission meeting was rescheduled to Tuesday, December 8`h Adjournment There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:30 PM. Respectfully submitted, Russell Stanton, Chair Edina Human Rights & Relations Commission RS/sh EDINA HUMAN RIGHTS & RELATIONS COMMISSION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2009 7:00 PM - MAYOR'S CONFERENCE ROOM Members Present Arnie Bigbee John Cashmore Lisa Finsness Jessi Kingston Bob Mayer Meg Newell Ralph Overholt Russ Stanton Members Absent Shara Mohtadi, Student Emma Weisberg, Student Guests Phil Duran Idelle Longman Staff Susan Howl Reordered Items on Agenda Approved Member Kingston seconded Member Cashmore's motion to reorder items on the agenda. The motion carried. Minutes Approved Member Bigbee seconded Member Newell's motion to approve the minutes of November 24, 2009, as amended: a) The By -Laws Subcommittee membership was corrected to read "Members Bigbee, Kingston and Stanton." b) Descriptive information regarding the FMLA was corrected to read: "The City must be mindful of the interplay between sick leave, bereavement and FMLA. What is done locally must meet minimum requirements under FMLA; however, the City, like other employers, is always free to provide benefits above and beyond federal FMLA and State leave laws." The motion carried. LMHRC Information Shared Idelle Longman, former HRRC Member and current member of the LMHRC, was introduced and welcomed. She was thanked for her work in getting the Commissioners registered at the League's Annual Conference in St. Paul in December. Regarding the work of the League, Idelle shared that its work was full" with the following activities: • Annual Conference • Bias/Hate Crime Response Plan Committee which continues to update the State Plan • By -Laws Committee • Legislative Committee • Nominating Committee • Payroll Committee • School Education Committee • Website Committee • Librarian • Annual Meeting (recently hosted at Edina City Hall) • Global Issue Committee • GLBT Committee Idelle shared that she is the agent for the HRRC to pass on messages to the League via its individual committees. She was asked by the Commission to look into diversity clauses that the University might have in place. The Commissioners raised concern about the election proceedings that took place during the Annual Conference regarding district representation by the local commissions—specifically Edina. A follow-up with the League was suggested. Proposed Domestic Partnership Ordinances Member Kingston shared the proposed Domestic Partnership Ordinances and the wording for resolutions to be presented to the Edina City Council. The following action was taken regarding the five specific items: • Item 1) - Approved. Member Overholt seconded Member Kingston's motion. In the description, the word "deregister" was changed to "terminate." • Item 2) - Approved. Member Finsness seconded Member Bigbee's motion, with the word "household" added. • Item 3) - Approved. Member Cashmore seconded Member Bigbee's motion, with the words "same or opposite sex" replaced by "without regard to sex." In the description, the new language would be underlined. • Item 4) - Approved. Member Kingston seconded Member Cashmore's motion, with six ayes and two nays, to remove "$100,000" and "21 employees" from Exhibit B—the Equal Benefits Ordinance. • Item 5) - Approved. Member Finsness seconded Member Bigbee's motion. Member Finsness seconded Member Cashmore's motion that a resolution be presented to the League of Minnesota Human Rights Commissions urging the State Legislature to grant permission for the cities to equalize benefits for all their employees. Edited material will be distributed at the January Commission meeting. Division of Responsibility Recommended Member Bigbee shared the recommendation that the Commission recreate itself—i.e. perhaps becoming two commissions in order to differentiate between the delivery of human services and human rights. Discussion ensued, and it was agreed that this would be a topic of discussion at the next meeting under the work plan. Human Services Budget Revised Because the City Attorney had revealed that there are no statutory grounds for the City to fund the Edina ABC Program, the need to reallocate the amount of $5400 proposed to fund ABC was discussed. Member Bigbee seconded Member Cashmore's motion to make a pro rata distribution of the $5400 among the remaining eight providers. The motion carried with two nays and one abstention. Subcommittee Created for the Annual Work Plan At the January 2010 Commission Meeting, a draft work plan will be presented to the full Commission by the newly -created Work Plan Subcommittee Members—Bigbee, Finsness and Stanton. Work Session with the Edina City Council Recommended The Commissioners requested that staff liaison Howl seek a date for the City Council to hold a work session with HRRC. Adjournment There being no further business of the Commission, the meeting was adjourned at 10:00 PM. Respectfully submitted, Russell Stanton, Chair Edina Human Rights & Relations Commission