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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2010 HRRC MinutesEDINA HUMAN RIGHTS & RELATIONS COMMISSION TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2010 7:00 PM – MAYOR'S CONFERENCE ROOM Members Present Member Absent Arnie Bigbee John Cashmore Lisa Finsness Jessi Kingston Bob Mayer Shara Mohtadi Meg Newell Russ Stanton Emma Weisberg Guests Idelle Longman Larry Clark Staff Susan Howl Draft Agenda Approved Member Kingston seconded the motion of Member Mayer to approve the draft agenda for the February 23, 2010, Commission meeting. The motion carried. Officers Elected Member Newell seconded the motion of Member Mayer to elect Member Bigbee Chair of the Commission for 2010. The motion carried. Member Newell seconded the motion of Member Mayer to elect Member Kingston Vice Chair of the Commission for 2010. The motion carried. Minutes Approved Member Kingston seconded the motion of Member Stanton to approve the minutes of January 26, 2010. The motion carried. LMHRC Presentation Made Larry Clark, the past chair and honorary member of the LMHRC, was introduced by Idelle Longman, former HRRC Commissioner. He reflected on the interaction he had had with Edina HRRC at the Annual Conference in December. Regarding the election process for board members, Mr. Clark agreed that information about the candidates should have been provided beforehand. Next fall, the HRRC will receive early information about the process, timeline, and how it can participate, along with the details of being a board member. The Commissioners agreed that all the candidates should be present at the Conference. Mr. Clark explained that the LMHRC is the only non-governmental human rights organization in the State. One of its roles is to help other commissions get established and to help create bias/hate crime response plans. LMHRC relies totally on volunteers; there are no paid positions. There are upcoming opportunities for Edina to host a 2010 board meeting—July, August or October. The 2010 Annual Conference will be held on the first Friday in December (December 3, 2010). Domestic Partnership Draft Ordinance Discussed Member Kingston reported that the City's Personnel Director, Ceil Smith, had explained that the City's personnel policy is the City's governing document and therefore covers the specific language for the ordinance. Her comments will be sent out to the Commissioners with an updated version of the draft Ordinance. Commission/City Council Work Session Discussed The Members were reminded of the Commission's Work Session with the City Council on Tuesday, March 2"d, at 5:00 PM. The topic for discussion will be the draft ordinance which will be included the packets which go out to the Council Members before their regular Council Meeting. A note from Chair Bigbee will be included, along with the Work Plan and the latest minutes. Commissioners Reminded of the Tom Ove Award The deadline for the submission of nominations for the Tom Oye Human Rights Award is March 12th. Nominations will be reviewed at the March Commission meeting. The Commissioners were encouraged to get out in the community to seek candidates. The award will be presented at the City's Volunteer Recognition Reception on April 29th at Edinborough Park at 5:00 PM. Human Rights Fair Announced Members Mohtadi and Weisberg reported that STAND in partnership with Christ Presbyterian Church will be sponsoring a presentation called "STAND Up for Congo" at the High School on March 25th at 7 PM for the purpose of raising awareness of the violence in the Congo. The Commissioners agreed that an HRRC banner should be created in order to be displayed at an information table during the event. Chair Bigbee agreed to contact the Communications Director at the City regarding the process to create one. Members Mohtadi and Weisberg also reported that there will be a band concert with local artists for Burma in May. Meeting Adiourned There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 8:55 PM. Respectfully submitted, Arnie Bigbee, Chair Edina Human Rights & Relations Commission Members Present Arnie Bigbee John Cashmore Lisa Finsness Jessi Kingston Bob Mayer Dee Moore Meg Newell Russ Stanton EDINA HUMAN RIGHTS & RELATIONS COMMISSION TUESDAY, MARCH 23, 2010 7:00 PM — MAYOR'S CONFERENCE ROOM Student Members Shara Mohtadi Emma Weisberg Staff Susan Howl Agenda Edited Student Member Mohtadi requested addition to the agenda of a STAND request for $1500 for an event to highlight atrocities in Burma; the request was granted. Minutes Approved Member Finsness seconded the motion of Member Stanton to approve the minutes of February 23, 2010; the motion carried. Draft Domestic Partnership Ordinance Edited Member Kingston seconded the motion of Member Cashmore to add wording in 195.02 Definitions, Domestic Partnership, B. of the draft ordinance: "Marriages between persons of the same sex that would be legally recognized as a contract of lawful marriage in another local, state or foreign jurisdiction, but for the operation of Minnesota law." The motion carried. The Commissioners were reminded of the City Council's prompting to revise the fourth resolution in preparation for another work session. The Commission work group consisting of Members Cashmore, Kingston and Mayer will oversee this project. The resolution currently reads: "Adopt an Equal Benefits ordinance in a form substantially similar to Exhibit B requiring entities that contract with the City be required to provide equal benefits to spouses and domestic partners of their employees." Tom Ove Human Rights Award Discussed There were two nominations received for the Tom Oye Award: 1) Kelly Fitzgerald of Dow Water and Process Solutions, submitted by Dawn Hart; and 2) HRRC Students Members Shara Mohtadi and Emma Weisberg, submitted by Council Member Brindle. Student Member Mohtadi reported that the City's website did not accept nominations which had been submitted on-line, and Staff liaison Howl indicated that communications staff had been notified. There was extended discussion about the possibility of lost nominations. Member Cashmore seconded the motion of Member Kingston to select all three nominees for the award upon the successful vetting of candidate Fitzgerald. Member Finsness amended the motion to state that the award should be given individually to all three nominees. The amended motion carried. The vetting of candidate Fitzgerald will be carried out by Commissioner Moore. Member Kingston seconded the motion of Member Mayer to request the Edina Communications Director to investigate the missing on-line nominations and respond before the next Commission meeting; the motion carried. Member Newell suggested that early next year each Commissioner should make the effort to get out in the community to identify candidates for the 2011 Tom Oye Award. Work Plan Team Members Selected Before selecting team members for the Work Plan, Chair Bigbee reported that he would be meeting with the chair of the Community Health Committee and the staff liaison regarding the tasks of the Committee and a possible collaboration regarding the human services funding process. There was a concern shared by some that the process for developing the budget for human services funding should be left intact for HRRC to manage. In light of this discussion, Members Finsness and Newell agreed to revise the current RFP and bring it back to the next meeting for approval. The following team assignments were made: • Visibility — Members Cashmore, Finsness, Moore and Newell • Administration — Member Mayer • Bias/Hate Crime Response Plan — Members Bigbee, Kingston and Moore The Commissioners were encouraged to call Member Bigbee or liaison Howl to add their names to teams. It was emphasized that teams can include other people within the community. Member Newell indicated that she would like to see the Commission co-sponsor a film festival for student films/videos addressing human rights' issues with the School District. Upcoming Human Rights Fair Noted Student Members Mohtadi and Weisberg reported that the event regarding Eastern Congo would be held on March 25th at the Edina High School. The Commissioners were invited to attend a dinner beforehand at 6 PM and then stay for the Fair, the featured speaker and a question -and -answer session. There will be 11 NGO's at the 7:00 PM Fair. 600 students have signed up to participate in the event during the day. Chair Bigbee reported that he had ordered a portable Commission banner through the City which would be ready for display at this March 25th event. Funding Requested Student Member Mohtadi said that STAND has already made plans for an event on May 22 to raise awareness about the atrocities occurring in Burma. The event will begin with bikers traveling from City Hall to the Lake Harriet bandshell, followed by a band concert and speakers from Burma talking about their personal experiences. Student Members Mohtadi and Weisberg indicated that it would be helpful if the Commission could allocate funds to cover the cost of banners, posters, pamphlets, food and t -shirts. The Commissioners were reminded that $1500 had been set aside in the operational budget for items such as this. Chair Bigbee requested a more detailed budget for the event, and Student Member Mohtadi agreed to provide one. Member Stanton seconded the Motion of Member Mayer that the Commission fund the amount of up to $1500 for this event on May 22 and to find out if the Commission could also be considered a sponsor of the event; the motion carried. Community Council News Reported Having recently attended a Community Council meeting, Member Finsness reported that discussion took place about gathering leaders to discuss needs, gaps and partnerships to accomplish community mapping/community building. Member Finsness shared that she brought up the model of the "World Cafe" to facilitate talking to partner groups. Meeting Adjourned Chair Bigbee thanked the members of the Commission for their passion and commitment to this work for our community. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:00 PM. Respectfully submitted, Arnie Bigbee, Chair Edina Human Rights & Relations Commission EDINA HUMAN RIGHTS & RELATIONS COMMISSION TUESDAY, APRIL 27, 2010 7:00 PM — MAYOR'S CONFERENCE ROOM Members Present Arnie Bigbee John Cashmore Lisa Finsness Jess! Kingston Bob Mayer Shara Mohtadi, Student Dee Moore Meg Newell Russ Stanton Members Absent Emma Weisberg, student Guest Mary Jo Kingston Staff Susan Howl Agenda Approved Member Finsness seconded the motion of Member Kingston to approve the agenda as submitted; the motion carried. Minutes Approved Member Kingston seconded the motion of Member Newell to approve editing of the minutes of March 23, 2010, on page two as follows: "Member Newell indicated that she would like to see the Commission co-sponsor a film festival for student films/videos addressing human rights' issues with the School District." Member Cashmore seconded the motion of Member Stanton to approve the minutes of March 23, 2010; the motion carried. Guest Introduced and Welcomed Mary Jo Kingston, Chair of the Edina Community Health Committee, was introduced by her daughter, Vice Chair Kingston, and welcomed by the Commission. As a representative of her Committee, she came to hear about the human services funding process conducted by HRRC. Ordinance Readied for Selected Hearing Date Vice Chair Kingston presented dates of three upcoming City Council meetings as choices for the public hearing regarding HRRC's draft Domestic Partnership Ordinance. The Commissioners agreed upon Tuesday, May 18th, and asked that staff provide information regarding the procedure for the hearing. Regarding the public hearing and the ordinance to be reviewed, discussion took place whether or not to include Section 4 which was in the original draft, stating that entities contracting with the City be required to provide equal benefits to spouses and domestic partners of their employees. It was suggested that this section be changed to selection criteria rather than a mandate. Another suggestion was the importance of keeping this section within the ordinance for the overall purpose of human rights and that much of the material contained in the draft Ordinance is symbolic in nature anyway. It was reported that Gordon Hughes and the City's attorney, Roger Knutson, both advised that this section not be included in the draft ordinance at this time and that it be brought to a City Council/HRRC work session at a later date. Member Cashmore seconded Vice Chair Kingston's motion to eliminate Section 4 from the draft ordinance scheduled for review at the City Council's public hearing on May 18, 2010, and to schedule a work session with the City Council to discuss Section 4 in the late summer or early fall. The motion carried unanimously. STAND Event Reviewed The Commissioners were reminded that the amount of $1500 had been approved at the previous Commission meeting for the special event on May 22nd to support anti -genocide efforts in Burma. However, this action was subject to the School District Administration's approval as well. Student Member Mohtadi shared the written communication from the Superintendent, Ric Dressen, which indicated support for and approval of the event. It will be a three-hour concert with seven local bands at the Lake Harriet band shell. Because of liability concerns, the bike ride to the band shell was cancelled. New RFP Form Approved In order to investigate mutual endeavors and responsibilities between HRRC and the Community Health Committee, it was recommended that communication begin between the two entities. Member Newell seconded the motion of Member Finsness to discuss creating a sub -committee from members of both advisory groups at the next Commission meeting; the motion carried. Discussion ensued regarding the new RFP format needing to be "cut and dried" with master categories in order to make it a step up from what was used before. The draft accomplishes this in a newly -organized format. The following were suggestions for inclusion in the RFP: • Charity Review Council score • "Other" in number 12 • Number of volunteers and hours of service • Income statement and balance sheet for the prior year • Proposed budget including expense categories • Current budget _Workshop Confirmed at the Annual Meeting In December at the State's Annual Meeting of Human Rights Commissions, Vice Chair Kingston indicated that she planned to host a workshop regarding the Domestic Partnership Ordinance. Edina Community Council Report Given Member Finsness shared information given by Mary Manderfeld at the recent Community Council meeting. Mary is the Assistant Director of Administrative Services for Edina Public Schools, and she talked about the Equity Teams being created at each of the Edina schools. She gave an overview of the state of our School District regarding Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) which showed the changing face of Edina. In the reading tests, our students who are a part of the Free -Reduced Lunch Program did not show adequate progress. Mary reported that unfortunately bullying is still an issue in the schools. Along with the Equity Teams, STRIVE and Dare to be Real, it is hoped that challenges can be turned into positive learning experiences. Dee Moore seconded the motion of Lisa Finsness to invite Mary Manderfeld and Rachael Pream Grenier, the School District's Youth Development Supervisor, to attend a meeting of the Commission. The motion carried. Meeting Adjourned There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:30 PM. Respectfully submitted, Arnie Bigbee, Chair Edina Human Rights & Relations Commission EDINA HUMAN RIGHTS & RELATIONS COMMISSION TUESDAY, MAY 25, 2010 7:00 PM – MAYOR'S CONFERENCE ROOM Members Present Members Absent Arnie Bigbee Shara Mohtadi John Cashmore Emma Weisberg Lisa Finsness Jessi Kingston Bob Mayer Dee Moore Meg Newell Russ Stanton Staff Susan Howl Minutes Approved Member Cashmore seconded the motion of Member Stanton to approve the minutes of April 27, 2010; the motion carried. Work Plan Committee Reports Given • Administration: Member Mayer has assumed the task of reviewing the scope of the Commission. Bias/Hate Crime Response Plan: Members Bigbee and Moore presented a handout with a timeline moving to the approval of a revised plan by the City Council in September and presenting the plan to the community thereafter. Members Bigbee and Moore will meet with the Police Chief, Jeff Long, with the following questions: How are officers trained? How are bias/hate crimes determined? What services does the Police Department use? When is the media used? The importance of connecting with the School District and the State was emphasized. Demographics: Member Stanton reported that the census will provide the means to partner with other organizations, using demographics to identify needs. The census data will not be ready until the end of the year and will definitely be a key element for future strategic planning. Visibility: Members Finsness and Newell asked the question: "Do people in the community 'see/know about' HRRC?" Spring was a productive time—the STAND dinner at the High School cultural fair, Volunteer Recognition, and the Tom Oye Human Rights Awards. It was recommended that the City put together an article for the Sun Current highlighting the purpose of the Award and its recipients. The City's 4 t of JUly Parade would be an excellent way to highlight the Commission and pass out information. It was suggested that the Visibility Team have a meeting with Patrick Duffy and Rachael Pream-Grenier of the School District to consider ideas such as forming a volunteer group for tutoring. Domestic Partnership Ordinance Discussed • Revisions have been received in preparation of Second Reading on June Vt. The City's Personnel Policy needs to cover the death of a partner and the pension. Chair Bigbee will draft a letter to Phil Duran, thanking him for his excellent work in guiding the Commission toward the successful outcome. STAND Event Cancelled Due to bad weather, the STAND event at Lake Harriet was cancelled. It is hoped that it can be rescheduled sometime this summer. Funding Process Reviewed Member Cashmore seconded the motion of Chair Bigbee to approve the following process for 2011 human services funding: • The hearing for the providers will be on Tuesday, June 22nd • Member Finsness will prepare a template to help Commissioners organize their thoughts. • Twenty minutes will be allowed for each provider to share information about the current year and for Commissioners to ask questions. • A complete packet of all the RFPs will be picked up by each Commissioner at City Hall the week of June 7th The motion carried. Operations of the Edina Community Council Shared Member Finsness distributed information providing the Community Council's mission statement and responsibilities. As a part of the planning for the upcoming year (September -May), the Council has invited HRRC to make a presentation at a meeting in the fall. Member Finsness also distributed census information for Edina. Workshop Information Updated Member Kingston has applied to host a workshop on the Domestic Partnership Ordinance at the December conference of the LMHRC in St. Paul. Chair Bigbee indicated that he might also apply to host another workshop around the topic of "structuring a commission." Roseville Forum to be Updated Due to time constraints, Member Moore will report on the events that took place at the recent Roseville Forum at the next Commission meeting. Meeting Adjourned There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:15 PM. Respectfully submitted, Arnie Bigbee, Chair Edina Human Rights & Relations Commission AB/sh EDINA HUMAN RIGHTS & RELATIONS COMMISSION TUESDAY, JULY 27, 2010 6:30 PM — MAYOR'S CONFERENCE ROOM Members Present Members Absent Arnie Bigbee John Cashmore Lisa Finsness Jessi Kingston Bob Mayer Dee Moore Meg Newell Russ Stanton Staff Susan Howl Minutes Approved Member Moore seconded the motion of Member Stanton to approve the minutes of May 25, 2010; the motion carried. Member Finsness seconded the motion of Member Moore to approve the minutes of June 22, 2010; the motion carried. Proposed 2011 Budeet Developed After discussing each provider's proposed amount, the Commissioners deliberated within the framework of the current budgeted amount for human services funding, which is $81,032. After proposed amounts were appropriated to each provider, the following motions were made, seconded and approved: • Members Stanton and Kingston —Add $2000 to VEAP. • Members Finsness and Moore — Discontinue funding Normandale Center. • Members Stanton and Finsness — Raise The Bridge to $5,000. • Members Finsness and Moore— Raise School Readiness to $9,000. Member Kingston seconded the motion of Member Mayer to recommend the following proposed 2011 human services budget to the City Council: Senior Community Services 24,000 Cornerstone 15,000 VEAP 22,000 The Bridge 5,000 Conflict Resolution Center 3,000 Store to Door 5,000 Tubman 1,000 Edina School Readiness 6.000 TOTAL 81,000 The motion carried. Team Business Shared • Bias/Hate Crime Response Plan — Chair Bigbee and Member Moore reported that they had the opportunity to meet with the Chief of Police, Jeff Long. At the meeting, Chief Long indicated that he liked the Plan. The only concern raised pertained to the third item in the Plan's response and prevention process regarding privacy. The goal is to have the Plan ready to be included in an HRRC power point presented to the community. It was suggested that Chief Long be invited to a future Commission meeting. • Visibility— Members Finsness, Kingston and Newell have the goal of readying material for the power point presentation to community organizations. City of Maplewood's Request Reported Chair Bigbee shared that the City of Maplewood's City Attorney, H. Alan Kantrud, had contacted HRRC's staff liaison for information pertaining to the City's recent approval of the Domestic Partnership Ordinance. The Ordinance and accompanying material were shared with him, and he promised to keep HRRC informed as to the unfolding of events in Maplewood. Meeting Adjourned There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:00 PM. EDINA HUMAN RIGHTS & RELATIONS COMMISSION TUESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2010 7:00 PM — MAYOR'S CONFERENCE ROOM Members Present Members Absent Staff Arnie Bigbee Lisa Finsness Susan Howl John Cashmore Meg Newell Jessi Kingston Bob Mayer Dee Moore Russ Stanton Approval of Minutes Postponed Due to the inability to confirm the statement about needing a Commission replacement on the Edina Community Council in the minutes of July 27`h, the approval of these minutes was postponed until the next Commission meeting. Administrative Team's Work Plan Items Approved Member Mayer presented two items of the Work Plan which were rewritten with fuller description, clarity, and specific timeframes: • Nominations of Officers • Tom Oye Award Hereafter, the Administrative Team Chair will review the plan of the Administrative Team at the August meeting of the Commission in order to confirm any additional items to be added for review and dates for the Work Plan for the following year. Member Kingston seconded Member Mayer's Motion to approve the 2010 Administrative Team's items for the Work Plan; the motion carried. Editing of the Bias/Hate Crime Response Plan Approved Having been reviewed by the Police Chief, Chair Bigbee shared that the Plan had also been studied and edited by the City's Attorney, and it was now ready to be approved by the Commission. It will include an updated communications page with names and phone numbers of pertinent individuals who would be part of the process if it were to be implemented. The Visibility Team would now be able to include this in the power point slides when sharing the work of the Commission. Member Cashmore seconded Member Kingston's motion to approve the newly -edited 2010 Bias/Hate Crime Response Plan; the motion carried. Demographics Team Looking Ahead to the Census Member Stanton reported that there would be much useful data from the census to take into consideration when reviewing unmet needs in the community. Visibility Team Launching Plan Member Kingston shared that the Team will be meeting to discuss the Tom Oye article for the Sun, partnerships with the schools, including students on the Team, and getting Commission slides into a presentation format. Jennifer Bennerotte, the City's Communications Director, will be queried regarding the method/format for PowerPoint sharing within the community. Human Services Funding Process Discussed The Commissioners shared the following concerns and questions regarding the HRRC process for evaluating proposals and recommending funding for human services: • Clarification of the selection process, in which the proposed budget is created for approval by the City Council • Is there a better way'to discern the needs of people in Edina? • Is this process of proposing a human services budget appropriate for the Commission on behalf of the City? • The Commission was reminded that the process establishes contracts with vendors, which means that the City is buying external services. • How is the United Way connected regarding the providers funding by the City? • Look at best practices in other suburban communities regarding the funding of human services. The Commission assigned staff to the task of gathering the following information from Bloomington, Richfield, Eden Prairie, Hopkins, St. Louis Park and Plymouth: • Are human services being funded in your city? • If so, how much money is spent to fund human services? • Is there a commission in place to review proposals and propose a human services budget? • If so, does this commission's mission have a reference to meeting basic human needs? Commissioners Stanton and Kingston agreed to take a look at this information when it is returned by the specific cities. Chair Bigbee reminded the Commission that the City Council would be hearing the HRRC 2011 proposal for human services funding on September 7th at its regular Council Meeting. It will be a five- minute presentation to the City Council, with an opportunity for questions. Commissioner's Relocation Announced Member Moore shared that she will be moving to Bloomington and therefore unable to continue serving on the Commission. Commissioners wished her well and thanked her for her commitment to the City of Edina. Domestic Partnership Benefits Revisited With item #4 deleted in the Domestic Partnership Ordinance, Members Kingston and Cashmore will meet with Phil Duran about the next steps to take concerning benefits. Commissioners Reminded of Upcoming Events • Sunday, September 19`h — Edina Community Lutheran Church picnic - HRRC recognition for the Domestic Partnership Ordinance • Wednesday, September 22"d — Richfield Public Information Forum at the Woodlake Nature Center • Saturday, October 16th — "Peace power and Unity: Conference — Richfield Intermediate School • Friday, December 3rd — State conference in St. Paul Items Suggested for Future Meetings/Discussion • Bring in a speaker to discuss counteracting internet abuse. • Address ways to connect with the School District regarding the issue of bullying. • The Visibility Team's presentation could reference bullying and internet issues. • What will be the initiatives of the Commission going forward? Adjournment There being no further business of the Commission, the meeting was adjourned at 9:00 PM. EDINA HUMAN RIGHTS & RELATIONS COMMISSION TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2010 7:00 PM –COMMUNITY ROOM Members Present Members Absent Guest Zack Antar, Student Bob Mayer Mary Brindle Arnie Bigbee Russ Stanton Daria Brosius, Student John Cashmore Lisa Finsness Jessi Kingston Meg Newell Staff Susan Howl After a one-half hour orientation with the two new student members—Zack Antar and Daria Brosius— Chair Bigbee was prepared to open the regular meeting at 7:00 PM. New Student Members Introduced To begin the meeting, Zack Antar and Daria Brosius, seniors at Edina High School, were introduced to and welcomed by each Commissioner. Commission Minutes Approved Member Kingston seconded Member Cashmore's motion to approve the Commission minutes as presented for July 27, 2010, and August 24, 2010. The motion carried. Edina Resource Center Proposed Budget Revisited Council Member Brindle brought a disparity of concern to the attention of the Commissioners regarding the amount requested by Val Burke for 2011 for the Resource Center and the amount proposed by the Commission. The amount of $38,316 requested of the City for the 2011 funding of the Resource Center was essential to maintain staff (1.5) at their current level of performance and is a three -percent increase above the current amount funded. The amount of $37,000 indicated as the proposal coming from the Commission represented a flat amount with no increase applied. Ms. Howl, Staff Liaison, indicated that the no -increase scenario applied to the human services budget in its entirety should not have automatically been applied to the Resource Center without a discussion. She apologized for not having emphasized this during the funding process. Member Cashmore seconded Member Kingston's motion to change the 2011 amount proposed for the Edina Resource Center from $37,000 to $38,316. The motion carried. This change in the proposal will be submitted to the City Council for its consideration. Additionally, the Commission agreed to have an in-depth discussion with Val regarding the budget and how to carry out this responsibility in the future. Bias/Hate Crime Response Plan Formally Approved With an edited plan distributed to the Commissioners along with an updated network list, it was noted that the only thing missing was a representative's name linked to the faith community. Until one is made official, a victim will always be given access to his/her own pastor or minister. Member Finsness seconded the motion of Member Kingston to approve the edited and updated Bias/Hate Crime Response Plan for 2010. The motion carried. Edina Community Council's Business Shared • Member Finsness reported that a striking number of people came through the Welcome Center during the summer months—approximately 1000. The Center shares space with the Edina Resource Center. • At the Community Council meeting, she also learned that the School District is striving to become more culturally responsive. It was noted that there will be Beyond Diversity Collaborative Workshops for staff held in 2010 and 2011. The curriculum is described as an "introduction to courageous conversation and a framework for deinstitutionalizing racism and eliminating the racial achievement gap." If Commissioners have an interest, they could join one of the three LEARN Seminars regarding the Equity Walk and could register through Val Burke. • There will be a Mix -It -Up Day again at the High School on November 9th, with the opportunity to mix with other students through different -than -usual seating arrangements. Student Member Antar indicated that he would talk to Rachael Pream-Grenier about having a multi -cultural day as well. • On Wednesday, December 1, from 7:30 to 9 AM, the Edina Community Council along with the Edina Resource Center, the Edina Community Foundation and Connecting With Kids will host a breakfast to highlight the needs of youth in Edina, especially as it pertains to financial needs taking place in a growing number of families. Visibility Group Updates Reported Member Newell shared what she had learned from Rachael Pream-Grenier regarding her activities with Youth -Serving -Youth (YSY): • The STRIVE Program is in place and operates as an in -school mentoring partnership between the High School and the Rotary Clubs of Edina. • According to numbers, more girls get involved in service projects than boys. Nevertheless, the SALT program is effective as a leadership team for boys. • YSY students have indicated that they would be interested in teaming up with HRRC for Lobby Days. • The Amnesty International Group is interested in holding a forum on the death penalty. • The Gay/Straight Alliance at the High School is a diverse group of students. Member Kingston reported that the Visibility Group had met and discussed the following: • How does HRRC become better known in the community? • Develop a PowerPoint presentation. • Discover ways to partner with the school. • Sponsor forums at the schools, such as anti -bullying & cyber bullying, religious tolerance, aging discrimination and public accessibility. • Participate in the 4th of July Parade. • Define visibility and how HRRC might choose to be a vehicle to change perceptions. • Not become a single -issue group but try to be a feeder for the legislature. • Update the purpose of the Commission and what it is doing. • Should attention be drawn to this Commission with a purpose to highlight issues? • Lay out the mission of the Commission and look for ways to collaborate with others to hold events. • What about a PowerPoint that just addresses human rights without promoting HRRC? • School May -Term projects could work on a PowerPoint presentation for HRRC. The You Tube model could be used. • Student Member Antar agreed to join the Visibility Group and agreed to look into making educational previews before the movies shown at Centennial Lakes. • Should the Visibility Group select one or two items for focusing, or perhaps make the decision to plan an event on bullying? Would this be about adopting an initiative? • Is the word "visibility" about responding or advocating? Member Finsness seconded the motion of Member Cashmore to change the name "Visibility Group" to "Issues Sub -Committee." The motion carried. Member Newell seconded the motion of Member Finsness that the Issues Sub -Committee focus on anti - bullying and that it bring back recommendations to the Commission regarding this issue. The motion carried. Member Newell indicated that she would lead this discussion on this issue as a host at her home before the next Commission meeting. Issues Sub -Committee Members are: Zack Antar, John Cashmore, Lisa Finsness, Jessi Kingston and Meg Newell. Richfield Forum on Domestic Partnership Ordinance Shared Member Kingston reported to the Commissioners that the public forum on a domestic partnership ordinance held by the City of Richfield was well attended and with some resistance. This will be the first of many meetings held by Richfield, and HRRC will be told when they will be holding a hearing. The Cities of Bloomington, St. Louis Park and a handful of others are also going through this process. November Meeting Date Discussed An e-mail vote will be taken to determine the best date for the Commission's November meeting: • Tuesday, November 23`d, the fourth Tuesday and regular meeting date, or • Tuesday, November 30, the fifth Tuesday of the month Meeting Adjourned There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:05 PM. EDINA HUMAN RIGHTS & RELATIONS COMMISSION TUESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2010 7:00 PM —COMMUNITY ROOM Members Present Members Absent Arnie Bigbee Zack Antar, Student John Cashmore Daria Brosius, Student Lisa Finsness Jessi Kingston Bob Mayer Meg Newell Russ Stanton Staff Susan Howl Meeting Agenda Approved Member Stanton seconded Member Kingston's motion to approve the meeting agenda for 10-26-10. The motion carried. Commission Minutes Approved Member Finsness seconded the motion of Member Kingston to approve the Commission minutes as presented for September 28, 2010. The motion carried. Edina Community Council Report Presented Member Finsness shared agenda items of the latest Community Council meeting: • The Commissioners were asked to save the date for a breakfast event on December 15Y from 7:30 to 9 AM at Braemar Clubhouse. The event will highlight the needs of Edina youth related to poverty, which is one of the community gaps identified by the Edina Community Council. Along with the Community Council and the Resource Center, sponsors include the Edina Community Foundation and Connecting With Kids. The age of youth highlighted will be pre- school through ninth grade. Chair Bigbee agreed to be a table host for the event. E-vites will be coming out soon to the Commission. • CAPSH (Community Action Partnership of Suburban Hennepin) made a presentation to the Council. CAPSH strives to provide assistance to the low income population through a variety of services and programs. Member Finsness remarked that HRRC could prepare a pamphlet highlighting stats of the City and success stories of the Resource Center which would be shared with community groups. Member Finsness encouraged HRRC to prepare for a January presentation to the Community Council. This would warrant an immediate meeting with Jennifer Bennerotte to acquire a template for a PowerPoint. Anti-Bullying/Cyber Bullying Subcommittee Update Presented Member Newell shared a handout representing background and ways to look at, share and make a statement concerning bullying activities. The first week in Minnesota was observed as National Bullying Prevention Awareness Week. Looking at the chart, Member Newell recommended focusing on the "Voluntary/Internally Enforced" quadrant. • Efforts need to aim for the infrastructure, with an emphasis on providing reoccurring opportunities for Edina youth to become known as leaders in this arena. • Member Finsness's video from the Osseo schools on bullying could become a school May -term project. The video shows kids talking to kids about internet safety. If taken on by the Edina students, the video could be refreshed every year. • The Commission questioned its role regarding the schools as it entertains the issue of bullying— perhaps open it up to the public and work jointly with the schools. • Anti -bullying PSA's could be developed by students for Channel 16 and run before Council meetings. • It was noted that one of the key audiences is young people. There is the need to partner with them, work with them and have creative activities with them. • A goal would be to have a City proclamation. • The Art Center could collaborate with student's designs along with creative writing projects. • The youth could help design, promote and wear anti -bullying pins. • An initial step to take would be to challenge the youth that it is "uncool" to be a bully. The first messages of this sort would be targeted to students. • HRRC would be a catalyst to raise public awareness about bullying and to facilitate social change against this cruel action. • Before the Commission begins anything, it is necessary to have a discussion with the schools. The Commissioners requested that there be tangible actions listed in each of the quadrants of Member Newell's chart. Comparisons of Cities' Funding Processes Shared in a Grid Based on a staff survey of other suburban cities' funding procedures for human services, Member Mayer reported that most do not delegate the responsibility of proposing a human services budget to a commission. If the City Council expects the Commission to continue recommending an annual budget, HRRC must get more involved with the funding of the Resource Center so that it doesn't become a rubber stamp procedure. The Commission would be interested in learning whether the City Council sees the entire funding process with HRRC's recommendations as necessary. Perhaps the members of the Community Health Committee could offer their expert opinions when the time comes to evaluate unmet needs in the community and how the City could allocate funds for human services. Work Plan Discussed Chair Bigbee pointed out that the Work Plan would now be included at each Commission meeting for review—as an occasional "skull session." It was noted that the next important item of business was a visit by Joyce Repya, Associate Planner, to the November meeting to discuss the CDBG funding process. Domestic Partnership Unfinished Business Discussed • Consider cities' ability to define their own insurance policies for staff. To get started, another meeting with Phil Duran will be arranged. • Consider changing words in the ordinance related to City contracts: i.e. "in the case of a tie, the award goes to the contractor who supports domestic partnerships." HRRC Pending List Explained To keep the Commission on track with unfinished/upcoming business, the Members were reminded to keep the List alive by adding things to it whenever anything comes up. New Business Identified • Because the Commissioners voted by e-mail to change the November meeting date from the 23 d to the 30th, Scott Neal will be notified by staff regarding his November visit to HRRC. • Member Kingston second Member Stanton's motion to change the December meeting date from the 28th to the 14th. The motion carried. • Any Commissioner may attend the State Conference on December 3`d without expense because of Bremer funds being available once again. • The Southern Poverty Law Center will be sponsoring the premier of a film entitled "Bullied" at a church in Minneapolis on Tuesday, November 91h. Chair Bigbee indicated that invitations are forthcoming. • Member Kingston seconded Member Stanton's motion that the City Council amend the attendance policy for boards and commissions in the City Code for the consideration of excused absences due to serious medical conditions. The motion carried with two Commissioners abstaining. Meeting Adjourned There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:15 PM. EDINA HUMAN RIGHTS & RELATIONS COMMISSION TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2010 7:00 PM — MAYOR'S CONFERENCE ROOM Members Present Members Absent Zack Antar Jessi Kingston Arnie Bigbee Daria Brosius John Cashmore Lisa Finsness Bob Mayer Meg Newell Russ Stanton Staff Susan Howl Guests Scott Neal Joyce Repya Meeting Agenda Approved Member Cashmore seconded Member Stanton's motion to approve the meeting agenda for 11-30-10. The motion carried. Commission Minutes Approved Member Finsness seconded the motion of Member Cashmore to approve the Commission minutes as presented for October 26, 2010. The motion carried. Visiting Students Introduced and Welcomed The following students from the Valley View Middle School government class were visitors during the HRRC meeting: Jessica Bentley, Megan Froemming, Vivian Shubert and Lexi Struzyk. Also visiting was Ryan Gauthier of Edina Patch. City Manager Introduced and Welcomed Scott Neal, Edina's new City Manger, was welcomed aboard and to the Commission meeting, and introductions were made all around. A graduate of Iowa State, Mr. Neal shared he had been the City Manager of Morris, Tennessee for two years, the City Manger of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa for six years, the City Manager of Northfield for six years and the City Manager of Eden Prairie for eight years. He currently resides in Minneapolis, and he and his wife have three sons. Discussion ensued with Mr. Neal regarding the following: • HRRC's current and future participation in the human services funding procedure, funding of the Edina Resource Center and CDBG funding • Attendance policy regarding health issues • Student members' ability to vote • Proposed amendment to 180 of the City Code regarding reasonable accommodations for a commissioner with a temporary or permanent disability that would affect his/her ability to attend meetings • HRRC's current focus issue: bullying • State of Minnesota's annual conference on Human Rights in St. Paul on December 1St Mr. Neal shared that an ongoing human rights issue in Eden Prairie is the large Somali population. At the current time, Edina is not facing similar challenges. However, he predicted that one day Edina would be. Associate Planner Introduced and Welcomed Joyce Repya, Edina's Associate Planner, was introduced, welcomed and asked to present information about the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding process. Ms Repya explained the following: • CDBG is a federal entitlement program administered by HUD. • Hennepin County oversees the distribution of funds to communities. • 85% of the funds is designated for community development with an emphasis on the rehab of private property. 15% is designated for public services. • The City Council has requested that HRRC review and respond to the public services portion of the budget developed by Planning staff. • Ms. Repya will have a 2011 proposed CDBG budget for the Commission's review and comment at its January meeting. The Planning staff will then ready the proposal for publishing in the Sun Current. Edina Community Council Report Presented Member Finsness reminded the Commissioners of the Resource Center's special event at Braemar entitled "Breakfast With A Purpose." Its focus will be on Edina's youth and how to better serve those who are unable to afford after-school/summer activities. The appeal for contributions will be made for the purpose of providing grants to the youth -in -need and to develop a network of support for the Edina Resource Center. Member Finsness questioned the accessibility of the Resource Center on the website. She indicated that she will pass along the Community Council's budget scenario to the Commission at a later date. Reallocation of Proposed 2011 Funds Approved Member Newell seconded the motion of Member Stanton to approve a pro rata decrease in the amount of $1316 from the proposed 2011 human services budget in order to increase the Edina Resource Center's proposed budget to $38,316. The motion carried. It was suggested that Mayor Hovland be invited to a meeting of HRRC in the New Year to discuss HRRC's role in proposing human services funding, Resource Center funding and CDBG funding. Conversation centered around: The fiscal responsibility and oversight of the Resource Center The necessity of analytical evaluation An audit to see how we leverage money on behalf of Edina citizens Anti-Bullyine/Cyber Bullying Subcommittee Update Presented Member Newell reported that the movie "Bullied" presented by the Southern Poverty Law Center was striking and significant. She shared an axis handout with the Commission which highlighted areas for projects to undertake in the community. As a result, the Commission could pull together a creative event where people would come together and express themselves around the issue of bullying. It could be an event for public recognition, celebration of efforts, and the opportunity to stimulate interest in and begin a conversation about the need to combat bullying. The goal would be the ultimate benefit derived for the sake of the entire community. With the students' involvement, this could be done as a May -term project, involving the elementary schools and parents. Members Finsness and Newell will create an outline of bullet points to use to gain information and ideas from the following: Student Council, 212 Student Leadership, Thespians, Sober Squad, Gay/Straight Alliance, Youth -Serving -Youth, sports captains, Thespians, Rotary, Resource Center, Chamber, Kids Club, Art Center and Community Foundation. The following volunteered to contact particular organizations: • Member Newell — Edina Art Center • Member Finsness — Edina Resource Center, Community Foundation and Kids Club Administrative Process Updated Member Mayer reported that the nomination for 2011 HRRC officers will be preceded by interviews of any and all interested candidates. Additionally, preparations for the 2011 Tom Oye Award are underway, and a meeting with the City's Communications Director, Jennifer Bennerotte, will be initiated to expand ideas for publicity. It was announced that there is an opening for a Director of District 9 of the State Department of Human Rights and that Member Bigbee would be applying for this position. Member Stanton seconded Member Mayer's motion that the Edina Human Rights & Relations Commission endorses the nomination of Arnie Bigbee for a Director of District 9 of the State Department of Human Rights. The motion carried. Domestic Partner Insurance Benefits Discussed Member Stanton provided a sample resolution for the City Council to consider which would request that the State Legislature change the law to allow cities local control for defining "dependents" within health care plans. Member Cashmore seconded Member Stanton's motion to prepare this resolution and forward it to the City Council for consideration. The motion carried. Amnesty International Request Shared Student Member Brosius reported that the Edina High School chapter of Amnesty International would like to partner with HRRC to host a program next spring regarding the film "Dead Man Walking." It would be a community -wide event, and HRRC is being asked to help fund and provide publicity. It was suggested that a formal request be submitted by the chapter and delivered to Chair Bigbee at 6:30 PM before the next Commission meeting on December 14`n Proposed Revision to the City's Ordinance Regarding Commission Attendance Approved Member Stanton seconded Member Mayer's motion to approve and forward the Commissioner Attendance ordinance, edited by Member Newell, to the City Council. The motion carried. The newly - edited ordinance would accommodate a commissioner who is unable to attend the required number of meetings due to a disability. Samples of other similar ordinances from different municipalities were provided for guidelines. Adjournment There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:10 PM. EDINA HUMAN RIGHTS & RELATIONS COMMISSION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2010 7:00 PM – MINNEHAHA ROOM Members Present Members Absent Staff Zack Antar Susan Howl Arnie Bigbee Daria Brosius Guests John Cashmore Julie Jursik Lisa Finsness Jessi Kingston Bob Mayer Meg Newell Russ Stanton Commission Minutes Approved It was noted that the names of the Student Members had been recorded "Absent" and should have been recorded "Present." Member Mayer seconded the motion of Member Cashmore to approve the Commission minutes as amended for November 30, 2010. The motion carried. Visiting Student Introduced and Welcomed Julie Jursik from the Edina High School Chapter of Amnesty International was introduced and welcomed. Discussion ensued regarding plans for the community -wide event premiere of Dead Man Walking and the death penalty. The author of this work, Sister Helen Prejean, is an anti -death penalty activist and death row counselor, and unfortunately she would not be available to attend an event if it was scheduled for this spring. Consideration was given to changing the time to the fall of 2011 or spring of 2012. HRRC could provide assistance for publicity. Travel and lodging would probably have to be covered as well if Sister Prejean is able to accept the invitation. The Commission discussed the need to create a form to use for sponsoring/supporting educational events in the community. This form would serve as a guideline for expectations and requirements for all parties entering into the staging of a community -wide event. Anti-Bullying/Cyber Bullying Subcommittee Update Presented Member Finsness reported that the Executive Director of the Edina Community Foundation—Dick Crockett—would like to partner with HRRC regarding a community -wide event regarding the issue of bullying. He indicated that spring would be a good time and that the High School should definitely be involved. Chair Bigbee reported that he had talked with Arrie Larsen Manti of the Edina Chamber of Commerce, and she also shared an interest in collaborating. Possible celebrities to invite included Shawn Simonson, a senior at Benilde; an actor from the video "Bullied"; or an actor from Harry Potter who is against bullying. The members of the Commission's Subcommittee—Finsness, Newell, Cashmore, Kingston and Antar—will continue to work on details and report back to the Commission. MN Local Human Rights Project Grant Discussed The MN Department of Human Rights and the League of Minnesota Human Rights Commissions are inviting local commissions to apply for a capacity building or civic engagement mini grant which could be up to $1500. The deadline is December 31, 2010. If HRRC would partner with other commissions, this could triple the amount. This needs to be researched and brought back to the Bullying Subcommittee. Administrative Process for 2011 Schedule Reviewed Member Mayor reported that he would be talking to each Commissioner regarding nomination of officers for 2011 and how the Commission is running administratively. A slate of officers for election needs to be developed for passing the torch at the February, 2011 meeting. Regarding the Tom Oye Human Rights Award to be presented at Volunteer Recognition in April, Member Mayer indicated that he met with Jennifer Bennerotte to discuss ways to advertise/promote the submission of applications. The first step would be to plan for the interviewing of former recipients on the City's Cable show "Agenda: Edina" in January. This show would be broadcasted between mid February and mid March, allowing time for people to view and consider candidates to nominate for the next Tom Oye Award. The Commissioners discussed the possibility of changing the date and time for regular meetings during 2011. After suggestions and voting, the agreement was to continue to hold regular monthly meetings on the fourth Tuesday and to continue to honor the designated time from 7:00 to 9:00 PM. 2011 Work Plan Discussed Chair Bigbee indicated that the Commission should hold a work session with the City Council to discuss the funding of human services. Member Kingston seconded Member Mayer's motion to hold a special meeting before the next regular meeting scheduled on January 25`h to develop an agenda if the City Council should call for a joint work session on January 4th or January 18`h; the motion carried. Member Stanton seconded Member Mayer's motion that the Commission's preference is to meet with the City Council in February; the motion carried. The Work Plan itself was amended as follows: -Commission Administration was added under the area entitled "Administration." - The area entitled "Other" was changed to "Commission Initiatives." - The topic of "Anti -Bullying" was added to Commission Initiatives. - Under the March items in the 2011 calendar, the annual meeting was defined as the Annual Meeting of the boards and commission with the City Council. -The "no meeting" entry under the August heading in the 2011 calendar was deleted. - CDBG recommendation were transferred from November to December. Questions and issues raised: - Where do human rights complaints go? Check in with Val Burke to find out what category of complaints she might receive at the Resource Center. - Open up the March meeting to a broader discussion regarding the Bias/Hate Crime Response Plan. Should there be a process in place to deal with issues of discrimination? - Member Finsness remarked that HRRC should become intentional in inviting representatives of various groups to speak at Commission meetings. - Member Stanton shared that it is important for the Commission to have the Police Chief attend a meeting. Additionally, Member Stanton would like to see HRRC reach out to immigrant groups. - Member Newell reported that there will be a Hindu temple somewhere in Edina. She also shared that professors could speak to the Commission about victims of domestic violence becoming a protected class. - Chair Bigbee reported that he would be presenting an HRRC PowerPoint at the January meeting of the Edina Community Council. This would kick off the Commission's activity of speaking before groups to educate the community regarding the charge of the Commission and the scope of its endeavors. Meeting Adjourned There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:15 PM.