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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015.04.28 HRRCMinutes MINUTES OF THE REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETING OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS AND RELATIONS COMMISSION APRIL 28, 2015 7:00PM CITY HALL, COMMUNITY ROOM I. CALL TO ORDER Chair Arseneault called the meeting to order at 7:03pm. II. ROLL CALL Answering roll call were Chair Arseneault, Commissioners Burza, Davis, Gates, Kennedy, Sanders, Seidman, Vecchio-Smith, Weinert and Winnick. Staff present: HRRC Staff Liaison, MJ Lamon There were no absent members. III. APPROVAL OF MEETING AGENDA Commissioner Kennedy moved to approve the April 28, 2015 agenda. Commissioner Seidman seconded the motion. Motion carried. IV. APPROVAL OF MEETING AGENDA Commissioner Seidman moved to approve the March 24, 2015 minutes. Commissioner Kennedy seconded the motion. Motion carried. V. COMMUNITY COMMENT None. Commissioner Tian arrived at 7:25 p.m. VI. REPORTS/RECOMMENDATIONS A. Work Plan Initiative Updates a) Community Outreach Working Group meeting held on Saturday, April 25, 2015. Group decided they wanted more lead time for the next event. The group is going to look at September or October of 2015 for their next meetings. Commissioner Burza has agreed to be the Chair of the Community Conversations Working Group. The Working Group wants to establish clear goals and outcomes for the project. Commission recommendation was to reach out to school counselors to get a pulse on target group residing apartments. Group plans to take “field trips” to communities where they plan to host listening sessions to meet residents before planning the next listening sessions; they want to be able to better understand what will make people desire/be excited to attend. b) Human Rights City Designation Commissioner Kennedy provided information on the process of becoming a Human Rights City. There is no formal approval process; however the HRRC can contact the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCR) New York Liaison to inform them of our intent to pursue Human Rights City status. A city’s commitment and undertaking as to issues it will address in pursuing a Human Rights City designation is determined by the city’s steering committee. Kennedy informed commissioners of the guiding principles for a Human Rights City as developed at the 2014 World Human Rights Cities Forum. The Human Rights City Designation working group is creating a presentation on the Edina HRRC and Human Rights City Designation initiative, with plans to begin with the first presentation on June 3rd at the Minneapolis Rotary club at noon. The objective (and opportunity) of the presentation is to create awareness of the EHRRC and educate people on Human Rights. They hope to share the presentation at the May HRRC regular meeting. c) Days of Remembrance/Genocide Awareness Commissioner Seidman provided background of Days of Remembrance HRRC initiative. This year the Days of Remembrance event had a record attendance of 135 which was potentially a result of increased advertising. This year HRRC reached farther to communicate the event. Seidman provided a summary in the packet which was also used in a blog post on “The Advisor”. Other metro cities have or are holding Holocaust events as well. Suggestions for next year included creating a survey for those in attendance, providing a Human Rights pledge, and reaching out to colleges when advertising the event. d) Affordable Housing Currently two projects under consideration for the City of Edina. A planning commission working session held with City Council to review a revised housing policy to comply with Metropolitan Council’s guidelines. The 66 West developer is currently seeking funding assistance through the City of Edina. No decision at this time. It was noted that the past two developments both required zoning variances and neither offered affordable housing. HRRC would like the Affordable Housing Committee to see if they can obtain some of the communications that were disseminated to residents in the Cornelia neighborhood and decide how or if they should respond. e) Body Image and Sexuality Awareness: No update. f) Human Trafficking (Report on April 9 Event) Over 70 people were in attendance. Event was publicized by KSTP. Commissioner Weinert shared that the first Presenter gave an overview of the topic, and then a panel held a discussion led by moderator Michele Garnett McKenzie. Not only was there information on what Human Trafficking was, but also a good discussion on what can be done for prevention. Panel members had great and varied expertise; each presented a different perspective. The moderator assisted with covering a lot of topics with each panelist. Chair Arseneault presented Commissioner Weinert with a Certificate of Appreciation for executing a successful event. B. Vision Edina Advisory Communication Commissioners received a draft advisory communication on recommendations for the Vision Edina. Commissioner Vecchio-Smith reviewed each section. Commission discussed several changes to draft Advisory Communication. Commissioner Davis made the motion for the Vision Edina Advisory Committee to take suggested edits from commission and incorporate them into a final version of the Advisory Communication to be forwarded to the City. Commissioner Winnick seconded the motion. Motion carried. C. Committee/Working Group Roster Commissioner Seidman made a motion to table agenda item VII. C. to May meeting. Commissioner Winnick seconded. Commissioner Seidman made a motion to amend the motion to approve Commissioner Tian to the blog committee and HRRC website committee, Commissioner Burza to Chair of Community Conversations Working Group, Commissioner Vecchio-Smith to the Affordable Housing Committee and table the rest of the appointments to May. Commissioner Tian seconded the amendment. Motion to approve the amendment carried. Main motion carried. VII. CORRESPONDENCE AND PETITION Commissioner Winnick moved, Commissioner Tian seconded, to send the HRRC approved correspondence letter in response to Edina Mail Correspondence that was forwarded to the Commission. Motion Carried. The Commission will take up the issue again at the May meeting to consider further responsive action. Commissioner Winnick made a motion that when a letter is addressed to the HRRC, City Staff will send it immediately to the Commission Chair, and the Chair will decide if the HRRC approved correspondence response letter should be sent out with a copy included in the next meeting packet. Commissioner Tian seconded. Motion carried. VIII. CHAIR AND COMMISSIONER COMMENTS Commissioner Kennedy provided an update on the Indigenous Peoples’ Day legislation. The Indigenous Peoples’ Day bill passed in the Senate committee but is unlikely to get through the House this session. Kennedy also advised of other pending legislation of interest regarding a proposal to reverse the 2003 law requiring a social security number to get a driver’s license, which was introduced 2 years ago but is not moving forward this session. Kennedy made a suggestion for the topic Women Under Genocide for the 2016 Days of Remembrance/Genocide Awareness event. Volunteer Recognition Event tomorrow; Commissioner Kennedy will present the Tom Oye Award to this year’s recipient, Jessie Kingston. Reminder of Richfield and Bloomington Human Rights events. IX. STAFF COMMENTS Thank you from Lindy, City Management Fellow, read to the HRRC. The new City Management Fellow is starting June 1, 2015. X. ADJOURNMENT Motion was made by Commissioner Kennedy to adjourn the April 28 meeting. Tian seconded. Motion carried. Meeting adjourned at 9:28pm. Respectfully submitted, ____________________________________ MJ Lamon, HRRC Staff Liaison Minutes Approved by HRRC May 26, 2015 __________________________________________ Pat Arseneault, HRRC Chair