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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015.05.26 HRRC Minutes MINUTES OF THE REGULAR SCHEDULE MEETING OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS AND RELATIONS COMMISSION May 26, 2015 at 7:00PM City Hall, Community Room I. CALL TO ORDER Meeting called to order at 7:04 pm. II. ROLL CALL Commissioners answering roll call were Chair Arseneault, Burza, Gates, Kennedy, Rinn, Seidman, Weinert, and Winnick. Staff present: HRRC Staff Liaison, MJ Lamon. Absent members: Sanders. III. APPROVAL OF MEETING AGENDA Seidman motioned to approve meeting agenda. Commissioner Kennedy seconded. Motion carried. IV. APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES Seidman motioned to approve the meeting minutes from the April 28, 2015 HRRC meeting. Commissioner Winnick seconded. Motion carried. V. COMMUNITY COMMENT None. Commissioner Tian arrived at 7:06 pm. VI. REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS A. New member Intro Commissioner Rinn introduced herself to the commission. Commissioner Vecchio-Smith arrived 7:09 pm. B. Work Plan Updates a) Community Outreach: Commissioner Burza, Chair of the Working Group, has met with the working group to create goals of Community Outreach initiative. The group has decided a flyer is ineffective and they want to reach out in alternative ways. The group will find ambassadors throughout diverse community groups who can promote the meeting. The Working Group will do “field trips” to these locations to update everyone on the goals and hope to get better participation. Next meeting is on Friday (May 29). Group is still looking at holding the listening session meetings in the fall. b) Human Rights City Designation: Commissioner Sanders is stepping down from Human Rights City Designation working group. Commissioner Winnick has offered to join the working group. Next meeting is on Saturday (May 30) for the dry run of the presentation. First presentation date is set for Wednesday (June 3) next week at the Minneapolis rotary club. Group will first explain how communities in the metro area have human rights commissions, history of human rights, what human rights are and lastly what the Human Rights City designation is and the HRRC’s goal to obtain status. HRRC had discussion about City Council awareness of HRRC interest in achieving Human Rights City Designation. It has been noted Human Rights City Designation is on our approved work plan. c) Affordable Housing: Summary handout from Joyce Repya on our current state of affordable housing was presented to the HRRC. The HRRC provided comments for the Vision Edina strategic vision and hoped to convey the message to address more of the affordable housing plans. Some of the HRRC comments were incorporated into Vision Edina and were approved. More recent developments in Edina had to receive variances but neither included affordable housing. Currently there are several pending projects which will all include affordable housing. Committee’s recommendation is to keep the HRRC updated on development action in the City and bring attention to City Council. HRRC would like to invite Bill Neuendorf to a future meeting to get a better picture of all the development in the City. d) Blog/Website Maintenance: Commissioner Tian reported on his scan of the HRRC website and noted several items that are no longer relevant or are in need of updating, including the Senior Assessment Study, the Proposed Constitutional Amendment Statement, committee picture, and adding links to our page such as to HRRC blog posts. HRRC requested to bring website proposal back to the next meeting. Blog: Commissioner Tian wrote Tom Oye summary which was posted. Student Commissioner Weinert’s Human Trafficking post is still in the back log. Committee discussed that to be effective on posting, a commissioner who is in charge of an event should ensure a blog is written ASAP following the event so we can submit timely posts after an event. e) Edina Community Council: Commissioner Winnick provided the Edina Community Center pamphlet which describes the scope of resources and services available through the Edina Resource Center for our information and review. C. Edina Mail Correspondence HRRC reviewed April correspondence. At the April meeting the HRRC decided to send out approved response letter; the letter has been sent and no reply was received. In response to the correspondence, HRRC discussed having a presenter come in to talk about an appropriate strategy for addressing potentially discriminating issues as they arise; possibly at our July or August meeting. Commissioner Kennedy to pursue possible guest speakers. Commissioner Burza suggested to invite author of the correspondence to Community Conversations. Commissioner Burza and Chair Arseneault to work on this follow up communication to the author of correspondence. D. Committee/Working Group Roster Tom Oye Award: Sarah Rinn (Chair), Jan Seidman and Steve Winnick (committee members) Bias Offense Response Plan: Tiffany Sanders (Chair), Jan Seidman and Pat Arseneault (committee members) Affordable Housing: Steve Winnick (Chair), Tony Tian and Maggie Vecchio-Smith (committee members) 25th Anniversary of ADA Commemorative Event: Maggie Vecchio-Smith and Sarah Rinn (Co-chairs) Days of Remembrance: Ellen Kennedy, Jan Seidman and Jasna Burza (committee members) Human Right City Designation: Ellen Kennedy (Chair), Steve Winnick, Leslie Lagerstrom, Colleen Feige, and Rachel Carlson (committee members) HRRC will need a representative for the Edina Community Council for a three-year term. Commissioner Winnick’s term is ending May 2015; the new three-year term will start in September of 2015. VII. CORRESPONDENCE AND PETITION No discussion. VIII. CHAIR AND COMMISSIONER COMMENTS Commissioner Kennedy thanked HRRC members who attended the World Without Genocide fund raising event. The event was successful and the guest speaker well received. Commissioner Vecchio-Smith would like to look into working with the Edina school group Parent Community Events on having hard conservations with people as part of the 2016 work plan. Commissioner Tian would like to work with the colleges and universities in the twin cities area as we consider events for our 2016 work plan, as he is aware of university-sponsored events that would be of interest to commissioners. Chair Arseneault advised that she attended the Transfer of Memory Exhibit sponsored by the Bloomington Human Rights Commission and was extremely impressed with the presentation. IX. STAFF COMMENTS Staff Liaison Lamon reminded the Commission that her summer schedule will be changing to Tuesday and Thursdays. Staff Liaison also pointed out that language on the HRRC bylaws under Working Groups outlines that the commission needs to notify the public of the formation of a working group and allow at least 14 days for residents to come forward with interest. X. ADJOURNMENT Motion was made by Commissioner Kennedy to adjourn the May 26 meeting. Commissioner Seidman seconded. Meeting adjourned at 9:22pm. Respectfully submitted, ____________________________________ MJ Lamon, HRRC Staff Liaison Minutes Approved by HRRC June 23, 2015 __________________________________________ Pat Arseneault, HRRC Chair