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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1985 01-09 HRRMMINUTES OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF BROOKLYN CENTER IN THE COUNTY OF HENNEPIN AND THE STATE OF MINNESOTA ` REGULAR SESSION JANUARY 9, 1985 CITY HALL CALL TO ORDER The Brooklyn Center Human Rights Commission met in regular session and was called to order by Chairperson Kuhar at 7:37 p.m. ROLL CALL Chairperson Kuhar, Commissioners Mayleben, Rabine, Kieselhorst and Stoderl. Also present were Councilmember Gene Lhotka and Administrative Assistant Tom Bublitz. Chairperson Kuhar noted Commissioners Lemke and Misfeldt were absent and excused from this evenings meeting. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - OCTOBER 10, 1984 Commissioner Rabine noted a correction in the October 10th minutes and noted that in the second paragraph under Update on Domestic Assault Intervention Project the figure of 30 participants per week should actually be 15 to 20 participants per week. There was a motion by Commissioner Stoderl and seconded by Commissioner Kieselhorst to approve the minutes of the Human Rights Commission meeting of October 10, 1984 as corrected. The motion passed unanimously. REVIEW OF COMMISSION ACTIVITIES FOR REPORT TO YEAR 2000 COMMITTEE Councilmember Lhotka reported to the Commission on the activities of the Year 2000 Committee. He explained the Committee is reviewing the role of all the advisory Commissions and commented that the Human Rights Commission and the Conservation Commission in particular receive relatively little direct work assignments from the City Council as compared to the Park and Recreation and Housing Commission which are involved in ongoing City programs such as park development and housing programs, respectively. He then commented that the Year 2000 Committee has reviewed the issue of whether or not some of the Commissions should be combined, such as combining Housing and Human Rights and Park and Recreation and Conservation. Also, he pointed out the Committee has addressed the issue of whether or not some projects and responsibilities should be handled by the formation of ad hoc committees as opposed to standing advisory commissions. Chairperson Kuhar commented on past projects of the Commission including the Chemical Dependency workshop and directory, the Handicapped Accessibility Directory of Businesses in Brooklyn Center, the involvement of the Commission in the City's 504 program and the Commissions most recent involvement in the Domestic Assault Intervention project. She added that she believes these projects were very important and that they did an excellent job in completing them but also pointed out that the Commission has experienced periods of relative inactivity and that sometimes the Commission has had to struggle in developing new projects. She added that she would like to get input from other Commission members on their thoughts regarding the Coommission activities and their role as they saw it. Commissioner Kieselhorst commented that when she first came on the Commission i-9-85 1- she had anticipated dealing more with actual problems brought to the Commission by individuals as opposed to the larger scale human service type issues the Commission had dealt with. Chairperson Kuhar commented that the Commission had considered becoming involved in the no-fault grievance process which would have made the Commission's role more directly involved in personal type problems but she noted the question of liability of commission members with regard to this process was n6ver satisfactorily answered by the State Department of Human Rights. She cited examples of problems that could occur especially if the Commission did not meet all the statutory requirements of timeliness with regard to complaints of discrimination. She added that it has been some time since the Commission has reviewed the no-fault process and that it might be worthwhile to investigate this again. Councilmember Lhotka and Commissioner Rabin commented that the current mediation services project in Brooklyn Center appears to be fulfilling the need for individuals to have access to a forum to solve human rights types of disputes. Commissioner Stoderl commented that after having been'on the Commission a year she believes the Commission is meeting a need in the community and that she personally has not felt frustrated or disappointed and added that she does not think the Council has to direct the Commission's role but that she believes the Commission can make recommendations to the Council based on the Commission's own expertise. Chairperson Kuhar reviewed the Human Rights Commission's enabling resolution passed by the City Council and posed the question of whether or not the Commission is required to be in existence under the State Human Rights Act. She requested that Administrative Assistant Bublitz research this and report back at the next Commission meeting. Commissioner Mayleben discussed the concerns of the elderly in the community and the fact that the population in general is aging and that he believed attention should be paid to the elderly population and that the Human Rights Con-mission could serve a purpose in addressing this issue.. Commissioner Rabine discussed the need for an ongoing support group and input into projects such as the Domestic Assault project and Chemical Abuse project and that the Commission appears to serve this purpose. In summarizing the comments of the Commission members Chairperson Kuhar noted that the concensus is that the Commission believes there is a need for the continuation of the Human Rights Commission and also a need for a separate Commission because of the uniqueness of the Commission. In further discussion the Commission members also thought that it might be appropriate to look at the existing resolution for updating or revision. Chairperson Kuhar indicated that the Commission would again review the enabling resolution at their next meeting. 1985 MEETING SCHEDULE The Commission discussed a general schedule for the upcoming year and suggested that the Commission meet every month and that the Commission could consider a summer break at their meeting in March or April. KALEIDOSCOPE 1985 Chairperson Kuhar suggested that the Commission's booth could have the names of the Commission members on it along with samples of brochures the Commission j' has prepared. Commissioner Mayleben stated that he could make a banner for the booth. Other suggestions for the booth included using the Northwest 1-9-85 -2- Hennepin Human Services Council survey and showing a portion of the survey on a blow-up poster. The Commission decided to continue its discussion of Kaleidoscope at the February meeting. FORMATION OF PAREN'T'S ANONYMOUS GROUP IN BROOKLYN CENTER Commissioner Rabine stated that she was pleased to announce that a Parents Anonymous group is forming in Brooklyn Center and-will begin meeting on Monday February 4 in the afternoons from 1 to 3 pm at the Peacemaker Center. She added that right now the group needs some publicity. She also pointed out that the program has a paid child care coordinator however the program does need childcare volunteers. ADJOURNMENT There was a motion by Commissioner Kieselhorst and seconded by Commissioner Mayleben to adjourn the meeting. The motion passed unanimously. The Brooklyn Center Human Rights Commission adjourned at 9:37 p.m. Chairperson • 0 1-9-85 -3-