HomeMy WebLinkAbout1979 03-14 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
MARCH 14, 1979
CITY HALL
CALL TO ORDER
The Brooklyn Center Human Rights Commission met in regular session and was
called to order by Chairman Weyrauch at 7:30 p.m.
ROLL CALL
Chairman Weyrauch, Commissioners Jerry Campion, Jayne Kuhar, Joyce Tolve and
Diane Lemke. Commissioners Edith Johnson and Michael Miller had called and
were unable to attend. Both Commissioner Johnson and Commissioner Miller were
excused.
Councilmember Lhotka did not attend due to another commitment for the City.
Also present was Administrative Assistant Mary Harty.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES - 1-17-79
There was a motion by Commissioner Campion and seconded by Chairman Weyrauch to
approve the minutes of the January 17, 1979, Human Rights Commission meeting.
The motion passed unanimously.
Mary Harty stated it would be noted in the official copy of the January 17, -
1979, minutes that Commissioner Kuhar was excused from the January meeting.
A general discussion ensued as to what the Human Rights Commissioners would
like to do for Kaleidoscope. After discussion, the Commissioners decided they
would like to-collect various handout materials on a variety of human rights
issues and have those handouts available at Kaleidoscope. The Commissioners
decided that they would collect various literature before the April 18, 1979
meeting. At.the April 18, 1979 Human Rights Commission meeting, Commissioners
will put toegether a display of the various pamphlets. It was suggested that
in collecting the literature, Commissioners should note on the brochures or
pamphlets where the brochures or pamphlets could be acquired. In most instances,
the Commission would not attempt to have enough pamphlets to hand out to everyone
who passed by the booth, but rather, Commissioners could inform people where they
themselves could acquire the brochure or pamphlet. Commissioners discussed sev-
eral suggestions as to where literature could be acquired by the Commission.
Chairman Weyrauch noted Commissioners would have to decide what times they would
attend the Kaleidoscope booth so that there would always be a Human Rights Com-
missioner present at the booth to talk with people and answer their questions.
It was decided Chairman Weyrauch and Administrative Assistant Mary Harty would
get together and make up a schedule for Kaleidoscope. It was again noted the
hours of Kaleidoscope were 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 22, '1979.
Chairman Weyrauch asked Administrative Assistant Mary Harty to put together a
special notice concerning the April 18, 1979, Human Rights Commission meeting,
indicating that Commissioners would be working putting together information for
Kaleidoscope. Commissioners should bring any pamphlets or literature which they
would wish to be considered to the April 18 meeting. The schedule for Kaleido-
scope would be finalized at the April meeting also.
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V
APPOINTMENT TO THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION
Chairman Weyrauch again noted there were currently two vacancies on the Human
Rights Commission due to the resignations of Commissioners Bradway and Castle.
He stated he and Councilmember Lhotka had interviewed Ms. Ember Reichgott as a
possible addition to the Human Rights Commission. She had indicated a strong
interest in becoming a Human Rights Commissioner. Chairman Weyrauch noted
Councilmember Lhotka would be recommending Ms. Reichgott as a Human Rights Com-
missioner.
GOAL SETTING FOR THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION
Chairman Weyrauch asked that each Commissioner review information they had
gathered concerning their areas of interest as discussed at the January 17 Human
Rights Commission meeting. He stated he would like to have the Commission hold
off on a specific decision of activities for 1979 until Councilmember Lhotka
was in attendance at the meeting. Chairman Weyrauch noted he had spoken with
Councilmember Lhotka and Councilmember Lhotka had made this request.
Chairman Weyrauch further explained he had spoken with Commissioner Miller and
Commissioner Miller was unable to attend the Human Rights Commission meeting.
Commissioner Miller had done extensive investigation of one of the possible goal..
areas for the Human Rights Commission. Commissioner Miller had investigated a
possible program to educate students through a P.T.A. type organization or sim-
ilar organization to help students determine what they wanted to do after high
school. Commissioner Miller has also worked to identify a network of resource
people to be used for this type of a program.
Chairman Weyrauch had investigated a similar area. He had spoken with the four .
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as to whether or not it would be feasible to work through the school system to
put on a type of program for students which would help the students determine'
what they wished to do after high school. The school districts indicated they
might be interested in that type of program in the fall. School districts indi-
cated they would not be able to have such a program in this school year but the
following school year might work out.
Before going on to the reports of other Commissioners, Chairman Weyrauch explained
some of the.projects discussed might require the efforts of the full Commission
whereas some of the projects might require only a subcommittee. Chairman Weyrauch
noted those decisions would have to be made after the Commission had discussed
the various projects.
Commissioner Kuhar noted she had not been in attendance at the January meeting
due to car problems and so she did not have the benefit of the discussion at the
January Human Rights Commission meeting but she indicated her interest was in the
area of legal concerns as they relate to the human rights issues.
Commissioner Campion explained he had investigated educational programs in the
area of violent crimes. He noted he had spoken with Ms. Corey Kent about a pro-
gram which is being developed through Hennepin County Sexual Assault Services
Division which deals with violent crimes, child abuse. He suggested the Commis-
sion might be able to tap in to that program and use their expertise and their
materials for programs in. Brooklyn Center. He also shared with the Commission
an article from the Minneapolis Tribune entitled "Keeping Children From Being
Victims". He suggested it might be an appropriate handout for the Kaleidoscope
booth. The Commission agreed they would like to have that particular article
as a handout for Kaleidoscope. Commissioner Campion indicated he would check with
the Tribune as far as copyright concerns.
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Commissioner Tolve stated she had investigated in the area of working with deaf
people. She was interested in setting up a program which would speak to such
questions as how do you get an interpreter, what does an interpreter do, what are
the special problems with institutions have in dealing with deaf people, etc.
Commissioner Lemke noted the City of Coon Rapids has in the past put on several
human rights programs. She noted she would do more checking with them as to
how it was organized.
Chairman Weyrauch noted Councilmember Lhotka had been investigating a rent-a-kid
type of program.
Administrative Assistant Mary Harty noted she had spoken with Commissioner Johnson
and Commissioner-Johnson was investigating the area of housing and possible re-
sources in the area. Commissioner Johnson was unable to attend this meeting and
would bring that information with her to the next Human Rights Commission meeting.
Chairman Weyrauch again asked the Commission to be prepared to work in the prepar-
ation of,"posters and other information for the Kaleidoscope booth at the April 18
meeting.- He asked Commissioners to collect various literature on human rights
issues for Kaleidoscope.
ADJOURNMENT
There was a motion by Commissioner Tolve and seconded by Commissioner Campion to
adjourn the meeting. The motion passed unanimously. The meeting was adjourned
at 9:00 p.m.
•
Chairman
•
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