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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1978 11-15 HRRMMINUTES OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE I=ft.JMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF BROOKLYN CENTER IN THE COUNTY OF HENNEPIN AND THE STATE OF MINNESOTA REGULAR SESSION NOVEMBER 15, 1978 CITY HALL CALL TO ORDER The Brooklyn Center Human Rights Commission met in regular session and was called to order by Commissioner Tolve at 7:45 p.m. ROLL CALL Commissioners Eleanor Bradway, Jayne Kuhar, Edith Johnson and Joyce Tolve. Also present was Councilmember Gene Lhotka and Administrative Assistant Mary Harty. Commissioner Tolve noted Chairman Weyrauch was out of town and would not be present. Administrative Assistant Mary Harty noted she had spoken with Commis- sioner Campion and had received a message from Commissioner Miller that they would not be present at this evening's meeting. Administrative Assistant Mary Harty noted that Commissioner Lemke would be late. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Commissioner Tolve suggested approval of the minutes be deferred until Commis- sioner Lemke arrived in order that a quorum could vote. Commissioner Tolve recognized two students from North Hennepin Community College who were attending the Human Rights Commission meeting as part of a class assign- ment. CORRESPONDENCE There was no correspondence to discuss. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANTS, CITIZENS PARTICIPATION COMMITTEE Administrative Assistant Mary Harty again reviewed the City's progress and involve- ment to date with the Community Development Block Grant process. She explained the concept of the Citizens Participation Committee had beer- discussed at an earlier Human Rights Commission meeting at which time Commissioner Tolve and Commissioner Campion indicated an interest in serving on the Citizens Participation Committee for Community Development Block Grants. Since that earlier meeting, Chairman Weyrauch had called Commissioners asking whether or not they would be interested and willing to serve orr, the Citizens Participation Committee. Based on this communication, a list was submitted to the City Council with the names of those Commissioners interested in serving on the Citizens Participation Committee from the Human Rights Commission. The names of Commissioners Campion; Tolve, Johnson and Kuhar were included on the list. The other City advisory commissions have also submitted a list of names to the Council. From that overall list, the City Council will appoint one member from each City advisory commission to serve 11-15-78: -1- on the Citizens Participation Committee. Those appointments will be made on November 20, 1978 at the City Council meeting. Additionally, -four other committee appointments will be made from interested citizens at large. An attempt will be made to appoint citizens to the committee from the varied- sections within the City of Brooklyn Center. Councilmember-Lhotka suggested there was a need for members of the City's advisory commissions and also members of the community at large to provide input in the planning process for the spending of the money for Community Development- Block Grants. He encouraged the Commissioners to provide input either through their appointed member or by contacting the Council. or the staff concerning Commun- ity Development Block Grants. Commissioner Lemke arrived at 8:00 p.m. COMPREHENSIVE PLAN' Administrative Assistant Mary Harty briefly reviewed the Comprehensive planning process and the Critical Areas planning process. She explained the original Com- prehensive Plan was presently being revised. -She explained the Comprehensive Plan was a tool to assist in land use planning, planning for development within the City, and'zoning. She urged the Commissioners to provide input in this planning process. She explained there are presently two public hearings scheduled, one for November 16, 1978 and one for December 14, 1978 concerning the Comprehensive Plan and the Critical Areas Plan. Councilmember Lhotka stated the Comprehensive Plan was a systematic method for the City to look at what presently exists within the City and attempt to decide what changes or new directions should be considered for the future. He again suggested that input from the City's advisory commissions and- from the citizens at large was necessary to make the Comprehensive Plan a workable plan for the City. OTHER BUSINESS Coramissioner Tolve noted she did not have other business to discuss at this time. Administrative Assistant Mary Harty explained Commissioner Campion had made a request at the September. 20, 1978 Human Rights Commission meeting concerninga request from members of the Focal 3.20 to be allowed to come before the Human Rights Commission under, an open forum type of format in which they could discuss with the City administ.ation the topic of health insurance. At that time, Administrative Assistant Mary Harty stated, i:,was her belief, that. the issue--raised by Commissioner Campion was.a contract issue already dealt with between -the 320 unionard the City through, contract negotiations and, therefore, was.not an appropriate issue for the Human Rights Commission. Commissioner Campion, at that time, had asked that a response to his request be made by the administration of the City. Administrative Assistant Mary Harty noted the City Manager and the business agents of the Local 320 union had "discussed the request and the City and the union concurred this was not an issue for the Human Rights Commission. Additionally, [administrative Assist- ant Mary Harty stated the issue was not a single, married., issue rather the question was dependent and nondependent-coverage. Again, she noted the issue had been dealt with through the negotiation `process and was not an issue for the Human Rights Commission. She stated she had spoken with Commissioner Campion concerning' this response. 11-15--78 -2- DISCUSSION ON THE UPDATE ACCES SIB.111,1 'Y BOOKLE-11 Commissioner To,lve noted that at the September 20, 1970 meting, it was decided. Commissioner Campion and Commissioner Kuhar should attempt to finalize the accessibility-booklet to be presented at the November- 15, 1978 Human Rights Corr,- mission meeting. Commissioner Tolve asked Commissioner Kuhar what the status of the booklet was at this time. Commissidner Kuhar responded she had been in contact with Commissioner Campion but the booklet was not ready in final form at this time. Referring to the minutes of the September 20, 1978 meeting, Commissioner Lemke noted she and Commissioner Castle had not prepared an introduction to the access- ibility booklet. Commissioner Lemke indicated she had trouble in getting in contact with Commissioner Castle. Administrative Assistant Mary Harty noted that Commis- sioner Campion had indicated a willingness to prepare the introduction to the access- ibility booklet if Commissioners Castle and Lemke were not able to put the introduc- tion together. Commissioner Kuhar noted she felt it would be possible to put the final booklet together before the middle of December. She further suggested the Human Rights Commission might wish to meet for a December meeting in order to review the final document. There was a consensus amongst the Human Rights Commissioners that a December meeting would be appropriate but the date of December 13 was suggested as an alternative to the third Wednesday in December. It was the consensus of the human Rights Commissioners that the December 13, 1978 date was an acceptable date. In further discussion, Councilmember Lhotka suggested afollow-up letter might be appropriate to be sent to people who did not respond to the questionnaire and possibly to people who responded to the questionnaire but were inaccessible.. A, brief discussion ensued concerning the appropriateness of this type of a letter. Several Commissioners noted it was riot within the scope of the Human Rights Com- mission's responsibility to enforce accessibility. Councilmember-Lhotka agreed that enforcement was not within the scope of the Human Rights Commissions res- ponsibility, but a carefully worded, positive letter might encourage businesses to become accessible. Commissioner Tolve suggested it might be in the best interests of the Commission to personalize the letters because one letter would not be able to adequately address all the various types of businesses. Councilmember Lhotka suggested that possibly five or six basic form letters could be prepared and this number of letters would address most of the-general types of problems. In further discussion, Commissioners decided it might be appropriate to have a general introductory paragraph on a letter and leave part of,the letter to be personalized. Commissioner Bradway recommended that Commissioner Kuhar prepare a rough draft of the letter. Commissioner Kuhar agreed to prepare the rough draft of the letter to be reviewed-at the December 13, 1978 Duman Rights C-ommission meeting. In further discussion, the Commissioners expressed an interest in gaining expertise in the.area of making homes or businesses accessible in order'that they might be 11-15-78 -3- better prepared to answer questions and provide information. It was suggested that Commissioners might want to visit various establishments and speak with the owners or managers in hopes of encouraging them to make their businesses accessible. it was suggested a personal visit :Night be an appropriate follow-up to the letter. Additionally, it was suggested Commissioners could personally deliver the handicapped booklet to a business and discuss with them problems in accessibility. It was the -consensus of the Commission that the first task was to put together a letter and personal visits to establishments might be made as a follow-up to the letter. It was the consensus of the Commission that they wished to have a speaker address the accessibility question in hopes of providing information to the Commissioners and thereby increase their ability to provide answers to managers and owners of businesses. Administrative Assistant Mary Harty indicated she would be willing -to arrange-foi a speaker or speakers on accessibility. Commissioner Lemke sug- gested certain handicapped people might be appropriate speakers for this question. It was decided a speaker on the accessibility question would be scheduled for the December 13, 1978 Human Rights Commission meeting. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - 9-20-78 Therel, was a motion'by Commissioner Bradway and seconded by Commissioner Kuhar to approve the minutes of September 2a, "1978 as submitted. The motion passed unanimously. CONSIDERATION OF FUTURE PROTECTS Commissioner Tolve noted a discussion had been held at an earlier Human Rights ComrrFission meeting concerning the designation of future projects for the Brooklyn Center Human Rights Commission. At that time, various educational type programs had been suggested as a possibility. Commissioner Tolve also suggested she would be ini'.erested in arranging to host an informational session for various community leade-s and representatives from organizations within the community to inform them about problems related to persons handicapped by deafness and about interpreters for the deaf. in a brief discussion of this suggestion, the Human Rights Commis- sion indicated they would like to have more information about this subject before they would arrange to host a meeting for community leaders and representatives from organiza- tionsl Commissioner Tolve suggested she would be willing to arrange to have someone speak to the Commission on the issue at the January meeting. The Human Rights Commission agreed they would like to have Commissioner Tolve arrange to have a speaker on that issue for the January meeting. Commission members also questioned Commissioner Lemke concerning a sugg',estion she had made at an earlier Human Rights Commission meeting. Commissioner Lemke had mentioned she was arranging a handicapped olympics to occur in 1980 and had suggested the Human Rights Commission might wish to become involved in some way. Administrative Assistant Mary Harty asked that Commissioner Lemke prepare a brief written explanation of what the -project is and what kinds of ways the t3uman Rights Commission might become involved. Commissioner Lemke indicated s12e would be willing to put that together and present that to the Human Rights Commis- sion for a later meeting. 0 11-15-78 -4- ADTOURNMENT There was a motion by Commissioner Bradway and seconded by Commissioner Johnson to adjourn the Human Rights Commission meting. The motion passed unanimously. The meeting was adjourned at 9:37 p.m. 4 Chairman t 11-15-78 -5-