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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1978 08-16 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 AUGUST 16, 1978 CITY HALL CALL TO ORDER The Brooklyn Center Human Rights Commission met in regular session and was called to order by Commissioner Campion at 7:45 p.m. ROLL CALL Commissioners Jerry Campion, Michael Miller, Forrest Castle, Eleanor Bradway, and Diane Lemke. Also present was Administrative Assistant Mary Harty. Chairman Weyrauch, Commissioners Joyce Tolve, Edith Johnson, and Jayne Kuhar were unable to attend and were excused. Councilmember Lhotka was unable to attend. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - 5-17-78 Motion by Commissioner Bradway and seconded by Commissioner Lemke to approve the minutes of the May 17, 1978 Human Rights Commission meeting as submitted. The motion passed unanimously. CORRESPONDENCE Mary Harty explained Commissioner Tolve had received an invitation to attend the Governor's Conference on Handicapped Children to be held September 29 and 30. Commissioner Tolve will be unable to attend the conference and wished to inform the other Commission members of the conference in case they wished to attend. Commissioner Tolve also mentioned the conference was extremely valuable last year and hoped that another Commissioner might be able to attend. Mary Harty explained she had received correspondence from a staff member of the State Department of Human Rights requesting the opportunity to appear before the Brooklyn Center Human Rights Commission to make a presentation. Mary Harty has responded asking the staff member to address a letter to the Human Rights Commis- sion explaining the intent and purpose of her wish to come before the Human Rights Commission. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORT A subcommittee of Commissioner Lemke and Commissioner Castle met to discuss whether or not a section for the blind should be included in the accessibility booklet presently being prepared by the Human Rights Commission. It was decided a separ- ate booklet for the blind would not be prepared but a section of the accessibility booklet would be devoted to the problems of the blind. Commissioner Lemke com- mented that the problems of other handicapped people might also be included in this introductory section of the accessibility booklet. It was the concensus of the Commis- sion that this introductory section should be short. Commissioner Lemke indicated this addition to the booklet would be helpful because although Minnesota is ahead of 8-16-78 _1_ other states in making the state accessible to handicapped people, there are still many problems which must be overcome. Commissioner Campion commented the accessibility booklet might serve to suggest to people in the community the need for accessibility for handicapped. It was decided that Commissioners Castle and Lemke would meet and put together a draft of the introductory section to be added to the accessibility booklet. ACCESSIBILITY BOOKLET Commissioner Campion introduced the next item of business, the accessibility booklet. He noted that approximately 40 questionnaires had been returned. He suggested phone work might be appropriate to further encourage those who had not yet returned the questionnaire. Certain businesses and organizations may have either misplaced or forgotten the questionnaire and a phone call to these businesses and organizations might result in their returning the questionnaire. For those businesses and organizations who are in need of another questionnaire, a second questionnaire could be mailed to them. It was decided that a list would be pre- pared of those businesses and organizations who had not yet returned the question- naire and the list would be divided amongst the Commissioners so that those businesses and organizations could be called. Commissioner Lemke asked whether the booklet had received any media attention. Commissioner Campion replied that the Brooklyn Center Post had run an article on the accessibility booklet in the past and it was anticipated that the Post would again run an article on the accessibility booklet for purposes of public relations. Commis- sioner Lemke suggested the Minneapolis Star and Tribune might be willing to also • do an article on the accessibility booklet. Commissioner Castle questioned how Ahe Commission would verify whether or not the data received on the questionnaires is accurate. It was the concensus of the Com- mission that as many handicapped people as possible should -be talked to to inquire about the information and about these people's experience as far as accessibility to the businesses and organizations. The Commission concurred it would be necessary to discuss the accuracy question further. Commissioner Campion commented it was not the Commission's purpose to condemn businesses and organizations for inaccessibility, but the purpose of the booklet was to let handicapped people know where there were buildings that were accessible to them. It is also hoped that the booklet will make people more aware of the need to make buildings accessible to handicapped people so that these people would volun- tarily comply with architectural choices which would make the buildings accessible to handicapped. Commissioner Lemke indicated the Commission does not have the power to make people change but the booklet will be stressing the positive. OTHER BUSINESS Commissioner Campion introduced the next item, other business. Commissioner Castle explained he had attended the City Council meeting of August 14, 1978 at which the CEAP question was discussed. Commissioner Castle explained he had acted as a representative from the Shingle Creek Towers building and presented a petition to the Council in support of CEAP. Mr. Casale also presented a viewpoint 8-16-78 -2- of support for CEAP as a Commissioner of the Human Rights Commission. Mr. Castle indicated he wanted to inform the Commission of his actions. Commissioner Miller asked the Commission to think about projects the Commission `might be interested in undertaking after the completion of the accessibility booklet. Commissioner Miller suggested one possibility for a project might be a resource booklet for human services in the northwest suburban area. Discussion ensued as to the need for this type of resource booklet or if this project would be a duplication of effort in that there already are many different resource booklets available. Commis- sioner Miller indicated this was only one suggestion, and it was his hope that other Commissioners would have other suggestions so the Commission would have a list of possible options to choose from. Commissioner Lemke commented she was beginning to put together a camp for the handicapped to take place in July of 1980. This camp would be an international camp for the handicapped lasting approximately two weeks. Commissioner Lemke explained it was her hope that Lions International would sponsor the camp and provide some funding. Commissioner Lemke suggested the Brooklyn Center Human Rights Commis- sion might be interested in becoming involved in the camp in someway. At this point, Commissioner Lemke was just beginning plans for the camp but in' the future she would need staff, money, ideas, and volunteers for the camp. It was the concensus of the Commission that this idea might be appropriate for the Commission'to pursue for an upcoming project. It was decided to further discuss the handicapped camp when the Commission entertained discussion of future projects. Commissioner Campion asked that Commissioner Lemke put her basic ideas concerning a camp in writing so that the Commission would have a better idea of what might be involved when it was time to • discuss that. ADTOURNMENT There was a motion by Commissioner Cattle and seconded by Commissioner Lemke to adjourn the meeting. The motion passed unanimously. The meeting was adjourned at 8:45 p.m. Chairman i 8-16-78 -3-