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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1968 11-13 HRRMMinutes of the Proceedings of the Human Rights Commission of the City of Brooklyn Center in the County of Hennepin and State of Minnesota November 13, 1968 The Human Rights Commission met in regular session and was called to order by Chairman Leon Binger at 8:15 P. M. Roll Call: Charles Nichols, Marvin Stavig, Leon Binger, Neil Smeaton and Majel Berg. Also present were: Jerry Dulgar and John Waisanen. Motion by Charles Nichols and seconded by Neil Smeaton to approve the minutes of the October 23, 1968 meeting as submitted. Chairman Binger opened the meeting by announcing that the State Department of Human Rights was sponsoring a series of seminars for local Human Rights Commissions the third of which will be held at 11:00 A. M. on November 16, 1968 at 122 West Franklin Street in Minneapolis. All members of the Commission interested in attending this seminar should meet at City Hall at 10:30 A. M. Chairman Binger then discussed a letter which was sent by Theodore Willard, Chairman of the Civil Rights Action Committee, to numerous people in the community inviting those people to the next meeting of CRAC and announc- ing that CRAC would discuss topics in the area of human rights. Chairman Binger then announced that the seminar for realtors and apartment owners had been held at Boutell's and that 20 realtors or representative. or realty companies attended that seminar. The seminar was presented by Mrs. Josie Johnson and Gleason Glover of the Minneapolis Urban League. A report • on that seminar is to be forthcoming Chairman Binger, Commissioner Nichols and Commissioner Berg then discussed a human rights seminar that was sponsored at St. Alphonsus Church by the Confraternity of Christain Doctrine. All of those reporting on the seminar agreed that they thought they had been beneficial, but that it had not thoroughly covered the subjects it was intended to cover. John Waisaen then reported on the "We Share the Dream" button sales program. He reported that to date 267 buttons had been sold and most of those were sold at Brookdale. One of the reasons for this being that he did not have enough volunterrs to open his stand on the second weekend at the Shoppers City store. He said that he had not set a deadline for all of the buttons to be re- turned to him, but he would do so and he believed to date that there were approx- imately 500 buttons sold. The meeting was then open for the consideration of old business.' Chairman Binger reported that he had investigated an alleged case of discrimination by the European Helath Spa in the Brookdale Center. He said that in talking to Mrs. Thomas Chase she related to him that she was asked for a $200.00 initiation fee to join the spa plus $15.00 per month dues all of which was to be paid in advance, plus she would have to obtain the approval of the home office of the company. She went on to say that her husband and two neighbors who went to the spa about the same time were asked to pay a $32.00 initiation fee and $10.00 per month in dues and they did not have pay these rates in advance. She also said that they were not required to meet the approval of the home office. Chairman Binger related that he had discussed the alleged case of discrimination with Mr. Ray Platts, the manager of the Brookdale Health Spa and that Mr. Platts had told him that the spa did exercise selectivity in their membership and that they tried to have mostly professional or a certain class of people as members of the club, but that they did not discriminate on the basis of race. -1- r Commissioner Nichols then suggested that the City should consider the licensing of all businesses in the City so that there would be a possibility of revoking their license if they were found to be discriminating against l% residents. Chairman Binger then read a letter to the Commission which he had drafted with intent of sending it to the European Health Spa. Motion by Charles Nichols and seconded by Majel Berg to adopt the letter as the position of the Human Rights Commission and approve sending the letter to the European Health Spa at Brookdale. Those voting in favor of the motion were: Marvin Stavig, Charles Nichols, Wendell Shiell and Majel Berg. Those voting against the motion were: Neil Smeaton and Bea Rankin. The Commission thrncontinued their discussion of the letter and what other action they might take in regard to the European Health Spa. Motion by Charles Nichols and seconded by Neil Sne aton to reconsider the motion directing the letter to be sent by the Commission to the European Health Spa. Charles Nichols suggested that the Human Rights Commission should send a letter to the City Council asking them to send a letter to the health spa and to the paper instead of the Human Rights Commission sending a letter to the health spa. Those voting in favor of the motion were: Majel Berg, Bea Rankin, Charles Nichols, Neil Smeaton and Wendell Shiell, (Marvin Stavig abstained). Motion by Charles Nichols and seconded by Neil Sne atop that the Brooklyn Center Human Rights Commission send a letter to the Brooklyn Center City Counci Informing the Council that the Human Rights Commission has investigated through Mr. Platts, Manager of the European Health Spa at Brookdale and Mrs. Thomas Chase of 3300 - 63rd Avenue North, Brooklyn Center, a case of alleged discrim- ination based on race in Brooklyn Center. We have cause to believe that the alleged discrimination is real and the Commission would like to have the Council contact Mr. Platts and request that he and the European Health Spa comply with • the State Statutes against discrimination. The vote for the motion was unanimous Notion by Bea Rankin and seconded by Wendell Shiell to adjourn the meeting. The Human Rights Commission meeting adjourned at 10:30 P. M. Those present at time of adjournment were: Bea Rankin, ;Wendell Shiell, Charles Nichols, Marvin Stavig, Leon Binger, Neil Smeaton and Majel Berg. ! e reta Chairman V V 4 • -2-