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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2011 05-10 HRC Packet AGENDA CITY OF MAPLEWOOD Human Rights Commission May 10, 2011 7:00 P.M. Council Chambers - Maplewood City Hall 1830 County Road B East 1. Call to Order 2. Roll Call 3. Approval of Agenda 4. Approval of Minutes a. Approval of the April 12, 2011 Meeting Minutes 5. New Business 6. Unfinished Business a. Discussion of Art and Essay Contest Procedures b. Response to Citizen Complaint – No Report c. Review of the HRC Mission Statement and Handout 7. Staff Presentations 8. Adjournment – 8:00 p.m. THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK April 12, 2011 Human Rights Commission Meeting Minutes 1 Agenda Item 4.a. MINUTES CITY OF MAPLEWOOD HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION 7:00 p.m., Tuesday, April 12, 2011 Council Chambers, Maplewood City Hall 1830 County Road B East 1. CALL TO ORDER A meeting of the Commission was held in the City Hall Council Chambers and was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Chairperson Kringle. 2. ROLL CALL Commissioners Jon Brandt, Commissioner Present William Joanis, Commissioner Present Jeffrey Kringle, Commissioner Present Arianne Maxwell, Commissioner Present Marie Ridgeway, Commissioner Present Laurie Rose Simon, Commissioner Present Charlotte Winnen, Commissioner Absent Staff Karen Guilfoile, City Clerk, Director Citizen Services 3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Commissioner Rose recommended tabling item 5. a. Focus Group Proposal due to Commissioner Winnen’s absence Commissioner Brandt requested to move 7. a. Response to Citizen Complaint to 6. b. and add a new 7. a. Statement from Commissioner Brandt. Commissioner Maxwell moved to approve the agenda as amended. Seconded by Commissioner Brandt. Ayes – All The motion passed. 4. APP ROVAL OF MINUTES Approval of the March 8, 2011, Human Rights Commission Meeting Minutes. Commissioner Simon moved to approve the March 8, 2011, Human Rights Commission Minutes as submitted. Seconded by Commissioner Ridgeway. Ayes – All The motion passed. Packet Page Number 3 of 9 April 12, 2011 Human Rights Commission Meeting Minutes 2 5. NEW BUSINESS a. Focus Group Proposal – Commissioner Char Winnen (tabled due to Commissioner Winnen’s absence) b. Maplewood Human Rights Commission Essay and Art Contest Spring 2011 – Commissioner Ridgeway Commissioner Ridgeway gave a presentation on the Maplewood Human Rights Commission Essay and Art Contest Spring 2011. The commission shared feedback and discussed other criteria and timeframes for the Maplewood Human Rights Commission Essay and Art Contest. More information will follow. c. Yellow Ribbon Communities – Commissioner Maxwell Commissioner Maxwell gave a presentation on the Yellow Ribbon Community program and answered questions of the commission. Staff stated the city council has been working on a yellow ribbon community for awhile now and may be collaborating with the City of Roseville on this program. Staff recommended Commissioner Maxwell may want to be the liaison from the HRC for the Yellow Ribbon Community project. Commissioner Maxwell agreed she would like to serve as the HRC liaison. d. Review of the HRC Mission Statement a. City Clerk, Director Citizen Services, Karen Guilfoile gave a brief report on the HRC Mission Statement. b. Commissioner Maxwell read the HRC Mission aloud. Commissioner Brandt moved to table the review of the HRC Mission Statement. Seconded by Chairperson Kringle. Commissioner Ridgeway made a recommendation that the mission statement be a part of the tri- fold brochure as a means to advertise the Human Rights Commission. Seconded by Commissioner Simon. Ayes – All The motion passed. 6. UNFINISHED BUSINESS a. Getting to Know Your Neighbors – Commissioner Simon Commissioner Simon said as a commission she thought it would be a good idea to meet with members in the community such as the Hispanic, Hmong, African American, Somalian, and GLBT community as a means of getting to know our neighbors. The commission would like to find out if members of those groups would like to participate with the Taste of Maplewood which is being held at Goodrich Park on August 19 & 20, 2011. Packet Page Number 4 of 9 April 12, 2011 Human Rights Commission Meeting Minutes 3 Commissioner Maxwell said she would be available August 19, 2011 from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Staff stated there will be a large booth for all the boards and commissions at the event and the HRC is welcome to put something together and get back to staff in regards to the event. b. Response to Citizen Complaint – Commissioner Brandt Commissioner Brandt discussed a complaint made by Bob Zick during visitor presentations. Commissioner Brandt said he had spoke with staff regarding getting a copy of the council meeting where Mr. Zick made his complaint about Mayor Rossbach during visitor presentations. Staff was unable to get the DVD to work due to technical difficulties so he would recommend tabling this item until such time that the DVD is available for the commission to comment on. Commissioner Joanis moved to table this discussion until the next meeting so that staff can work with the IT department to compile the portion of the meeting between Mayor Rossbach and Bob Zick for commissioners to comment on. Seconded by Commissioner Ridgeway. Ayes – All The motion passed. 7. COMMISSION PRESENTATIONS a. Commissioner Statement – Commissioner Brandt Commissioner Brandt said in honor of the 150th anniversary of the start of the civil war he would like to read the history of slavery aloud. Commissioner Brandt said its time to rededicate the Maplewood Human Rights Commission to the preservation and promotion of human rights in the City of Maplewood. Commissioner Brandt read a quote from Edmund Burke. He would encourage commissioners and other members of the public to bring any human rights issues to the attention of the commission to help the Human Rights Commission carry out their role on the commission. 8. STAFF PRESENTATIONS None. 9. VISITOR PRESENTATIONS a. Bob Zick, North St. Paul. Mr. Zick spoke in regards to his attendance at the March 8, 2011, Human Rights Commission meeting where he spoke during visitor presentations. City Attorney Kantrud told the commission that the Mayor was going to apologize and make a statement at the next council meeting. Mr. Zick disagreed with that statement. Mr. Zick would still like the commission to take action on Mayor Rossbach’s reaction and behavior. Commissioner Brandt moved that the commission not comment on this until they have had an opportunity to view the DVD. Seconded by Commissioner Rose. Ayes – All The motion passed. 10. ADJOURNMENT Chairperson Kringle adjourned the meeting at 8:08 p.m. Packet Page Number 5 of 9 Item 6A MEMORANDUM TO: HRC Commission Members FROM: Karen Guilfoile, Director Citizen Services DATE: May 4, 2011 SUBJECT: Discussion of Essay and Art Contest Procedures At the April 12, 2011 meeting the commission voted to give local students an opportunity through an essay or art contest depicting the world without discrimination. The following information for the contest has been advertised through the Lillie News, in the Maplewood Monthly, on the city website and sent to local schools: Maplewood Human Rights Commission Essay and Art Contest Through Art or Essay Students Will Depict the World Without Discrimination! Elementary, middle school, and high school students in Maplewood, Oakdale, and North St. Paul are invited to get creative and participate in a fund art or essay contest depicting the world without discrimination. • In as essay of 250 words or less or in art, describe or depict your personal experiences with human rights issues • Describe, from your perspective, the human rights needs at your school • Include your first and last name, teacher, your grade, age, name of school, phone number and home address to contact you if you are chosen as a winner The deadline for essay and art work submissions is May 27, 2011. Winners will be announced and notified in mid-July. Submit your essays to karen.guilfoile@ci.maplewood.mn.us and/or drop off your art/essay submissions to the attention of Karen Guilfoile at the Maplewood City Hall. All winners will have their essays and/or art work displayed at Maplewood City Hall during the month of September 2011 and at HRC events. Winners of the essay contest will be invited to read their essays at a Maplewood City Council Meeting in September 2011. The commission needs to sets criteria for judging the essay and art contest, determine the number of winners, and decide who and when the judges are and when they will meet to review the submitted items. Finally, the commission needs to review and adopt the hold harmless statement that is to be drafted by Commissioner Joanis. Packet Page Number 6 of 9 Item 6C MEMORANDUM TO: HRC Commissioners FROM: Karen Guilfoile, Director Citizen Services DATE: May 4, 2011 SUBJECT: Review of the HRC Mission Statement and Handout Attached is a copy of the tri-fold that was used by the former Human Relations Commission. The pamphlet was used for informational purposes at seminars, conferences and Human Rights sponsored events. Staff is requesting that the Human Rights Commission review the pamphlet and make changes so that it can be reprinted and available for use. Also, underlined below is the current mission statement that is included in the city code of ordinances. Staff is requesting review of the mission statement for any changes that the commission would like to have made to it. Sec. 2-186. Statement of Public Policy and Mission It is hereby declared by the City Council that it is the public policy of the City to fulfill its responsibility as a partner of the State Department of Human Rights in assisting the State in obtaining equal opportunity in housing, employment, public accommodations, public services and education for all its citizens and to work consistently to improve the human rights climate of the City. To this end the City Council adopts this mission statement: The mission of the Maplewood Human Rights Commission is to aid and advocate for equal opportunities for all citizens of Maplewood in: housing, employment, public accommodations, services and education, in addition to continuously working to improve human rights within the community. (Code 1982, § 2-71) State Law references – Minnesota Human Rights Act, Minn. Stats, Ch. 363; State Department of Human Rights, Minn. Stats. § 363.04 et seq. Packet Page Number 7 of 9 Minnesota Human Rights Act Under the Minnesota Human Rights Act it is illegal to discriminate on the basis of:  Age  Creed  Color  Dependence on public assistance  Disability  Familial status  Marital status  National origin  Race  Religion  Sex  Sexual orientation Human Relations Commission If you feel that you have been discriminated against in the City of Maplewood, call the Maplewood Human Rights Commission at 651-249-2002. This information is available in alternate formats upon request. Contact the City of Maplewood at 651-249-2002. Agenda Item 6c City of Maplewood Human Relations Commission Living together in our diverse world. “We must remember that any oppression, any injustice, any hatred, is a wedge designed to attack our civilization.” Franklin D. Roosevelt Packet Page Number 8 of 9 Since 1968, the Maplewood Human Relations commission, a seven-member group chartered by the Maplewood City Council, has worked to secure equal opportunity for all Maplewood citizens. We also work with other agencies, organizations, businesses and individuals to improve the human relations climate in our community. Our Purpose The Commission is charged to: ♦ Solve human rights problems on a local and informal level. ♦ Advise the City of Maplewood on human rights matters. ♦ Work with the City Council in providing a discrimination free environment in Maplewood ♦ Help all citizens, groups and businesses of Maplewood by providing education and answering questions concerning the Minnesota Human Rights Act. ♦ Assist the Minnesota Department of Human Rights in enforcing the Minnesota Human Rights Act. Get Involved! Meeting ~ Commission meetings are held the first Tuesday of the month, September through June, at 7:00 p.m. at Maplewood City Hall. The public is invited to attend. Events ~ The Human Relations commission sponsors an annual diversity contest for city youth. It offers a variety of in- service and workshop events throughout the year. Past topics have included age sensitivity, the Americans with Disabilities Act, gang issues and more. The Commission also participates in Maplewood Night Out each August. Other Assistance ~ The Commission is interested in your suggestions, questions or concern. The Commission is here to help if you have faced discrimination in Maplewood. Membership~ The Maplewood City Council appoints commission members. For an application or additional information, please call 651.249.2002. Packet Page Number 9 of 9