HomeMy WebLinkAbout01/06/1981 MHRC Business Meeting - January 6 , 1981
Present : Fischer, P . Williamson, Marlow, Larsen, B. Williamson
Guests : Lucille Bryant , James Haynes
Minutes of December 2nd, 1980 approved as mailed .
Annual Report: Chair will draft as she is the only one
familiar with full year activity . Hope
to have first draft by February meeting .
Indochinese: Larsen received a December call from Kathy
(Larsen) Winn, District #622 coordinator of bilingual
programs for the Indochinese . Dr. Woodworth had asked her to
follow up MHRC request for help in using students to take a
mini census of these new residents . Said they had sent out a
teacher/census taker in the fall , with an interpreter from the
International Institute, to uncover any refugee families that
may not have been tapped into the system. Did not find any. They
feel that because the district is so receptive and has made such
a concerted effort to provide necessary services, it would be
unlikely that there Would be a lone family stranded without an
informed contact. They are working directly with sponsors now,
and almost all the Indochinese enrolled have someone respon-
sible for them that is known to school district personnel .
Incidentally, they have alerted various service organizations
to the poor sponsorship practices of the International Insti-
tute. The Institute has turned some of their programs and
practices around to improve their image.
District #622 is working closely with Presentation Parish' s
human resource contacts and Justice Committee staff as they
are the body with the most volunteers, and through those
volunteers , public contact .
Problem now is with individuals and families that are emigrating
from state to state without sponsorships ; coming in from as far
away as Oregon and Colorado. Suggested that an item in the
Maplewood Review asking for information on these people would
be the best way to help them. Discussion!
Motion: An item be placed in the Maplewood In Motion as it
would reach more people . Carried! Williamson will
draft for staff .
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Familial Housing: Council for Family Housing disbanded for
(Fischer) lack of funds .
HUD monies can possibly be tapped for a testing program or
survey. These funds can be used to hire professionals to do a
familial housing canvas . Richard Lockhart, our resource, can
also be hired as consultant. Some other areas of discrimination
may surface from a canvas . Will contact Lakewood Community
College to see if one of the educational areas is interested
in conducting the survey for us; interns would have class credit .
Peter recommended:
1 . Check enrollment figures for School District #622 ; see
where there have been shifts of children over the years ,
specifically in apartment complexes; these could be our
first target areas-
2 . Contact Daniel Gaines , HUD, to see what monies are avail-
able and how we can tap into them. We can then decide
how we wish to proceed.
Residential Estate District Zoning: Larsen
Contacted Judy Langevin; Deputy Commissioner, State Department
of Human Rights; she is an attorney and expert in the No Fault
Grievance Procedure, and community relations contact for local
commissions . Sketched the complaint lodged by Mr. Piletich
and Mr . Hughes . Mrs . Langevin concurs with the informal
findings of the Commission; State discrimination law which
governs the conduct of the Department and our local commissions
encompasses certain specific "protected classes" and very
specific categories . This complaint fall in neither area .
She also felt that this matter was a "political" one and
should be handled at the City Council level . They also have
recourse to the courts .
We had communicated that information verbally to the gentlemen
on December 2nd. Motion: A letter be sent to the Keller Lake/
Arcade Committee with the same information so we can close this
matter. Carried! Larsen will write .
Membership: Motion made and carried. Submit the names of
Lucille Bryant and James Haynes to the City
Council for appointment to the MHRC .
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Mrs. Bryant had also been interviewed and accepted for candidacy
to the Maplewood Housing & Redevelopment Authority. Chair has
been serving on the HRA until an HRC member would accept
appointment be both advisory boards . We asked Mrs . Bryant if
she would consider appointment to both boards . Affirmative .
Staff will follow through. Larsen will formally tender resig-
nation from MHRA. We wish to maintain a strong bond between
these particular groups and a member sitting on both boards is
in essence a "liaison" between the two .
Elections: Since new members are to be appointed, and those
serving on the Commission have only done so for
a short time , it was suggested we table elections until the
March meeting. Affirmative.
Next meeting February 3 , 1981
Maria Larsen, Chair