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Home My WebLink About1970/05/04 - ADMIN - Minutes - City Council - Joint SPECIAL JOINT MEETING - COUNCIL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION - Ilay 4 , 1970 ST . LOUIS PARK , MINNESOTA A joint meeting of the City Council and Human Rights Commission was called to order by Mayor Howard at 7 : 15 p . m . Mr , Lou Schoen presented a statement by the Human Rights Commission on the establishment of the position of Executive Director and defining his powers and duties . 11r . Charles Wright made comments regarding role and duties of the Commission . The following statement was read by Mr . Sy Friedman of the Human Rights Commission : "To some of you my remarks here are somewhat redundant , and for the record let me confess that they represent a singular opinion of views thus far expressed from members of the Human Rights Commission . The original ordinance established selection (Section 1 : 182 , Subd . 4 ) ' of members who have demonstrated an interest in and who have had previous experience in civil and human rights organizations . * * . etc . It was my understanding that the selection of the original 15 members was based predominantly upon their expertise in this area , after they had e:cpressed a desire to apply their time and energies in serving on the commission . It is unfortunate that 10 of these original 15 appointees resigned within the first two years of its existence . The original ordinance also states that ; there shall be an Executive 84 , Director who shall act as secretary to the commission ' (Section been Subd . 1 ) . The appointment of someone to fill this position has been made , and the present secretary to the commission is Dick Schrad . Although 25 % of his salary has been designated to come from the Human Rights Commission budget , it is estimated that only about 10 % of his time is actually spent in that capacity because he has not been asked to provide any services beyond recording minutes of meetings and sending out mailings to the commission members . The ordinance further provides that additional staff and technical or office personnel and assistance ba appointed as deemed necessary . Obviously , no further need has been shown as evidenced by the fact that the cc :mnission has an un• ised portion of Mr . Schrad ' s time that has been negiEcted . MY feelings concerning the hiring of an Executive Director at this time , as outlined in the proposed draft for discussion that was prepared by Councilmen Calinson and Heltzer (4 - 30 - 70 ) have been repeatedly reinforced . I refer to the opinions expressed by our City Manager when he first discussed this matter thelacko € action taken by our City Council for the past two Years , the fact that only 1 of 61 State Human Flights Commissions have chosen to use a aid director in this capacity and the remarks of other city managers inthearea who like St . Louis Par'•: , constantly struggle . protection along with With budgets to provide adequate police and fire P encompass ass the other Il feelings also P needs in our rising economy . Y reactions of our resent staff in the event that a director is hired to fill the P ri own sensitivity tells me that I , as a staff proposed position . Y 88 i i May 4 , 1970 Council -Human Rights Commission Minutes tion because this rived of a P ossable raise or Promo member , would feel deP r I wonder what the effect eXecutill iveon staff capacity , new job was created . ploreove person is added in an members of long tenure when a new p • 7 I heard one of the charter meenersof uotethe Recently , at a public meets i on describe the commission . as andlno budget ' end quote . Human Rights COMM * l ower , no authority ' ineffective because it has no oould not have applied for membership to the If I shared this attitude I on it . In my • to continue serving an atmosphere commission , nor would I be willing in acquiring the power to involve the citizenry ublic services , public opinion , p employment , P In of equal opportunity in housing , a most significant POWER - ' indeed , accommodations and educations is , Council in this effort , and my opinion the authorityITY to advise the City And as for heard and responded to , is indeed , valuable AUTHaccu0racy , • since � the 1960' to be h without budget , the public statement was entirely �,, and the 1970 budget $ 10 , 337 . budget provided $ 52a , the 1969 than ' NOUBUDGET ' . ply point here is to This , I feel , is certainly more thanattitudes when charter members of this commission haute certainly demonstrate that ' t last week , then like that which was expressed publicly Jus Q nd work to do within our City Council and our ourahomeworlc have much orou aid professional to d commission BEFORE we seek to hire a p have also heard it stated that other commissietorsn end quote . for us . I aid rofessional executive dire Park , quote , all have p P This too , I feel is a mss - statement , since I am told that NOTall executive commissions have ' department heads ' that work with them , ___._.. directors . In the short time that I have served on this comission I recommendedhave r several programs that have yet been ignored or tabled for future Some of these include : 1 . An evaluation by all Human Rights Commission members , past and present to . determine what it has accomplished , and what else might be scheduled for it . 2 . A comparison with other Human Rights Commissions in the area to exchange ideas and to coordinate programs more closely . a on dance and assistance from the State 3 . Insisting, up more gui Human Rights Commission to develop guidelines and circulate results of other programs . 4 . Endorsement of school board studies and reports in the area of human rights programs , and encouragement through our support of their efforts . 5 . A definite attempt to give positive reinforcement to individuals and firms in this city who are contributing to our improving the general atmosphere of human rights for our citizens . 6 . A ' package deal ' of qualified speakers and films to exposc existing organized groups to a better understanding of the problems facing us . 89 Council - Human Rights Commission Minutes May 4 , 1970 7 . An exerted effort to improve the balance of representation of the public at large on our Human Rights Commission . On this last point it might be noted that our original ordinance calls for the possible inclusion of two commission members who do not necessarily live in our city , but , to the best of my knowledge , this has not been utilized . It is therefore , my sincere hope that the City Council will not choose to adopt the proposed plan for hiring a paid executive director at this time . It is further urged that before considering this move that a careful review should be made of what the commission has accomplished and learned through both its positive and negative approaches , and that a concentrated effort be made to benefit by the understandable mistakes of any new entity operating in these trying times without precedent and with considerable opposition . In my opinion it would be a serious mistake to spend the taxpayers money to appoint a ' scapegoat ' to do what should be accomplished by the carefully selected volunteer members of the Human Rights Commission , just as it is done by volunteers on other commissions in this city with the generous assistance of our staff and City Council . (* amended to $ 9 , 306 ) " Mr . Paul Modell spoke in opposition to Mr . Friedman Is statement . Councilman Reynolds moved that employment of a single director or consultant be considered , rather than a joint director with the Village of Edina . Councilman Heltzer seconded the motion which carried 4 - 3 , Councilmen Thiel and Fleetham and 14ayor Howard voting nay . It was moved by Councilman Galinson , seconded by Councilman Thiel , that another joint meeting be held at 7 : 00 p . m . , May 25 , 1970 . Motion carried unanimously . There being no further business , the meeting adjourned at 8 . 15 p . m . rank J . Howa d or Attest : LOr kw6jw James Piiceli , Actg , ecretary 90