HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021/11/09 - ADMIN - Minutes - Human Rights Commission - Regular Human rights commission
November 9, 2021
7:00 pm
If you need special accommodations or have questions about the meeting, please call (Ali Timpone, 952.928.2846) or the
administration department at 952.924.2525.
Human rights commission
Members present: Virginia Mancini, Katie Lawler, Jaime Chismar, Li Livdahl, Andre
Barajas, Thomas Scott, Avi Olitzky, Emily Buchholz
Members absent: Paul Baudhuin, Astein Osei
Staff present: Community Organizer (Darius Gray)
Guests: None
1. Call to order
Chair Mancini called the commission to order.
2. Approval of minutes – Human rights commission of October 5, 2021
Minutes were approved as distributed.
3. Bias Motivated Crime Review
Emily reads the two hate crimes to the group.
Virginia comments on action based on her interactions with the state HRC:
In other HRCs, a police liaison is often present to discuss the hate crime review. (The
group would like to have the police liaison return.)
HRCs advise the city on actions to take.
Other HRCs groups report this to the state level. The state has more resources to
support individuals and groups.
Concerns about time lag and inability to act in a timely ways to support
Also there could be an HRC member on a police committee
Avi mentions how the Golden Valley’s HRC is now part of a larger DEI committee and how
they can take more action.
Thomas suggests that a police representative needs to be here to explain some of the
nuances of the case, enforcement, etc.
Virginia suggests that our HRC response needs to be clearly defined in our bylaws.
Avi adds that law enforcement can see a larger pattern that doesn’t always make it onto our
HRC document. We might be missing a lot of what is happening.
Emily suggests that we reconnect with the state level HRC to help see bigger patterns and
how our reviews fit within them.
Virginia explains that the original intention of the bias hate crime reviews would be coming
to us from the community and we would be supporting the community and helping bring
their concerns to the state level.
Group agrees that there is no action to be taken on these specific bias/hate crime reviews,
but we need to find ways to take more meaningful actions as a group.
4. Kudos
Katie gives Andres a shout out for speaking at the Youth vs. Gov. movie. Andres gives Darius
and Annie a shoutout for planning the event.
5. Chair update
Virginia presents recommendations to strengthen the HRC
Virginia’s top three concerns:
1. How do we stay connected to the city and city council?
2. Responsiveness to current events.
3. Continuity and stability during a time of change.
We can define the role of our staff liaison.
We can recommend more staff to support DEI work.
We can recommend that the city created an accountability channel for HRC and staff to go
over city priorities.
We want a HRC representative formally involved in the hiring for REI positions.
Data repositories:
Many cities use Sharepoint. Sharepoint is monitored by staff liaison. Documents are shared
with guest permissions. Other HRCs have city email addresses. City attorneys often train
groups on how to use documents per open meeting laws.
Interesting discovery: SLP housing authority has been a model for other HRC.
Monthly meetings should be a time to share out what we are doing, not a time to get work
done — Both internal work, external work. High functioning HRCs have a digital repository,
use subcommittees/taskforce, and have a standing member of council on our commission
who is our champion when we put our recommendations forward.
We need to ask ourselves what is our commission’s role in our community— how can we
create a functioning body that can have impact to move us forward? Our job is to get this
house in order.
Top five recommendations:
1. Guest permissions to digital documents repository. City attorney can train commission
on on acceptable use
2. Staff liaison would act as gatekeeper of documents
3. Communications subcommittee work with staff liaison on document repository
4. HRC be formally involved in the hiring process to replace staff liaison
5. City council member be an ex-officio member of HRC
Avi motions to vote on the recommendations, Katie seconds. Motion carries.
Next steps: Set up a meeting, Kim Keller, City Manager.
6. Bylaws Subcommittee Update
Virginia and Emily ask for feedback on changes to the bylaws.
1. Article V: Agenda and Records
2. Article VI: Attendance and Performance of Duties
3. Article VII: Commission Activities // Subcommittee vs. task force
Emily will rewrite based on feedback and present updates to the group.
7. Upcoming Community Engagement
a. Jim Crow of the North
b. Book Club
c. Just Deeds
8. Transition Plan
This topic was covered in the Chair Updates.
9. The commission adjourned.
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Darius Gray, liaison