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Human Rights Commission
Red Maple Room
May 25, 2011
MINUTES
Members Present:
Debbie Dwyer, Chair
Theo Anderson
Daron Bolat
Natalia Fominykh
Joy Murorunkwere
David Smith
Members not Present:
Jeff Billington, Vice Chair
Maria Carvalho
Josh Richards
Staff Present:
Janet Kelly, Staff Liaison
Guests:
John Carter
Dominique Perez
I. Convene
The meeting was convened at 7:35 p.m.
II. Welcome Visitors
Returning visitor John Carter and first time visitor Dominique Perez were welcomed to the meeting.
III. Approval of Minutes
Approval of minutes was deferred until a quorum was gathered.
IV. Chair Report:
A. NAACP Freedom Fund Dinner Update
Staff reported that from what she had heard from other Commissioners that attended, the event was very good and well attended by our local County and State politicians.
B. Hometown Holidays
Commission and Staff finalized the booth activities. The Diversity wheel has been a big attraction and the Commission will be updating some of the questions for the event.
C. Forum Update
Commissioners Smith and Bolat updated everyone on the forum regarding religious freedom and interfaith bridge building. Although the audience was not as large as they had hoped, both Commissioners agreed that the dialogue that emerged from the forum was very relevant and important for people to care about. There was discussion of how to draw larger crowds. One thought was to have the forum at a different location, possibly back at VisArts and the other suggestion was to have some youth related themes so that parents and teens might attend more.
D. New Membership Interview
It was moved and seconded that the meeting go into Executive Session so that the interview could take place for new membership. (8:15 p.m.)
Staff let candidate know after session (9:00 p.m.) that he would be contacted after she heard the Mayor and Council’s decision regarding appointment.
V. Staff Report:
A. Request for Internship
Staff told Commission that there was a request from a high school student to be an intern for the HRC. The Commission received the idea well and thought of ways that this intern could assist in the activities that they had planned for the upcoming year.
B. Request for Neighborhood Intervention
Staff talked a little further with the Commission regarding their assistance with the senior apartment building. They began to discuss their intervention. They thought it might include ice breakers, food and brief introduction about what the commission does and stands for.
C. Visitors to Meetings
Staff inquired if the HRC might like to have visitors from organizations that focus on assisting youth who may need assistance to attend activities due developmental disabilities. The Commission thought that it would be good to know what organizations exist if there is a need for additional support.
D. Voter Registration and Engagement of Diverse Groups
Staff asked if the Commission would like to look at additional locations to have voter registrations outside of the ones that have already been used.
The Commission suggested few places that included shopping areas and churches. Staff will also look into perhaps a committee or leaders from various ethnic communities taking a role in getting people from their community see the importance of voting and to ultimately vote.
VI. Open Forum
A. Asian Businesses
Commissioners will follow up on an article about opportunities for Asian business owners and the challenges they may face when going out for the bidding process.
B. Street Change
Commission will also follow the issues that seem to be arising in the changing of a traditional street name (East Middle Lane) to Choice Hotel Lane.
VII. Old Business
Voting for new member took place earlier in meeting.
VIII. New Business
There was discussion regarding the lack of attendance to meetings. The feeling that was that everyone should let the Liaison and/or Chair know if they are unable to attend a meeting and if there is a consistent inability to attend meetings, perhaps the member should talk with the chair regarding his/her situation and think about their ability to continue as a member. This would not prohibit them from volunteering when they could, but it would allow for others to attend the meetings and be a part of the planning process and eliminate having to forgo voting on important items due to lack of a quorum.
IX. Adjournment
Meeting adjourned at 9:30 p.m. The next meeting will be at City Hall in the Blue Crab Room at 7:30 p.m. June 22.