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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuman Rights and Diversity - 03/10/1998 APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE HUMAN RIGHTS AND DIVERSITY COMMISSION TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 1998 7:00 PM, PRAIRIE ROOMS A & B 8080 MITCHELL ROAD CITY CENTER COMMISSION MEMBERS: Brad Behrends, Richard Helzel, Vicki Pellar-Price, Ramon Reina, Gloria Winans, Munna Yasiri, and Deborah Yungner YOUTH REPRESENTATIVES: Andrea Brown and Sopanha Te COMMISSION STAFF: Michael Barone, Sr. Personnel Coordinator, and Jan Nelson, Recording Secretary I. ROLL CALL Chair Helzel called the meeting to order at 7:05 PM. Pellar-Price, Yasiri and Te were absent. II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION: Reina moved, seconded by Behrends, to approve the Agenda as published. Motion carried 5-0. III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 10, 1998 MEETING MOTION: Winans moved, seconded by Reina, to approve as published the Minutes of the February 10, 1998 meeting. Motion carried 5-0. IV. OLD BUSINESS A. Report and Recommendation on Youth Scholarship Award Recipient - Richard Helzel, Ramon Reina, Sopanha Te, and Andrea Brown Helzel said one application was received and the applicant meets the qualifications for the award. He said the Award Subcommittee discussed how to encourage more applicants in the future and Brown suggested the information be sent to the Career Centers rather than the Guidance Center. They also discussed the amount of the award and how we fund it. He said they are recommending that a discussion of the award and the award process be scheduled for a future agenda, probably June or July. Winans asked about the suggestion to increase the award. Helzel said this year's award will be $500 and any change would be effective for the scholarship awarded in 1999. HUMAN RIGHTS AND DIVERSITY COMMISSION MINUTES MARCH 10, 1998 PAGE 2 Barone said they discussed recognizing the recipient at the Chamber luncheon in April since the recipient will know about the award before actually receiving it at the May 29th award ceremony at the High School. B. Report on Human Rights Award - April 16 1. Report of Conference Call with Dick Gaskins - Keynote Speaker at April 16 Event - Gloria Winans Winans said they had a conference call with Mr. Gaskins recently to discuss his speech at the luncheon. They discussed focusing his speech on why businesses should pay attention to work place diversity issues. They asked him to stay around after the speech in case there are specific questions off line. They also discussed how they will promote him as a speaker. In addition to the Chamber publication, there will be an article in the Eden Prairie News Chamber column. They plan to invite the Bloomington and Twin West Chambers. She noted the location for the event is the Radisson South. Barone said they will put together a flyer with information about Dick Gaskins and the luncheon. They plan to invite past participants to the event. Yungner asked if all the Commissioners plan to attend. Winans said they would like to have as many as possible and they plan to invite the two new Commission members. 2. Report of Meeting to be held with Eden Prairie Chamber for Selection of HRA Business Category Winner Barone said they will find out tomorrow who the representatives from the Chamber will be and they can then pin down dates. He suggested that Helzel and Winans be our representatives on the Joint Selection Committee. They are planning on a date in late March to discuss the business category winner. The Chamber representatives could then leave and the rest of the committee would discuss the non-profit and individual award winners. He thought they will have at least two applicants in the business category. Reina encouraged the Commission to continue with this partnership with the Chamber as he thought it has a lot of potential. 3. Sponsorship of Chamber Luncheon Winans said we agreed to sponsor the Chamber luncheon for a$500 fee. That will give us visibility at the luncheon and allow us to provide brochures and other information. She thought we may want to make the sponsorship an annual budget item. HUMAN RIGHTS AND DIVERSITY COMMISSION MINUTES MARCH 10, 1998 PAGE 3 Helzel asked if there will be a press release about the luncheon. Barone said they will work on that. C. Update on Bias Crime Response Network Training - Tuesday,April 28, 1998 Barone said he, Molly Koivumaki, and Swaggert met with Peter Huck on March 2nd. Peter has recruited a dozen people who have shown interest in the Bias Crime Network. They are set to have a work session at the City Center on April 28th at 7:00 p.m. Peter would like to develop more depth in the group so he can rotate out of the leadership role. Barone said they would like to limit the work session discussion on the legal and technical issues and have an hour presentation,provide a tour of the Police Department and finish with a half hour of skill building. More information will be provided in next month's packets. Helzel thought we need to encourage this group as it is one that was brought forth from this Commission and is an all volunteer effort. V. NEW BUSINESS A. Presentation of Candidate Slate - Richard Helzel/Ramon Reina Helzel said he and Reina are nominating Winans as Chair and Behrends as Vice Chair. There were no other nominations. B. Election of 1998-1999 Officers MOTION: Reina moved, seconded by Yungner, to close the nominations and cast a unanimous ballot for Gloria Winans as Chair and Brad Behrends as Vice Chair of the Human Rights & Diversity Commission. Motion carried 5-0. C. Council Appointments 1. Appointment of Harry Moran and Darryl Stanton each to three-year terms Barone said they sent the packet for tonight's meeting to the new appointees, Harry Moran and Darryl Stanton. They will have an orientation session at 6:00 p.m. before the next Commission meeting on April 14. 2. Appointment of Brad Behrends to Housing, Transportation & Human Services Board Barone noted the Council reappointed Brad Behrends to the HTHSB for a one- year term. HUMAN RIGHTS AND DIVERSITY COMMISSION MINUTES MARCH 10, 1998 PAGE 4 VI. REPORTS OF COMMISSION MEMBERS A. Housing, Transportation & Human Services Board: Brad Behrends Behrends said they did not have a quorum at the last meeting. They discussed the need for additional affordable housing. The City is currently reviewing a couple of different places for such housing. B. League of Human Rights Commissions: Gloria Winans Winans reviewed the slate of officers recently elected for the League, noting that she did not accept the position of Treasurer because she did not feel comfortable with that role in addition to her responsibilities as Chair of the Commission. She plans to attend the March meeting. C. Report of Youth Representatives: Andrea Brown and Sopanha Te Brown said they are planning another Diversity Fair at the High School on May 20, from 9:00 a.m. to about 2:00 p.m. She asked the Commission to sponsor a booth or a table at the fair. They are working out the details for the fair at this time. Barone said he will try to get more information before the next meeting so it can be included in the packets and as a discussion item on the meeting agenda. Brown said there is a gender-equity conference downtown Minneapolis tomorrow that several students plan to attend. Winans presented notes of thanks and mementos to retiring Commission members Reina and Yungner and to Helzel who retires as Commission Chair. VII. REPORTS OF STAFF Nothing to report. VIII.FUTURE AGENDAS/EVENTS March 24 7:00 - 9:00 PM Optional HRDC Workshop April 14 7:00 - 9:00 PM HRDC Regular Meeting April 16 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM HRDC & EP Chamber of Commerce Human Rights Award Luncheon April 28 7:00 - 9:00 PM Optional HRDC Workshop May 12 7:00 - 9:00 PM HRDC Regular Meeting HUMAN RIGHTS AND DIVERSITY COMMISSION MINUTES MARCH 10, 1998 PAGE 5 IX. ADJOURN Helzel thanked everyone for their help and support during his year as Chair. He thought we laid some foundation pieces during the year. He believes working with the Chamber is the only way something like the Human Rights Award process will work. MOTION: Reina moved, seconded by Yungner, to adjourn the meeting. Motion carried 5-0. Chair Helzel adjourned the meeting at 7:45 p.m.