HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuman Rights and Diversity - 04/11/2000 APPROVED MINUTES
Eden Prairie Human Rights & Diversity Citizens Advisory Commission
Tuesday,April 11, 2000 7:00 PM - Prairie Rooms A/B, City Center
8080 Mitchell Road, Eden Prairie MN 55344
Citizen Advisory
Commission Members: Dorothy Fifield, Angie Garcia, Harry Moran (Chair),
Darryl Stanton, and Philip Young (Vice-Chair)
Youth Representatives: Youth Reps begin in Fall 2000
Commission Staff: Michael Barone, Supervisor of Personnel & Payroll
Tanya Jansen, Recording Secretary
I. Roll Call/Introductions
Call to order by Harry Moran at 7:05 p.m.
Roll Call:
® Dorothy Fifield ® Harry Moran ® Philip Young
® Angie Garcia ❑ Darryl Stanton
Welcome by Commission Chair, Harry Moran. Goals for meetings are: (1) Agendas will be
mailed ahead of time each month via US Mail versus past practice of using a courier, and (2)
meetings to start at exactly 7:00 p.m., with the goal of attempting to finish no later than 9:00 p.m.
Self Introductions were done by those in attendance.
II. Approval of Agenda/Distribution of Orientation Materials
Garcia moved to approve agenda. 2nd by Young. Agenda approved.
Barone asked all to open Orientation binders and review materials. He sets the agenda with the
Chair(or Vice Chair in the absence of the Chair). The Commission used to meet every month,but
now will meets nine months per year. The Committee's roles and responsibilities, as defined by
the City Council, are to focus on promoting awareness and appreciation of diversity, review and
investigate alleged ADA violations received by City through its ADA Grievance procedure, and to
promote the City's Manifesto and to provide response and support to victims of incidents of bias
crime.
III. Approval of Minutes for previous meeting
n/a for April Meeting
Eden Prairie Human Rights &Diversity Citizens Advisory Commission
April 11,2000 Approved Meeting Minutes
Page 2
IV. Reports of Staff
A. League of Women Voters and "Community Circles on Immigration"
Moran and Barone discussed the League of Women Voters "Community Circles on Immigration"
study. The LWV invited the City to help plan these meetings. The LWV had six "Circles," with
the statewide wrap-up session set for April 29th. Moran stated that they are looking for members
of the Commission to attend the Eden Prairie wrap-up session slated for April 13th. Garcia and
Fifield stated they would try to go.
B. South Hennepin Immigrant Services Group (SHISG)
Barone discussed this ad hoc group which started in Fall 1999. It is a group that meets monthly,
with the focus to address social service related issues facing immigrants. The three major
immigrant groups currently in Eden Prairie are SE Asians, Somalians, and Russians. Moran asked
how big the group is and Barone replied that it is around 20. Barone has been attending meetings
since February, and will continue to keep the Commission up to date on their activities.
C. Bias Crime Activity Status
Barone described the activities related to the Bias Crime Response Network, and how bias crime
activity information will flow to the Commission's attention. Peter Huck is the contact for this
volunteer network, and Molly Koivumaki and Police Chief Jim Clark are the main contacts for
Barone and Moran in the City's Public Safety area.
D. Human Rights Award
Barone will provide information for review tonight for the 1999 Awards. This Human Rights
Awards is an ongoing project of the Commission.
E. Human Rights Youth Scholarship Award
To be discussed under"New Business" tonight.
V. Old Business
n/a for April Meeting
VI. New Business
A. Develop recommendations for 1999-2000 Youth Scholarship Awards
Youth submissions and essays were sent out in packets to Commission members for this meeting.
There are not typically many nominees;but six were submitted this year, mostly due to how the
Youth Scholarship Awards were marketed. Barone said that if there are two qualified
submissions, the Commission may award that many Awards this year. Garcia asked where the
budget for these Awards is, and Barone stated that local businesses are solicited for support.
Rankings, discussion and voting were done on the six submissions. A chart was drawn by Moran.
Numbers "l" and "5" were declared winners, as the voting was done anonymously. After the
voting, Barone revealed the two recipients are Maureen Carney and Emily Huck,both seniors at
EPHS.
Eden Prairie Human Rights &Diversity Citizens Advisory Commission
April 11,2000 Approved Meeting Minutes
Page 3
B. Develop recommendations for 1999 Human Rights Awards
Barone discussed the history of the Human Rights Award. There is no monetary award,just
recognition by the City Council. There are three award categories: Individual, Business and Non-
profit, with the goal to have one in each category each year. This year there only is one nominee—
an Individual. Vote: 3 Ayes and 0 Nays in favor of this nominee, Marina Kuznetsov.
C. League of MN Human Rights Commission
Barone discussed that this is a group of approximately fifty Minnesota cities statewide which each
send a representative member from their Human Rights Commissions. We currently have no
representative, but would like someone to volunteer to go to the monthly meetings. Moran asked
is it had to be one person or could several people split the responsibility. Barone stated that he
would find out if the duty could be "shared". Garcia and Young expressed interest.
VII. Future Meetings/Events
■ May 9, 2000 7:00 p.m. Citizens Advisory Commission meeting
■ June 13, 2000 7:00 p.m. Citizens Advisory Commission meeting
■ July NO meeting this month
■ August NO meeting this month
VIII. Adiourn
Young moved to adjourn the meeting, 2nd by Fifield. Moran adjourned the meeting at 8:55
p.m.