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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuman Rights and Diversity - 09/09/2003 APPROVED MINUTES Eden Prairie Human Rights & Diversity Commission Tuesday, September 9, 2003 7:00 PM—Prairie Room A/B, City Center 8080 Mitchell Road, Eden Prairie MN 55344-4485 Commission Members: Harry Moran (Chair), Jeff Strate (Vice Chair), Holly Clynch , Balu Iyer, Gerry Beckmann, Larry Piumbroeck, and Caroline Maguire Commission Staff: Molly Koivumaki, Staff Liaison Lorene McWaters, Recording Secretary I. Roll Call All Commission Members were present, with the exception of Holly Clynch. Clynch joined the meeting at 7:40 p.m. II. Approval of Agenda Strate moved approval of the agenda. Motion was seconded by Beckmann. Motion passed unanimously. III. Approval of Minutes from June 10, 2003 meeting Beckman moved approval of the minutes as published. Motion was seconded by Beckmann. Motion passed, with five voting in favor. Strate abstained because he did not attend the last meeting. IV. Reports of Staff A. South Hennepin Immigrant Services Group (SHISG) Beckmann said she was not able to attend the last SHISG meeting, so she had nothing to report on that. Koivumaki said the School District gave a presentation on their diversity program at that meeting. She said she is scheduled to do a presentation on the City's services and work with the community at the next SHISG meeting on October 6 at 11:00 a.m. at the library. B. Human Services Review Committee (HSRC) Koivumaki said the HSRC met on September 8,but there was nothing of significance to report. Koivumaki said she and Mary Keating conducted a human services expo for the faith community over the summer. They toured PROP and ESL classes at the Education Center and provided an overview of City services. Keating had also addressed the Ministerial Association on Friday and expressed the City's desire to work more closely with them. C. Bias Crime Activity Status Koivumaki said on August 31, a Southeast Asian family reported receiving three terroristic phone calls. The case is being investigated by the Eden Prairie Police Department. Iyer asked what kind of reassurances the family has received. Koivumaki said the family has not requested that the bias crime network be activated at this time. Koivumaki said she would stay in contact with the investigator on the case and update the Commission as appropriate. K\RECORDS\Minutes\Human Rights&Diversity\Human Rights and Diversity CommissionA2003 Agenda and Minutes\Human Rights 09.09.03 Minutes.doc tjw Koivumaki said this was the first bias crime reported in a long time,but it serves as a reminder that there is much work still to be done in the community. Beckmann said she believes not all crimes like these are reported. She suggested running small ads in the local newspapers to let residents know about the Hotline. Moran suggested also publishing the number in City publications, such as the quarterly newsletter. Strate said the number could be listed under the City's main numbers in the phone directory. V. Old Business A. Discussion of"The Gathering" event held in August Moran thanked the Commission members who attended the Gathering event on August 13. He said there was a great show of community interest at the meeting, with more than 100 people attending, including City Council members and staff, School District Board members and staff, Human Rights and Diversity Commission members and members of the community—both immigrants and non-immigrants. John Garry of HSSC facilitated the meeting, which also included several translators. Moran said many ethnic groups were represented. Many of the immigrant participants indicated they think Eden Prairie is a great city that offers great services; although some concerns were also voiced. Moran said he, Koivumaki, and Nanette Missaghi (diversity coordinator for the school district) held several planning meetings before the Gathering, and a follow-up meeting afterwards. Another meeting is scheduled in October to plan for another Gathering. Moran also said he presented a brief report of the Gathering at a recent City Council meeting. Moran said he feels it was an oversight for questionnaires about the event to be in English only. Moran said there was a loud and clear message that immigrants in the community need help navigating the processes of obtaining a drivers license, and that ESL classes are still not basic enough for most new immigrants. Moran said the group feels it is important to get the business community more involved. For instance, Moran said there are some Somali-owned coffee shops in Eden Prairie, and he would like to see them become active in the Chamber of Commerce. Beckmann said she was impressed with the highly respectful tone of the meeting. Moran said a list of 10 concerns identified as a result of the Gathering has been compiled. He will e-mail this document to the HRDC members. Koivumaki said this list is also being translated into four other languages and will be distributed in the immigrant community. She also said Mary Bolinger, HR Director for the School District,has identified some actions the School District can take immediately. Maguire said she feels a little left out because the group that planned the Gathering and held follow-up meetings included only a few people. Moran said only a few people involved because the event was planned on a very short timeline and over the summer, when the Human Rights and Diversity Commission does not normally meet. The follow- up meetings were called to try to keep the effort moving forward. Moran said the core group would be happy to have help and input. He stressed they are not trying to hide anything. Maguire said she wants to do more than just sit and listen. She wondered if the next Gathering could be scheduled shortly before a Human Rights and Diversity Commission meeting so the HRDC could discuss the Gathering afterwards and develop ideas. Strate suggested including churches. Moran noted that Pastor Rod of St. Andrew was at the first Gathering. Maguire said her main question is how individuals like her can get input and suggestions to the core group. Moran noted that the Gathering was the first activity the Commission has participated in where they proactively went out into the community. He said Maguire's suggestions can be incorporated into the 2004 work plan, which they will be discussing at this meeting. K\RECORDS\Minutes\Human Rights&Diversity\Human Rights and Diversity CommissionA2003 Agenda and Minutes\Human Rights 09.09.03 Minutes.doc tjw Clynch said looking back over the minutes of the last HRDC meeting, it does seem as if some things got organized without input of the larger group. She said she feels communication is the key. She wondered if the HRDC should have had a meeting in July before the first Gathering took place. She suggested using e-mail as a way of getting timely information out. Moran said the core group's next meeting is scheduled for October 16 at 11:00 a.m. at the School District Administration Building, and all are welcome to attend. Iyer said the Gatherings are an excellent way for immigrants and non- immigrants to learn more about each other. He said when he came to the United States from India 26 years ago, he was surprised at how many misconceptions Americans had about India and how much there is for an immigrant to learn about functioning in a new culture. Moran agreed with Iyer, and said it was quite an adjustment to move to New York from Puerto Rico 45 years ago. VI. New Business A. Commission Work Plan for '03-`04 Koivumaki said she used the work plan from last year as a starting point for the new work plan. She said she purposefully left extra space for the group to fill in new activities. Maguire said she did some research on the internet on activities of other Human Rights Commissions. She said they all seem to do something for MLK Day. Some also publish articles in their local newspapers. She said she would like to see the Eden Prairie HRDC doing some of these things. Piumbroeck said he feels part of the Commission's role should be to give voice to immigrants politically. Maguire asked if writing of newspaper articles could be added to the agenda for the October meeting. She also suggested assigning tasks to individuals to make sure that ideas are carried out. Moran said these are all good ideas and that the work plan is a"living document" that can be added to and revised as necessary. Clynch wondered if there would be funds available for something like an MLK Day event. Moran said he didn't know if funds were available, but does not feel that a lack of funds should deter them from planning something. He said people would be surprised how much can be accomplished once they put their minds to it. He suggested that the members send their ideas for the work plan to Koivumaki in advance of the next meeting. She will compile the ideas and they will be discussed at the October meeting. Koivumaki noted that the regularly scheduled November meeting would fall on November 11,but that City offices are closed that day in observance of Veterans Day. It is not practical to move the meeting up a week to November 4 due to the School Board election. The group agreed to move the November meeting to Tuesday, November 18. They also agreed to hold an additional meeting on Tuesday, December 9. B. Discussion of Student Representatives Koivumaki reported that the student representatives will be appointed by the Council at the September 16 Council meeting. The schedule has been revised this year, so the students will be joining the Commissions in October rather than in November. C. Letter and Book from Dick Feerick Moran passed around a book that was delivered to him by Eden Prairie resident Dick Feerick. The book is titled "Overcoming" and is the biography of the father of Eden Prairie resident Harry Davis, Jr. Moran also circulated a letter Feerick wrote regarding his support for increasing Council size from five to seven members. Moran said Feerick had K\RECORDS\Minutes\Human Rights&Diversity\Human Rights and Diversity CommissionA2003 Agenda and Minutes\Human Rights 09.09.03 Minutes.doc tjw requested to speak at the HRDC meeting,but Moran told him he would have to be on the agenda in advance to do so. VII. Reports from Commission members There were no reports of Commission members. IX. Adiourn The meeting was adjourned at 9:15 p.m. K\RECORDS\Minutes\Human Rights&Diversity\Human Rights and Diversity CommissionA2003 Agenda and Minutes\Human Rights 09.09.03 Minutes.doc tjw