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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuman Rights and Diversity - 02/11/2010 APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE HUMAN RIGHTS AND DIVERSITY COMMISSION THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2010 7:00 P.M., 125 EDEN PRAIRIE CENTER Office of Housing and Human Services COMMISSION MEMBERS: Pam Spera(Chair), Marcy Harris (Vice Chair), Peter Huck, Linda Crawford and Lauren Juergensen STAFF: Molly Koivumaki, Manager- Housing and Community Services; Heidi Wojahn, Recorder STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES: Adam Liter, Muna Shire and Fardowsa Ali GUESTS: Lindsey Danhauser, Recreation Coordinator—Arts; Nicole White, Therapeutic Recreation Coordinator; Claude Chenard I. CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL Chair Spera called the meeting to order at 7:03 p.m. Commissioner Linda Crawford was excused from this evening's meeting. Student Representative Adam Liter was absent. Introductions were made. Chenard owns and operates Wizard Academy. He is an applicant for HRDC and was in attendance to observe and learn more about the commission. II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION: Harris moved, seconded by Huck, to approve the agenda. Motion carried 4-0. III. MINUTES Spera proposed the following change to the January 14, 2010 minutes: p. 2, second paragraph, third sentence—remove "Spera and". MOTION: Huck moved, seconded by Harris, to approve the amended minutes. Motion carried 3-0-1 with Juergensen abstaining. IV. NEW BUSINESS —White/Danhauser White and Danhauser were assigned the International Festival in May 2009 as a result of an eliminated position within their department. At that time, the committee had already begun meeting so decisions had to be made quickly to keep the planning on track. They have since had the opportunity to review the event vision,purpose, and goals. They met with Koivumaki and will soon be meeting with the Arts and Culture Commission (ACC) to discuss changes for this year. In general, they have attempted to match tasks to the HUMAN RIGHTS AND DIVERSITY COMMISSION MINUTES February 11, 2010 Page 2 strengths, resources, and areas of interest of committee members in order to reach event potential. Their hope is providing this framework will help committee members feel their time and talents are best being utilized in the most effective way. The distributed timeline outlines tasks with ACC being responsible for handling entertainment and craft vendors and HRDC taking on cultural vendors and activities. This does not mean committee members do not have a say in other areas, particularly if they have resources pertinent to another committee member's task. Danhauser stated they are not necessarily looking for just displays or vendors this year,but rather are hoping to include more activity-based participants. Koivumaki explained contacts are probably more readily available through her office than via the commission. Specifically White and Danhauser are interested in receiving input from local cultural groups about what a street fair looks like to them so they can incorporate some of those elements into the event. They would also like to attract a more diverse age group. Spera pointed out the soccer tournament and teenage performances seem to attract more teenage spectators. Shire suggested having the pom squad or dance team perform and inviting foreign exchange students. One of the items to be addressed at the first meeting will be to identify which cultures to highlight at the event as they want to celebrate cultures well- represented within the Eden Prairie community. Expectations of committee members are to attend at least 5-6 meetings starting in March,report on progress of assigned duties,be accountable for assigned tasks from beginning to end, and volunteer a minimum of two hours the day of the event or be responsible for recruiting a suitable replacement. Juergensen and Shire volunteered to serve on the committee. Koivumaki will ask Crawford if she would like to participate, as well. At-large members are also needed. Koivumaki said HRDC volunteers have typically staffed the children's game booth in past years. Spera added former HRDC chair, Cari Maguire, had all the equipment for those activities. V. REPORTS FROM STAFF - Koivumaki A. HUMAN SERVICES REVIEW COMMITTEE (HSRC) HSRC met February 4 to review proposals for Community Development Block Grant(CDBG) funding. CDBG is annual U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development(HUD) money ($260,000) of which 15 percent is spent on public service. The remainder is used for affordable housing. Recommendations were made to the City Manager who will take them forward to Council on March 9. B. BIAS CRIME ACTIVITY STATUS Anita Gibson, the woman who discovered racist graffiti on a trail near her home last fall will come to the March HRDC meeting to discuss her experience. C. OTHER REPORTS FROM STAFF 1. Relisious Holiday Policy Update HUMAN RIGHTS AND DIVERSITY COMMISSION MINUTES February 11, 2010 Page 3 At its January 19 meeting, Council unanimously declined to impose the proposal as policy but did direct making a practice of using the calendar. Council requested HRDC provide a calendar annually to City Manager, Scott Neal, who will make it available to staff and commissions for review when setting dates for meetings and public events. There was some concern whether having Good Friday on the calendar swayed the Council's decision. Discussion ensued with much speculation in terms of the weight future infractions and resulting consequences will have. Koivumaki explained staff liaisons have a standing meeting with Neal after every commission meeting; she will request Neal make sure the calendar is addressed at these meetings. Spera asked HRDC to make a commitment to providing the calendar each year and to keeping track of voluntary compliance. Koivumaki will pass that information along to Neal, as well. 2. Advisory Commission Recruitment and Selection There are three candidates to date; typically there are more. Applications are due tomorrow. There are three openings. 3. Human Rights Award Process The awards application will be available online at the City's website until February 26. Nominations were encouraged; individuals can nominate more than one person if they wish. 4. Partnering with Community Education The "Honoring Cultures" event, co-hosted by Community Education and HRDC as well as the community education departments of Edina, St. Louis Park, and Bloomington/Richfield, will be held April 29, 6-8 p.m. in the Heritage Room at City Center. Community Education is hoping this will become a series of honoring cultures events with the Somali culture being highlighted first. The event will consist of three Somali speakers followed by facilitated roundtable discussion. HRDC members will be helping out at the tables,perhaps serving as emcee at the event, and introducing its restorative justice process. The next planning meeting will be Wednesday February 24, 5:30-6:30 p.m. The remaining money (about $300) from the conflict resolution training grant will go towards helping cover event costs. Harris asked if Shire would be willing to emcee the event, given her Somali background. She agreed and Juergensen volunteered to co-emcee. 5. Conflict Resolution Project Koivumaki reported she had done some research and came to the conclusion there is a significant difference between restorative justice and HUMAN RIGHTS AND DIVERSITY COMMISSION MINUTES February 11, 2010 Page 4 conflict resolution. Restorative justice seems like a more suitable model for the type of service commissioners will be offering. Koivumaki looked at the following websites: www.restorativejustice.oriz which lists three types of restorative justice processes, www.communityconferencin_�org which describes a mediation program, and a University of Minnesota website which also describes restorative justice practices. All three sites have the same basic format, bringing together parties involved in a dispute, criminal or not, to talk about what happened,how it impacted them, and how to make it right. Procedures are similar with a trained facilitator holding a preconference meeting to discuss questions/expectations. Both parties then meet face-to- face at a conference with the facilitator guiding respectful discussion. The process offers support for both parties, allowing everyone to speak and keeping the meeting on-track towards a resolution. Follow-up takes place after a period of time. Koivumaki offered to put together restorative conferencing training for the commissioners using real-life scenarios they will likely face (scenarios she has encountered in her line of work), but with role players. She has learned the vocabulary and procedures that tie into this process from past experience and training. Commissioners viewed this plan favorably and supported Koivumaki moving forward with procedure development and training with dates and times to be determined. Harris suggested tacking it onto a commission meeting with an earlier start time provided there is ample notice. VI. OLD BUSINESS Harris distributed copies of the document"Parliamentary Procedures at a Glance". Huck reported he spoke with Gayle Sanders, a volunteer coordinator with him on the Bias Crime Response Network, to revisit the project and to ask her to consider serving on the commission. VII. REPORTS FROM COMMISSION MEMBERS Harris said the HRDC report was viewed favorably by Council at its January 19 meeting. Koivumaki reported former commissioner, Daniel Abraira, is working for General Growth Security at the Eden Prairie mall. Spera was disturbed by a human rights issue she recently saw on the world news. There was an incident of a teenager being beaten at a shopping center during which mall security did not intervene. The security company rules state guards may call police,but their hands are tied as far as doing anything else. Bystanders stated they did not step in because they expected the guards to do so. The guards are not trained as police officers, so all they can do is observe and report. HUMAN RIGHTS AND DIVERSITY COMMISSION MINUTES February 11, 2010 Page 5 Spera encouraged Human Rights Awards nominations as there are none to date. Chenard explained he serves on the recognition committee for the Chamber of Commerce and they have the same problem(lack of nominations). Juergensen suggested publicizing it in the school newsletter. Koivumaki will forward any nominations she receives. VIII. FUTURE MEETINGS/EVENTS The next HRDC meeting will be Thursday, March 11, 2010, 7 p.m. at Eden Prairie Center, Room 125. IX. ADJOURNMENT MOTION: Juergensen moved, seconded by Huck, to adjourn. Motion carried 4-0. Chair Spera adjourned the meeting at 8:35 p.m.