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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuman Rights and Diversity - 10/13/2011 APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE HUMAN RIGHTS AND DIVERSITY COMMISSION THURSDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2011 7:00 P.M., 125 EDEN PRAIRIE CENTER Office of Housing and Human Services COMMISSION MEMBERS: Pam Spera (Chair), Peter Huck(Vice Chair), Linda Crawford, Gayle Sanders, Robert Rozanski, PG Narayanan, and Zina Nourkadi STAFF: Molly Koivumaki, Manager- Housing and Community Services; Heidi Wojahn, Recorder STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES: Ramla Mahamud, Camrie Vlasak I. CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL Chair Spera called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m. Student Representative Ramla Mahamud was absent. Crawford arrived at 7:36 p.m. II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION: Rozanski moved, seconded by Huck, to approve the agenda. Motion carried 6-0. III. MINUTES MOTION: Sanders moved, seconded by Narayanan, to approve the September 8, 2011 minutes. Motion carried 6-0. IV. NEW BUSINESS None V. REPORTS FROM STAFF - Koivumaki A. HUMAN SERVICES REVIEW COMMITTEE (HSRC) City Council approved the recommended funding of human services providers at its September 20 meeting. Funding consists of$160,000 per year for the 2012-13 budget. HUMAN RIGHTS AND DIVERSITY COMMISSION MINUTES October 13, 2011 Page 2 B. BIAS CRIME ACTIVITY STATUS No report. C. OTHER REPORTS FROM STAFF 1. Winning Essay An article in the Eden Prairie News reported Alexis Locsin, an 8t' grader at the The International School of Minnesota (ISM), won a national essay contest sponsored by Teachers Against Prejudice. Locsin's essay was chosen out of 700 entries in the middle school division. According to the press release, students were asked to write a storyline for a new movie or television program or change an existing storyline with the goal of raising awareness of discrimination and prejudice. Locsin's story"Saving Sampson High", is about a group of kids with different socioeconomic backgrounds that must band together to save their school from being shut down. Koivumaki contacted ISM to inquire further about the contest and read an email response she received from Locsin's former English teacher. HRDC may wish to send a letter of congratulations and/or invite the student to read the essay at an upcoming meeting. Narayanan suggested also sending Locsin a certificate. All were in favor of following through on these ideas, and discussion ensued as to whether the essay needed screening and approval prior to issuing recognition. Koivumaki will forward commissioners a link to the essay. 2. Affordable Housing Tour On October 6, Koivumaki held a tour for elected officials of selected affordable housing sites in Eden Prairie. Two Hennepin County commissioners and a member of Representative Paulsen's staff attended, along with other housing and local officials. The tour was organized by the Metropolitan Consortium of Community Developers to educate policymakers on the different strategies communities use to incorporate affordable housing. The tour included Hennepin Village, Summit Place, Prairie Meadows, Bluffs at Nine Mile Creek, Purgatory Creek Townhomes, and Columbine Townhomes which reflect different types of housing: ownership, rentals, smaller units for workforce, and family units. Koivumaki shared a list she assembled of the units the City has had a part in financing from 1975 to 2003. All 645 currently-subsidized units are occupied with a waiting list. Huck inquired what the income eligibility requirements were. Koivumaki did not have exact figures,but said it has to be less than 50 percent of the metropolitan area median income. As reported earlier, the Metropolitan Council has set a goal of 1,844 new affordable rentals in Eden Prairie between 2010 and 2020 as part of the City's participation in the Livable Communities Act. Twenty percent of the 740 Presbyterian Homes units coming in 2013 will be set aside for affordable housing. Additional units will be built in the Golden Triangle area during redevelopment. At a recent seminar, Koivumaki learned some HUMAN RIGHTS AND DIVERSITY COMMISSION MINUTES October 13, 2011 Page 3 cities are building affordable housing above fire stations and libraries, etc. Narayanan asked if there was a limit on the number of stories. Koivumaki replied it depends on the location of the project. Additional funds are available for affordable housing within 1/2 mile of the Light Rail Transit. 3. League of Minnesota Human Rights Commissions Membership Following last month's HRDC meeting, Koivumaki discussed League of Minnesota Human Rights Commissions (LMHRC) membership with City Manager Rick Getschow. He advised that other similar organizations requiring dues have been reviewed, and it has been determined not to continue membership in organizations if they do not provide a significant enough benefit to the City to warrant it. Koivumaki explained membership was valid when the Bremer Grants were available, but the grants are no longer being offered. At this point, LMHRC membership does not provide any benefits or programs that cannot be accessed elsewhere for free. 4. Best Buy Grant Balance is $5.10. VI. OLD BUSINESS A. MANIFESTO WORDING CHANGE Koivumaki reported the City Manager has asked if action would be taken tonight regarding the Manifesto wording change. Discussion ensued about the Commission's task and the different wording options on the table. MOTION: Sanders moved to either continue with the Commission's original recommendation or to recommend the third wording option crafted by City Attorney, Ric Rosow, as a proposed amendment to the Manifesto. Rozanski suggested amending the motion to propose either the City Attorney's third option or ending the sentence after the word "security". Upon learning the original recommendation was not received favorably at the workshop session in August, Sanders rescinded her motion. MOTION: Narayanan moved, seconded by Rozanski, to propose ending the sentence after the word "security" and to propose using the City's Attorney's third wording option as an alternative to that as a second choice. Discussion ensued. Spera stated concern over shortening the sentence saying it was too simplified and drew away from the emphasis on discrimination. Huck agreed stating although he likes the simplicity, it takes away from the purpose of the Manifesto. He is in favor of option 3 or leaving it as is. Rozanski said by mentioning certain groups it is still not inclusive of everyone. Crawford said she likes option 3 because it is welcoming to everyone in the community. It should not be generic. Narayanan is fine with either option, but agreed sometimes a subliminal message is not enough. He amended his motion to remove the proposal to end the sentence after the word HUMAN RIGHTS AND DIVERSITY COMMISSION MINUTES October 13, 2011 Page 4 "security". Rozanski seconded the amendment. Amended motion carried 6-1 with Spera opposed. B. DOMESTIC PARTNER REGISTRY Koivumaki reported staff is working on implementation details and expects the Domestic Partner Registry to go before Council in November. Huck shared highlights from an article published in The Minnesota Independent. The article addresses activists attempting to derail the adoption of a domestic partner registry in Inver Grove Heights. According to the article, one activist strongly opposed to the idea gave council members pages from OutFront Minnesota's website stating"the registry is just one step on the way to full marriage rights for gay people". He also threatened to rally local pastors to oppose the move. Huck said it might be wise to anticipate opposition to the registry in Eden Prairie. Narayanan departed the meeting at 8 p.m. Crawford said she heard this same issue discussed on Progressive Talk radio the other night. She called into the show to explain the purpose and benefits of the registry. Recounting this week's episode of Harry's Law, Spera lauded the defense lawyer's closing arguments as "amazing". The case involved a teenage girl being tried for murder for posting hateful comments on her blog about another teenage girl who was gay. The prosecution argued the bullying led the victim to commit suicide. The defense argued that while the girl realized what she had done was wrong and took responsibility for her actions, society was also to blame as both girls grew up in a society where gays are marginalized and people make a living publicizing hateful comments in the media. Koivumaki said the City of Hopkins recently passed a registry which applies only to residents. The City of Eden Prairie may be inclined to extend privileges to those who live in the community but not those who work here. Because the marriage amendment issue is starting to heat up, Council is looking to address the registry soon in order to keep it separate. Crawford commented she would prefer to attend as a citizen rather than an HRDC representative. VII. REPORTS FROM COMMISSION MEMBERS Nourkadi said while she respects both points of view on the school boundary changes, she has concerns problems are continuing. She has heard rumors there will be people in attendance at an upcoming going-away party for Superintendent Melissa Krull to take a stand against her rather than to show appreciation. She is wondering if perhaps the police department ought to be notified. The ongoing disagreement is affecting our schools and kids. She would rather see both sides sitting at a table and discussing their differences in a civilized manner without showing favoritism to either side. Huck said much of this will HUMAN RIGHTS AND DIVERSITY COMMISSION MINUTES October 13, 2011 Page 5 get resolved with the next school board election. Crawford said high school test scores came out, and she received a scathing parent letter from the principal. From the letter, she gathered parents were complaining test scores were down,but the principal stated the schools are committed to the education of all students in Eden Prairie. She replied to the principal suggesting that,rather than taking on the parents, they work on the system because the weighting of the scores does not factor in kids who might need extra help for a variety of reasons. She got a positive response from the principal to her idea and will bring a copy of his letter to a future meeting. Rozanski departed the meeting at 8:25 p.m. Huck reported he sent a letter to Krull thanking her for her work on a tough, emotional issue. Both Huck and Crawford said they expect things to calm down over time and that those opposed will eventually accept the changes. VIII. FUTURE MEETINGS/EVENTS The next HRDC meeting will be Thursday, November 10, 2011, 7 p.m. at Eden Prairie Center, Room 125. IX. ADJOURNMENT MOTION: Huck moved, seconded by Sanders, to adjourn. Motion carried 5-0. Chair Spera adjourned the meeting at 8:39 p.m.