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Human Rights and Diversity - 04/20/2006 APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE HUMAN RIGHTS & DIVERSITY COMMISSION TUESDAY,APRIL 20, 2006 7:00 PM, 125 EDEN PRAIRIE CENTER Office of Housing and Human Services COMMISSION MEMBERS: Cari Maguire (Chair), Melissa Barra(Vice-chair), Larry Piumbroeck, Jeff Strate, Gerry Beckmann, Linda Chung, and Pam Spera STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES: Jill Bartel, Rori Costello and Sandra Moran COMMISSION STAFF: Mary Keating, Staff Liaison (filling in for Molly Koivumaki) Mary Zilka, Recording Secretary I. ROLL CALL The meeting was called to order at 7:10 pm. Commissioners Larry Piumbroeck, Gerry Beckmann and Linda Chung were absent. Alexis Richbourg was in the audience. II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION: Vice-chair Melissa Barra moved, Jeff Strate seconded to approve the agenda. Motion carried 4-0. III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM MARCH MEETING MOTION: Strate moved, seconded by Spera to table approval of minutes until May meeting IV. NEW BUSINESS A. HUMAN RIGHTS & DIVERSITY AWARD The Human Rights and Diversity Commission has voted to present the Human Rights & Diversity Award for an individual to Bert Moede and the award for a nonprofit organization to the Belhadan Television Show. MOTION: Spera moved to award the individual award to Bert Moede and the nonprofit organization award to the Belhadan Television Show. Seconded by Barra. Motion carried 4-0. V. REPORTS OF STAFF A. HUMAN SERVICES REVIEW COMMITTEE (HSRC) Human Rights & Diversity Commission April 20, 2006 Page 2 None reported. B. BIAS CRIME ACTIVITY STATUS None reported. VI. OLD BUSINESS A. None reported. VII. REPORTS FROM COMMISSION MEMBERS A. SOUTH HENNEPIN IMMIGRANT SERVICES GROUP (SHISG) None reported. B. ANY COMMISSION MEMBER MAY REPORT The 3rd International Festival is scheduled for August 13 at Staring Lake. Maguire is Chair and Spera is Vice-chair of the International Festival this year. The next planning meeting is May 10"'. If any of the student representatives are interested in having a cultural booth at the event, contact Maguire. Strate provided a brief report on the City Town Meeting at Forest Hills Elementary on April 11th. Strate also reported that he spoke at the City Council's open forum preceding its regular April 18th City Council Meeting about an issue which he said would be of concern to the Human Rights and Diversity Commission. Strate said that representing only himself,he told the City Council on April 18, 2006, that he suspects that input on proposed improvements to Forest Hills and Edenvale Parks from seniors, low income or immigrant park users was inadequate. Strate told the Council that he had reviewed the report of the Parks Director about the concept plans for both parks as well as the minutes of the meeting of the Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Commission which recommended that both plans be approved by the City Council. Strate told the Council that he found NO indication that low income, seniors and immigrant communities had been effectively heard from. In noting that a comparatively high number of low income, seniors and immigrants live within the service area of each park he requested that the Council Human Rights & Diversity Commission April 20, 2006 Page 3 ensure that proper consideration be given to these groups of users before approving the final plans. Strate said that he told the City Council that some citizen opinion had been reflected in the evolving plan for each park but that the current plan for Edenvale Park did not seem to provide designs which would provide seniors, families with young children and others with out door amenities that would effectively serve them. He said he mentioned function of a small loop trail, the grouping of benches near children's playgrounds. Strate reported to the Commission during its April 20, 2006 meeting that he had attended last year's pre-parks referendum neighborhood meeting to gather citizen input for Forest Hills Park and emailed his comments for the improvements of Edenvale Park. Strate noted that his concern began to mount during the get out the vote campaign of Eden Prairie for Parks, a citizens group of which he was a volunteer. Park use issues for low income, immigrant and seniors were rarely if ever brought up during discussions of Referendum Question#3 that pertained to local park improvements. Strate also told the Commission that approximately 650 notices were sent by the city to residents within the Edenvale Park service area announcing a March 23, 2006 neighborhood meeting about the park but that only about 10 people were reported to have attended the meeting. A similar low turn out for residents within the Forest Hills Park service area also occurred. Mr. Strate told the commission that he felt that the city's notification system was inadequate. Without making a formal request for action, Strate said that the HRDC should consider these issues in view of assisting the city in notifying low income, immigrant and seniors more effectively. Student representative Sandra Moran reported that the Diversity Fair at the Eden Prairie High School is April 21St VIII. FUTURE MEETINGS/EVENTS The HRDC meeting will be back to Tuesdays starting May 9, 2006. IX. ADJOURNMENT MOTION: Strate moved to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Barra. Meeting adjourned at 9:00 pm. Motion Carried 4-0.