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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes Human Relations Commission - 02/06/1992 MINUTES OFTTff iir HUMAN RELATIONS CIXTUSSICC tC ,TIWG February 6, 1992 C tissioners Present Commissioners Absent Sarah Guidry, Vice Chair Kate Haltom Jiumie McCurn Lynda Herndon-Sutherland Elida Gonzalez Adolf Andrews Grandis tenken Rcntrice Lopez Rosalie Beaty Fernando Ortiz Terry Mills Sandra Longoria Green Staff Present Elisa Holland Jacquelyn Harrell Ora Stone Adell Lucas Guest Ron Hudson The regular monthly meeting was called to order at 5:00 p.m. by Vice Chair Sarah Guidry. The roll call was taken and a quorum was present to conduct a legally constituted meeting. (, APPROVAL OF THE MINU �Y TES It was :roved and seconded that the Minutes of January 2, 1992 be approved. OLD BUSINESS Charter Revision Committee Report and Church/State Issue - Commissioner Beaty Human Relations Conmiission Charter Revision Sub-committee recommendations are as follows: 1. Items of particular interest to Human Relations Omission - Content 2. Structure of present Charter - Form 3. Additional item Content - recamaendations are as follows: A. City Council shall include a preamble or mission statement in the charter. (B.) Article II Section 10. Rules of the Cbuncil shall not show preference to, endorse, support or promote any religious group, including but not limited to ceremonies, invocations, observances or symbols. (C) Article II Section 14. Meetings of the Council should show the Council so desire to include so in desire to include an invocation prior to beginning of the business session, then a pre-selected council meahor shall assume said responsibility on a rotational basis. INRmN REIATiaZS CC MIISSICN MINUTES PAGE 2 �I Content (continued) (D) Article VII. Employment Regulations - an update to current law Section 3 Non-Discrimination to fail or refuse to hire or to discharge an individual, or otherwise to discriminate against an individual with respect to compensation, terms, conditions, or privileges of employment, because of race, color, disability, religion, sex, national origin or aye. (E) Article X General Powers Provisions (28) Yb promote intergroup relations by establishing, providing, maintaininy, regulating any social or human service program or activity. (1A) (39) alit the word MORALS as to avoid a value judgnent towards any group or person in the city. Form - Recoimnendations are as follows: a. Include an index showing order of Articles in the charter. (B) Change the order of the articles in the present charter to the following: I. Home Rule Government, II. General Powers and Provisions, III. City Council, IV. Administration, V. City Nanayer, VI. Employment Regulations, VII. Roards and Camaissions, VIII. Public Utilities, Franchises and base, IX. Planning (move Annexation section here - article I Section 2, a,b,c, & d), and X. Taxation and Bonds, (C) Each Article should be done in a bolder typeface as well as each Section heading. Each alpha character should be Capitalized after each Section heading. 41, Terms Limitations - Article 2 Section 1 - Recommendations are as follows: The Mayor and members of the City Council shall be elected for terms of two y ars, but shall not serve more than three terms in which they were elected in a regularly held election. Furthermore, each shall hold office until their respective successors have been elected and qualified. A motion was trade to accept the recommendation of the sub-committee. It was seconded by the Commissioners and unanimously voted to accept the recomlendatiovs. Commissioner Beaty, Chairperson of the Charter Revision Caimittee, reported to the Commission on the presentation given before the City Council's Task Force on Charter Revision. Commissioner Peaty also stated the Commission received some exposure in the Canmunity through the media. She reported a newspaper article and television coverage. Ordinance Committee Report - Camdssioner Guidry • Ctamaissioner Guidry, Chair of the Ordinance Committee, reported to the Camaission. (1) They want to cane up with sone guidelines to speed up the process because it will take time to revise the Ordinance. The Camlittee also discussed including federal guidelines in the Human Relations Ordinance. Addiny provision for Commissioners on conflict of interest, and getting feedback frau the City Attorney or investigations referred to his office. HUMAN REEATICVS OCMMISSICN MINUTES 410, PAGE 3 Ordinance Camnittee Report (continued) Caiuuissioner Guidry also reported the Ordinance Committee is also looking at the Commission being a separate entity. It was explained to the Caiunissim we are an autonomous holy, but would only report directly to the City Manager. It was reported the Committee is reviewing Ordinances and Guidelines frau other cities. Fair Housing Assessment - Response Camnissioner Guidry reported on guidelines and procedures on the draft Resolution. Commissioner Peaty reported ideas are needed regarding the presentation of the Resolution on the Fair Housing Assessment. The alternatives would be to (1) Send it to each Council Meter or (2) Present it at City Council at their regular meeting. Commissioner Lenken suggested the Camission should send a letter to the City Council Members to explain the Fair Housing Resolutions before a request to be put on the Agenda is made. ihr Ca:uuissioner Guidry stated the Fair Housing Committee should oversee the presentation for the City Council. The Committee consists of Commissioners Peaty, Green, McGurn, and Guidry. Camaissioner McGurn made a notion to accept the Resolution. It was seconded by Canmissioner `9ills,ard it was unanimously voted to accept the Resolution. New Business Report on State Housing Sunuuit - Austin, Texas - emissioner McCurn Commissioner McCum spoke briefly on the Housing Summit attended by Caumissioners on January 30, 1992 in Austin, Texas. Cacmissioner McCurn reported the Fair Housing Summit had representation frau various cities, such as, Fort Worth, Dallas, Austin, Corpus Christi, Houston, and Washington, D. C. individuals in attendance were as follows: Deputy Assistant Secretary for Housing and Urban Development, Sea Guerrero, Washington, D. C.; John Wright, Office of Fair Housing, Fort Worth, Texas; William Hale, Executive Director, Texas Co:muission on Human Rights; Jonathan Wilder, Director of Enforcement, Texas Camaission of Hunan Rights; and Frank Thomas, Chairman, Texas Commission on Hunan Rights; Alma Anderson, it Worth Hunan Relations Canai.ssion; Doug Dynan, City of Dallas; Lee Elliott Pont, City of Houston; and Marco Salinas, City of Austin Human Relations Commission. HUMAN RELATICUS 024IISSICN MINUTES 41, PAGE 4 Report on State Housing Summit - Austin, Texas - Csmijissioner McGurn (continued) Caauissioner McGurn stated the meeting informed attendees there is expertise available to help obtain substantial equivalency. Casnissioner McCurn reported the Commissioners play a very important role in the Caimnunity and there are pavers within the CHL uission's job description which indicate we should be forceful and demanding of our City Officials in furthering Fair Housing laws. Commissioner McGurn stated the Deputy Assistant Secretary is very serious about the compliance in Fair Housing, and there must be some type of commitment frau the City to eliminate discrimination in housing. Also John Wright, Director, Fair Housing, Fort Worth, wants to make sure each city in the next two (2) years receives substantial equivalency. Commissioner McCurn stated that technical Assistance will be given with the consent of the Commission to assure the City does further Fair housing. Pts. McCurn stated one thing they will not do is fight our battles for us. Also one of the members frau the technical assistance team stated "if the Commission wants to use Dallas as an example, do so". Caimdssioner McCurn stated the Commission has support in Washington, D. C. One of things that was definitely stated over and over again was the Commission should do it and not put all problems on the shoulders of the employees working in the department. Commissioner McGurn also stated the Commission is a volunteer body targeted with the aim to achieve the purpose of furthering fair housing. Commissioner Peaty stated she loarned frau the meeting that you have to be political. There are a number of ways, such as, speaking up on the issues, going in front of television is very effective in getting people to sit up and listen. Corunissioner Beaty said she read a memorandum on whether a Fair Housing Assessment is required or reciomended, and if something is not done this might end in a costly lawsuit, as we have people that have some meritorious complaints. InciN REfATICEIS C' ?1ISSIQI MINUTES 411, PAGE 5 Martin Luther King's Birthday Holiday for City Caiuiussioner Ilaltan in absentia requested the Camiission to recamnerd that the City recognize Martin Luther King's Birthday as an official holiday. After some discussion Conniissioner MCCum made a motion that the Camnissioners yo before the City Council to recaru;r'nd Martin Luther King's Birthday be an official holiday and to uc one of the floating holidays to eliminate additional cost to the City. Camnissioner Lenken suggested the Caamissioners ask Juan Garza, City Manager, to attend the next Commission Meeting to discuss Martin Luther King's Holiday. Convu.ssioner Guidry :wade a notion that the Camnission vote on recommending Martin Luther King's Birthday be presented to the City Council as official holiday for the City. Motion Gras Fussed and accepted. Jacquelyn Harrell discussed training and the best time that would be 411. available. Also discussed was our Llnployment Conference to be held April 24, 1992 on the Americans Disabilities Act, and Sexual Harassment. C,OSED SESSIW PUBLIC NOTICE is given £ursuant to the Texas Open Meetings Act, Article 6252- 17, that the Human Relations Caundssion may elect to go into closed session any time during the above neoting for discussion on subjects properly before than when authorized by the provisions of said Act. ADJOURME NT There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 6:10 p.m. Vice Chair Date