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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes Human Relations Commission - 12/03/1992 MINUTFS OF HE ` HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION MEETING December 3, 1992 Commissioners Present Commissioners Absent Kate Haltom, Chair Sarah Guidry Richard Leshin Jimmie McGurn Grandis Lenken Myra Stepter Rosalie Beaty Lynda Herndon-Sutherland Staff Present Terry Mills Jacquelyn Harrell Clyde Bourke Adell Lucas Mousumi Shaw June Shultz Jonathan Blum Guests Debbie Lindsey-Opal Assistant to the Mayor The regular monthly meeting was called to order at 5:00 p.m. by the Chair, Kate Haltom. Rollcall was taken and a quorum was present to conduct a legally constituted meeting. 4111, APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES It was moved, seconded and voted the Minutes of November 5, 1992 he approved as read with corrections as set forth blow: Media Policy Commissioners Haltom and Leshin discussed a motion from the last meeting, wherein it was stated, "in a crisis not even the Chair should speak unless the entire Commission gives some kind of consent or statement". Comnissiorer Leshin stated with regard to public statements, "my thoughts are each person is on their own and no one can speak for the Commission. The Chair can only speak if Commissioners discuss and vote on the issue". Commissioner Haltom questioned Comnissioner Leshin whether he was not saying in a crisis the Commission should meet and come up with a statement. Comndssioner Leshin stated we can meet, that is fine. Commissioner Leshin stated the Commission can get together have a meeting and add it to Policy. Commissioner Leshin stated he has m objection to that being part of the Policy. His only concern was having the Chair, Vice Chair only speaking for the Commission, and voting on it versus not being discussed. IMAM RELATIONS aniisSIQat MINUTES PAGE 2 Commissioner Haltom requested other corrections on the minutes. The Minutes were approved and accepted as corrected. 4. Chair's Comments under Media Policy & Introduction of Guests. 5. Old Business a. Travel Policy Report - Sarah Guidry - No Report b. Ordinance Committee Report - Sarah Guidry - No Report Jacquelyn Harrell stated as requested at the meeting, the Ordinance has been put on word perfect so Committee mutters may make changes via personal cunputer. Ordinance Committee members are Sarah Guidry, Rosalie Beaty, Jimmie McCurn, Clyde Bourke and Richard Leshin. c. Coalition on Aids Report - Lynda Sutherland Commissioner Sutherland stated she will be interviewing Judy Hale, Chairman of Aids Foundation. 411/ d. Freedom of Information Conference Material (distribution)- Sarah Guidry Not available yet for distribution Fair Housing Assessment Commissioner Beaty stated her concerns on Project Manager, Fela teal, and the salary for the Fair Housing Assessment. Commissioner Beaty said she was puzzled that credentials were not questioned. The Caller Tins had stated a salary of $40,000 and an old position had been phased out at City Hall. Commissioner Beaty reported she doesn't see any real work is going to be done according to the Minutes. Commissioner Beaty wants to know, out of $60,000 allocated for the analysis to be cone, why isn't Mr. Kelly Elizonxo sufficiently capable to oversee a project like this, and why pay someone $40,000 to oversee information being gathered for discrimination in housing. It would seem that Mr. Elizondo in his position and with the salary he, receives would be more accurate. Commissioner Beaty questioned if the $40,000 was being taken out of the $60,000 that was allocated for a Fair Housing Assessment for salary only. IIIMANREIATIGIS C WCSSIQl MINUTES PAGE 3 Commissioner Haltom explained, "Community Development put out bids for the Fair Housing Assessment and m replies were received". Commissioner Beaty asked, "how can this formally be looked into because the Fair Housing Assessment is very important to the City". Jacquelyn Harrell explained to newer Commissioners the Fair Housing Assessment was requested by the Human Relations Commission. We do not think it would be out of line to talk to Mr. Kelly Elizondo in a private committee meeting. Commissioners Terry Mills, Jimmie McClurn, Rosalie Beaty, and Kate Haltom will schedule a meeting. Commissioner Mills made a notion to move forward to meet with Mr. Kelly Elizondo on the Fair Housing Assessment. It was seconded and unanimously approved. Demographic Report Commissioner Beaty, "stated do we as a Commission have the authority to publish the findings of the demographic report letting the public know this is the current status and encourage people to apply for Boards and Cbmmissions"? 41111, Commissioner Sutherland stated Rosemary Barnes from the Caller Times has the information. 6. NW BUSINESS a. Coalition on Crime Commissioner Haltom introduced Debbie Lindsey-Opel, Assistant to the Mayor. Commissioner Haltom stated Ms. Lindsey-Opel will talk briefly on the newly organized group, Coalition on Crime. Ms. Lindsey-Opel stated the Coalition on Crime is a separate Mayoral appointment. Ms. Lindsey-Opel reported on MUSCLE. She said, the Mayor is participating with Mayors in other large cities in Texas to develop a Crime Prevention initiative along with the National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) . The group was able to get sane grant money through a project for Texas and they are looking for participation from the entire community. National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) is seeking to have representatives come and develop a crime prevention plan. National Crime Prevention Council has identified five areas to be looked at by the Coalition. The five areas are as follows: (1) Neighborhood, (2) Education, (3) Youth, (4) Violent Crime, (5) Substance Abuse. Twenty-four members make up the Coalition. HUMAN RELATIONS NTII$SI V PAGE 4 Commissioner Halton asked what happened to the Gang Task force - Youth Council? Debbie Lindsey-Opel explained what happened to the Youth Council. The Youth Council was put on hold when Coalition on Crime came into effect, and the Youth Council would fall under the Coalition program. There was a misunderstanding on has Washington expected the City to spend their grant money. B. Coal Committee Review Commissioner Halton asked if Commissioners wanted to act on selection of goal committees. Commissioner Beaty mads a notion to wait until next meeting to discuss the Goal Committee Review. The notion was seconded and passed. The matter of the time of next meeting was discussed. It was moved and seconded the meeting be held January 21 , due to scheduled absence of the Chair and several Commissioners. 7. Training Session Public Relations - Clyde Bourke Jacquelyn Harrell stated Commissioners need formal Public Relations training. Commissioner Lynda Sutherland is Chair of the Public Relations Committee, and with her encouragement Commissioner Clyde Bourke was asked to do Public Relations training lvrause of his Public Relations background. Jacquelyn Harrell also stated Susan Cable, Public Relations person, for the City of Corpus Christi will be attending a meeting to give some input on Public Relations. Commissioner Bourke said it's not necessary for the whole Connussion to have a training session for publicity, but mainly to have knowledge on what to do when a situation arises, how to handle the press or news media, and on what areas can be discussed as Commissioners to the public. Commissioner Bourke also stated that in a crisis situation, the Chair can't speak for the Commission, but can speak as a individual. IRPMN REGATIQ7S OCINISSIQi MINUTES ( PAGE 5 �y Commissioner Bourke suggested the Public Relations Committee come up with a program. He stated there are areas of responsibility for the Commission to study. (1) To let the public in general know our role, mission and goals as Human Relations Commission. (2) Let the people know what we are doing. (3) hbrk with the public, and how we can best serve the renter, disabled, minority, etc. to be sure they cone to us in a problem situation. Commissioner Bourke stated on the problems he has read about on housing, and discrimination in Corpus Christi, the citizens that were having problems, if they had known about the Human Relations Commission, could have come to us. Commissioner Bourke feels the Commission is rot getting the word out to the conmunity. lbw can we do it? It can be done in many ways. Get a lot of the publicity materials to apartments, stores, and personal offices. Commissioner Bourke talked about procedures whenever a crisis situation arises for any of the Commissioners. Commissioner Bourke went on to say he would like the Human Relations Commission to have a booth display in Padre Staples Mall an a Saturday, give out information, and answer questions. Make the community aware the Human Relations Canmission is here in Corpus Christi. 460, Comidssioner Bourke stated he would like to see press releases ucunthly so the public can see what the staff is doing. Whenever an appointment to the Commission is made, there could he a press release. We can have a meeting each month, write down three or four issues that will be discussed each month on publicity. 8. Public Comments - 2 Minutes Ron Hudson stated the Commission would get more mileage by making a periodic report to the Mayor and City Council. Ron Hudson asked the Chair if she was aware of a piece of paper that is posted along side of the agenda. Mr. Hudson stated that notice is posted the sane time as the agenda. Mr. Hudson questioned the necessity of posting a notice "which is illegal" in the first place. The Chair referred the question to the Director. HUMAN RE[ATICKS Q2tIISSION MINUTES PAGE �r Jaoguelyn Harrell stated there was a ueeting with the Chair and Vice (hair, and it was decided how we wanted the agenda/notice posted. Mrs. Harrell continued to say the notice is not always posted simultaneously with the agenda. Most of the time, the notice is posted first, pending readiness of the agenda. The agenda is always posted within the 72 hour limit. This is perfectly legal. It was stated Mr. Hudson had already complained to the Attorney General's Office and the Attorney General's opinion stipulated no violations were found and our postings are perfectly legal. ALUOURNMaIT There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 6:30 p.m. Chair Date