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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes Human Relations Commission - 05/02/1996 MINUTES OF THE HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION MEETING May 2, 1996 Commissioners Present Cnmmissinnen Absent Mr. Clyde Bourke Mr. Josemanuel Banales Rev. Willie Davila Mr. Kareem Goffigon Ms. Corina Garcia Mr. Gary Goltzman Dr. Kate Haltom Rabbi Paul Joseph Ms. Anna M. Mercado Ms. Jimmie McCum Mr. Terry Mills Mr. Errol Summerlin ,Staff Present Ms. Abigail A Wemeke Mr. Jorge Garza Dr. Helen R Gurley Ms. Aden Lucas Ms. Adrian Luna The meeting was called to order at approximately 6:45 p.m by the Chairperson,Rev. Willie Davila. Roll call was taken and a quorum was present to conduct a legally constituted meeting. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES It was moved, seconded and voted that the minutes of March 14, 1996 stand approved. CHAIRPERSON'S REPORT The Commission has invited Tom Utter,Group Manager,Development Services of the City of Corpus Christi to the Commission's next monthly meeting to discuss the Community Development Block Grant request. Rev. Davila asked for committee reports and Dr. Haltom stated that the Mayor's Committee for Persons with Disabilities will have a workshop Tuesday, May 7, 1996 on ADA compliance for the business community,hi conjunction with Colombia Healthcare Corp. ADMINISTRATORIE.RELORT Dr. Gurley reported on inquiries for the month of April relating to employment,housing and public accommodation discrimination. She also summarized year-to-date inquiries. Charges filed with the Human Relations office are up 68%from last year at this time. kir 1 The Commissioners are continuing mediation training to gain certification ht the next few months. It is hoped that they will be able to begin to mediate and resolve cases which are pending with the Human Relations office. Funding request for Community Development Block Grant for the Human Relations Department was not recommended,possibly due to differences in opinions from persons on the Planning Commission. The Commission will be working with Tom Utter to better prepare for next year's request. In the meantime, training within the community could perhaps take place through taping segments on fair housing and equal employment to present on the public access channel This would also provide a vehicle for informing the community and employers about the Commission, its function and city ordinances which prohibit discrimination in fair housing,equal employment and public accommodation. An update on the Human Relations Commission's annual conference was given. This year the conference will take place Friday,June 14, 1996 at the Bayfront Plaza Convention Center. Dr. Gurley gave an overview of the scheduled speakers conducting the various seminars, as well as topics to be discussed. Rev. Davila asked for questions or comments. Errol Summerlin commented that he disagrees with the Planning Commission's recommendation not to accept the Human Relations Commission's funding request, as initially CDBG funds were solely created for housing related purposes. 41111, mUBLmC COMMENTS Resident L. Coleman commented regarding an alleged incident involving a housing authority staff member and a young man. The staff allegedly slapped the young man in the face and no serious disciplinary action was taken against the housing authority employee. Another alleged incident was the eviction of a woman the day before her son's fimeral,whose body had been dumped on housing authority property near a telephone booth. Resident P. Beasley commented that racism exists in the housing authority system. This group attending the Commissioner's meeting has been told that action will be taken against them because they are addressing these issues before the Commission. Morale among housing authority employees is low, due to extensive racism they see in the department, but they are afraid to come forward, because threats have been made against them Selene Pellat former housing employee and resident at McKenzie Duplex has filed an EEOC complaint against the housing authority for wrongful termination. Ms.Pellet has spoken to the Texas Rangers and believes she was terminated due to this and retaliated against,although she was given other reasons by the housing authority for her termination. While employed there, she saw misuse of finds and other damaging things. Retaliation started after she reported these instances to Albert Garza. Ms. Pellet also filed a complaint with wage and hour. She was terminated November 15,1 995, and even though Ms. Pellat has asked fora Sir housing hearing,she has yet to hear from anyone in response. She has been `Igr 2 411, told that the Executive Director will not speak to her and that she needs to contact the housing authority attorneys regarding these issues. According to Ms. Pellat,in a breach of confidentiality,two women employed by the housing authority, Ms. Green and Ms. Benavidez, spoke about her(Selene Pellat's)legal matters with a woman from Washington who was in Corpus Christi to see the "good programs"the housing authority is involved in. She has also contacted Augustine Rivera of the Board of Commissioners,and has received no reply. She knows of a resident who was being taken to court because she had missed two (2) month's rent due to her husband's recent heart attack and hospitalization,baby-sitting costs,travel expenses to/from hospital, etc., and this resident was told by Mr. De La Garza that her rent was only$130 per month, which is approximately$4 per day and that she needed to be grateful for the place where she was living. Sandra Covington stated her complaint deals with upkeep and maintenance. The Treyway facility has faulty wall heaters, faulty wall sockets, electric smoke alarms(if the electricity goes out the alarms don't work). Recently four families(race/Black) experienced sewer back-up in their apartments due to flooding and heavy rains. The maintenance man who responded to the emergency three(3)hours after it was reported,is the same person who allegedly slapped a young resident. He told the families that he couldn't do anything about their problem because he did not have the right equipment for repairs and left. The families were left with raw sewage in their homes until the following day,when another crew looked into the problem. Tina Butler,former board member, also is concerned with the maintenance person slapping a resident and feels that this matter needs looking into. While on the board, she received many calls concerning ` complaints about the housing authority waiting list. One woman (race/Black) turned down an apartment she was shown after having been on the waiting list for 2 years. The reason she did not take the apartment shown to her was lack oftransportation;if she took this apartment, she would have had to take 4 different buses to arrive at her place of employment and report to work by 7:00 a.m. She was not given other choices,but rather,put once again,on the bottom ofthe waiting list. Another applicant for housing(Hispanic), stated'1 don't want to live where niggers live", and Tina Butler has learned that this second woman(Hispanic),was given housing, while the Black woman is at the bottom of the list once again. These are the kinds of concems/problems involving the housing authority that need to be addressed,because we have to try and live together in public housing, stated Ms. Butler. Rev. Branch commented that there have been many problems in the D. N. Leathers and other housing areas,as it related to flooding and persons not being treated fairly,because of their race. This did not just begin. It was going on when he was on the Commission. Rev. Davila stated that if these allegations involving racism/housing discrimination exist, it is within the realm of Commission to look into them,but not the issues involving building maintenance,unless they are more prevalent withing a certain race. Corina Garcia made a motion that Rev. Davila appoint a committee to look into allegations, Terry Mills seconded the motion and Rev. Davila called for discussion. Errol Summerlin asked whether it is appropriate for the Commission to investigate,or should the staff investigate, and if there are members 3 411, of the Commission on an investigative committee,will they later be allowed to participate in discussion or voting by the Commission involving these issues. Dr. Gurley answered, "no", it would not be proper for this committee to be involved in voting or discussion. She stated that as Administrator for the Commission she can file a charge and pass it on to the Commission to look in to. If the Commission files a charge,then Dr. Gurley would send the charge to the Enforcement Unit of the U. S.Department of Housing &Urban Development and allow the federal government to investigate the claim. After a complaint is filed with the federal government, a copy is also sent to the Texas Commission on Human Rights and they may also come in and investigate. There could be two agencies investigating allegations at the same time. Mr. Summerlin suggested that a committee of 2 to 3 Commissioners be formed. He asked, if the Commissioners file a charge, then does the Commission become the complainant and the residents become the evidence. Dr. Gurley replied, `yes", that is so. Mr. Summerlin asked what kind of investigative authority does the Commission have to review records from the housing authority, and what course of action can be taken if this request is denied. Dr. Gurley replied that according to the City Ordinance,the Commission can investigate and request records under section 24-4 of the ordinance. If records are denied, then the Commission can ask the city attorney to request records through subpoena. She went on to say, before speaking of investigation, the Commission would first need to sit down with the complaining parties to determine whether they have a prima face case. If so, a decision on how to handle the situation would be made, once the Commission has received a report from the committee appointed by Rev. Davila. A motion was passed for Rev. Davila to appoint a committee to sit with residents and look into allegations. Errol Summerlin, Corina Garcia and Terry Mills were appointed to meet with the complaining parties and report back to the Commission with their findings. Resident E. F. Bennett, former Housing Commissioner voiced concerns regarding lack of action/involvement from the Human Relations Commission in the past involving housing discrimination complaints/issues. He is very concerned with flooding, raw sewage backing up, especially around the Saxon Heights area,which he says,has been going on for quite some time in the city's north side. Dr. Gurley thanked Abigail Wemeke, Youth Commissioner for serving on the Commission and congratulated her on her upcoming high school graduation. Ms. Werneke will not be able to continue her service on the Commission, as she will no longer be eligible. The meeting adjourned at approximately 7:15 p.m. A slide presentation on: "Is it me or industry polluting my neighborhood"by Professor Mary Thorpe of Del Mal College followed. Rev. Willie Davila, Chairperson Date Minutes Approved 41/49 4