2014_02-19_HRC_minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

Human Rights Commission Minutes February 19, 2014 Page 5 of 10 Chair Groff commented he was willing to serve in this capacity. Commissioner Becker stated he would be available to serve as the alternate. Committee and Other Reports Civic Engagement Task Force Council Action at February 10, 2014 meeting regarding establishing new Commissions: Commissioner Grefenberg, co-chair of the HRC's Civic Engagement Task Force, reported the Council created a Civic Engagement Commission on a 4-1 vote at their February 10, 2014 meeting. He submitted a description of this commission to the HRC members present. It was his opinion there would not be any overlap between the Civic Engagement Commission and the HRC. He reported that current commission members could apply for the Civic Engagement Commission, explaining that he understood Commissioner Becker was interested in applying for this new commission. He explained he intends to apply based on his understanding that membership was open to existing commissioners. Staff Liaison said she had a different understanding on this issue of whether current commissioners could apply for the Community Engagement Commission. Commissioner Grefenberg asked that any other Commission members interested in joining the new Community Engagement Commission also contact him. Pending Consideration of Revising Human Rights Commission Ordinance: Commissioner Grefenberg reviewed the first draft of the Human Rights Commission Ordinance with the HRC. He discussed the language changes proposed by staff. He encouraged the Chair and Vice Chair to discuss this matter in further detail before the proposed Ordinance was reviewed and acted upon by the Council. As noted in the Civic Engagement Report dated February 12th which was included in the meeting packet, Grefenberg recommended that the Commission authorize its Operations Committee to review and prepare a response to these changes before the March HRC meeting. In response to a question from Commissioner Becker, Ms. Collins said it was her understanding the Council subcommittee on Commissions would be addressing the issue of revising the current commissions' ordinances, but had not yet done that. She added that she did not anticipate that the Council would not be taking action on this item before the March 19th HRC meeting. Commissioner Grefenberg was in favor of the Operations Committee providing the Council comment on this issue if the timing did not allow full Commission review prior to Council action.