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Human Rights Commission Minutes <br />September 17, 2014 – Draft Minutes <br />Page 8 of 10 <br />Commissioner Thao would like to review a time line for how and when this program would start <br />315 <br />and a list of criteria for choosing winners. She also expressed concerns with it occurring at the <br />316 <br />same time as the essay contest. <br />317 <br />318 <br />Commissioner Bachhuber stated the considerations of nominee evaluation could be used to <br />319 <br />determine winners. <br />320 <br />321 <br />Vice Chair Becker stated the Commission had initially suggested have the awards done at the <br />322 <br />same time as the essay contest winners awards due to budget concerns. The event does not need <br />323 <br />to be limited to this time. He suggested Rosefest as another time that could be considered. <br />324 <br />325 <br />Commissioner Singleton provided information he had drafted to incorporate a Commissioner <br />326 <br />Initiated Recognition. He stated this could be something that could be done throughout the year <br />327 <br />and the recipients could be recognized at either a Commission meeting or City Council meeting, <br />328 <br />depending on the award they received. There would not be any restrictions on who could receive <br />329 <br />the award and the nominations come from Commissioners. The award currently being proposed <br />330 <br />would be an annual award and City Staff is not eligible for it. <br />331 <br />332 <br />Commissioner Thao suggested focusing on one component at a time and being sure it is a <br />333 <br />success before expanding it. <br />334 <br />335 <br />Ms. Collins expressed ethical concerns with this type of award system. Commissioners could be <br />336 <br />nominating people that they have some sort of relationship with and it could be misconstrued. <br />337 <br />338 <br />Commissioner Singleton stated as long as a preexisting relationship is disclosed there would not <br />339 <br />be an ethical question. The Committee decides if there would be an award not the Commissioner <br />340 <br />making the nomination. He clarified the Committee had not reviewed this program proposal as <br />341 <br />he was looking for Commission feedback prior to taking it to the Committee. <br />342 <br />343 <br />Commissioner Thao stated she did not view continually reviewing nominations and discussing <br />344 <br />who should be receiving awards as a good use of Commission time. She also expressed <br />345 <br />concerns with the Commission or Committee making a determination on who would get a higher <br />346 <br />or lesser award. <br />347 <br />348 <br />Commissioner Singleton stated the level of the award would be determined by the achievement. <br />349 <br />350 <br />Commissioner Bachhuber stated this type of program would put the Commission in the position <br />351 <br />to make judgments. The annual award recipients are nominated by residents. She stated she <br />352 <br />would not be comfortable not awarding someone who had been nominated by a fellow <br />353 <br />Commissioner. The Commissioners could discuss members of the community with other people <br />354 <br />and this would be a way of recognizing them. She stated it had been pointed out in the New <br />355 <br />Commissioners Training that perception is important. <br />356 <br />357 <br /> <br />