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Roseville Human Rights Commission DRAFT Meeting Minutes -March 10, 2009 Page 3 of 5 1 City Manager Malinen referenced a Request for Council Action before the City Council, and the 2 City Council's support for the HRC to fulfill the community mandates in the Imagine Roseville 3 2025 visioning process to create and/or improve neighborhood connections and to provide a 4 sense of welcome and involvement in the community. Malinen reviewed the desire to educate 5 the community on diversity issues that would foster collaborations. He said there was a good 6 connection between the HRC and furthering those community goals. Malinen suggested 7 opportunities for community outreach and establishing a communication link to resolve issues in 8 a changing community and providing opportunities to do so. 9 10 Malinen noted that the City Council was supportive of such a concept, with the HRC becoming a 11 vehicle to enhance diversity awareness, neighborhoods and connections, and to create more 12 diversity education and links in the community, while maintaining their human rights mission. 13 Malinen apologized for any misconceptions of "renaming" the HRC or diminishing their human 14 rights role. 15 16 Member McKenzie prepared a response, attached, expressing her concern that the HRC and its 17 human rights role being abandoned to facilitate heritage celebrations. McKenzie read the 18 definition of human rights and the universal declaration of the Human Rights Act. McKenzie 19 said the HRC could be reinvigorated without renaming it and could achieve accomplishments 20 similar to those of the past. 21 22 Commissioners discussed whether the purpose was to abolish or redirect the HRC. ~3 Commissioners noted the need to consider all aspects of diversity and what it meant to this 24 community, including impacts of the current economic situation. Commissioners questioned if 25 other advisory commissions were more suitable to accomplishing some of the goals (i.e., 26 festivals). 27 28 Member McKenzie highlighted past accomplishments of the HRC and how issues were resolved, 29 saying the City served as a role model for other communities in the field of human rights and 30 emphasized the need to continue that legacy. 31 32 City Manager Malinen recognized Member McKenzie's passion about the HRC title and 33 umbrella of human rights inclusivity. He noted his revision of the original Request for Council 34 Action based on concerns and discussions related to the intended focus and implementation of 35 the thematic mandates of the community developed through the visioning process. 36 37 City Manager Malinen expounded on the need for creating or supporting neighborhoods, 38 community connectivity and diversity education, all within the umbrella of human rights; 39 understanding and addressing differences; and fostering a climate of welcome and unity. He said 40 the function was not much different than the process used for past accomplishments of the HRC. 41 42 Member Crump asked if this was a recommendation to the HRC or the newly-created mission of 43 the HRC. He said it was one thing to ask the HRC to help the City Council meet the Imagine 44 Roseville 2025 goals, but it was another matter to dictate that it was part of the HRC charter and 45 mandate that the HRC accomplish those specific things. Member Crump said that some proposed •46 bullet points may be more applicable to another advisory commission.