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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAPPROVED HRC 07.26.2023 MINUTESHuman Rights Commission CITY OF PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA .y MINUTES Special Meeting July 26, 2023 Palm Springs City Hall, Council Chambers 1. CALL TO ORDER: Chair Loyola called the meeting to order at 5:30p.m 2. ROLL CALL: Present: Commissioners: Vignolo, Cleary, Flood, Ramoran, Rinke*, Horn, Greer, Shepherd, Loyola and Student Representative Hanner * *Not present during roll call Absent: None. Staff Present: Jay Virata, Director, Community & Economic Development 8. CHAIR COMMENTS: Chair Loyola announced the need to rearrange the agenda to have a better flow for discussion. The meeting proceeded with the acceptance of the agenda. S. ACCEPTANCE OF THE AGENDA Chair Loyola proposed rearranging the order of the agenda to have a getter flow for discussion as follows: Mission Statement & Goals, Public Comments, Presentations, Approval of Minutes, Election of Chair and Vice Chair, and then resume with the regular order of the agenda. MOTION BY: Commission Ramoran, second by Commissioner Horn to accept the order of the agenda as stated by Chair Loyola. Commissioner Vignolo suggested an amendment to the motion and having Presentations be first and the Mission Statement and Goals be waived to save time, otherwise, read aloud if they wished. Commissioner Rinke and Student Representative Hanner joined the meeting at 5:37pm. Chair Loyola specified the Mission Statement would be read aloud only; presentations would be placed after Mission Statement & Goals. Commissioner Rinke left the meeting at 5:39p.m. due to technical difficulties. MOTION RESTATED. Rearrange the order of the agenda as follows: Mission Statement and goals, Presentations, Public Comments, Approval of Minutes, Election of Chair and Vice Chair, and then resume with the regular order of the agenda. MOTION BY: Commission Ramoran, second by Commissioner Horn to amend the agenda as discussed. Motion Carried Unanimously. YES: 8 NO: 0 Commissioner Rinke joined the meeting at 5:40 p.m. 6. MISSION STATEMENT & GOALS: Chair Loyola read the mission statement out loud. 4. PRESENTATIONS Human Rights Commission Special Meeting Minutes July 26, 2023 Page 2 Dimitri, Halkidis, President and CEOIFounder of Boo2Bullying, presented on the organization's mission statement and programs. An invitation was extended to the Commission to support the event and be a Co - Sponsor of Kick Bullying to the Curb on September 30, 2023. Halkidis responded to comments and questions. Commissioner Vignolo discussed sponsorship for the event; confirmed the Commission would not be a co- sponsor, since the City is a sponsor. Commissioners can choose to participate in the event or help facilitate; the Human Rights Commission will not be specifically listed on event materials and flyers. Commissioner participation was gathered for the event on September 30. Director Virata, in response to an inquiry, confirmed that the Commission cannot take a vote to support the event as the matter is not agendized and is only a presentation. The City only prefers the City Logo be visible, acknowledging city sponsorship, for this type of event. 7. PUBLIC COMMENTS: None. 9. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Director Virata reported receiving the following two comments: • Commissioner Flood was indicated as absent in error; Item. 2. Roll Call, will be amended accordingly. • Commissioner Clearly identified a punctuation error on the Agenda Item. 11., bullet #2 that caused confusion; apostrophe will be removed from bullet#2 to read: Admission of new members to the Standing Committees Chair Loyola requested the minutes also be amended to reflect Commissioner Ramoran's last name and read Ramoran and not Ramon. MOTION BY Commissioner Horn, Second by Ramoran to approve the minutes as amended. YES 9; NO. 3. ELECTION OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION CHAIR AND VICE -CHAIR FOR 2023-2024 FISCAL YEAR. CHAIR SELECTION: Chair Loyola discussed the annual Chair and Vice Chair selection process. The floor was opened for nominations to serve as Chair. Commissioner Vignolo and Loyola self -nominated for Chair. Commissioner Clearly seconded the nomination for Commissioner Vignolo as Chair. Each nominee provided a statement regarding their interest and goals to be Chair. Chair Loyola called the following votes: Vote for David Vignolo for Chair of the Human Rights Commission. YES: 3 NO: 7 Vote to re-elect Hugo Loyola for Chair of the Human Rights Commission. YES: 6NO: 3 Chair Loyola was re -selected as Chair of the Human Rights Commission. VICE CHAIR SELECTION: The floor was opened for nominations to serve as Vice -Chair. Chair Loyola nominated Commissioner Shepherd for re-election to Vice -Chair. Human Rights Commission Special Meeting Minutes July 26, 2023 Page 3 Commissioner Vignolo self -nominated for Vice Chair and provided comments. Chair Loyola called the following votes: Vote to re-elect Donna Shepherd as Vice Chair of the Human Rights Commission. YES: 5 NO: 3 Vote for David Vignolo as Vice Chair of the Human Rights Commission. YES: 4 NO: 3 Vice Chair Shepherd was re -selected as Vice Chair of the Human Rights Commission. Commissioner Rinke; aren't votes confidential? Director Virata responded that they have a procedure provided by the City Clerk that calls for verbal nominations and votes. The Commission resumed the regular order of the agenda. 10. ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION/ACTION: A. Committee and Liaison Reports 1. Executive Report Standing Committee (Chair Loyola, Vice Chair Shepherd) Chair Loyola; Due to no regular commission meetings being scheduled in August, the committee thinks it would be a good opportunity to have a retreat scheduled. Commissioner Cleary reminded that the Executive Committee rotating member position is up for selection as well and nominated Commissioner Vignolo to be a member of the Executive Committee being the Commissioner at large. Comments and questions ensued about the Commission's rules and procedures document adopted in 1996. Director Virata confirmed the rules and procedures document should be followed. The Commission proceeded with a vote for a third rotating member to the Executive Committee with the caveat that they will revise the document and bring it forward to the full Commission. Vice Chair Shepherd nominated Commissioner Ramoran for the Executive Position at large. Commissioner Rinke expressed not having a clear understanding of the Executive Position; Chair Loyola will make sure everyone is resent the Rules and Procedures Document and the Standing Committees Document. Commissioner Vignolo shared his desire to serve as a member of the Executive Committee. Commissioner Ramoran thanked the Vice Chair for her nomination but respectfully removed his nomination. Chair Loyola; having no other nomination for the Executive Committee member position, the Commission unanimously agreed to designate Commissioner Vignolo as a member of the Executive Committee for three months and they will amend their rules and procedures document and Committee information over the next few months. Commissioner Vignolo was welcomed to the Executive Committee A strategic planning retreat meeting was discussed for August 14, 2023, from 1 pm to 5pm at Vice Chair's residence. Director Virata reported that the retreat is required to be a public meeting with public access; he will confirm the Brown Act requirements for the retreat meeting. Human Rights Commission Special Meeting Minutes July 26, 2023 Page 4 Commissioner Rinke recently took the City's Brown Act Training and will forward the training materials to Director Virata to share with the full Commission. 2. PSPD LGBT Outreach Liaison Report (Loyola) No Report. 3. Master Calendar Liaison Report (Vignolo) No Report. 4. Main Street Liaison Report (Loyola) Chair Loyola; other organizations are looking to join the Main Street Businesses Organization. 5. Organized Neighborhoods of Palm Springs Liaison Report (Vignolo) No Report. 6. Desert Highland Gateway Estates Community Association Liaison Report (Flood, Shepherd) No Report. 7. Veterans Issues Liaison (Flood, Vignolo) No Report. 8. Youth/Education Affairs Standing Committee (Hanner, Shepherd, Vignolo) Commissioner Vignolo; no summer camp activity was planned far July; he will roll that into the September 30t" event. Commissioner Shepherd will provide Commissioner Vignolo with the supplies she ordered for the event. 9. Mediation Liaison (Vignolo) Vice Chair Shepherd announced Riverside County Community Action Partnership is having another mediator training starting October 31d. She encouraged other Commissioners to take the training and commented on her experience providing mediation throughout Riverside County courts. The training flyer was to be resent to the Commission. 10. Equity and Social Justice Committee Liaison Update (Shepherd,) No. B. Discussion and Planning for Retreat Commission Vignolo shared how he would like to streamline the rules and procedures document and incorporate some procedural examples used by other Human Rights Commissions throughout the State. Highlighted some suggestions for revisions, for further discussion during their retreat. Chair Loyola; thanked Commissioner Vignolo for forward thinking, it will be a great document for them to carefully review, and requested this be an Agenda item for the next meeting so they can report on the retreat and what adjustments were made to the Rules and Procedure Document. C. Discuss Standing Committees and Assignments. The meeting proceeded to Item D. D. Discuss Potential Partnerships With Other Organizations Commissioner Greer spoke about the Blue Zone Organization and Blue Zone communities; is looking forward to seeing how the project moves forward with the city to become a blue zone community. Chair Loyola shared that Councilmember Bernstein highly recommended they insert themselves in this project that will bring a positive program to improve the quality of life for residents and the environment. Commissioner Rinke commented on homelessness and shared thoughts on forming a tighter collaboration with organizations such as Palm Springs Police Department, Well in the Desert, and DAP. Would like to serve as a liaison to see how the Human Rights Commission can help support the multiple homelessness initiatives and find a strategy to collaborate. Human Rights Commission Special Meeting Minutes July 26, 2023 Page 5 Chair Loyola encouraged commissioners to find a topic that's in the City Council's strategic plan and bring it forward. He emphasized everything the Commission does is in support of the City Council and their strategic plan. E. 2nd Annual Bullying Symposium (Vignolo) Chair Loyola; this item has already been discussed. He thanked Commissioner Vignola for all the work that he has done. Commissioner Vignolo; there will not be a 2"d annual bullying symposium, but he will work individually with Dimitri Halkidis to have someone speak at the Boo2Bulling event. F. Commissioner, Staff, and Student Comments Commissioner Vignolo announced the Veterans Day Parade is November 11, 2023. The parade start time is 3:30p.m. He will be submitting the entry application to participate in the parade. Chair Loyola invited everyone to look up all the upcoming parades and consider going to represent the Full Commission. Commission Vignolo reported he stands corrected. He did a quick check on the Brown Act requirements and retreats continue to be subject to open meetings and notice requirements. Chair Loyola emphasized communicating as soon as possible regarding agenda items as the city has important deadlines before posting agendas publicly to abide by the Brown Act. 11. AGENDA ITEMS FOR THE NEXT HRC MEETING: None. 12. ANNOUNCEMENTS: Director Virata announced the City's is accepting applications for the Sponsorship and Program Grants Funding. More information can be found on the city's website: https:1lwww. palm s➢nrinsca.goyigovernmenticity-manageLig rants-spunsorsMiPs 13. ADJOURNMENT: It was moved by Commissioner Vignolo, Seconded by Commissioner Horn to adjourn at 7:56p.m. to an adjourned regular meeting on Monday, September 11, 2023, at 5:30p.m. f Ja it to Dirbc1dr of Community & Economic Development APPROVED BY THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION: Oq 11112023.