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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHRC July 8 2013 minutes - Draft HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION of the City of Palm Springs Minutes from the July 8, 2013 Meeting COMMISSIONERS Present at this Meeting Present FY Year-to-Date FY 2013-14 Excused Absences FY 2013-14 Unexcused Absences Dee Dee Wilson Barton David Brown Jilska Chandrasena Elena Chvany Janel Hunt Jack Newby Wes Rankins Deborah Sutton-Weiss Les Zendle X X X X X X X X 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 The above roll call record is based on all meeting Minutes from July 8, 2013 thru July 8, 2013 1. Vice Chair Wilson Barton called the meeting to order at 3 p.m. 2. Commissioner Chvany led the flag salute. 3. Commissioner Brown recited the Mission Statement. 4. Commissioners Present: Wilson Barton, Brown, Chandrasena, Chvany, Hunt, Newby, Rankins, Sutton- Weiss and Zendle 5. POSTING OF THE AGENDA: The agenda was posted in accordance with the Brown Act on or before 6:30 p.m., on July 3, 2013. 6. PUBLIC COMMENT: None 7. GUEST SPEAKER: None 8. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE JUNE 10, 2013 MEETING: Following a motion by Commissioner Chvany and second by Commissioner Zendle the minutes from the June 10, 2013 meeting were approved 8-0-1 (Commissioner Newby abstained because he was not at the meeting). 9. ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION / AND OR VOTE: 9.A. Introduction and welcome of newly appointed Commissioners: Everyone introduced themselves, spoke briefly about their backgrounds and what compelled them to be interested in the Human Rights Commission. 9.B Election of a Chair and Vice Chair: Commissioner Zendle nominated Vice Chair Wilson Barton to be Chair of the HRC and Commissioner Chvany seconded the nomination. Wilson Barton outlined her goals, which include keeping the Commission mission focused and to be more pro-active in planning out the year with each Commissioner taking some ownership in the monthly meetings and booking the guest speakers. Regarding the Community Service Awards that the Commission hands out, Wilson Barton said she wants to increase the publicity of the awards ceremony as well as the attendance at that January meeting. She also said she wants to do more mentoring with the Commission’s student representatives. With no other nominations, Vice Chair Wilson Barton was unanimously elected Chair for 2013-14. (9-0) Chair Wilson Barton nominated Commissioner Zendle to serve as Vice Chair. Commissioner Chvany seconded the nomination. Commissioner Zendle pointed out that Commissioner Newby has more tenure on the Commission. Commissioner Zendle nominated Commissioner Newby as Vice Chair and Human Rights Commission Minutes Page 2 of 3 Meeting of July 8, 2013 2 Commissioner Rankins seconded the nomination. Commissioner Newby was elected Vice Chair 5-4 with Commissioners Brown, Chandrasena, Sutton-Weiss, Rankins and Zendle voting for him. Commissioners Wilson Barton, Chvany, Hunt and Newby voted for Commissioner Zendle. 9.C Planning for the Commission’s annual strategic planning session/retreat to be held Saturday, Sept. 21 at the Police Training Center, Room B, 200 South Civic Drive – adjacent to the Police Department: Commissioner Rankins will arrange for refreshments from Aspen Mills, which has provided them in the past. The retreat will be held from 9 a.m. to noon and it will be facilitated by Chair Wilson Barton. She said the goal of the retreat is to look at the mission statement, select the issues/topics the Commission wants to focus on and outline Commissioners’ responsibilities based upon that. 9.D Update on the selection of student representatives: It was announced that Sunny Rolfs will be the student representative from Raymond Cree Middle School. Chair Wilson Barton said she met with Ryan Woll, the new Principal at Palm Springs High School, and he said he was going to contact Ariss Durazo to see if she was interested in continuing as the high school’s student representative to the HRC. Chair Wilson Barton said she has given the guidelines that the Commission created to the principals at Raymond Cree and the high school. She said she also spoke to them about providing alternates, younger students who would sit in the audience during HRC meetings, or give the report at the meeting if their school’s student representative was unable to attend the meeting. 9.E Web site update: The Commission bought two domain names last year that will be up for renewal in fall of 2014. Chair Wilson Barton printed out the Web site for Commissioners to review. She said if the Commission wants to discuss changing content, perhaps a subcommittee should be appointed at the retreat or it could be done anytime during the year. She suggested putting this at the end of the retreat’s agenda in September. 9.F Commission’s schedule of meetings for 2013-14: The meeting schedule was reviewed and it was noted that the Commission will not be meeting in August and the Sept. 9 meeting will not be held in lieu of the Sept. 21 strategic planning session/retreat. In November, the Commission’s monthly meeting falls on a holiday, so that meeting has been rescheduled to Monday, Nov. 18. 10. STUDENT COMMENTS: None 11. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS: In preparation for the Sept. 21 strategic planning session/retreat, staff will email Commissioners the minutes from last year’s session. Chair Wilson Barton said the questions Commissioners received in preparation for last year’s retreat could also be sent out again this year. Commissioner Brown said he heard on the radio about a 16-year-old who had died and he subsequently went to the young man’s memorial service where he met the boy’s mother and family members. He was made aware of the Coachella Valley for Autism Society of America, an organization he would like to have speak to the Commission. Commissioner Brown also said he submitted a guest speaker request to Congressman Raul Ruiz’s Washington’s office inviting him to the Commission’s October meeting, or his representative if the Congressman is unable to attend. Vice Chair Newby was out of town and unable to attend the June Commission meeting, so he wanted to publicly thank former HRC Chair Sid Craig for his work and dedication. He also said former Commissioner Jerry Trussell was an incredible asset to the Commission, adding that he will be missed. Vice Chair Newby welcomed the three new Commissioners and was pleased to see how the diversity of the Commission has evolved in just a few years. After listening to the new Commissioners’ backgrounds and experiences in life, Commissioner Zendle said they bring a lot of new ideas and backgrounds to the Commission, which he said is very welcomed. 12. STAFF COMMENTS: None 13. AGENDA ITEMS FOR THE SEPT. 21, 2013 HRC STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSION/RETREAT: Commission’s Web page. Beginning the process of nominations for the Community Service Awards. Staff was asked to circulate the criteria, application and past recipients. 14. ADJOURNMENT: The meeting was adjourned at 3:50 p.m. until Saturday, Sept. 21, 2013. Human Rights Commission Minutes Page 3 of 3 Meeting of July 8, 2013 3 Respectfully submitted, Lee A. Bonno Staff Human Rights Commission Liaison Director of Neighborhood & Community Relations