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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMarch 11 2013 HRC minutes FinalHUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION of the City of Palm Springs Minutes from the March 11, 2013 Meeting COMMISSIONERS Present at this Meeting Present FY Year-to-Date FY 2012-13 Excused Absences FY 2012-13 Unexcused Absences David Brown Elena Chvany Sidney Craig, Chair Jack Newby Wes Rankins Jerry Trussell Les Zendle Dee Dee Wilson Barton Ariss Durazo, Stu.Rep. Maddie Barton, Stu.Rep. X X X X X X X X X X 8 7 8 7 8 7 8 7 7 7 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 - - 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 - - The above roll call record is based on all meeting Minutes from July 9, 2012 thru March 11, 2013 1. Chair Craig called the meeting to order at 3 p.m. 2. Vice Chair Wilson Barton led the flag salute. 3. Student representative Maddie Barton recited the Mission Statement. 4. Commissioners Present: Brown, Chvany, Craig, Newby, Rankins, Trussell, Wilson Barton and Zendle Student representatives Maddie Barton from Raymond Cree Middle School was present as was Ariss Durazo from Palm Springs High School and Delaney Leyden, an alternate from Raymond Cree Middle School. 5. POSTING OF THE AGENDA: The agenda was posted in accordance with the Brown Act on or before 4 p.m., on March 4, 2013. 6. PUBLIC COMMENT: None 7. GUEST SPEAKER: Mika Moulton, who founded the nonprofit organization Christopher’s Clubhouse, spoke to the Commission about her background, the organization and the programs it offers. Ms. Moulton and her partner Patti O’Toole were raising their four children in a small Illinois town when on Aug. 7, 1995 their 10-year-old son, Christopher did not come home on time after playing with his friends just two blocks from their home. Eight days later, Christopher’s badly decomposed body was found. He had been stabbed more than 50 times, mutilated and buried in a shallow grave. The killer was a recently released offender who is currently serving life without parole. In June 1996, less than one year after their son’s murderer, the Christopher Meyer Safety Center was opened in their town, built through an all-volunteer effort. The child-size community is complete with stoplights and streetlights, paved streets and sidewalks and simulated houses and buildings that teach children how to be safe in all aspects of their lives. Six years ago they moved to the Coachella Valley and saw the need to provide the program to children here, to teach them what to do if a dangerous situation presents itself. They have expanded their curriculums to include teens and women, family Internet safety, seminars, a program that offers free fingerprinting and IDs and more. The programs are provided by trained and certified volunteers. Their goal is to break the cycle of violence at the primary ages. The programs are provided in a small rented space in Palm Desert Human Rights Commission Minutes Page 2 of 3 Meeting of March 11, 2013 2 or by using larger rooms in community schools, clubs and recreation centers. Their ambition is to build a centrally located safety center, such as the one in Illinois, in the Coachella Valley. (A copy of Ms. Moulton’s prepared remarks is attached.) Commissioner Zendle said the HRC could distribute the organization’s brochures at the Commission’s booth at the upcoming PSNIC Picnic & Community Expo and at other community events where the Commission has a booth. Ms. Moulton spoke about the difficulty of getting their program into the schools. Vice Chair Wilson Barton said she would commit to talking about the program more on an advocacy level at a couple of schools and will report back in six months. 8. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE FEB. 11, 2013 MEETING: Following a motion by Commissioner Zendle and second by Commissioner Brown the minutes from the Feb. 11, 2013 meeting were approved 7-0-1 Commissioner Newby abstained. 9. ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION / AND OR VOTE: 9.A. Participation in the Palm Springs Neighborhood Involvement Committee Picnic and Community Expo from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, March 23, in Ruth Hardy Park: The following Commissioners signed up to staff the HRC’s booth at the event: Chair Craig (11 a.m. to 2 p.m.), Vice Chair Wilson Barton (11 a.m. to noon), Commissioners Chvany (11 a.m.), Rankins (10 a.m. to noon), Zendle (noon to 2 p.m.) and student representative Ariss Durazo (tentative). 9.C Update from the subcommittee on developing possible criteria for Community Service Awards: Commissioner Zendle said he and Commissioner Brown met last week and Commissioner Trussell reviewed it with them and they have come up with some suggestions they’d like to run by the Commission for comments. Commissioner Zendle went through their general ideas about the process. (See attached). He also outlined the subcommittee’s recommendations for the criteria to be used to nominate an individual as well as criteria to nominate an organization. The Commission also talked about using PSCTV to get the word out, encouraging the community to submit nominations. The subcommittee’s recommendations will be discussed at the April 8 meeting. 9.B Update from the subcommittee on anti-bullying: Vice Chair Wilson Barton said she met with Palm Springs Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Christine Anderson and invited her to speak to the Commission. 9.D Follow up on city contractor non-discrimination policy/ordinance and a city contractor equal benefits policy/ordinance: Commissioner Trussell said he has had several e-mail exchanges with the City Manager and Procurement & Contracting Manager and also spoke to City Attorney Doug Holland. As way of background, Commissioner Trussell said the City does not require companies it contracts to do business with to have a non-discrimination policy regarding the people they hire. City Attorney Holland said the City is looking into that, Commissioner Trussell said, and added that the City’s current policy is being reviewed to see how the City might incorporate something like that, whether the City should and what are the issues around it. The City Manager, City Attorney and Procurement Manager are looking into this to see what might be done in the form of a recommendation to the City Council, Commissioner Trussell said. He said he asked if the Commission could be part of the discussion – that any change comes to the Commission for review. He said the City Manager would keep the Commission involved so the HRC could have input through them before it went to the City Council. Commissioner Trussell said he will let the Commission know when there is something to be presented to the HRC. Commissioner Newby said there is a model the City follows and it’s based on the federal requirements for use of Community Development Block Grant funding. Commissioner Zendle suggested waiting a couple of months to see what the City Attorney and City Manager do. 9.E Form a subcommittee to address poverty, hunger and homelessness in Palm Springs: Commissioner Zendle said Camelot Theatres recently showed a film on hunger that would have been a perfect event for the Commission to co-sponsor with the Camelot. The film is “A Place at the Table” and Chair Craig said it is available to the Commission at a minimal price to screen to the community at no cost. He suggested the Commission consider this for 2013-14. Instead of the HRC screening the film for the community, Vice Chair Wilson Barton said if another organization was doing that, the Commission could dove-tail on and support. Commissioner Zendle said a few months ago the Police Department sponsored an event on homelessness that the Commission could have co-sponsored. Chair Craig spoke about two film screenings the Commission has done in the past. Commissioner Newby spoke about the Commission’s capacity to put on events, and said it is very good to partner with other organizations to make sure the Human Rights Commission Minutes Page 3 of 3 Meeting of March 11, 2013 3 results of the effort are satisfying to everyone involved. He said putting the word out to the Police Advisory Board and other organizations that this is an interest the Commission would like to help promote with them would probably be the best way to approach it for now until the Commission looks at priorities for next year. 10. STUDENT COMMENTS: Delaney Leyden spoke about the Rainbow Youth Summit. 11. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS: Commissioner Zendle said attending the Palm Springs Neighborhood Involvement Committee’s Picnic is probably the best opportunity the Commission has to be seen by Palm Springs residents. Commissioner Trussell said he will be contacting a person who has requested mediation. Commissioner Rankins thanked those who helped to make the 2013 Black History Month a success. Commissioner Chvany also spoke about the Rainbow Youth Summit. She also said she would be interested in meeting with some of the people with whom she has made a connection about bullying to see where there might be common ground and there might be an event they would take responsibility for that the Commission might help support in some way. Chair Craig said he got application forms to have available at the HRC’s booth for people to fill out if they are interested in serving on the Commission. 12. STAFF COMMENTS: Staff reminded Commissioners that April 1 is the deadline to submit their Form 700 Statement of Economic Interests 13. AGENDA ITEMS FOR THE APRIL 8, 2013 HRC MEETING: Commissioner Zendle said since the Commission is asking Christopher’s Clubhouse for copies of its brochures for the HRC to distribute at its booth, he asked that the Commission put on its agenda allocating up to $100 to reimburse the organization for its printing costs. 10. ADJOURNMENT: The meeting was adjourned at 4:15 pm. Respectfully submitted, Lee A. Bonno Staff Human Rights Commission Liaison Director of Neighborhood & Community Relations