HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014-03-10 HRC Minutes Draft
HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION
of the
City of Palm Springs
Minutes from the March 10, 2014 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
Maddie Barton, Student rep.
Sunny Rolfs, Student rep.
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
7
8
8
8
7
8
7
8
8
7
3
1
0
0
0
1
0
1
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 March 10, 2014
1. Chair Wilson Barton called the meeting to order at 3 p.m.
2. Student representative Maddie Barton led the flag salute.
3. Commissioner Rankins recited the Mission Statement.
4. Commissioners Present: Brown, Chandrasena, Chvany, Hunt, Newby, Rankins, Sutton Weiss, Wilson
Barton and Zendle. Student representative Maddie Barton also was present.
Student representative Sunny Rolfs was absent.
5. POSTING OF THE AGENDA: The agenda was posted in accordance with the Brown Act on or before 6
p.m., on March 6, 2014.
6. PUBLIC COMMENT: None
7. GUEST SPEAKER: Jose Simo, a counselor at College of the Desert, spoke about the California Dream
Act. The California Dream Act of 2011 consists of two Assembly Bills, AB 130 and AB 131. Together
these bills allow undocumented students to apply for and receive private scholarships (AB 130) and stat e
financial aid, university grants and community college fee waivers (AB 131). AB 540, which is a California
state law enacted in 2001, allows eligible students to pay instate tuition at California Community Colleges,
California State Universities and Universities of California. Mr. Simo said there still is no federal aid for
those students. He said between 250 and 300 students at College of the Desert are taking advantage of
the California Dream Act.
Octavio Gonzales, District Policy Director from Congressman Raul Ruiz’s office spoke about immigration
reform and where the issue stands in the House of Representatives. He said the Senate bill encompasses
a compromise of strong border security, a measure for guest workers to enter and leave the country and a
legalization procedure for people who have been in this country for the longest time. He indicated the
Speaker of the House would prefer to take up each of those issues separately. Immigration affects health,
care, education and national security, he said , making it a difficult issue for the country to debate, but it
has done so before.
8. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE FEB. 10, 2014 MEETING: Following a motion by
Commissioner Rankins and second by Commissioner Brown, the minutes were unanimously approved.
9. ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION / AND OR VOTE
Human Rights Commission Minutes Page 2 of 2
Meeting of March 10, 2014
2
9.A Participation in the Palm Springs Neighborhood Involvement Committee’s Picnic & Community Expo,
11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, March 29, 2014, and review of handout materials: Chair Wilson Barton and
Commissioner Zendle put together a flier to be handed out with information about the Commission,
upcoming meetings and the topics to be addressed. Commissioner Brown will set up the Commission’s
booth with help from Commissioner Sutton-Weiss. Other Commissioners volunteering to staff the booth
from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. include Commissioners Rankins, Chandrasena and Chvany with
Commissioners Newby, Zendle and Brown volunteering for the second shift from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m.
9.B Update on mediation training: Commissioner Sutton-Weiss said the March training was delayed and
will now take place in May and it will be in Palm Desert instead of Riverside. She also said she is planning
to attend the free mediation conference next week in Palm Desert.
9.C Ongoing calendar review, topics and discussion: The topic for April is women’s issue and Chair
Wilson Barton said the Commission will be looking at the City’s employment numbers of women
compared to men, the number of women who live in the City and the number of men . She said the City
has 17 Boards and Commissions, but only one is chaired by a woman. Susan Francis, Executive Director
of the Ophelia Project of the Coachella Valley, will be the guest speaker. Vice Chair Newby said he would
have more information at the next meeting regarding an offsite event addressing senior issues and the
stigma of ageism. In May, Commissioner Sutton-Weiss will have a speaker address the Commission on
the topic of human trafficking. The Commission will address homelessness/poverty in J une.
Commissioner Brown said he has one confirmed speaker for June and is working to have a second
speaker – Police Officer Barron Lane. For July the topic is religious intolerance and Commissioner Zendle
has invited Reymundo Nour, an Imam with the Islamic Society of the Coachella Valley to speak on the
issue of Islamophobia in the Coachella Valley. The Commission discussed having a speaker from Shelter
from the Storm address domestic violence and agreed to wait and add that to the issues to be addressed
when the Commission meets in September to plan its calendar of topics.
9.D Review of participation in the Black History Month Parade: Commissioners said they enjoyed being in
the parade and are leaning toward taking part in the Pride Parade instead of havi ng a booth at the Pride
Festival.
10. STUDENT COMMENTS: Student Representative Maddie Barton said there was a Yellow Ribbon Suicide
Prevention Week at the school and a Black History Showcase at the end of February.
11. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS: Commissioner Brown asked for a copy of City Council’s Sit and Lie
Ordinance. Commissioner Chandrasena said she and Commissioner Hunt are planning to do outreach on the
topic of immigration at VillageFest with one of today’s guest speakers, Octavio Gonzales. Although they do not
have a date yet, Commissioner Hunt said she has spoken to the VillageFest coordinator about getting a booth at
the street fair. Commissioner Sutton-Weiss volunteered to help at the booth. Chair Wilson Barton thanked
Commissioners Chandrasena and Hunt for arranging for today’s guest speakers. She also said she was
interviewed for a local radio show.
12. STAFF COMMENTS: Commissioners were reminded to turn in their Statement of Economic Interests Form
700.
13. AGENDA ITEMS FOR THE APRIL 14, 2014 HRC MEETING: Review of the Commission’s participation in
the Palm Springs Neighborhood Involvement Committee’s Picnic & Community Expo. Vice Chair Newby also
will have information about addressing the topic of senior issues.
14. ADJOURNMENT: The meeting was adjourned at 3:53 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Lee A. Bonno
Staff Human Rights Commission Liaison
Director of Neighborhood & Community Relations