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Home My WebLink About2018-08-01 HRC Regular Minutes FINAL Human Rights Commission CITY OF PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA 0 MINUTES Regular Meeting Monday, January 8, 2018 Palm Springs City Hall  Large Conference Room Present Present FY 2017/2018 FY 2017/2018 This Meeting to Date Excused Absences Unexcused Absences Jilska Chandrasena X 6 Denise Chappell, Vice Chair X 6 Sam Ciraulo X 5 1 Ron deHarte, Chair X 6 Jim Gross X 5 1 David Morgan X 6 Nicki Randolph X 6 Zjarvre Crawford, Student Rep, Not Present Other Staff Present: Jay Virata, Community and Economic Development Director Dale Cook, Community Development Administrator, Staff Liaison Annie Rodriguez, Housing Program Assistant/Staff Liaison Assistant 1. CALL TO ORDER: Chair deHarte called the meeting to order at 3:00 p.m. 2. MISSION STATEMENT: “The mission of the Palm Springs Human Rights Commission is to promote and protect the diversity of our community and to improve human relations through education and community awareness” 3. ROLL CALL: Chair deHarte – Two Commissioner seats are available. Janel Hunt has resigned as of December 29, 2017; Christy Holstege’s seat became vacant when she was elected to City Council. Mr. Cook will provide more information. 4. PUBLIC COMMENTS: Donald Morgan, Palm Springs – Mr. Morgan and his wife are new residents of Palm Springs. He is interested in supporting human rights and is interested in any vacancies the Commission may have. Mr. Morgan shared his work experience and highlighted areas relevant to human rights. Tamika Foots-Rachal, - Introduced herself to the Commission as Regional Manager for the State Council of Developmental Disabilities serving Inyo, Mono, Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. Commissioner Chandrasena is a regional advisory committee member for her office. She will be informing the Commission of any systemic training opportunities, activities and events that are occurring the valley. She reported that her office location has moved. Anyone with a disability or special education needs services or technical assistance can contact her office. Human Rights Commission Regular Meeting Minutes January 8, 2018 Page 2 5. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES: December 11, 2017 MOTION: By Commissioner Randolph, second by Commissioner Chandrasena, to approve Regular Meeting Minutes of November 13, 2017 as presented. Commissioner Gross - identified the incorrect date listed on the minutes for approval. Mr. Cook - clarified that an incorrect date was listed on the minutes but the transcription of the minutes are from the December 11, 2017 meeting. MOTION restated: By Commissioner Randolph, second by Commissioner Chandrasena, to approve Regular Meeting Minutes of December 11, 2017 be accepted as corrected. Mot ion Carried 6 Ayes/1 Abstained (Commissioner Gross) 6. COMMISSIONER, STAFF AND STUDENT COMMENTS: Chair deHarte – This is an open opportunity for comments. Commissioners who would like to bring forward a human rights commission interest can do so at this time. It there is none, you can give your regular committee updates during Item. 7. Mr. Cook - With the vacancies on the Commission recruitment is underway. The Council subcommittee will be reviewing the applicants along with the Chair. The public can make their application on the website or come in for a written application. Once the Council Subcommittee members are known it will be shared wit h the Commission. 7. ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION AND/OR VOTE: A. Master Calendar – Commissioner Chandrasena – The next event is the Black History Month Parade. Chair deHarte – Recommended sign-ups for the event will be confirmed during the meeting. All Commissioners with the exception of Commissioner Randolph, due to knee surgery, will be participating in the event. Additional event details will be forwarded to the Commission through Mr. Cook. Chair deHarte – B. Subcommittees – Chair deHarte and Vice Chair Chappell Internal:  Community Service Awards – Chair deHarte, Vice Chair Chappell, and Commissioner Hunt The Community Service Awards are being ordered and nominees have been informed. Mr. Cook will be emailing the honorees nomination packet to each Commissioner who volunteered to present an award. A brief overview of the next steps and Ceremony process was provided.  Lawrence Crossley Road Designation Ad Hoc – Commissioners Chappell, Ciraulo and Hunt Mr. Cook –. The Council Subcommittee hasn’t convened. Until we’re informed of how to approach, we’re still in a holding pattern. There was a lengthy discussion initiated by Commissioner Ciraulo regarding a Desert Sun article he had read involving City Officials taking initiative on the subject. It was confirmed by Mr. Cook that the matters addressed in the article (infrastructure and neighborhood associations) were beyond the purview of the Commission. The Commission’s efforts are geared towards what would be a rightful recognition to the Founder of the subdivision as a minority gentleman. Chair deHarte recapped the process for road naming and the Commission’s Letter of Endorsement supporting a full road name change to the City Council Subcommittee. Mr. Cook will provide a list of the new City Council Subcommittee Assignments once obtained. Human Rights Commission Regular Meeting Minutes January 8, 2018 Page 3  Community Outreach & Marketing – Commissioners Chandrasena, Gross, Morgan and Randolph Commissioner Morgan – The subcommittee is in the process of confirming the dates for “table talk” with various groups and organizations. We hope to have all dates confirmed and be presented at next month’s meeting. Information will be sent to Mr. Cook to pass onto the full Commission for consideration of participating in the outreach effort.  Student Representatives – Commissioners Hunt, Morgan, Randolph and Student Representative Crawford Commissioner Randolph - With the resignation of Commissioner Hunt we’re going to press the reset button. We ask for your indulgence and patience while the committee meets to create a strategy. Commissioner Ciraulo volunteered and will be on the Student Representative Subcommittee. Chair deHarte – Emphasized that the subcommittee bring forward a timeline to address the student representative topic and get tasks taken care of this year.  Senior and Dependent Adult Bill of Rights – Chair deHarte, Commissioners Gross and Ciraulo Chair deHarte – Since our last meeting, we didn’t meet as a full subcommittee. The meeting with Councilmember Kors and Ms. Foat, Executive Director of Mizell Senior Center, and who was Councilmember at the time the meeting took place. In summary, it was suggested that our Commission work with Mizell Senior Center and other stakeholders to convene and have a town hall meeting of seniors and dependent adults service providers . I will follow-up with our subcommittee and talk about moving forward in this area. External:  Desert Highland Gateway Estates Community Association – Vice Chair Chappell and Commissioner Ciraulo Commissioner Chandrasena – I attended last month’s meeting and will start working on the following items of concern that were shared, 1) Why has the City not paid attention to the entrance of this neighborhood? 2) There is a need for traffic lights in the area, and 3) Do the children and older population receive adequate services from non-profit and government agencies?  Homelessness Task Force – Commissioner Ciraulo Commissioner Ciraulo – The Homelessness Task Force Meeting was cancelled last month. Mr. Cook – At the November meeting, it was discussed going to a bi-monthly meeting schedule. With the reassignments of Council Subcommittees, Councilmember Kors and Holstege have not yet identified a schedule. Once staff is informed of the schedule, I will share that information. The attention has been given to the Point-In-Time Count which will be held on January 23. Interested parties first need to register and can go to the City website and view training orientation meetings that are scheduled by the County to participate in the count. Chair deHarte – Reminded the Commission to only cover topics related to human rights issues during the external committee updates.  Main Street Palm Springs – Chair deHarte – Chair deHarte – The meeting last month did not have any issues of a human rights nature.  Organized Neighborhoods of Palm Springs (ONE-PS) – Commissioner Gross – Commissioner Gross – ONE-PS will have an all-day retreat on January 27; I will report on items related to human rights. Relating to the Harvey Milk Diversity Breakfast, I have put in a formal request for ONE-PS sponsorship and am waiting for a response. Human Rights Commission Regular Meeting Minutes January 8, 2018 Page 4 Mr. Cook initiated a conversation regarding the Desert Highland Gateway Estates Neighborhood report that was provided earlier. It was clarified that the neighborhood has an active representative, Ms. Pixie Miller, that participates in ONE-PS. Further discussion on helping Commissioner Chandrasena connect with Ms. Miller was expressed to help address the neighborhoods concerns for traffic calming.  PSPD LGBT Outreach Committee – Chair deHarte – The LGBT Outreach Committee did not meet in December. Their next meeting is coming up on Thursday, January 11, 2018. C. Topical Newsworthy Items – Commissioner Chandrasena – The C.A.R.E Program is putting on workshops for the elder population. A hardcopy flyer of the workshop dates was provided to all Commissioners. 8. AG ENDA ITEMS FOR NEXT HRC MEETING – None Reported. 9. ANNOUNCEMENTS – None Reported. 10. ADJOURMENT: The Human Rights Commission adjourned at 3:34 p.m. to a Regular Meeting, Monday, February 12, 2018, at 3:00 p.m., in the Large Conference Room, City Hall, 3200 East Tahquitz Canyon Way, Palm Springs, California. Respectfully submitted, ___________________________________________ Annie J. Rodriguez Housing Program Assistant