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2001-06-05 Human Rights Commission BylawsORGANIZATIONAL BYLAWS of the RICHFIELD HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION Richfield Human Rights Commission June 5, 2001 Table of Contents Page I. RICHFIELD CITY CODE SECTIONS ESTABLISHING AND GOVERNING THE COMMISSION. 1 A. Establishment of the Commission 1 1. Richfield City Code Section 305.01 subd.1. 1 2. Richfield City Code Section 305.01 subd. 2. 1 B. Purpose of the Commission. 2 1. Richfield City Code Section 305.01 Subd. 3 2 C. Composition of the Commission 3 1. Richfield City Code Section 305.01 Subd. 4 3 D. Responsibilities of the Commission 4 1. Richfield City Code Section 305.01 Subd. 5 4 E. Investigation. Enforcement and Penalties. 5 1. Richfield City Code Section 305.01. Subd. 6 5 F. Minnesota Human Rights Statute Adopted by Reference 6 1. Richfield City Code Section 305.01, Subd. 6 6 II. ORGANIZATION OF THE COMMISSION. 7 A. Officers of the Commission. 7 B. Election of Officers. 8 C. Duties of Officers 9 1. Chair. 9 2. Vice -Chair. 10 3. Secretary. 11 4. Treasurer 12 D. Duties of Commissioners. 13 1. Orientation of Commissioners 13 2. Attendance. 13 3. Commission representation . 14 4. Other communications 14 5. Enlisting Cooperation. 15 6. Commission property. 15 7. Resignation of Commissioners 15 E. Liaisons to the Commission. 16 1. Richfield staff member. 16 2. Richfield City Council 16 3. Richfield School Board. 16 F. Resignation and Removal of Commissioners. 17 1. Requesting removal of a commissioner. 17 a. Grounds for requesting removal of a commissioner. 17 b. Procedure for requesting removal of a commissioner. 17 - i - III. MEETINGS 18 A. Regular Meetings. 18 1. Monthly Regular Meetings 18 B. Special Meetings. 19 1. Criteria for special meetings 19 2. Notice for special meetings. 19 C. General Provisions for Meetings 20 1. Open meetings. 20 2. Quorum 20 3. Robert's Rules of Order shall govern meetings. 20 IV. COMMITTEES 21 A. Committee Organization. 21 1. Committee reports. 21 2. Duties and responsibilities 21 B. Committee Membership 22 1. Committee records. 22 2. Committee selection. 22 3. Removal of members 22 4. Committee voting and reporting 22 V. MISCELLANEOUS 23 A. Commission Handling of Complaints. ,23 B. The Commission's Human Rights Award. 24 C. Amending the Commission's Bylaws and Guidelines. 25 1. Two-thirds vote to amend 25 2. Mailing proposed amendments to Commissioners. 25 - Richfield Human Rights Commission Organizational Bylaws June 5, 2001 I. RICHFIELD CITY CODE SECTIONS ESTABLISHING AND GOVERNING THE COMMISSION. A. Establishment of the Commission. 1. Richfield City Code Section 305.01, Subd.1. 305.01. Establishment of Human Rights Commission. Subdivision 1. Scone of Section. It is declared that it is the public policy of the City to fulfill its responsibilities as a partner of the State Department of Human Rights in securing for all citizens equal opportunity in housing, employment, public accommodations, public services and education, and to fully implement those goals set forth in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 363, the Minnesota Human Rights Act. (Richfield City Code, as of June 5, 2001) 2. Richfield City Code Section 305.01 Subd. 2. Subd. 2. Establishment of Commission. There is established and continued a Human Rights Commission. (Richfield City Code, as of June 5, 2001) 1 - Richfield Human Rights Commission Organizational Bylaws June 5, 2001 B. Purpose of the Commission. 1. Richfield City Code Section 305.01, Subd. 3. Subd. 3. Pumose of Commission. The purpose of the Commission is to secure for all citizens equal opportunity in employment, housing, public accommodations, public services and education and full participation in the affairs of the community and to take appropriate action consistent with the Minnesota Human Rights Act. The Commission shall also advise the City Council on long range programs to improve • human relations in the City. (Richfield City Code, as of June 5, 2001) -2- - Richfield Human Rights Commission Organizational Bylaws June 5, 2001 C. Composition of the Commission. 1. Richfield City Code Section 305.01. Subd. 4. Subd. 4. Composition of the Commission. The Commission consists of thirteen members appointed by the City Council. Eleven members shall be appointed for terms of three years, except that (i) a person appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of the term for which the predecessor in that tern was appointed shall be appointed only for the remainder of such, and (ii) two persons shall be appointed as "youth" members for one year terms. The two youth members shall be given all rights, privileges and responsibilities granted to the other appointed members. Upon the expiration of the member's term of office, a member shall continue to serve until a successor is appointed and qualifies. Members serve without compensation and may be removed from office at any time by the Council, but after public hearing, if a hearing is requested by the member whose removal is being considered. (Richfield City Code, as of June 5, 2001) 3 - Richfield Human Rights Commission Organizational Bylaws June 5, 2001 D. Responsibilities of the Commission. 1. Richfield City Code Section 305.01, Subd. 5. Subd. 5. Commission's Responsibilities. The Commission shall: (a) Adopt bylaws and rules for the conduct of its affairs including the election, assumption of duties and definition of responsibilities of officers and committees. (b) Engage in discussions with the State Department of Human Rights for the purpose of delineating cooperative regulatory and enforcement procedures. (c) Enlist the cooperation of agencies, organizations and individuals in the community in an active program directed to create equal opportunity and eliminate discrimination and inequalities. (d) Formulate a human relations program for the City to provide increased effectiveness and direction to the work of all individuals and agencies addressing themselves to planning, policy making and educational programming in the area of civil and human rights. (e) Advise the City Council and other agencies of the govermnent on human relations and civil rights problems; act in an advisory capacity with respect to planning or operation of any City departments on issues of civil and human rights; and recommend the adoption of such specific policies or actions as are needed to provide for full, equal opportunity in the community. (f) Study, investigate and assist in eliminating alleged violations of Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 363, by conference, conciliation and persuasion, and when necessary, cooperate with the State Department of Human Rights in enforcing the provisions of the State Act. (g) Develop such programs of formal and information education as will assist in the implementation of the Minnesota Human Rights Act and foster the Commission's assumption of leadership in recognizing and resolving potential human rights problems in the comtnunity. (h) Develop and implement programs that enhance the advancement of human rights in the community and that promote an awareness of and appreciation for cultural diversity. (Richfield City Code, as of June 5, 2001) -4- - Richfield Human Rights Commission Organizational Bylaws June 5, 2001 E. Investi<aation, Enforcement and Penalties. 1. Richfield City Code Section 305.01, Subd. 6. Subd. 6. Investigations, Enforcement, Penalties. The Commission may receive and investigate complaints of alleged violations of this section. Investigations shall conform to the No Fault Grievance Process formulated by the State Department of Human Rights. (Richfield City Code, as of August 1, 2001) 5 - Richfield Human Rights Commission Organizational Bylaws June 5, 2001 F. Minnesota Human RiEhts Statute Adopted by Reference. 1. Richfield City Code Section 305.01, Subd. 6. Subd. 7. Adoption by Reference. Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 363, is adopted by reference and made a part of this subsection as is fully set forth herein. (Richfield City Code, as of August 1, 2001) 6 - Richfield Human Rights Commission Organizational Bylaws June 5, 2001 II. ORGANIZATION OF THE COMMISSION. A. Officers of the Commission. The officers of the Richfield Human Rights Commission shall be elected by an affirmative vote of a majority of the members present at a meeting in January for one year and shall include a Chair, Vice -Chair, Secretary and Treasurer. (Adopted by Richfield Human Rights Commission: June 5, 2001) 7 - Richfield Human Rights Commission Organizational Bylaws June 5, 2001 B. Election of Officers. Nominations from the floor must be made at the January meeting. Each member shall cast a ballot for the member that he/she wishes to be Chairperson at that meeting. The member receiving a majority of the votes cast shall be Chairperson. If no one receives a majority of votes cast after three (3) ballots, a coin toss shall be performed. The Vice - Chair, Secretary and Treasurer shall then be elected, in order, by the same procedure. These officers shall take office ten (10) days following their election and shall hold office until their successors have been elected and have assumed office. In the event that an officer resigns as either an officer or a commissioner with more than two (2) months left in his/her term, the Commission, at the next monthly regular meeting shall use the procedure in the preceding paragraph to replace the officer, but the newly elected replacement officer shall take office immediately upon election. (Adopted by Richfield Human Rights Commission: June 5, 2001) 8 - Richfield Human Rights Commission Organizational Bylaws June 5, 2001 C. Duties of Officers. 1. Chair. The Chair's duties shall be to: a. Preside over meetings. b. Prepare an agenda prior to each meeting and mail it five (5) days prior to the meeting. c. Supervise the distribution of minutes and other reports and to supervise the collection of an ongoing history of the Commission. d. Represent the Richfield Human Rights Commission in dealing with the City Council, School Board, other commissions in the City, as well as official bodies outside of the City, and any other organization which has dealings with the Commission, or delegate those responsibilities to members of the Commission. e. Carry out those additional duties that the Commission may from time to time recommend. 9- - Richfield Human Rights Commission Organizational Bylaws June 5, 2001 2. Vice -Chair. The Vice -Chair's duties shall be to: a. Represent the Chair in the Chair's absence. b. Assist the Chair in carrying out his/her duties and carry out those additional duties that the Commission may from time to time recommend. c. Maintain inventory of, manage and distribute Commission property, according to established guidelines. - 10 - - Richfield Human Rights Commission Organizational Bylaws June 5, 2001 3. Secretary. The Secretary's duties shall be to: a. Attend all meetings of the Richfield Human Rights Commission, or find a replacement member to fulfill his/her duties for that meeting. b. Record all proceedings of such meetings according to established guidelines, and maintain the minutes in a minute book. c. Submit minutes of each meeting to the Administrative Assistant of the Director of Public Safety for distribution to Commissioners within 10 days of such meeting. d. Prepare a yearly attendance report for the Commission. - Richfield Human Rights Commission Organizational Bylaws June 5, 2001 4. Treasurer. The Treasurer's duties shall be to: a. Keep accurate financial records according to established guidelines for the Richfield Human Rights Commission. b. Deposit all monies, drafts and checks in the name of, and to the credit of, the Commission. c. Endorse for deposit all notes, checks, and drafts received by the Commission in such banks and depositories as the Commission shall designate from time to time. d. Disburse the funds of the Commission, as ordered by the members according to established guidelines. If two (2) signatures are required; one (1) shall be from the Treasurer and the other shall be from the Administrative Assistant to Public Safety. e. Render to the Chair and the members quarterly, or when requested, an account of all of his/her transactions as Treasurer and of the financial condition of the Commission. f. Perform such other duties as may be prescribed from time to time by the Commission. (Adopted by Richfield Human Rights Commission: June 5, 2001) - 12 - - Richfield Human Rights Commission Organizational Bylaws June 5, 2001 D. Duties of Commissioners. 1. Orientation of Commissioners. a. Once appointments are made, newly appointed Commissioners shall attend an orientation session prior to their first regular meeting, arranged for by the Chair, to familiarize them with City staff, the function of the City departments versus advisory commissions, responsibilities, and procedures of an advisory board/commission, and education on the Open Meeting Law. b. They will also receive an overview of their Commission's purpose, attendance requirements, meeting dates, etc., prior to their first regular meeting, arranged for by the Chair. All new appointees to the Commission shall receive a notebook including Bylaws, Rules of Procedure, the previous two (2) years' Annual Report and the last six- (6) months of meeting minutes, project reviews, and other pertinent information deemed necessary as noted in the Commission's December meeting minutes. c. Commission members appointed will receive an Orientation to the Human Rights Act and the Richfield Hate Crimes Response Plan. 2. Attendance. a. Commission members shall endeavor to attend all Commission meetings and events. - 13 - - Richfield Human Rights Commission Organizational Bylaws June 5, 2001 3. Commission Renresentation. a. Commissioners shall serve from time to time, as appointed, on other committees. b. Commissioners shall report on committee activities. c. Commissioners shall attend conferences that are paid for by the Commission or the City of Richfield and then report back to the Commission in writing. 4. Other Communications. Other communications shall meet the following criteria: a. Consist of information about Commission activities as summarized in its records. b. Shall advocate positions on behalf of the Commission specifically approved by the Commission. c. Have the approval of the Commission. d. This shall not preclude individual Commissioners from communicating personal opinions so long as it is made clear that this does not represent the position of the Commission. - 14 - - Richfield Human Rights Commission Organizational Bylaws June 5, 2001 5. Enlisting Cooperation. The Commission shall study and review programs and policies and aid the City Council in enlisting the cooperation of agencies, organizations, and individuals in the City in an active program directed to create equal opportunity and eliminate discrimination and inequalities. 6. Commission property. Any Commission property shall be checked out with the Vice -Chair according to established guidelines. 7. Resignation of Commissioners. Commission members are deemed to have resigned from membership on the Human Rights Commission when notice is received and acknowledged by the Commission. (Adopted by Richfield Human Rights Commission: June 5, 2001) - 15 - - Richfield Human Rights Commission Organizational Bylaws June 5, 2001 E. Liaisons to the Commission. 1. Richfield Staff Member. A staff member designated by the Richfield City Manager shall: a. Attend all Richfield Human Rights Commission meetings. b. Distribute minutes, agendas, and other pertinent notices. c. Provide such additional support as is designated by the Commission with the consent of the City Manager. 2. Richfield City Council. The City Council shall be requested in writing annually, to send at least one (1) representative to all Commission meetings. 3. Richfield School Board. The School Board shall be requested in writing annually, to send at least one (1) representative to all Commission meetings. (Adopted by Richfield Human Rights Commission: June 5, 2001) - 16 - - Richfield Human Rights Commission Organizational Bylaws June 5, 2001 F. Resignation and Removal of Commissioners. 1. Requesting Removal of a Commissioner. a. Grounds for Requesting Removal of a Commissioner. 1) In the event that a member misses three (3) consecutive regular meetings, or 'A of the regular meetings in any one twelve (12) month period, the Commission may request the City Council to replace that member. 2) In the event that a member violates the by-laws or procedures of the Commission, the Commission may request the City Council to replace that member. 3) In the event that a member engages in conduct contrary to the purpose of the Commission, the Commission may request the City Council to replace that member. b. Procedure for requesting removal of a Commissioner. 1) Any motion to propose the removal of a Commissioner must be presented to the Commission in writing and must pass by a majority vote of a quorum of the Commissioners in attendance at a monthly regular meeting. 2) If a motion to propose the removal of a Commissioner passes, the Commissioner who is the subject of the motion shall be given written notice of the motion to propose the removal of that commissioner within five (5) business days of thepassage of the motion. 3) At the next regular monthly meeting, the Commissioner whose removal has been proposed shall be given an opportunity to respond to the proposed removal. 4) After the Commissioner whose removal is proposed has had an opportunity to respond, the Commission shall vote on a written motion to request the City Council to remove the Commissioner. If a majority of all current Commissioners approve the motion, the request to remove shall be forwarded to the City Council, and the Chair shall appoint a Commissioner to represent the Commission when the City Council considers the request to remove. (Adopted by Richfield Iluman Rights Commission: August 1, 2001) - 17 - - Richfield Human Rights Commission Organizational Bylaws June 5, 2001 III. MEETINGS. A. Regular Meetings. 1. Monthly Regular Meetings. There shall be at least one (1) regular meeting in each calendar month unless a quorum of the members agree otherwise. (Adopted by Richfield Human Rights Commission: June 5, 2001) - 18 - - Richfield Human Rights Commission Organizational Bylaws June 5, 2001 13. Special Meetings. 1. Criteria for Special Meetings. The Commission may hold special meetings to complete or initiate business at the call of the Chair, or upon the request of three (3) members of the Commission. 2. Notice for Special Meetings. Each member shall be notified at least forty-eight (48) hours prior to any special meeting, of the time, place and purpose of the same. (Adopted by Richfield Human Rights Commission: June 5, 2001) - 19 - - Richfield Human Rights Commission Organizational Bylaws June 5, 2001 C. General Provisions for Meetings. 1. Onen Meetings. All meetings shall be open to the public unless otherwise permitted by the Minnesota Open Meeting Law and agreed to by a majority of Commissioners at an open meeting. 2. Quorum. A quorum shall consist of at least five (5) members. If a quorum is not present at any meeting, the Chair must adjourn the meeting, or recess the meeting at the call of the Chair. 3. Robert's Rules of Order Shall Govern Meetings. The rules of order contained in Robert's Rules of Order Revised shall govern the Commission in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with the laws of the State of Minnesota, City Resolution of the City Council, these bylaws or special rules of the Commission. (Adopted by Richfield Human Rights Commission: June 5, 2001) - 20 - - Richfield Human Rights Commission Organizational Bylaws June 5, 2001 IV. COMMITTEES. A. Committee Organization. 1. Committee Reports. Committee Chairs or their representatives shall report at each regular meeting. 2. Duties and Responsibilities. The duties and responsibilities of the various committees shall be defined at the time of their formation by the Commission. (Adopted by Richfield Human Rights Commission: June 5, 2001) - 21 - - Richfield Human Rights Commission Organizational Bylaws June 5, 2001 B. Committee Membership. 1. Committee Records. All committees shall maintain records of all meetings, recommendations, actions, memberships, etc., and shall provide for inclusion in the minutes: a. Committee name. b. Date, place, time and attendance. c. Subject of meeting. d. Actions, conclusions and recommendations. e. If possible, time and place of next meeting. f. Each committee, with the approval of the Richfield Human Rights Commission, may state the number of citizens it chooses to have as members of that committee. 2. Committee Selection. Citizens can be selected by the Richfield Human Rights Commission for committee membership. 3. Removal of Members. The Commission, at the suggestion of the Committee Chair, may remove a citizen who has missed three (3) meetings in one six (6) month period. 4. Committee Voting and Reporting. Citizens shall have voting rights only at committee meetings. Committee reports to the Human Rights Commission shall be presented by the Committee Chairperson. Any committee member may make a minority report. (Adopted by Richfield Human Rights Commission: June 5, 2001) - 22 - - Richfield Human Rights Commission Organizational Bylaws June 5, 2001 V. MISCELLANEOUS. A. Commission Handling of Complaints. Mediation services and grievances will be handled through services provided by the City of Richfield on recommendation of the Human Rights Commission. (Adopted by Richfield Human Rights Commission: June 5, 2001) - 23 - - Richfield Human Rights Commission Organizational Bylaws June 5, 2001 B. The Commission's Human Rights Award. The Commission may present the Gene and Mary Jacobsen Award to an individual, organization or corporation that has made significant contributions to ensuring the human rights of people of Richfield. Such presentation must be approved at a regular or special meeting by majority vote of the current membership of the Commission. The nominee must meet the criteria established by the Commission. (Adopted by Richfield Human Rights Commission: June 5, 2001) - 24 - - Richfield Human Rights Commission Organizational Bylaws June 5, 2001 C. Amendine the Commission's Bylaws and Guidelines. 1. Two -Thirds Vote to Amend. These articles can be amended by approval of 2/3 of the current Commission membership at a regular Commission meeting. 2. Mailine Proposed Amendments to Commissioners. Proposed amendments shall be mailed to Commission membership five (5) days prior to the regular Commission meeting at which they are to be voted upon. (Adopted by Richfield Human Rights Commission: June 5, 2001) - 25 -