March 2014 Meeting MInutesRichfield Human Rights Commission
Monthly Meeting Minutes
March 4, 2014
Members Present:
Sean Hayford Oleary Debbie Eng
Jeff Wright Mark Westergaard
Emilia Gonzalez Avalos Elizabeth Wendt
Ranee Skinner Nancy Roberts
Also Present:
Jay Henthorne — Richfield Staff Liaison
1. Meeting called to order by Chair Sean Hayford Oleary at 6:30PM.
2. Approval of Agenda
a.) Unanimously approved as amended to add "7.(c) 2013 Annual Report"
3. Approval of Minutes
a.) January
i. Unanimously approved
b.) February
i. Unanimously approved as amended to correct spelling of member's names.
4. Reports
a.) Chair's report: created contact list for commission members.
b.) Treasurer's report: $174.75. Elizabeth (founer Treasurer) official passed on materials
to Nancy (current Treasurer).
c.) Secretary's reports: Awaiting receipt of prior Meeting Minutes to create Google Zip
Drive
d.) Vice Chair's reports: Discussed getting school board liaison and becoming more
active with the School Board. A coalition between the two organizations would benefit the
Richfield Community and hopefully improve our response to the latest school test reports. Please
see the report attached.
e.) Liaison reports
i. Jay Henthorne: Will start working on press releases for Gene and March
Jacobson Award.
5. Unfinished Business
a.) Richfield Social Media policy: Commission will wait and see how current policy
plays out
b.) Safe Schools: Commission unanimously passed resolution to support the safe schools
initiative. Please see the Resolution attached.
c.) Turnout plan: tabled to next month
6. New Business
a.) Discussed having a table at Unity in the Community. Jeff will take the lead.
b.) Discussed revising the bylaws as proposed by Elizabeth. Elizabeth will continue to
work on the proposed revisions and a revised draft of the bylaw swill be voted on at the next
meeting
7. Open Forum & Announcements
a.) City's New Commission Member Orientation is on Wednesday, March 12th at
6:30PM. ALL COMMISSIONERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND.
8. Next meeting: April 1, 2014, 6:30PM
9. Adjournment at 8:05PM
Richfield Human Rights Commission
RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF THE SAFE AND SUPPORTIVE MINNESOTA
SCHOOLS ACT AND RESOLUTION TO BECOME A MEMBER OF THE MINNESOTA
SAFE SCHOOLS FOR ALL COALITION
March 4, 2014
WHEREAS, the Richfield Human Rights Commission was chartered to secure human rights and
equal opportunity for the citizens of Richfield in the areas of housing, employment, public
accommodations, public services, and education and to align its goals with those set forth in the
Minnesota Human Rights Act.
WHEREAS, Senate File 783 (SF783) and House File 826 (HF826) have been introduced before
the Minnesota Legislature during the 2014 session.
WHEREAS, the Minnesota Safe Schools for All Coalition is a group of 120 organizations
representing a broad cross-section of Minnesotans who support anti -bullying legislation.
WHEREAS, equal access to educational opportunities is critical to individuals and communities,
the Richfield Human Rights Commission supports efforts to ensure the safety of all Minnesota
students and to promote healthy, respectful learning environments in Minnesota schools that
are free of harassment and violence, including but not limited to, actual or perceived race, color,
creed, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, disability, socioeconomic status, sexual
orientation, gender identity and expression, age, and physical characteristics, and association
with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics.
RESOLVED, the Richfield Human Rights Commission supports the passage of SF783 and
HF826.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Richfield Human Rights Commission join and therefore
become a member of the Minnesota Safe Schools for All Coalition.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this document will be presented to members of the press, in
addition to our membership.
CERTIFICATION
This resolution was approved unanimously.
Richfield Human Rights Commission
Elizabeth J. Wendt, Secretary
Comision de Derechos Humanos de la Ciudad de Richfield.
RESOLUCION EN APOYO AL ACTA DE ESCUELAS SEGURAS Y COMPRENSIVAS
DE MINNESOTA Y RESOLUCION PARA SER MIEMBROS DE LA COALICION DE
ESCUELAS SEGURAS DE MINNESOTA.
4 de Marzo, del 2014.
CONSIDERANDO QUE, la ComisiOn de Derechos Humanos de Richfield fue creada para
asegurar los derechos humanos e igualdad de oportunidades para todos los habitantes de
Richfield en las areas de vivienda, empleo, lugares abiertos al pOblico, servicios pibIicos, y
educacion, y para alinear estas metas con aquellas ya establecidos en el Acta de Derechos
Humanos de Minnesota.
CONSIDERANDO QUE, el Expediente del Senado Numero 783 (SF783) y el Expediente de la
Casa de Representantes Numero 826 (HF826) han sido introducidos ante la Legislature de
Minnesota durante la sesion del 2014.
CONSIDERANDO QUE, la Coalicion de Escuelas de Minnesota Seguras para Todos es un
grupo de 120 organizaciones de una amplia muestra representativa de Minnesotanos que
apoyan legislacion en contra del bullying.
CONSIDERANDO QUE, el acceso equitativo a oportunidades educativas es critico para los
individuos y comunidades, la Comision de Derechos Humanos de Richfield apoya esfuerzos
para garantizar la seguridad de todos los estudiantes de Minnesota, y promover un ambiente
libre de acoso y violencia, algunos de los cuales incluyen y no se limitan, a percepcion o
identificacion racial, credo, religiOn, origen nacional, sexo, estado civil, incapacidad, estatus
socioeconomic°, orientacian sexual, genero, identidad y expresion, edad, y caracteristicas
fisicas, y asociacion con una persona o grupo con una o ms de estas caracteristicas
percibidas o existentes.
SE CONCLUYE, la ComisiOn de Derechos Humanos de Richfield apoya la aprobaciOn de la
SF783 y la HF826.
TAMBIEN SE CONLUYE que la ComisiOn de Derechos Humanos de Richfield se una, y por lo
tanto, se convierta en miembro de la CoaliciOn de Escuelas de Minnesota Seguras para Todos.
TAMBIEN SE CONCLUYE que este documento sera presentado a los miembros de la prensa,
as i como tambien una lista con los miembros de esta comision.
CERTIFICACION
Esta resolucion fue aprobada unanimemente.
(W'
Richfield Human Rights Commission
Elizabeth J. Wendt, Secretary