Loading...
2021-12-07 Human Rights Commission Bylaws1 ORGANIZATIONAL BYLAWS of the RICHFIELD HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION [TO BE APPROVED: Dec 7, 2021] BYLAW ARTICLES ARTICLE I. NAME ARTICLE II. PURPOSE/MISSION ARTICLE III. HISTORY ARTICLE IV. OFFICERS ARTICLE V. LIASIONS TO COMMISSION ARTICLE VI. MEETINGS ARTICLE VII. DUTIES OF OFFICERS ARTICLE VIII. COMMISSIONERS ARTICLE IX. NOMINATIONS ARTICLE X. ELECTIONS ARTICLE XI. COMMITTEES ARTICLE XII. PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY ARTICLE XIII. AMENDMENTS ARTICLE XIV. GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE AGAINST THE COMMISSION ARTICLE XV. REMOVAL OF COMMISSIONER ARTICLE XVI. RESIGNATIONS/VACANCIES ARTICLE XVII. VIOLATION OF MINNESOTA HUMAN RIGHTS ACT COMPLAINT PROCEDURE ARTICLE XVIII. COMMISIONS OUTSTANDING CITIZEN AWARD ARTICLE XIX. COMMISSION PROPERTY APPENDIX A – City Code, Section 305.00. Definitions. APPENDIX B – City Code, Section 305.01. Creation; general requirements. APPENDIX C – City Code, Section 305.03. Establishment of human rights commission. APPENDIX D – Council Memorandum No. 107 – Commissioner Removal Guidelines 2 ARTICLE I. NAME This organization shall be known as the Richfield (MN) Human Rights Commission ARTICLE II. PURPOSE/MISSION The mission of the Human Rights Commission shall be to help to secure human rights and equal opportunity for the residents of Richfield in the areas of housing, employment, public accommodations, public services, and education and to align ourselves with goals set forth in the Minnesota Human Rights act. Also, to provide advocacy and education regarding human rights issues ARTICLE III. HISTORY Richfield developed City Code that states the City will continue to annually establish a chartered Human Rights Commission. The Richfield Human Rights Commission was formally established as an advisory commission to the Richfield City Council in April of 1968. Prior to that, the Richfield Citizens Council for Human Rights existed. That council consisted of citizen volunteers and was independently organized. It was transformed into the formal city commission in response to the requirement of the City of Richfield to fulfill its responsibilities as a partner of the State Department of Human Rights. ARTICLE IV. OFFICERS The officers of the Richfield Human Rights Commission (“the 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 and Secretary. ARTICLE V. LIAISONS TO COMMISSION A. Liaisons. There are four liaison seats to the Commission, including a Richfield City Council representative, a Richfield School Board representative, a Richfield staff member and the Richfield Equity & Inclusion Administrator. 1. Richfield Staff Member. Staff members designated by the Richfield City Manager, or “Staff Liaison” shall: a) Attend all Commission meetings. b) Distribute minutes, agendas, and other pertinent notices c) Update Commissioners on relevant city business d) Provide such additional support as is designated by the Commission with the consent of the City Manager. ARTICLE VI. MEETINGS A. Regular Meetings There shall be at least one regular meeting on the first Tuesday of each calendar month at Richfield City Hall at 6:30 PM unless a majority vote designates otherwise the time or place. B. 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 members of the Commission. 2. Notice for Special Meetings Each member shall be notified at least forty-eight hours prior to any special meeting, of the time, place and purpose of the same. C. General Provisions for Meetings 1. Open 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. 3 2. Quorum A quorum shall consist of a majority of the members appointed. 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. ARTICLE VII. DUTIES OF OFFICERS A. Chair. The Chair's duties shall be to: 1. Preside over meetings. 2. Prepare an agenda prior to each meeting and provide it to the members of the Commission and the Staff Liaison five days prior to the meeting 3. Represent the 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. 4. Appoint commissioners to serve on committees and/or attend conferences. 5. Annually request the City Council in writing to send at least one representative to all Commission meetings. 6. Annually request the School Board in writing to send at least one representative to all Commission meetings. 7. Prepare an annual report on the Commission’s activities, provide a copy of the annual report to Commission members, and present the annual report to the City Council at the City Council’s request. 8. Perform such other duties as may be prescribed from time to time by the Commission. B. Vice-Chair. The Vice-Chair's duties shall be to: 1. Represent the Chair in the Chair's absence. 2. Assist the Chair in carrying out his/her duties. 3. Maintain inventory of, manage and distribute Commission property. Prepare a yearly inventory report for the Commission and distribute such report to the members of the Commission and the Staff Liaison at the last regular meeting of each calendar year. 4. Perform such other duties as may be prescribed from time to time by the Commission. 5. Shall act as MEDIA COORDINATOR, whose duties shall include: A. Work with Richfield City Staff to post on the city website and Facebook page: i. Upcoming Richfield Human Rights Commission events ii. Photos of Richfield Human Rights Commission events iii. Richfield Human Rights Commission positions, resolutions, proclamations iv. Post brief highlights from Richfield Human Rights Commission Meetings v. Other information, as needed B. Work with media (primarily Sun Current but others as warranted): i. Announce upcoming events ii. Encourage media c overages of commission events iii. Encourage media coverage of votes, resolutions, proclamations, as warranted. 4 C. Secretary. The Secretary's duties shall be to: 1. Attend all meetings of the Richfield Human Rights Commission, or find a replacement member to fulfill his/her duties for that meeting. 2. Record all proceedings of such meetings and maintain the minutes in the commission’s Google Docs files. 3. Supervise the distribution of minutes and other reports and supervise the collection of an ongoing history of the Commission. 4. Submit minutes of each meeting to the appropriate staff liaison for distribution to commissioners seven business days prior to the following meeting. Once approved by the commission, submit minutes to city personnel for city web posting. 5. Prepare a yearly attendance report for the Commission and distribute such report to the members of the Commission and the Staff Liaison immediately following the last regular meeting of each calendar year. 6. Perform such other duties as may be prescribed from time to time by the Commission. ARTICLE VIII. COMMISSIONERS A. Orientation of Commissioners 1. Once appointments are made, newly appointed commissioners shall attend an orientation session as arranged by the City. 2. Newly appointed commissioners will also receive an orientation of the Commission's purpose, activities, attendance requirements, meeting dates, etc., as arranged for by the Chair. All new appointees to the Commission shall receive the Commission’s Bylaws, a copy of the Minnesota Human Rights Act, meeting minutes and the most recent annual reports electronically via the Commission’s Google Docs files and the city website. B. Attendance Commission members are required to attend all Commission meetings. Commission members shall notify the Commission Chair or staff liaison if he or she is unable to attend a meeting. (City Code 305.01, Subd. 5 Attendance). C. Duties. The Commissioners’ duties shall be to: 1. 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. 1. Have knowledge about Commission activities as summarized in its records. 1. Advocate positions on behalf of the Commission when specifically approved by the Commission. Perform such other duties as may be prescribed from time to time by the Chair or a majority vote of the Commission. D. Communications Commissioners may communicate information on behalf of the Commission provided it is consistent with information summarized in its records and approved by the Commission. Commissioners shall not be precluded from communicating personal opinions so long as it is made clear that their personal opinions do not represent the position of the Commission. ARTICLE IX. NOMINATIONS Nominations for Officers from the floor must be made at the January meeting. Each member shall cast a ballot for each member that he/she wishes to be Chairperson, Vice-Chair, and Secretary respectively. The member receiving a majority of the votes cast shall be Chairperson, Vice-Chair and Secretary respectively. If no one receives a majority of votes cast after three ballots, a coin toss shall be performed for that specific office. 5 ARTICLE X. ELECTION These officers shall take office immediately following their election and shall hold office until their successors have been elected. ARTICLE XI COMMITTEES A. Committee Organization 1. Committee Reports a) Committee Chairs or their representatives shall report at each regular meeting. 2. Duties and Responsibilities a) The duties and responsibilities of the various committees shall be defined at the time of their formation by the Commission. B. Committee Membership Each committee, with the approval of the Commission, may state the number of citizens it chooses to have as members of that committee. C. Committee Records All committees shall maintain records of all meetings, recommendations, actions, memberships, etc., and shall provide for inclusion in the minutes: i. Committee name. ii. Date, place, time and attendance. iii. Subject of meeting. iv. Activities, conclusions and recommendations. v. If possible, time and place of next meeting. D. Committee Selection Citizens can be selected by the Commission for committee membership. E. Removal of Members The Commission may remove a committee member from a committee at any time by majority vote. F. Committee Voting and Reporting Citizens shall have voting rights only at committee meetings. Committee reports to the Commission shall be presented by the Committee Chairperson. Any committee member may make a minority report. ARTICLE XII PARLIAMENTAARIAN AUTHORITY Sturgis’ Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure Shall Govern Meetings At all meetings of a Commission where formal action is required on a matter, the meeting shall be governed by Sturgis’ Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure. At meetings where no action is required, no formal parliamentary procedure shall govern the conduct of the proceedings unless necessary such as when a formal motion is before the Commission (City Code 305.01, Subd.9.b) ARTICLE XIII AMENDMENTS A. Two-Thirds Vote to Amend These articles can be amended by two thirds vote of the current Commission membership at a regular Commission meeting. B. Proposed Amendments to Commissioners Proposed amendments shall be sent electronically to Commission membership five days prior to the regular Commission meeting at which they are to be voted upon. C. Reviews The Bylaws shall be reviewed by the Commission every three years. 6 ARTICLE XIV GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE AGAINST THE COMMISSION Mediation services and grievances related to the work of the Commission will be handled through services provided by the City of Richfield. ARTICLE XV. REMOVAL OF COMMISSIONERS Commission members serve at the pleasure of the City Council and, unless prohibited by law, may be removed by the Council at any time for any reason, including but not limited to, excessive absences from commission meetings. (City Code 305.01, Subd.6). A. Removal Guidelines and Process Regarding Excessive Absences of a Commission Member 1.. If the staff liaison and chairperson to a commission determine that a commission member has been excessively absent from regular commission meetings, the Commissioner Removal Guidelines –Council Memorandum No. 107 as outlined in APPENDIX D shall be followed. 2. Prior to beginning the process for removal, the commission staff liaison and chairperson shall bring this action before the commission for discussion. ARTICLE XVI. RESIGNATIONS/VACANCIES In the event that an officer resigns with more than two months left in his/her term, the Commission, at the next monthly regular meeting, shall use the procedure in the preceding paragraphs (Ia -Ic) to replace the officer. The newly elected replacement officer shall take office immediately upon election. A. Resignation of a Commissioner In the event that a commission member wishes to resign from the Commission, the member shall send notice of their resignation to the Richfield City Manager or designee. The Commission may request that the city council appoint a new member to complete the vacated member’s term. ARTICLE XVII. VIOLATION OF MINNESOTA HUMAN RIGHTS ACT—COMPLAINT PROCEDURE A claim of an unfair discrimination practice may be filed in a charge with the Richfield Human Rights Commission or the State Commissioner of Human Rights within one year after the occurrence of the practice. The Richfield Human Rights Commission may investigate complaints of alleged human rights violations following the Complaint Process formulated by the State Department of Human Rights or refer a complaint to the State Commissioner at the Minnesota Department of Human Rights. ARTICLE XVIII. THE COMMISSION'S OUTSTANDING CITIZEN AWARD A. The Gene and Mary Jacobsen Outstanding Citizen Award honors a family, group, organization, business or individual that lives or works in Richfield. The HRC gives the award to recognize outstanding community service, commitment to human rights, or efforts to improve our community and make it a better place for all. B. The nomination includes enough information to explain why the nominee(s) should be considered for an award that recognizes the “outstanding citizen” in Richfield. The commission bases their decision on the written information provided in the nomination. C. The Commission may present the Gene and Mary Jacobsen Outstanding Citizen 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. The nominee must meet the criteria established by the Commission. Current Commissioners are not eligible to be an individual award recipient. ARTICLE XIX. COMMISSION PROPERTY Any Commission property shall be checked out with the Vice-Chair and returned to the Vice-Chair after use. 7 APPENDIX A – City Code, Section 305.00. Definitions. 305.00. - Definitions. Subdivision 1. The following terms, when used in this Section, shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly indicates otherwise: Subd. 2. "Commission" means a body established by the City Council to advise the Council on matters of municipal concern. The terms "commission" and "board" may be used interchangeably in this Section. Subd. 3. "Youth" means an individual who is at least 15 years of age. (Added, Bill No. 2015-17) APPENDIX B – City Code, Section 305.01. Creation; general requirements. 305.01. - Creation; general requirements. Unless otherwise provided by law or herein, the provisions in this subsection apply to all City commissions. Subdivision 1. Creation. A Commission may be established by a majority of the City Council. The Council shall adopt a resolution or ordinance that will describe the purpose and function of the Commission. City Commissions are advisory bodies to the City Council. The Council shall periodically review the role, responsibilities and procedures of each Commission. The Council may eliminate a Commission by adopting a resolution or ordinance rescinding the resolution or ordinance establishing the Commission. Subd. 2. Residency. Members of city commissions shall be residents of the City, unless an ordinance or resolution expressly provides otherwise. Subd. 3. Terms. The City Council shall appoint members to the commissions for terms not to exceed three years. No member shall serve more than three consecutive terms on the same Commission. Appointment to serve on a Commission for a period of time greater than one-half of a complete term shall be counted as a full term. If the Council appoints an individual who had a break in continuous service of at least one full term, it shall be treated as a first-term appointment. Commissioners may only serve on one Commission at a time. Subd. 4. Youth appointments. The City Council may appoint a maximum of two youth members to certain commissions. Terms for youth appointments shall be one year, commencing on September 1 and ending on August 31. No youth member shall serve more than three consecutive terms on the same Commission. Except as otherwise provided for by resolution of the Council, youth members must be residents of the City and enrolled in a high school or equivalent. A youth member may only serve on one Commission at a time. Subd. 5. Attendance. Members are required to attend regular commission meetings. Commission members shall notify the Commission Chair or staff liaison if he or she is unable to attend a meeting. The Council shall conduct an annual review of the attendance of members of City commissions. Subd. 6. Removal/vacancy. Commission members serve at the pleasure of the City Council and, unless prohibited by law, may be removed at any time for any reason, including but not limited to, excessive absences from commission meetings. When a vacancy occurs, the Council shall appoint a person to fill the unexpired term of the vacated seat. Unless provided otherwise by law or city resolution, a seat on a Commission is vacated upon any of the following: (a) Death; (b) Removal of legal residence in the City; (c) Resignation in writing presented to the City Manager, or designee; (d) Removal by the Council; or, (e) Election or appointment to a public office. Subd. 7. Committees. Commissions may establish committees from time to time as the need arises. Subd. 8. Staff/council liaisons. Each January, the City Council shall designate a Council member as liaison and one alternative liaison to each Commission. The City Manager shall appoint one City employee to serve as a staff liaison to each Commission. Council and staff liaisons are not voting members of a Commission. Subd. 9. Bylaws/rules of procedure. (a) Commissions may adopt bylaws to govern meeting procedures and other matters not addressed in this Section. If the bylaws of a Commission and this Section conflict, this Section shall prevail. Commissions may amend bylaws with approval of a 2/3 majority vote of the Commission. (b) At all meetings of a Commission where formal action is required on a matter, the meeting shall be governed by Sturgis' Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure. At meetings where no action is required, no formal 8 parliamentary procedure shall govern the conduct of the proceedings unless necessary such as when a formal motion is before the Commission. (Added, Bill No. 2015-17) APPENDIX C – City Code, Section 305.03. Establishment of human rights commission. 305.03. - Establishment of human rights commission. Subdivision 1. Scope 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 363A, the Minnesota Human Rights Act. Subd. 2. Establishment of commission. There is established and continued a human rights commission. Subd. 3. Purpose 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 this 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. Subd. 4. Composition of the commission. The Commission consists of 13 members appointed by the Council. Eleven members shall be appointed for terms of three (3) 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 term was appointed shall be appointed only for the remainder of such, and (ii) two (2) persons shall be appointed as "youth" members for one (1) year terms. The two (2) youth members shall be given all rights, privileges and responsibilities granted to the other appointed members. Members serve without compensation and may be removed from office at any time by the Council. 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 government on human relations and civil rights problems and act in an advisory capacity with respect to planning or operation of any City department 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 violation of Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 363A 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 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 community; and (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. Subd. 6. Investigations, enforcement, penalties. The Commission may receive and investigate complaints of alleged violations of this subsection. Investigations shall conform to the Complaint Process formulated by the State Department of Human Rights. (Amended, Bill No. 2015-17) 9 APPENDIX D – Council Memorandum No. 107 – Commissioner Removal Guidelines 10 GOOGLE DRIVE: https://drive.google.com/drive/u/2/folders/0B12lCT3M5724S25pVVREWWpWMTA?resourcekey=0- _TiSSml5Plb3x5TBly-H5w