Minutes - 10.1.19Richfield Human Rights Commission
Monthly Meeting Minutes
October 1st, 2019
Members Present: Brett Stursa, Heather Eastlund, Bob Mulcahy, Carrie Chillman, Michele
Thompson, Sarah Musgrave, Kris Anderson, Todd Diede, Tasha Ostendorf
Public Safety Liaison: Mike Flaherty
City Council Liaison:
School Board Liaison:
1.Meeting called to order by Chair Brett Stursa at 6:32pm.
2.Motion to approve Agenda: Anderson/seconded Diede; motion carried.
3.Motion to approve Minutes: Musgrave/seconded Eastlund, motion carried.
4.Open Public comment: None
5.Reports:
a.Chair’s report: Richfield Foundation fundraiser on Oct 10. Alaihaimier has
resigned. Youth commissioner application process extended.
b.Secretary’s report: None
c.Vice Chair’s report: None
d.School Board Liaison report: None
e.Public Safety Liaison report: None
6.New Business
a.Naturalization Ceremony committee (Eastlund, Stursa, Diede, Anderson,
Thompson): US District has decided due to resource constraints they are not
going to fund our naturalization ceremony. Potential to partner with Bloomington
in the future? The DIstrict has said the RHRC might be able to get on the 2021
calendar and we should check back next summer. Next Mall of America
ceremony is January 25. Eastlund to reach out to MOA to see if they can use
help/a partner.
b.Richfield Foundation Grant: Apply to fund to host an event to celebrate
Indigenous Peoples Day? Grant deadline is November 1. Any concerns from the
city about us applying for another grant? Flaherty says no concerns. Anderson
motion to proceed with the grant/Thompson seconded. Motion carried. Stursa to
lead.
c.Indigenous Peoples Day (Stursa, Diede, Ostendorf): Scheduled for a city council
meeting October 8 at 7pm. Come if you can to show support!
d.RHRC History Article: Article summary for submission by Neil at the city--need
validation of the final paragraph which makes assertions about what we believe.
No concerns. Please share pictures with Mulcahy that I can share with Neil.
e.Penn Fest: Thanks to Mulcahy and Goodemote for creating the activity and to the
commissioners who attended. Went well despite competition from the
professional football contest. It would be great next year to have something more
compelling from afar to visually attract people. Also, location put us in competition
with the dancers. Still have come a long way from pamphlets weighed down with
rocks! Discussion ensued about how we should articulate what we do and how it
relates to our mission and strategy. Stursa noted that Trautmann was more than
willing to talk to RHRC leadership about our approach to serving the city.
f.2020 Workplan: Brainstorming tonight, prioritizing next month. Our work should
reflect our priorities. Stursa’s list that she’s been collecting: Census, immigration,
housing workshops, JCPP partnership and Unity in the Community,
proclamations, redlining, naturalization, Penn Fest, 4th of July, city’s GARE
efforts (racial equity), outstanding citizen of the year. Mulcahy suggested
ranked-choice voting. Flaherty to collect information from the city on its priorities.
Anderson suggested human trafficking, disabilities, mental health awareness,
Hispanic Heritage Month, Women’s History Month. Chillman suggested we focus
on the census. Discussion about ways we can partner with RDAP (e.g.,
inaccessible eco-garbage cans being piloted). Discussion about whether there is
work to be done to tie commissions closer together so they can support/inform
each other (e.g., there used to be at least a meet and greet). Discussion about
how we create a strategic framework that can create long term plans. Diede
asked whether we have contacts with other HRCs. Should we seek partnerships
with, say, Bloomington?
g.Reschedule November Meeting: Motion to move to November 7th to avoid
election day: Thompson, seconded: Ostendorf. Motion passed
7.Unfinished Business
a.Proclamation committee (Stursa, Eastlund, Mulcahy, Trautmann): Hispanic
Heritage presented at city council.
b.Housing committee (Eastlund, Chillman, Mulcahy, Stursa, Diede, Anderson):
We’ve been asked by our partners to delay and touch base again at the end of
November. They also feel like a lot of the issues are communication challenges
that we can help address (rather than tenant rights per se). People with Capes,
based in Richfield, is building a report for the city will get their input to help refine
what the event should be. There may be volunteer opportunities for us to help
them with future events. More to come!
c.History project (Mulcahy, Chillman, Eastlund, Stursa): See above.
d.Census committee (Chillman, Eastlund, Diede, Musgrave, Anderson, Ostendorf):
No report.
e.Naturalization Ceremony committee (Eastlund, Stursa, Diede, Anderson,
Thompson): See above.
8.Announcements/Open Forum: None
9.Next meeting: November 7, 2019, 6:30pm (NOT usual date; see above)
10.Motion for adjournment: Eastlund/seconded Chillman, motion carried. Meeting adjourned
at 7:59pm.
Submitted by Bob Mulcahy 10/2/19