Minutes - 11.7.19Richfield Human Rights Commission
Monthly Meeting Minutes
November 7th, 2019
Members Present: Brett Stursa, Heather Eastlund, Bob Mulcahy, Katie Goodemote, Michele
Thompson, Sarah Musgrave, Kris Anderson, Tasha Ostendorf
Public Safety Liaison: Mike Flaherty
City Council Liaison:
School Board Liaison:
1.Meeting called to order by Chair Brett Stursa at 6:28pm.
2.Motion to amend Agenda: Thompson/seconded Anderson; motion carried. Motion to
pass agenda Thompson/Anderson seconded, motion carried.
3.Motion to approve Minutes: Thompson/seconded Musgrave, motion carried.
4.Open Public comment: None
5.Reports:
a.Chair’s report: October was a big month for the RHRC! Will begin putting agenda
on the Google Drive site. Mulcahy to send out link again.
b.Secretary’s report: No report
c.Vice Chair’s report: No report
d.School Board Liaison report: No report
e.Public Safety Liaison report: 20 applications or so for youth commissioner.
Review process pending.
6.New Business
a.Welcome new commissioners
b.Indigenous Peoples Day renaming: City council approved at Oct 8 meeting to
rename Columbus Day. The City Council meeting was inspiring and the mayor
did a great job engaging with the honored guests. Apply for Richfield grant for a
celebration next year? Maybe even a Dakota land designation (idea from the
mayor). Check out the articles in the SunCurrent. Appreciation for Neal Ruhland.
c.HRC 50th Anniversary: That’s Rich(field) podcast released this month, along with
an accompanying article in the SunCurrent written by the city.
d.Richfield Foundation Grant: Applied for celebration funds next year ($2500). May
also be tribal funds available. Maxed out grant ($2000) so did not also apply for
funds for land designation. Richfield's American Indian Education Parent
Advisory Committee is going to try and reserve space at the middle or high
school next year on Indigenous Peoples Day. Musgrave suggested Arts
Commission involvement. Discussion about where we can apply for a grant (e.g.
Allina) given the constraints of being a city commission. Land designation
something for our workplan next year? Commission was supportive. Stursa
recommended local Sacred Sites tour. Goodemote expressed interest in serving
on a committee, as did Anderson. Grant is on the Google Drive site.
e.2020 Work Plan: Stursa, Eastlund, and Mulcahy unable to connect with
Trautmann on work plan this month. City is aware we would like city input and is
receptive. Will help us feel more connected to the city. Discussion of role of
liaisons between city commissions. Anderson suggested it would make sense to
at least stay abreast of their meeting minutes. Building strategic relationships
could be in scope for the 2020 work plan. Human Trafficking as potential item in
2020. Musgrave noted that we’ve worked with Madeline Lohman of Advocates for
Human Rights in the past on human trafficking workshops. Flaherty let us know
that Diana Chapman-Salas now has a position with the county dealing directly
with human trafficking (could be an ally?). City’s goal is to get a new JCPP
liaison. Discussion about process for creating the final work plan in December
after city and city council have vetted: discussion-based or structured? Eastlund
suggested that champions are key to leading committees. Discussion about
whether that’s strategic--though we still need to honor causes that
commissioners are most excited to devote energy to. Anderson suggests that
marry unstructured with specific goals that create structure. Stursa: in the next
month check out the work plan list on the Google drive and research issues you
have the most passion around so we can hit the ground running. Note addition of
banning conversion therapy to the list since last meeting.
f.Parent Share: Anderson described parent share: a parent support group and also
Richfield Kids @ Home, a family housing assistance program. Dec 12 celebration
coming up. Are there ways that the RHRC could help? Parent Share looking for
supplies to be donated---do we have partnerships that could result in donations.
We can help serve and clean up. Anderson sent around donation list and will put
it on the Google Drive. They will get back to Anderson on how many volunteers
they need. It’s a formal event for 18 families. Stursa suggested it is an important
partnership for the RHRC. At next meeting can determine RHRC volunteers.
7.Unfinished Business
a.Naturalization Ceremony committee (Eastlund, Stursa, Diede, Anderson,
Thompson): Confirmed that it was a resource issue this year with the U.S. District
Court and nothing we did. They invited us to reach out next year. Pick back up
next year (June or July) for 2021.
b.Housing committee (Eastlund, Chillman, Mulcahy, Stursa, Diede, Anderson): No
report; expecting communication by end of November.
c.Proclamation committee (Stursa, Eastlund, Mulcahy, Trautmann): On hold until
work plan in place.
d.History project (Mulcahy, Chillman, Eastlund, Stursa): No further activity planned.
Looking forward to the 100th anniversary in 2068.
e.Census committee (Chillman, Eastlund, Diede, Musgrave, Anderson, Ostendorf):
Renewed energy in the city with Richfield Counts. Nov 21 meeting at 6pm in City
Hall. We should have a presence there if we want to connect. Eastlund and
Ostendorf and Musgrave and Anderson to be there. Be mindful if more than five
people attend that open forum laws will apply.
f.Announcements/Open Forum: Goodemote has receipts from Penn Fest; see
procedure on Google Drive site. Flaherty to check on existing RHRC budget
balance. Discussion about purchasing a canopy for events like Penn Fest.
Flaherty suggested that the RIchfield Police Department can lend those to the
RHRC. Discussion about whether we want sturdy display boards with RHRC
content on them that we can take places when we are presenting that we could
swap content in and out on. Anderson to find samples.
8.Next meeting: December 3rd, 2019, 6:30pm
9.Motion for adjournment: Eastlund/seconded Ostendorf, motion carried. Meeting
adjourned at 7:30pm.
Submitted by Bob Mulcahy 11/10/19