Minutes - 6.4.19Richfield Human Rights Commission
Monthly Meeting Minutes
June 4th, 2019
Members Present: Brett Stursa, Heather Eastlund, Bob Mulcahy, Carrie Chillman,
Michele Thompson, Kris Anderson, Todd Diede, Tasha Ostendorf, Luz Luna Apodaca
Public Safety Liaison: Mike Flaherty
City Council Liaison: Simon Trautmann
School Board Liaison: None
1. Meeting called to order by Chair Brett Stursa at 6:32pm.
2. Motion to approve Agenda: Anderson/seconded Chillman; motion carried.
3. Motion to approve Minutes: Thompson/seconded Eastlund, motion carried.
4. Open Public comment: None
5. Reports:
a. Chair’s report: Submitted annual report to city council.
b. Secretary’s report: None.
c. Vice Chair’s report: RHRC t-shirts. Talked to Jared Voto and Theresa Rosen
about recruiting youth commissioners. RHRC can recruit actively beyond city’s
regular efforts. Trautman suggested a Bloomington mosque and offered to reach
out; also noted that Ben Whalen could have good contacts. Also suggested
reaching out to advocacy groups or teachers who are sponsors for those groups.
Discussed barriers to greater youth participation and whether a mentor role on
the commission would have value. Call for volunteer to lead youth recruiting
efforts; contact Stursa before next meeting if interested.
d. School Board Liaison report: None.
e. Public Safety Liaison report: None.
f. City Council Liaison: 494 redevelopment project; council is looking at closing
some access points to Richfield--question is how access affects neighborhoods
and economic development.
6. New Business
a. Outstanding Citizen Award reception June 11 @ 6 p.m.: Encourage commission
members to attend, especially the reception. Flaherty to make coffee and set up
tables. Chillman to bring forks and tablecloths. Eastlund to bring RHRC literature.
Discussion about whether in the future the reception should be half an hour.
b. ADA Proclamation (Stursa, Chillman, Mulcahy): Anderson moved to accept
without edit/Chillman seconded. Motion passes. Flaherty to submit. Was hoping
to partner with RDAP but didn’t work out this time; hope in future is to partner
with more local groups to create proclamations. Discussion about whether it is
worth giving RDAP a review. Ostendorf volunteered to lead effort to forge a
longer term relationship with RDAP. Discussion about next proclamation and who
to partner with. Give it some thought before next meeting--email one of us on the
subcommittee. Trautmann suggested approaching Chamber of Commerce about
possibility of approaching Latino-owned businesses.
7. Unfinished Business
a. Gender neutral bathrooms (Musgrave, Stursa, Eastlund): Discussion of any way
to get feedback on impact? Trautmann to get specific answer on whether
signage on single stalled bathrooms will change.
b. Proclamation (Stursa, Mulcahy, Chillman): Trautmann and Luna Apodaca
interested in attending next meeting.
c. Housing committee (Eastlund, Chillman, Mulcahy, Stursa, Diede, Anderson):
Eastlund talked to Lynnette Chambers about city efforts around tenant/landlord
rights with the Community Action Partnership of Hennepin County (CAPHC) and
offered potential support from RHRC. Six hour workshops on Saturday typically,
including food and gift certificates at the end. In terms of Richfield Towers,
demographics shifting, more people with mental health problems which is
creating friction. Homeline another possibility. The city is also working with
People with Capes. City is looking at needs assessment for Richfield Towers and
how to help. Anyone invited to the Family Stability Workshop on June 19 at 9:30
am at Oak Grove Church. Eastlund and Anderson to attend. Subcommittee to
regroup after June 19. September CAPHC event: Bridges Out of Poverty event
all-day workshop to frame poverty.
d. History project (Mulcahy): History compilation complete. Create displays for Penn
Fest? Visual components? Stursa encouraged members to read history
document. Attach to city council meeting, maybe in conjunction with a
proclamation? Trautman pointed out RHRC led effort for Richfield for be first city
to “ban the box.” Best timing with city council is “not November”; September,
October? Mulcahy to start drafting materials for boards. Mulcahy and Heather
and Chillman and Stursa to committee. Mulcahy to reach out to That’s Rich
podcast.
e. Census committee (Chillman, Eastlund, Diede, Musgrave, Anderson, Ostendorf):
Flaherty talked to city staff; they will come up with some talking points by late
June that HRC can share with members of the public about census. Anderson to
look into Richfield efforts to count everyone to see where the RHRC fits.
Troutman suggested Anderson join us at Hispanic proclamation subcommittee
meeting as we will identify individuals who would have the pulse of community
efforts.
f. Penn Fest committee (Chillman, Musgrave, Goodemote): Karen Wolverton from
Arts to partner with us, depending on where we go with history project.
g. Renaming Columbus Day committee (Stursa, Diede, Ostendorf): Research
phase.
h. Naturalization Ceremony committee (Eastlund, Stursa, Diede, Anderson,
Thompson): Reached out to Rebecca Parks who works for US District Court to
start process. Not ready to set dates for next year; reach back out in August.
Considering venues; High school? Middle school? Best Buy?
8. Announcements/Open Forum: None
9. Next meeting: July 9th, 2019, 6:30pm; Babcock room
10. Motion for adjournment: Eastlund/seconded Chillman, motion carried. Meeting adjourned
at 8:01pm.
Submitted by Bob Mulcahy 6/5/19