2020-03 minutesRichfield Human Rights Commission
Monthly Meeting Minutes
March 5, 2020
Members Present: Brett Stursa, Heather Eastlund, Carrie Chillman, Michele Thompson,
Kris Anderson, Todd Diede, Tasha Ostendorf, Fountia Thompson-Robinson, Ava Noack,
Hanna Milton
Public Safety Liaison: Mike Flaherty
City Council Liaison: Mary Supple
School Board Liaison: Allegra Smisek
1. Meeting called to order by Chair Brett Stursa at 6:30pm.
2. Motion to approve Agenda: Thompson/seconded Eastlund; motion carried.
3. Motion to approve Minutes: Eastlund/seconded Anderson, motion carried.
4. Open Public comment: None
5. Reports:
a. Chair’s report: Update on MN Dept. of Human Rights activity: supporting efforts
to pass the CROWN Act, which would prohibit discrimination based on hairstyle;
also supporting an effort to ban the “pay history” question on job applications;
settled with Plymouth West Lutheran High School over sexual assault
allegations; settled with Marathon Corporation in St. Paul Park regarding an
employee’s service animal not being permitted in the workplace.
b. Vice Chair’s report: Expressed an interest in rank choice voting given the
outcome of recent Presidential primaries; Stursa mentioned that efforts are
ongoing to implement the system Richfield
c. Secretary’s report: New commissioner orientation was held prior to the
commission meeting
d. School Board Liaison report: School board has been working on nutrition/”lunch-
shaming” policy. She will keep the commission apprised of progress.
e. City Council Liaison report: gave an update on city’s prevailing wage and anti-
human trafficking efforts
f. Public Safety Liaison report: None
6. New Business
a. Review Outstanding Citizen Award nomination process and discuss marketing
Discussion was had about whether nomination materials needed to be updated.
A discrepancy was noted between the RHRC bylaws and the nomination
materials. A decision was made to leave the materials and process as-is for 2020
and re-examine for 2021. Anderson and Eastlund expressed interest in working
on this for 2021. Flaherty will look into the background of the award and report
back to the commission. Marketing ideas to get 2020 nominations: Sun Current,
City Social Media; Posters/email announcements in high schools; churches.
b. Housing committee (Kris, Heather, Fountia)
Eastlund gave an update that community building has been identified as the most
important need at Richfield Towers. Eastlund, Anderson, and Thompson-
Robinson will be meeting with a city representative in the coming weeks to
determine how to move forward
c. Partnerships (Kris): No update
d. Community standards for parades (Mara): No update
e. Racial covenants in Richfield (Fountia, Brett, Todd, Tasha, Heather, Hannah):
Stursa gave an update on upcoming events. April 23: Jim Crow of the North film
at City Hall; May 15: Mapping Prejudice conversation at City Hall; June 14
(tentative): Juneteenth celebration at either Veteran’s or Augsburg Park. There is
a fee for park shelter rental – likely less than $100. Flaherty will check to see if
this fee could be waved. If the fee is not waived, Chillman moved to authorize the
use of RHRC funds to cover it/Eastlund seconded/motion carried.
f. Proclamations (Brett, Michelle, Heather, Mara): Stursa gave an update. The city
is revamping its proclamation process, but no information has been disseminated
yet. Four proclamations are planned for 2020: Pride Month, ADA Day, 100th
Anniversary of 19th Amendment, Indigenous Peoples Day. Supple mentioned that
the Arts commission may be willing to partner on Pride Month.
7. Unfinished Business
a. Census (Heather, Tasha, Todd): No update
8. Announcements/Open Forum: Anderson noted that voting did not appear to be
accessible. Supple mentioned that the City Clerk was made aware of a similar situation.
9. Next meeting: April 7, 2020, 6:30pm
10. Motion for adjournment: Anderson/seconded Chillman, motion carried. Meeting
adjourned at 7:37pm.
Submitted by Todd Diede 3/5/20