2020-12 minutesRichfield Human Rights Commission
Monthly Meeting Minutes
December 1, 2020
Members Present: Heather Eastlund, Katie Goodemote, Michele Thompson, Todd
Diede, Tasha Ostendorf, Mara Glubka, Kris Anderson, Carrie Chillman
Public Safety Liaison: Brad Drayna (sitting in for Mike Flaherty)
City Council Liaison: Mary Supple
School Board Liaison: none
Note: meeting held via WebEx
1. Meeting called to order by Chair Eastlund at 6:32pm.
2. Motion to approve agenda: Diede/Anderson seconded, motion carried.
3. Motion to approve minutes: Glubka/Chillman seconded, motion carried.
4. Open Public comment: None
5. Reports:
a. Chair’s report: Eastlund noted that elections for 2021 officers will be held at the
January 2021 meeting.
b. Vice Chair’s report: none
c. Secretary’s report: none
d. School Board Liaison report: none
e. City Council Liaison report: Supple shared information showing that non-whites
make up a disproportionate number of the COVID-19 cases in Richfield. There is
a report available on the city’s website
(https://www.richfieldmn.gov/home/showpublisheddocument?id=23331). Supple
suggested that research into this issue could be added to the HRC’s 2021 work
plan.
f. Public Safety Liaison report: Lt. Drayna shared that the city has a COVID-19
dashboard on its website: https://www.richfieldmn.gov/residents/covid-19; he also
mentioned that a new Richfield city website will be released next week.
6. New Business
a. 2021 Work Plan: The below candidates for the 2021 workplan were briefly
discussed. Anderson also raised racial healthcare disparities as something to
potentially add to the work plan.
i. Outstanding Citizen Award Process/Criteria Review: work would need to
happen in early 2021
ii. Bylaws Review: work needs to be completed by November 2021
iii. DEI Work Plan:
iv. Proclamations: Thompson noted that 2021 is the 230th anniversary of the
ratification of the Bill of Rights and the 80th anniversary of Bill of Rights Day
v. Structural Racism in Richfield
vi. Indigenous Peoples Day celebration
vii. Naturalization Ceremony
viii. Partnerships
ix. Census results follow-up communication
x. Conversion therapy ban: Glubka has begun communicating with OutFront
Minnesota as a potential partner in this effort. Angela Tona from OutFront
Minnesota joined and mentioned that they had assisted six cities in banning
conversion therapy for minors and vulnerable adults and would be willing to
provide assistance to the RHRC in this effort. Glubka, Ostendorf, and Supple
expressed interest in beginning work on this issue.
b. RHRC Annual Report: Eastlund sent the report to the city and will present it to
the City Council in January 2021.
c. Star Tribune Article: Richfield’s Latinos Cite Racial Barriers: The Star Tribune
reported on the MIRA report that Councilmember Supple brought to the
November HRC meeting. One of the issues raised in the article was that the
Richfield City website is not available in Spanish. Drayna noted that the new
website will be available in multiple languages, including Spanish, and is also
ADA compliant.
7. Unfinished Business
a. Partnerships: This effort will be considered for the 2021 work plan.
8. Announcements/Open Forum: none
9. Next meeting: Tuesday, January 5, 2021 at 6:30pm (via WebEx)
10. Motion for adjournment: Thompson/Glubka seconded, motion carried. Meeting
adjourned at 7:46pm.
Submitted by Todd Diede 12/3/2020