City of Lawrence

Lawrence Human Relations Commission

November 14, 2013 – 11:00 AM

Minutes

 

Members Present:           Jason Barnhill, Scott Criqui, James Dunn, Carl Edwards, Sarah Bloxsom, and William Welch

 

Members Excused:   Katherine Pryor and Katrina McClure

 

Members Unexcused:   Kirsten Krug

 

Staff Present:  Toni Wheeler, Scott Wagner, Bryant Barton, Susan Parson, and Megan Gilliland

 

Public Present:  Bill Larzalere, Chief Litigation Attorney with KU Legal Services for Students

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Commission Meeting Called to Order

The Lawrence Human Relations Commission (LHRC) Meeting was called to order by Chair, Jason Barnhill, at 11:00 a.m. in the City Commission Room at City Hall, located at 6 East 6th Street, 1st Floor, Lawrence, Kansas. Chairman Barnhill began the meeting by asking the Commissioners and staff to go around the table and introduce themselves and to provide a brief background of themselves. Vice Chairman Criqui welcomed the new Commissioners: Carl Edwards, William Welch, and Sarah Bloxsom. Bryant Barton, City Prosecutor and Human Relations Investigator introduced himself as a new member of the City’s staff.

 

Acceptance of Agenda

Chairman Barnhill asked the commission if there were any additional agenda items for consideration.  No additional items were offered. 

 

Approval of Minutes

Chairman Barnhill asked if there were additions or changes to the commission minutes from the August, 15 2013 meeting.  Vice Chair Criqui moved to approve the minutes, Commissioner Dunn seconded, all voted in favor.

 

Receive Staff Report

Bryant Barton, our new City Prosecutor, gave the Case Report Update.

 

A. Case Report Update:

Closed Cases (since August meeting)

  1. Employment – Race – alleged unequal treatment; Finding: No Probable Cause.
  2. Housing – National Origin – alleged unequal treatment; Successfully Conciliated.
  3. There were two cases that were waived to EEOC and HUD because of conflicts of interest.

Open Cases

  1. Employment – Gender Identity – investigation is wrapping up.
  2. Housing- Race, Disability – investigation is ongoing.

 

B. Outreach Activities:

Lawrence In-Focus

Megan Gilliland gave a review over the videos the City has been using to promote priorities that are important to the City of Lawrence called Lawrence In-Focus. Ms. Gilliland said what the Human Relations Commission needs to do is: to have a target month, identify the goal of the commission for the video, create questions that you want answered, identify participants for video and in what role.  Her staff does the on camera interviews, can assist with preparing questions, and does the final editing. The final product of the video should be 45 to 90 seconds. They will shoot about 20 minutes worth of video and edit it down to what gives the best presentation of the goal of your commission.

 

Vice Chair Criqui said he really liked the videos and that it is a great way to get the word out, and asked will these videos be around for some time? Ms. Gilliland offered that the City Manager really likes them and the videos are being very well received within the City and in the Community. Ms. Gilliland foresees this medium being used for some time.

 

Executive Director Wheeler said we’d like to hear what your ideas are. I think it’s a great idea for you as volunteers, we can discuss it now, or we can discuss at a later time. Vice Chair Criqui said Kathy Pryor is willing to work on a committee for this project. Barnhill said all can give opinions and then we can have a smaller group work on the project. Wheeler said we would need a direction of content, any of you who choose can be pictured or interviewed for the video. Welch said outreach is important, I didn’t even know the LHRC existed until the mayor told me about it. Criqui agreed when he tells people about the commission often they are not aware of it. He said then we need to get the information out there whenever we can. We need to let people know what the Human Relations Commission can do for them.

 

Commissioner Dunn interjected that Fair Housing month is coming up in April, so we have some lead time. Wagner added that would be four months to prepare. Wheeler said we will check Ms.Gilliland’s calendar for April. Barnhill asked if there were other comments. Criqui said we should have a smaller group to discuss and present ideas maybe with a staff person present, Welch volunteered, Edwards volunteered, Criqui said Pryor would want to be involved, and that we can email some ideas around to prepare for a meeting (the meeting was set up at City Hall, December 9th, 2013 at 3:30).

 

City-KU Good Neighbor Outreach

Scott Wagner reported two thousand Human Relations Brochures and USB Chargers (with LHRC contact information on them) were handed out September 5, 2013, along with other information for students and residents in the Oread neighborhood area to promote good relations. Mr. Wagner said it is a good partnership with KU. Ms. Wheeler included the goal is to educate the new students about how to be a good neighbor and to get along, and to build better relationships, as well as make sure the students know their rights and protections under the code. Chairman Barnhill said he thought it was a great outreach and wondered if there were ways LHRC could get more involved. Ms. Wheeler said we are open to ideas for outreach to KU students and Haskell University students. We have an on-going group that meets regarding City-University relations and she serves on that committee. Commissioner Bloxsom added being new to the commission I would like an update on outreach to Haskell University.

 

Ms. Wheeler said in the past we have been at the Haskell Powwow, and any ideas you have are welcomed. Mr. Wagner added Commissioner McClure attended back to school events for Haskell in the past and had a table with brochures and giveaway items.  We also have a former commissioner who works at Haskell – Lori Tapahonso.

 

Festival of Cultures – was September 15, 2013 at 12:00 to 5:00 PM, it was a good event and well attended. The commission staffed a table at the event.

 

Kansas Statewide Transgender Education Project – Scott Criqui attended and brought Human Relations brochures and give away items and staffed a table for a time as well as speaking about the functions of the commission.

 

Flame Insert – Staff needs direction as to when we want to do the insert in the Utility Billings statements that go out each month. There are limited months, other departments or organizations have certain months already claimed.

 

Commissioner Dunn said I’d like to go back to the Case report information. Why were the two complaints waived, what was the conflict of interest? Mr. Barton said he didn’t know he took the information from Ms. Hafoka. Director Wheeler said when we merged the Human Relations division with the City Prosecutor’s Office a complaint may be assigned to an investigator who as the City Prosecutor may have someone who is involved in a case in the Municipal court, and therefore creates a conflict of interest.  That is why these cases were waived to other agencies.

 

 

Commission Items

Chairman Barnhill asked if there were items for discussion. Commissioner Dunn said Fair Housing Month is coming up in April. He said in the past we have done dinners and training because we had the funding. Wagner said City staff was able to do more when there was a stand-alone division with its own budget. Now the office has merged into the City Attorney’s Office. At that time we had seminars, with CLE credits, we just don’t have that kind of staffing to do all those things anymore. If the commission could do the outreach with staff support that would be a way for us to get out in the community. Chairman Barnhill said do you want to put something together? Dunn answered no. Wagner said last year we helped to sponsor an event with the Lawrence Douglas County Housing Authority and Landlords of Lawrence, that our staff presented information and training about LHRC and the complaint process. Ms. Hafoka presented, and it was well attended. Dunn said if we are going to do something for Fair Housing month we should be planning now. Perhaps Mr. Barton could do some checking with KHRC to see if someone would want to present. Mr. Barton said he would be happy to do that.

 

Chairman Barnhill said to please be on the lookout for events and articles that would be of interest to this commission, stories, events, news worthy information, send out a link by email. This way we can see what other states are doing. We can’t violate KOMA and discuss the issues, do not reply all and discuss. But I encourage getting the information out about issues that relate to us. Are there any other comments?

 

Commissioner Criqui added that he encourages everyone where ever you are, to talk about the Human Relations Commission and get the word out. Bloxsom said do you need a decision on the inserts today? Wagner indicated we just need to choose a month and he understood the direction to be to choose a month when students are in session. Barnhill said any information about the KU Good Neighbor Program, outreach to sororities and fraternities, other clubs is a great way to get the word out. Any time we can help we are interested. Bloxsom asked if we have reached out to the Chamber yet. Wagner said no we have not. Criqui said he is in a networking group with the Chamber I can reach out to them. Wagner said perhaps we could do a training for them.  

 

Public Comment

Bill Larzalere, Chief Litigation Attorney at KU Legal Services for Students

Mr. Larzalere said he works with KU students who have had housing issues, natural origin, and PTSD and as well as many other issues. He said that he hadn’t attended any of our meetings in a long time. He said he feels the City has had a de-emphasis of Fair Housing. It used to be extremely prominent. He was very glad to hear there has been a new addition in the City Prosecutor’s Office, but it was concerning to have that turn over in that office. I wondered how they were going to be able to handle it all. It sounds like Mr. Barton has a background in this area. I know you receive funding from a HUD grant, and I just want to make sure that is it being used for that purpose. Do you have a balance sheet for the HUD funding you receive? Where is the money spent with this de-emphasis lately? Students have growing housing issues; I want to refer them locally but not sure if I can. Your commission deals with these issues. It sounds like Mr. Barton is a great addition in the City Prosecutors Office and that will help.

 

Chair Barnhill asked, “What ideas do you have to offer?”

 

Mr. Larzalere, said he would need to see what kind of funding is available, how is it being used, since this is a local agency.

 

Chair Barnhill asked Mr. Wagner if he could get those numbers for them, Mr. Wagner said I can give you approximately the amount of our last grant for the 2012 fiscal year was for roughly $16-17,000.00 which covers a small portion of Mr. Barton’s salary, and then some of that amount is allocated to outreach requirements that HUD has for those funds. With the City’s reorganization of the Human Relations Division the work of the prior seven or so fulltime staff was merged within the duties of the City Attorney’s office. Mr. Wagner said he could get the exact number of the HUD grant for February’s meeting and a report for how those funds were allocated in 2012.

 

Adjournment

 

Chairman Barnhill asked if there are any other comments. Criqui moved to adjourn, Welch seconded, all voted in favor. Adjourned at 12:12 PM.