Apr 20, 2023 Human Relations Commissions

[00:00:03]

SHALL WE? YES, GO AHEAD.

IT'S 4 0 2

[I. Call to Order ]

UM, I WOULD, UH, ASK FOR A ROLL CALL OF OUR MEMBERS.

COMMISSIONER GOODMAN.

COMMISSIONER PALES.

COMMISSIONER SLEETER HERE.

COMMISSIONER WALKER.

TWO.

MR. KELLY HERE, PRO TIM ZER.

HERE WE HAVE FOUR PRESIDENT AND THREE ITEMS. SO I BELIEVE WE HAVE A QUORUM.

YES.

THE NEXT ITEM OF BUSINESS IS INTRODUCING OUR NEW COMMISSIONER.

WELCOME, TRACY KELLY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

GLAD YOU'RE HERE.

UM, CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND AND, AND WHY YOU THINK THE COMMISSION'S A GOOD PLACE TO SPEND YOUR TIME? UM, I WAS BORN IN LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND.

I CAME OVER, I WAS MY PARENTS, UH, IN COMMUNITY.

I'VE DECATUR.

MY LUNGS ARE RED.

USED TO BE, OH, IS IT RED NOW? OKAY.

I WAS BORN IN LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND, AND, UH, CAME OVER WHEN I WAS FOUR.

MOVED TO DECATUR INTO SEVENTH GRADE.

UM, I'VE WORKED IN VARIOUS BIG INDUSTRIES.

I WAS AT THE FIRESTONE WHEN THEY CLOSED.

UM, I'VE DONE LOTS OF VOLUNTEER WORK.

UM, I AM AN AIDS PEER COUNSELOR.

I AM ALSO ON THE STATEWIDE BOARD FOR, UH, GAY ADVOCACY.

UM, I, UH, VOLUNTEERED AT, UH, UH, HURRICANE KATRINA FOR THE RED CROSS.

WENT DOWN THERE.

UM, I'VE ALWAYS BEEN VOLUNTEER, UH, ORIENTED IN MY LIFE.

UH, I ALWAYS FEEL LIKE YOU NEED TO GIVE BACK AND, UH, HAVE, UH, PEOPLE HAVE THE, YOU KNOW, SO THAT THEY CAN GET THINGS DONE, PEOPLE IN NEED AND, AND, YOU KNOW, AND PEOPLE WHO NEED HELP.

I, IT'S A BIG, BIG DRAW FOR ME, UM, TO BE ON THIS COMMITTEE.

I HAD NEVER HEARD OF THIS COMMITTEE.

I HAD TWO FRIENDS, UH, JOHN POLLING AND LINDA REK, WHO WERE ON IT MANY, MANY YEARS AGO WHEN THERE WAS AN OPENING.

ONE OF THEM SAID, YOU KNOW, YOU NEED TO GO FOR IT BECAUSE, UH, I THINK IT WOULD FIT YOUR NEEDS.

AND, AND NOT JUST MY NEEDS, BUT MY DESIRE TO HELP PEOPLE.

THAT'S IT.

THAT'S ME.

.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UH, TRACY.

AND, AND AGAIN, WELCOME, UH, LINDA'S FRIEND OF MINE.

SO, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE IN GOOD COMPANY AND, AND WE WILL APPRECIATE YOUR INPUT AND GOING FORWARD.

UH, NOW COMES THE APPEARANCE

[II. Appearance of Citizens]

UH, UH, CITIZENS ARE, UH, WELCOME TO, UH, SPEAK FOR UP TO THREE MINUTES, AND, UH, NOW IS THE TIME.

HELLO, MY NAME IS ABIR MOTIAN.

I WANTED TO START OUT WITH THE KEY WORD DIVERSITY.

DIVERSITY CAN MEAN PEOPLE OF ALL COLORS, ALL RACES, ALL AGES, ALL NATIONALITIES, EVERYBODY.

IT'S NOT ONE SPECIFIC SET AGE, NOT ONE SPECIFIC SET COLOR, NOTHING.

IT'S, IT'S A VARIETY.

IT'S HOW GOD MADE EVERYBODY DIFFERENT.

NOTHING'S, NOBODY'S THE SAME THING EXCEPT CLONES.

THEY CAN MAKE EXACT CLONE LOOKALIKES, ESPECIALLY DECATUR HAS A LOT OF THOSE.

BUT THE REASON WHY I'M MENTIONING THIS RIGHT NOW IS BECAUSE I'M, MY NAME IS ABEER MOTIAN.

IT'S A DIFFERENT NAME.

I'M HERE IN DECATUR IN ILLINOIS, AND I DON'T HAVE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY IN ANYTHING.

THERE IS NOTHING I HAVE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY IN.

I DON'T HAVE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY IN HOUSING.

I DON'T HAVE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY.

ANY, ANYTHING.

EVEN WHEN I TOOK MY CAR BEFORE THEY STOLE MY CAR TO FIGHT TO, UH, FIRE, IS IT CALLED THE BRIDGESTONE OR FIRESTONE? THEY, THE, THE DAVID, DO YOU REMEMBER DAVID WORKING THERE? HE, HE HIMSELF WAS THE OWNER OF THE ONE OVER BY, UM, ON SOUTH 22ND STREET.

HE STOLE MY ORIGINAL CAR PARTS CUZ HIS, HE HAS THE SAME CAR AS MINE AND THE, THE CAR DEALERSHIPS DON'T HAVE THAT PART ANYMORE.

SO THEY STOLE IT FROM MY CAR AND THEY PUT WHATEVER IN MY CAR.

AND MY CAR DIDN'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT, BUT HE STOLE IT ANYWAY.

SO I'M LETTING YOU KNOW, DECATUR, ILLINOIS IS NOT FAIR.

THEY'RE VERY DECEIVING.

THEY'RE VERY DECEPTIVE.

LIKE IF I GO TO APPLY HUNTLEY RIDGE, FOR EXAMPLE, THEY DID A FIRE BECAUSE I WENT TO APPLY THERE.

I SPOKE TO THE MANAGER, SHE ACCEPTED ME, BUT THEY CAUSED A FIRE.

AND THEN THEY CAUSED A FIRE AT A HOUSE CLOSE BY TO

[00:05:01]

THEY DID A FIRE, THEY BURNED FIVE CATS AND THEY PRETENDED IT'S A SPACE HEATER FIRE.

IT'S NOT A SPACE HEATER FIRE, BECAUSE I WAS LOOKING FOR HOUSES IN THAT AREA.

SO WHERE I GO LOOK, THEY GO DO FIRES.

SO I AM INTERCEPTED BY PEOPLE WHO DO FIRES.

SO I'M LETTING YOU KNOW THERE IS NOT DIVERSITY INDICATOR ILLINOIS.

I'M GONNA TRY TO SAY THIS AS NICE AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE I WANT YOU TO SEE WHAT I SEE THE BOARD OR THE HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION FROM A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE.

IT KIND OF LOOKS LIKE AN ELDERLY BOARD, BUT IT DOESN'T LOOK, LOOK LIKE IT'S VARIOUS AGES.

SO WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY IS, YOU GUYS ARE ALL LIKE AT, AT A SET AGE FOR YOU GUYS TO BE JUDGES.

IT DOESN'T WORK BECAUSE YOU'RE ALL AT A SET AGE.

YOU'RE NOT, YOU DON'T HAVE DIVERSITY.

THERE'S NOT A MIX OF A DIVERSITY OF VARIOUS AGES OF NATIONALITIES AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

AND THAT IS DECATUR, ILLINOIS' PROBLEM.

AND I BELIEVE THEY DO THAT FOR BULLYING, FOR NEPOTISM, TYRANNICAL NEPOTISM.

IT IS NOW, THIS IS AMERICA.

I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN AMERICA, AND I'M TREATED WORSE THAN A REFUGEE.

I I WAS BORN LEGALLY IN AMERICA.

AND I'M NOT TREATED LIKE AN AMERICAN BORN CITIZEN IN DECATUR, ILLINOIS.

THERE IS NOTHING.

I HAVE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY.

I DON'T HAVE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY IN A LAWYER.

I DON'T HAVE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY.

I'M TREATED DIFFERENTLY.

AND THEN BECAUSE I'M, MY NAME IS DIFFERENT, I HAVE TO GO THROUGH DIFFERENT KINDS OF IN TORTURE AND INVESTIGATIONS BECAUSE THEY FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE THAT RIGHT? BECAUSE MY NAME IS ABEER MOTIAN, I'M DIFFERENT BECAUSE MY NAME IS DIFFERENT.

EXCUSE ME.

YOUR THREE MINUTES IS OFF.

ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

UH, 0.3 IS

[III. Approval of March 16, 2023, Meeting Minutes]

I WANTED TO GIVE A MOMENT FOR PEOPLE TO LOOK THOSE OVER.

I, I TAKE IT THAT EVERYBODY HAS A COPY TO, UH, REVIEW.

AND THEN WE WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE AND WELCOME VIVIAN GOODMAN.

MAY I HAVE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES? SOME OF SECOND.

SECOND.

ALL RIGHT.

UH, COMMISSIONER SLEETER, UH, MADE THE MOTION TO APPROVE.

AND I'M GOING TO SAY THAT COMMISSIONER GOODMAN SECONDED TO VARIOUS VOICES.

UH, WE HAVE A VOTE ON THE MOTION.

COMMISSIONER GOODMAN AYE.

COMMISSIONER SLATER.

AYE.

COMMISSIONER KELLY? AYE.

COMMISSIONER WALKER? AYE.

AYE.

ALL AYE.

THANK YOU.

ME.

UH, MEETING MINUTES ARE APPROVED.

COULD WE MOVE TO

[IV. Monthly Activity Report & Summary of Cases]

UH, GOOD AFTERNOON COMMISSIONERS.

UH, SO I HAVEN'T DONE THIS IN A WHILE, BUT, UM, THERE ARE FIVE CASES, ONE ON THE BACK OF YOUR, UH, REPORT THAT, THAT WERE ACTIVE AT SOME POINT DURING THE MONTH.

UH, JUST GOING THROUGH THE, THE TOP 1, 2, 2 0 2 2 2 0 2 0 1, DISABILITY DISCRIM, DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION AND EMPLOYMENT WITH A TERMINATION.

UH, THAT'S A, ONE OF, THAT'S AN OLDER CASE.

AS YOU CAN SEE.

THE, UH, IT GOES BACK TO FEBRUARY OF LAST YEAR.

UM, ON OCTOBER 19TH, AFTER SEVERAL DELAYS,

[00:10:01]

UH, THEY'VE BEEN IN NEGOTIATION EVER SINCE.

AND FINALLY, AFTER SEVERAL PRODS BY ME ON APRIL 10TH, THE ATTORNEYS NOTIFIED THAT, THAT THEY HAD REACHED AN AGREEMENT IN PRINCIPLE, WHICH MEANS THAT THEY'VE AGREED IN THE BASIC TERMS OF A SETTLEMENT.

UH, AND THE COMPLAINT STAYS ACTIVE OR THE CHARGE STAYS ACTIVE UNTIL THE COMPLAINANT ACTUALLY WITHDRAWS IT.

UH, MY GUESS IS IF THE COMPLAINANT IS GETTING GOOD LEGAL ADVICE, AND I THINK THAT THEY ARE, UH, THEY WILL NOT WITHDRAW IT UNTIL THEY HAVE CASH IN HAND.

YOU KNOW, UH, SO THAT CASE WILL PROBABLY REMAIN ON THE BOOKS, YOU KNOW, UN UNTIL IT'S, UNTIL THE AGREEMENT IS CONSUMMATED.

UH, BUT THERE'S REALLY NOTHING GOING ON ON MY END OTHER THAN, YOU KNOW, CONTINUED PRODDING, UH, 2 2 0 713.

AGAIN, AN OLDER CASE STARTING IN JULY OF LAST YEAR.

UM, THIS IS THE CASE WHERE I COMPLETED THE INVESTIGATION.

DID NOT FIND PROBABLE CAUSE.

AGAIN, IT WAS RACE DISCRIMINATION AND RETALIATION IN EMPLOYMENT AND TERMINATION.

ON MARCH 6TH, BOTH PARTIES WERE NOTIFIED, UH, ACCORDING TO OUR ORDINANCE.

UH, THE, WHEN A CASE IS DISMISSED, THE COMPLAINANT HAS 40 DAYS TO FILE AN APPEAL OF THAT DISMISSAL.

THE, UH, COMPLAINANT DID SO, AND ON THAT BASIS, UH, THE COMMISSION HAS SET A DATE FOR A REVIEW.

AND THIS IS NOT A HEARING, BUT IT IS A REVIEW OF A DISMISSAL.

AND I BELIEVE THAT'S MAY 9TH AT FOUR O'CLOCK? IS THAT, THAT'S A TUESDAY.

I THINK IT'S AT THREE 30.

THREE 30 ON MAY 9TH.

OKAY.

AND THAT'S A TUESDAY, I BELIEVE.

OKAY.

YEAH.

OKAY.

THAT'S EVEN BETTER FOR ME.

I'LL MAKE A NOTE OF THAT.

UH, I, I MENTIONED, I GUESS I CAN SAY THIS TOO, UH, PENNY, JUST BEFORE THE MEETING, THAT THE, UH, COMPLAINANT HAS NOT, UH, RETURNED NOTICE THAT THEY HAVE RECEIVED NOTICE OF THIS REVIEW AND AN OPPORTUNITY TO SUBMIT MATERIAL.

UH, AND WE'VE SENT A, UH, CERTIFIED LETTER.

I SENT AN EMAIL.

I'VE SENT, I SENT A TEXT MONDAY, AND I SENT ANOTHER TEXT TODAY, UH, ASKING IF THEY HAD RECEIVED IT.

SO, UH, I'M NOT SURE, I GUESS WE'LL HAVE TO CONFER WITH, WITH PENNY AND MAYBE WITH, WITH, UH, MS. WAX TO SEE HOW WE PROCEED AT THIS POINT.

UH, THERE WAS A, UH, I DON'T KNOW, WELL, I'M JUST NOT SURE AT, AT, UH, THE, THE, THEY'RE ENTITLED TO A REVIEW, BUT THEY ALSO, IN MOST CASES, WHEN YOU SEND A CERTIFIED LETTER, YOU GET A GREEN CARD BACK.

UH, SO, AND I MAY BE WORRIED OVER NOTHING, YOU KNOW, IT COULD BE THAT I'LL GET A TEXT WHEN I GET HOME, YOU KNOW, AND SO I JUST WANTED YOU TO BE AWARE THAT, THAT THERE, THERE'S A POSSIBLE COMPLICATION THERE.

UH, GOING DOWN THE LIST, 22 1 0 1 7 DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION IN A PLACE OF PUBLIC ACCOMMODATION, UH, COMPLETED THE INVESTIGATION, FOUND NO PROBABLE CAUSE ON MARCH 16TH.

UH, THE COMPLAINANT HAD, WELL, NO, I GUESS STILL HAS A FEW DAYS TO SUBMIT AN APPEAL, BUT THERE'S NO INDICATION THAT THEY WILL.

SO THAT CASE WILL OFFICIALLY BE CLOSED IN A COUPLE DAYS.

UH, 23 2 24, RACE DISCRIMINATION AND EMPLOYMENT, UH, DENIAL OF PROBATION PROMOTION AND CONSTRUCTIVE DISCHARGE.

UH, THIS IS THE CASE THAT THE, THE, THE REAL BASIS OF THE, UH, ALLEGATION IS HARASSMENT BASED ON RACE, UH, WHICH IS NOT PROHIBITED BY OUR ORDINANCE.

I THINK WE'RE GONNA DISCUSS THAT LATER IN OUR AGENDA.

IS THAT, I MEAN, I CAN'T GO INTO THE DETAILS OF THE CASE, OBVIOUSLY, BUT I CAN WELL, WE WERE GOING TO TALK ABOUT, UM, HOW TO REVISE THE CITY CODE YEAH.

TO INCLUDE OTHER FORMS OF, UM, DIS DISCRIM, OR NOT DISCRIMINATION, BUT HARASSMENT.

RIGHT.

SO YOU WANT, YOU WANT ME TO HOLD THAT TILL LATER? PROBABLY.

OKAY.

UH, SO, UH, WE DID SUBMIT, SUBMIT A CHARGE, UH, BASED ON RACE DISCRIMINATION.

UH, AND THE PARTIES MAY BE IN NEGOTIATIONS NOW, IN THAT THEY BOTH INDICATED THE WILLINGNESS TO NEGOTIATE.

[00:15:01]

SO I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT'S GONNA GO.

IT'S JUST, IT JUST STARTED.

SO, UH, THERE'S A CHANCE THAT THERE MAY BE A SETTLEMENT BEFORE WE EVEN GET TO THE INVESTIGATION PHASE.

UH, FINALLY, THERE'S, UH, 23 0 3 0 3, ANOTHER PRETTY NEW CASE.

UH, RELIGIOUS AND NATIONAL ORIGIN, DISCRIMINATION AND EMPLOYMENT, AGAIN INVOLVING TERMINATION.

UH, AND THERE'S ALSO A HOUSING COMPONENT TO THAT.

UH, IN THAT THE, WITHOUT GOING INTO MUCH DETAIL, THE, THE PERSON, UH, IS, IS ALLEGING THAT THEY LOST BOTH THEIR JOB AND THEIR HOUSE TO THEIR EMPLOYER, CUZ THE EMPLOYER PROVIDED HOUSING, UH, THE CHARGE WAS SUBMITTED.

UH, AT THIS POINT, THE RESPONDENT HAD THIR OR HAS 30 DAYS FROM THE DATE OF RECEIPT, WHICH, OH, YOU TOLD ME WHAT THAT WAS.

I THINK IT WAS LIKE THE 24TH MAYBE.

UH, SHERRY, I DON'T REMEMBER THE EXACT YEAH.

BUT HAS 30 DAYS TO, TO FILE A, THEIR RESPONSE.

IF I DO NOT RECEIVE A RESPONSE, THEN WE'LL GO JUMP IMMEDIATELY TO THE INVESTIGATION PHASE, AND I'LL JUST INVESTIGATE IT BASED ON EVIDENCE PROVIDED BY THE COMPLAINANT, WHICH, WHICH ISN'T NECESSARILY A SLAM DUNK BY THE WAY.

UH, SOMETIMES THE, THE COMPLAINANT DOESN'T PRODUCE ENOUGH EVIDENCE TO, TO GET THE PROBABLE CAUSE.

SO, UM, THAT'S WHERE IT IS.

ALSO ON MY REPORT, I MENTIONED THAT I DID, UH, ATTEND REALLY MY FIRST MEETING OF THE ILLINOIS MUNICIPAL HUMAN RELATIONS ASSOCIATION.

UM, IS THAT WHAT IT IS? HUMAN RELATIONS ASSOCIATION.

RIGHT.

UH, YESTERDAY IN CHAMPAIGN REPRESENTING THE CITY OF DECATUR, BECAUSE, UH, PENNY AND FRENCH WERE BOTH OCCUPIED.

IT WAS, IT WAS INTERESTING, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS OKAY TO TALK ABOUT IT RIGHT NOW OR NOT, BUT, UH, THERE WERE, UH, I THINK JUST FOUR, UH, MUNICIPALITIES REPRESENTED, UH, DECATUR, CHAMPAIGN URBANA, AND DANVILLE.

SO EVEN THOUGH IT'S A STATEWIDE ASSOCIATION, IT SEEMS TO BE PRETTY MUCH BASED AROUND, UH, CENTRAL ILLINOIS.

AND, UH, THEY, THEY, EVERYBODY HAD KIND OF QUESTIONS ABOUT, ABOUT THEIR CODES AND ORDINANCES AS WELL.

SO, UH, EVERYBODY'S GONNA SHARE EVERY, EACH OTHER'S ORDINANCES AND KIND OF LOOK AT THOSE.

SOMETIME IT'S, IT'LL BE A FAIRLY SLOW PROCESS.

I IMAGINE THEY MEET EVERY TWO MONTHS, UH, AND, UH, AND DISCUSS PROCESSES, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY DID NOT DISCUSS INDIVIDUAL CASES, BUT DISCUSS PROCESSES.

AND, UH, IT WAS VERY EDUCATIONAL FOR ME.

I, I LEARNED A LOT, AND I HOPE TO BE ABLE TO KEEP PARTICIPATING IN THAT.

UH, BUT IT'S, UH, ANY QUESTIONS? UH, FRED, UM, I HOPE YOU RE YOU INTERVIEWED ME AS A WITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR COMPLAINT.

YES.

OKAY.

SO YOU'RE AWARE OF THAT COMPLAINT.

UH, WHAT, WHAT WAS THE DISPOSITION TO THAT COMPLAINT? OKAY.

UH, THAT WAS, UH, THAT WAS, UH, DISMISSED FOR LACK OF PROBABLE CAUSE.

OKAY.

SO THAT, AND THAT WOULD BE, UH, 2 2 1 0 1 7 ON YOUR LIST.

OKAY.

OKAY.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION.

UH, JUST, I'M SURE YOU'VE SAID THIS AT SOME POINT SOMETIME, BUT JUST REFRESH MY MEMORY ON THE, UH, 40 DAYS FOR COMPLAINANTS AND 30 DAYS FOR RESPONDENTS.

ARE THOSE CALENDAR DAYS OR, YES.

CALENDAR DAYS.

OKAY.

AND IT'S FROM THE DATE OF RECEIPT, WHICH, SO, UH, SO FOR EXAMPLE, WOULD WE SEND A, A CHARGE TO A RESPONDENT THAT IT'S SENT BY CERTIFIED MAIL AND WE GET A GREEN CARD BACK THAT SAYS, THIS IS THE DAY THAT IT'S RECEIVED.

AND NOW THEY HAVE, SO THEY HAVE 30 DAYS FROM THAT DATE.

UH, UNLESS THEY ASK FOR AN EXTENSION.

UH, WHEN THERE'S A, A DISMISSAL, AGAIN, WE SEND THEM A CERTIFIED MAIL THAT, THAT'S BEEN DISMISSED.

UH, AND THEY HAVE 40 DAYS FROM THAT DATE TO FILE AN APPEAL.

UH, WITH THE, UH, 22 0 7 13, THEY, THEY DID NOT RETURN.

THIS IS THE ONE WHERE WE'RE WAITING FOR, UH, ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF RECEIPT ON, ON THE, UH, SETTING OF THE REVIEW.

UH, WHEN WE, WHEN I DISMISSED THE CASE, THEY DID NOT RETURN THE GREEN CARD AT THAT POINT, EITHER.

I SENT THEM A TEXT SAYING, DID YOU RECEIVE, YOU KNOW, WITH, WITH THE, UH, AN ATTACHMENT, WITH THE, UH, INVESTIGATION SUMMARY, THEY DISMISSAL LETTER.

AND I, AND THEN I SAID, DID

[00:20:01]

AND THEY RESPONDED BACK, YES, I DID.

BUT, BUT, UH, THEY'RE NOT, UH, THEY DID NOT RETURN THE GREEN CARD.

SO THAT, THAT'S A LONG ANSWER TO A SHORT QUESTION.

I DO THAT.

.

THANK YOU, FRED.

YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.

MS. WALKER BEING A NEW, I'M SORRY, I GOTTA GET USED TO THIS MICROPHONE.

YEP.

I'M A PERSON FOR DETAILS.

AND YOU PROBABLY EXPLAINED THIS TO OTHER PEOPLE, BUT TO ME, I'D LIKE A LITTLE MORE DETAILS.

IS THERE A REASON WHY WE DON'T KNOW THE PERSON'S NAME OR A STATEMENT WHERE IT SAYS MOST RECENT DISPOSITION? I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.

IT SAYS, UM, OKAY, DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION.

I'D LIKE TO SEE, MAYBE IF WE CAN'T HAVE NAMES, MAYBE, UM, THIS PERSON SAID THAT HE WAS DISCRIMINATED AGAINST BECAUSE THERE WAS NO RAMP FOR HIM TO GET UP.

UH, BUT THE COMPANY DID HAVE AN ALTERNATE RAY WAY, YOU KNOW, SOME SPECIFIC DETAIL.

IS THERE A REASON WHY WE DON'T GET THAT KIND OF THING? YES, THERE IS.

AND, AND THAT'S, UH, IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT ACTUALLY CAME UP YESTERDAY BECAUSE I WANTED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED IN OTHER CITIES.

AND THEY DO EXACTLY WHAT WE DO.

UH, THE REASON IS BECAUSE AT SOME POINT YOU MIGHT BECOME THE JURY IN THAT CASE.

UH, SO IF THIS, IF, IF ANY CASE GOES TO HEARING AT ANY PARTICULAR POINT, UH, ONE OR TWO OF YOU WOULD BECOME HEARING OFFICERS, YOU WOULD CONDUCT THE HEARING, AND THEN YOU'D BRING YOUR RECOMMENDATION BACK TO THE ENTIRE COMMISSION, WHICH WOULD BASICALLY SERVE AS THE DECIDING JURY.

AND SO THE, THE REASON THAT IS GIVEN IS THAT THEY DON'T WANT TO PREJUDICE YOU ABOUT THE CASE AND GIVE YOU FACTS ABOUT THE CASE BEFORE EACH SIDE PRESENTS THEIR CASE IN A, IN A HEARING.

AND IF IT'S A PUBLIC HEARING, BY THE WAY, ALL OF YOU ARE INVITED TO ATTEND, BUT ONLY ONE OR TWO WOULD BE THE HEARING OFFICER.

IS THAT YOUR UNDERSTANDING AS WELL, PENNY.

AND, UH, BECAUSE I, UH, WAS CURIOUS AS TO WHETHER THAT'S WHAT'S DONE IN CHAMPAIGN, IN DANVILLE AND URBANA.

AND THEY SAID, YEAH, SAME THING.

THEY GET, THEY, THEY SAY, HERE'S THE CASE.

IT'S BASED ON, YOU KNOW, DISCRIMINATION OR SEXUAL HARASSMENT, YOU KNOW, BASED ON NATIONAL ORIGIN OR WHATEVER.

UH, AND HERE'S WHERE WE ARE IN THE CASE, BUT YOU DON'T GET ANY DETAILS.

AND, UH, I KNOW IT'S FRUSTRATING BEING A COMMISSIONER BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, YOU SIT AROUND, WAIT TO BECOME A JURY, AND THAT MIGHT HAPPEN ONCE EVERY TWO YEARS.

, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

I WANNA COMMEND, UM, INVESTIGATOR SPANISH FOR THE DILIGENCE IN BRING US ALL TOGETHER TO APPOINT OF A DATE FOR THE, UH, APPEAL HEARING.

UH, I KNOW FROM MY PART, THERE WERE SEVERAL EMAILS AND PHONE CALLS INVOLVED.

AND, UH, UH, I APPRECIATE THE EFFORT.

THANK YOU.

AND THANKS TO THE, THE PENNY AND SHERRY TOO, CUZ THAT'S, IT'S, IT'S WORK.

TRYING TO FIND A DATE.

YOU'RE ALL BUSY, IMPORTANT PEOPLE, AND IT'S, IT'S, IT'S HARD TO FIND A TIME.

THANK YOU.

MR. SPANS.

UH, 0.5 WOULD BE UNFINISHED BUSINESS.

UH, DOES ANYONE HAVE SUCH? IT'S FINE IF YOU DON'T.

UH, 0.6 THEN

[VI.A. Input from Commissioners about how the Commission can be more beneficial for the community]

UM, TO MAXIMIZE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF WHY WE'RE HERE AND WHY WE'RE VOLUNTEERING AND SPENDING OUR TIME AND TRYING TO HELP THE CITY OF DECATUR, WE THOUGHT THAT A BRAIN PICKING WOULD BE APPROPRIATE.

UH, SO IF ANYBODY HAS IDEAS ABOUT NEW DIRECTIONS OR DOING WHAT WE'RE DOING IN A DIFFERENT WAY MORE EFFECTIVELY, NOW IS THE TIME TO BRING THEM UP.

WELL, COMING ON HERE NEW, LIKE I SAID, I DID NOT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS COMMITTEE.

UM, AND I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW UNLESS THEY HEAR IT WORD OF MOUTH FROM SOMEBODY ELSE THAT HAS GONE THROUGH IT.

UM, THERE, THERE ARE WAYS LIKE NOTICES UP IN THE LIBRARY AND, AND, AND AT RICHLAND AND THINGS LIKE THAT, WHERE WE COULD SAY, THIS IS WHAT THIS COMMITTEE DOES.

WE WANT, YOU KNOW, IN CASE YOU'RE IN NEED OF US.

THERE'S ALSO, I NOTICED YOU WERE GONNA DO, EXCUSE ME, A BOOTH IN JUNE AT JUNETEENTH, AND THERE ARE SOME OTHER THINGS THAT COME UP, UM, DURING THE YEAR THAT WE COULD BECOME, OH GOSH, I DON'T EVEN, I DON'T HAVE AT THE TOP OF MY HEAD RIGHT NOW, WHICH KIND OF, UH, CELEBRATIONS OR THINGS THAT WE COULD BE INVOLVED IN.

BUT THERE ARE SO MANY SOCIAL SERVICE, UH,

[00:25:01]

THEY SHOULD ALL BE, UH, ALL BE AWARE OF WHAT THE PROCEDURE IS.

YOU GO HERE AND DO THIS FORM, KIND OF LIKE A, AN SO P OF HOW THESE PEOPLE DO IT.

AND TO GET, YOU KNOW, TO GET TO THIS POINT.

UM, I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT THIS SINCE I TALKED WITH DICK.

SO, UM, JUST, I, I JUST THINK, UH, THERE ARE, THERE ARE A LOT OF WAYS, AND I KNOW WE'RE DOING A BRAIN PICKING AND NOW I'M, I'M NOT SAYING ANYTHING, JUST TELLING YOU TO BRAIN PICK, BUT THESE ARE SOME OF THE WAYS THAT I SEE IN MY MIND JUST TO BE OUT THERE.

UM, AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

PENNY, HOW FEASIBLE WOULD IT BE TO CONCOCT A, UH, ONE PAGE FLYER AND THEN PERHAPS WE CAN IDENTIFY THE SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES THAT WOULD BE MOST, UH, BENEFICIAL TO DISTRIBUTE IT, TO, TO SUMMARIZE WHAT WE ARE AND THE, AT LEAST THE KINDS OF DISCRIMINATION THAT WE WOULD HAVE SOME PURVIEW ON.

WELL, DON'T WE HAVE A FLYER OR A PAMPHLET THAT ALREADY DOES A LOT OF THAT, THAT WE JUST PROBABLY NEED TO SEND IT TO THESE AGENCIES? UM, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE ONE THAT THEY GIVE US AT ORIENTATION? THAT'S FROM 2013, AND THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS I NOTICED AS READING THROUGH IT THAT I DON'T THINK PERTAIN TO WHERE WE'RE AT TODAY.

THIS ONE? YES.

NO, NO, NO ONE.

THIS IS, SORRY, THIS IS A BIG ONE.

OH YEAH, THIS IS 2015 NOVEMBER.

UM, SO, SO WHAT DO YOU ENVISION THAT WOULD BE UPDATED BEYOND THIS SORT OF, UH, DISCRIMINATION, UH, DESCRIPTION? SINCE I HAVEN'T SEEN THAT ONE? DOES IT SAY ON THERE WHERE, OH, I'M GOING TO SEE IT RIGHT NOW.

IT, THIS IS WHAT, WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT, BUT WHERE DO YOU GO? DOES IT SAY YES, THE FORMS ARE AVAILABLE? SO THIS IS, THIS SHOULD BE IN A LOT MORE PLACES THAN I THINK WE HAVE THEM RIGHT NOW.

UM, LIKE YOU, UH, SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES DOVE, UM, THE, THE, THE PUBLIC AID OFF, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT PLACES LIKE THAT WHERE PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO SEEING THEM.

WELL, THIS SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD IDEA.

WHAT I WOULD ASK THE COMMISSIONERS TO DO THEN IS, UH, COME UP WITH A, UM, A LIST OF PLACES THAT WOULD BE LOGICAL AND BENEFICIAL AND THEN BRING THEM TO MA'S MEETING.

AND THEN WE'LL, DO WE HAVE EXTRA OF THESE PAMPHLETS OR WOULD IT BE ANOTHER PRINTING? UM, SHERRY, DID WE RECENTLY PRINT MORE OF THOSE? UM, YEAH, WE DID FOR THE, UH, MARTIN LUTHER KING, I THINK, I THINK WE'RE PROBABLY GONNA HAVE TO PRINT SOME MORE, IF THAT SEEMS REASONABLE.

UM, SOME, SOME, UH, AGENCIES COME TO MIND, BUT I'M SURE THE COLLECTIVE WISDOM OF THE GROUP AND KNOWLEDGE, UH, WOULD, WOULD DO THAT SOUND REASONABLE TO, TO TALK ABOUT THAT IN MAY AND THEN GET THE PROCESS GOING, BECAUSE I, I THINK IT'S BEEN A WELL KEPT SECRET FOR A LONG TIME.

AND, UH, IT'S SAME SORT OF THING WE'RE DOING AT JUNETEENTH TO, UH, GET MORE EXPOSURE IN THE COMMUNITY.

SO THAT'S WHAT I WOULD PROPOSE.

WE CAN HASH THIS OUT IN MAY, BUT BESIDES THE PAMPHLET, AND WE HAVE TO KIND OF LOOK AT THE PLACES WHERE WE WANNA, UH, CONTACT.

BUT LIKE YOU SAY AT THE LIBRARY, THERE MAY BE SOME PLACES WHERE SOMETHING CAN BE POSTED LIKE THAT STARTS WITH A QUESTION, LIKE, HAVE YOU BEEN DISCRIMINATED AGAINST? AND THEN HAS SOME DETAILS ABOUT HOW TO, UH, TO GET THE PROCESS GOING OR WHATEVER.

SO BESIDES THE PAMPHLET, I'M, YOU KNOW, AND LIKE I SAY, WE CAN HASH THIS OUT NEXT MONTH, BUT THERE MAY BE SOME PLACES WHERE WE WANT JUST A, A FLYER.

I THINK TO PIGGYBACK ON MS. KELLY AND MARK TO REACH A LOT OF PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, THEY LOOK AT FACEBOOK, SO THIS INFORMATION THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT COULD BE PUT ON FACEBOOK AND AT JUNETEENTH WE'LL HAVE A FLYER THERE AND WE COULD COME UP WITH AN ADVERTISEMENT TO BE POSTED, UM, OR ANNOUNCED ON TV.

YOU KNOW, SO THERE'S OTHER MEDIAS.

AND THE OTHER THING I WAS THINKING ABOUT TO MAKE THE, UH, COMMISSION MORE BENEFICIAL, WE'RE KIND OF CONNECTED TO THE CITY.

SO I DON'T KNOW, THIS IS JUST A THOUGHT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.

IT MAY BE SOMETHING YOU'LL THROW OUT OR SOMETHING YOU MAY WANT TO CONSIDER.

WE COULD LOOK AT THE CITY CONTRACTS AND MAKE SURE THAT THE CITY IS LIVING

[00:30:01]

UM, OKAY.

THERE ALREADY IS SOMETHING IN CHAPTER 28 ABOUT THAT.

IT'S, IT'S CALLED MBE, MINORITY BUSINESS ENTERPRISES.

I SAW THAT.

AND THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT AT THE CITY.

MM-HMM.

, UH, MONITORS THAT.

OKAY.

SO THAT'S ALREADY, AND THEY, THEY PLAY, THEY PAY VERY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THAT.

OKAY.

OKAY.

AND, UM, FRED BROUGHT UP ABOUT THE SEXUAL HARASSMENT, RIGHT? IT'S NOT IN THERE.

THIS IS SOMETHING THE COMMITTEE COULD DO.

WE COULD, UM, COME UP WITH A DEFINITION OR SOMETHING TO ADD TO THAT CHAPTER 28.

SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT.

NOW, SEXUAL HARASSMENT IS ALREADY IN THERE, BUT OTHER TYPES OF HARASSMENT IS NOT, IS WHAT'S MISSING.

SO THAT'S WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT AT THE LAST MEETING TO ADD.

BUT SEXUAL HARASSMENT IN WHAT I'VE READ, IS ONLY FOR AN EMPLOYMENT SITUATION, NOT A LANDLORD SITUATION OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE, WE SHOULD LOOK INTO.

OKAY.

UH, SO WHERE WE MIGHT WANNA LEAVE IT IS, UH, HAVE, UM, COMMISSIONERS, UM, COME UP WITH, UH, ANY AGENCIES THAT THEY THINK THAT THE FLYER WOULD BE BENEFICIAL FOR.

AND, UH, IF THEY HAVE IDEAS ABOUT A PAMPHLET THAT WOULD COVER ANY OF THE, UH, POINTS THAT THE PAMPHLET DOESN'T, UM, BRING THOSE FORWARD TO IN MAY.

AND, UH, WE'LL SEE WHAT CAN BE DONE, CERTAINLY IN TIME FOR THE JUNETEENTH AND THE SUMMER, UM, TO, TO SPREAD THE GOOD WORD.

IS THAT ACCEPTABLE? IT IS, BUT DO WE ALL HAVE THAT PAMPHLET? I DON'T, I DON'T THINK I HAVE ONE.

DO YOU HAVE I DON'T LIKE JUST THE KIDS , SO WE CAN'T MAKE SUGGESTIONS UNLESS WE GET OH, OKAY.

BUT WE'LL ALL STILL NEED A COPY.

FRED, DID I GET THAT FROM YOU ORIGINALLY? THE, THE PAMPHLET OR, UH, ABOUT, LET ME SEE.

I MAY, THEY MAY HAVE, I WAS GIVING A WHOLE LOT OF STUFF.

LEMME SEE.

THERE PROBABLY ARE.

WE DIDN'T, YEAH, SEE THIS THING, I NEED TO GET THE MICROPHONE TOO, SO IT'S RECORDED.

BUT, UH, WHEN WE FIRST PRINTED THOSE, WE DID DISTRIBUTE THEM IN SOME CHURCHES AND, YOU KNOW, UH, RELIGIOUS CONGREGATIONS AS WELL AS SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES.

BUT THAT'S BEEN MANY YEARS.

SO YOU POSSIBLY COULD HAVE PICKED ONE UP AT, AT YOUR CONGREGATION.

I DON'T KNOW.

WHERE WOULD WE HAVE A GOOD SUPPLY, DO YOU THINK? UH, WELL, I, WE WOULD HAVE THEM IN THE HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICE LOCATED ON THE SECOND FLOOR OF THIS BUILDING.

I JUST DON'T KNOW.

I MEAN, HOPEFULLY THERE'S ENOUGH FOR EVERYBODY.

UM, BUT WE COULD GET EVERYBODY A COPY.

I, I JUST, I KNOW WE WENT THROUGH THEM AT THE MLK AND I DON'T KNOW IF, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY WE HAVE LEFT.

SO I WOULD SUGGEST, UH, OF COURSE, GETTING ALL OF US A COPY, BUT BEFORE YOU PRINT ANYMORE, UH, MAKE SURE THAT WE GO THROUGH IT MM-HMM.

AND MAKE ANY REVISIONS THAT NEED TO BE MADE AND UPDATE, BECAUSE YOU SAID TWO, 2015 MM-HMM.

.

SO, UH, AT A MINIMUM WE NEED TO AT LEAST DO, UH, A REVISION DATE CHANGE.

MM-HMM.

, SO MM-HMM.

.

SO LET'S, UM, RECONVENE IN MAY WITH, UH, THOUGHTS ABOUT WHERE THEY SHOULD GO AND SEE WHAT OUR STATUS IS.

PERHAPS BY THAT TIME, WE'D FIND A SUPPLY THAT, UH, UH, WE COULD GET DISTRIBUTED TO COMMISSION MEMBERS BETTER LATE THAN EVER, BUT, UM, TO, UM, BRING US TO A PLACE WHERE WE CAN UPDATE THINGS.

SO THESE ARE ALL GOOD IDEAS.

ANYTHING FURTHER ON THAT PART OF IT, I'D BE BEING BENEFICIAL.

UM, COMMISSIONER KELLY, UH, STARTED US OFF REALLY WELL AS FAR AS, UH, UH, MORE PUB PUBLICITY.

UM, BUT AS FAR AS WHAT WE GET INTO, UH, I WILL SAY THAT IN THE PAST IT HAS BEEN RAISED THAT, UH, SOMEBODY CAME UP WITH A LIST AT SOME POINT OF, UH, BLACK HISTORY MONTH IS MAY, WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH IS, UM, NO, BLACK HISTORY MONTH IS FEBRUARY, UH, WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH IS MARCH AND, AND SO ON, UM, DAYS AND MONTHS THAT, UH, COVER VARIOUS GROUPS OF DISABILITIES OF RACE AND AND AGE AND WHAT HAVE YOU.

AND THAT WAS

[00:35:01]

UM, BECAUSE WE HAVE A LIMITED AMOUNT OF, UH, TIME AND RESOURCES TO MARK ALL OF THEM WITH ANY PHYSICAL SHOW OF, UM, UH, AN EVENT.

BUT, UM, IS THERE ANY EXPANSION BEYOND WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH AND BLACK HISTORY MONTH AND MLK AND JUNETEENTH THAT SEEM APPROPRIATE TO ACKNOWLEDGE IN SEPTEMBER? THERE WILL BE A PRIDE FEST.

UM, I MEAN, AND OF COURSE PRIDE MONTH IS JUNE, BUT THERE'LL BE A PRIDE FEST IN SEPTEMBER.

UM, AND I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT, UH, THE COMMISSION HAVE A TABLE THERE.

I MEAN, THAT'S A, A GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT, UH, UH, EXPERIENCE IS DISCRIMINATION A LOT.

CAN WE PUT THAT ON THE, UH, OUR FACEBOOK PAGE ABOUT, ABOUT THAT ACTIVITY? I MEAN, THAT IS SOMETHING TOKEN PERHAPS.

AND THEN THINK IN TERMS OF, UH, HOW MUCH LOGISTICAL WORK WOULD WE HAVE TO DO TO ARRANGE FOR A TABLE? DO YOU KNOW IF THERE'S A PRICE FOR THE TABLE? YES.

FOR NONPROFITS AND FOR THIS COMMISSION IT'D BE $25.

ANY THOUGHTS ON THE, UH, WISDOM OF GOING TO PRIDE FEST? I THINK IT'S A VERY GOOD IDEA, PERSONALLY, CUZ I'M A GAY PERSON, OF COURSE I'M GONNA SAY YES, BUT I TOTALLY GET BEING THERE.

AND YOU ARE LOOKED AT AS SUCH A GOOD ORGANIZATION AND A GOOD RESOURCE FOR OTHER PEOPLE IN THAT COMMUNITY TO SHOW UP AND BE THERE AND OFFER THEM THIS ASSISTANCE.

SO WHAT'S, UH, IF WE HAVE A CONSENSUS ON THAT, I'M ASSUMING THAT, UH, WHAT IS THE NEXT STEP TO MAKING THAT HAPPEN? UH, YOU WOULD JUST HAVE TO FILL OUT A, UH, WHAT'S CALLED A VENDOR FORM.

PAY THE $25 AND YOU'RE PROVIDED A TABLE AND GO FROM THERE.

AND WHAT'S THE DEADLINE FOR DOING SO ? I DON'T KNOW.

THERE IS A DEADLINE, BUT, UH, IT WOULD BE, UH, TOWARD THE END OF AUGUST PROBABLY.

WE, WE JUST, WE JUST GOT OUR VENDOR FORMS TOGETHER JUST THE OTHER DAY.

SO I HAVE A QUESTION.

DO, UH, DO WE HAVE TO PAY FOR ANY OTHER, LIKE JUNETEENTH, FOR INSTANCE, TO BE EVELYN HOOD AND I TALKED THE OTHER DAY ABOUT THAT AND, UH, FOR, UH, NON-PROFITS AND GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS, SHE SAID JUST A DONATION.

AND, UH, FOR NON VENDORS IT'S 25.

BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THEY WOULD ACCEPT ANY DONATION THAT WE WOULD WANT TO DO.

THAT'S JUNETEENTH.

THAT'S JUNETEENTH.

I JUST WANTED TO BRING SOMETHING UP.

UM, AND SOME OF YOU WERE NOT MEMBERS OR WERE NOT PART OF THE COMMISSION SEVERAL MONTHS AGO WHEN THE MAYOR CAME AND SPOKE.

UM, DICK, I THINK YOU WERE HERE MAYBE VIVIAN, WERE YOU HERE WHEN THE MAYOR CAME AND SPOKE AT THE MEETING? MM-HMM.

AND SHE, UH, MENTIONED THAT WE ARE VERY LIMITED ON RESOURCES.

AND SO SHE KIND OF IS MENTIONED THAT SHE THOUGHT MAYBE WE SHOULD NOT FOCUS ON EVENTS BECAUSE OF THE LIMITED RESOURCES, BOTH, BOTH FINANCIAL AND, UM, AS FAR AS MANPOWER.

UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO THROW THAT OUT THERE.

AND THAT'S, UH, WHY I ASKED THE QUESTION IF WE WERE PAYING FOR ANYTHING, BECAUSE I, I WOULD NOT SUGGEST STARTING TO PAY FOR, UH, YOU KNOW, GOING TO DIFFERENT PLACES AND SETTING UP TABLES.

AND I DON'T THINK IT'S, UH, SOMETHING THAT WE WANNA GET INTO CUZ WE DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES.

I THINK WE'D HAVE TO PICK AND CHOOSE WHERE WE GO TO.

BUT, UM, PRIDE FEST IS A CONSI.

WHAT IN THE WAY? WE'D HAVE HAVE TO HAVE A TABLE PROVIDED, BUT WOULD WE HAVE TO HAVE, UH, STAFF PARTICIPATION, UM, TO IF WE HAD COMMISSIONERS AT, UH, THE PRIDE FEST TO, UH, STAFF A TABLE? YEAH.

WELL, I, I, I WAS A, WELL, MY WIFE IS PRESIDENT OF THE AUDUBON SOCIETY AND THEY HAD A TABLE LAST YEAR.

I'M A MEMBER FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

WE HAD A TABLE LAST YEAR.

I MEAN, IT'S NOT A BIG THING.

YOU HAVE BROCHURES IF, I MEAN, YOU, I THINK YOU COULD HAVE ACTIVITIES IF YOU THINK, YOU KNOW, FOR, FOR CHILDREN.

SO YOU ATTRACT PEOPLE THERE AND YOU JUST NEED TO HAVE ONE OR TWO PEOPLE THERE THROUGHOUT THE DAY.

IT'S, UH,

[00:40:01]

UH, I, I AM MINDFUL OF WHAT YOU WERE MENTIONING ABOUT, I REMEMBER THE, UH, THE MAYOR'S, UH, SENTIMENTS AT THAT POINT.

AND I AM MINDFUL ABOUT NOT OVEREXTENDING OURSELVES.

THIS SEEMS TO BE CONSTITUENCY IN TOWN THAT DESERVES, UM, OUR SUPPORT.

SO I'M INCLINED TO GO THAT WAY.

UH, I THINK WE CAN PASS THE HAT IF NEED TO, TO COME UP WITH $25.

UM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS IN THE BUDGET, BUT I WOULDN'T THINK THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO COMMIT STAFF'S TIME OTHER THAN TO SHOW US WHERE THE TABLE IS AND IF THERE A BANNER WOULD MAKE SOME SENSE IF, IF WE HAVE SUCH TO, TO INCORPORATE WITH THAT.

WE HAVE SOMETHING THAT GOES ON THE TABLE THAT HAS THE HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION LOGO.

BUT AS FAR AS TABLES, DO THEY PROVIDE THE TABLES THERE? BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE LIKE OUR OWN TABLE? NO, THE, THE TABLES PROVIDED ALSO.

UM, I'M PRESIDENT OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS PRIDE, SO, UH, IF YOU'D LIKE, UH, I COULD, UM, UH, REQUEST ON YOUR BEHALF, UM, WAIVER OF FEE.

I, I DON'T KNOW IF WHAT THEY'LL DO WITH IT, BUT, UH, AND I'LL BE GLAD TO VOLUNTEER TO SIT THERE AT THE TABLE ALL DAY.

.

WELL, I GATHER THERE'S A CONSENSUS TO AT LEAST PROCEED WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF, UM, BEING AT THAT EVENT.

AND, UM, I THINK WE CAN FURTHER TALK ABOUT IT IN MAY, BUT, UH, I, I THINK WE WANT TO GO IN THAT DIRECTION AND, UH, I THINK THAT WE CAN, UH, RELEASE ANY OTHER STAFF MEMBERS, UH, FROM NEEDING TO BE AT THE TABLE AT THAT POINT.

BUT LET US BRING THAT UP AGAIN IN, UH, MAY.

SO, UM, IF WE ARE FINISHED WITH THAT, UM,

[VI.B. Discussion on how to expand the harassment protections under Chapter 28]

OKAY.

UH, JUST AS, UH, YOU'VE ALREADY KIND OF COVERED THE, THE MAIN GROUND HERE, BUT I, I WILL SAY THAT JUST ON THE BASIS OF MY MEETING YESTERDAY, THAT OTHER COMMISSIONS ARE STRUGGLING WITH THE SAME QUESTIONS IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT, HOW DO THEY FULFILL THEIR MISSION IN THE COMMUNITY, UH, OTHER THAN CONDUCTING HEARINGS, WHICH ARE RARE, ARE RARE IN EVERY CITY.

UH, SO IT'S, YOUR DISCUSSION IS, IS NOT, YOU'RE NOT ALL BY YOURSELF.

ONE IDEA THAT CAME UP, AND I'M NOT SURE WHERE IT GOES, IS THE IDEA OF DOING, YOU KNOW, AN AN A TRAINING OR AN ORIENTATION FOR COMMISSIONERS FROM VARIOUS MUNICIPALITIES.

I FORGET WHO SUGGESTED THAT.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S GONNA HAPPEN, BUT THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE OF INTEREST TO THOSE WHO COULD GO, NO, JUST THROWING THAT OUT.

OKAY.

UH, THE ISSUE OF THAT YOU'RE DISCUSSING CURRENTLY THE CODE DEFINES SEXUAL HARASSMENT AND THAT, UH, DEFINITION IS, UH, IN SECTION SIX, UM, SECTION SIX ONE J.

UM, AND IT SAYS, SEXUAL HARASSMENT MEANS ANY UNWELCOME SEXUAL ADVANCES OR REQUESTS FOR SEXUAL FAVORS OR ANY CONDUCT OF A SEXUAL NATURE.

WHEN ONE SUBMISSION TO SUCH CONDUCT, CONDUCT IS MADE EITHER EXPLICITLY OR IMPLICITLY A TERM OR CONDITION OF INDIVIDUAL'S EMPLOYMENT TWO, SUBMISSION TWO OR REJECTION OF SUCH CONDUCT BY AN INDIVIDUAL IS USED AS THE BASIS FOR EMPLOYMENT DECISIONS AFFECTING SUCH INDIVIDUAL OR THREE SUCH CONDUCT HAS THE PURPOSE OR EFFECT OF SUBSTANTIALLY INTERFERING WITH AN INDIVIDUAL'S WORK PERFORMANCE OR CREATING AN INTIMIDATING, HOSTILE, OR OFFENSIVE WORKING ENVIRONMENT.

THAT DEFINITION IS PRETTY STANDARD.

YOU WILL SEE THAT SAME DEFINITION OR ONE VERY CLOSE TO IT IN ALMOST ANY HUMAN RIGHTS, UM, ORDINANCE AS WELL AS IN FEDERAL AND STATE LAW.

THE ISSUE I THINK THAT YOU WANNA DISCUSS IS, UH, THAT THIS IS LIMITED IN TWO WAYS.

IT'S LIMITED TO HARASSMENT BASED ON SEX, AND IT'S LIMITED TO EMPLOYMENT SITUATIONS ONLY.

UM,

[00:45:01]

I HAVE NOT INVESTIGATED IT, IT MIGHT NOT BE TRUE.

OKAY? BUT THE ALLEGATION IS THAT THE PERSON WAS, UH, SUBJECTED TO AN INTIMIDATING OR HOSTILE OR OFFENSIVE WORKING ENVIRONMENT BASED ON THE INDIVIDUAL'S RACE IN THAT CONVERSATION AMONG SOME OF THE, THE BIG SHOTS, THE PRINCIPLES THERE, UH, WAS RACIAL IN NATURE AND NOT, UH, NECESSARILY COMPLIMENTARY TO THE RACE THAT THIS PERSON BELONGED TO.

UH, THE ISSUE THERE IN TERMS OF ENFORCEMENT IS THAT THAT IN ITSELF IS NOT A SPECIFIC VIOLATION OF OUR CURRENT CODE BECAUSE THERE WAS NO ADVERSE EMPLOYMENT ACTION.

IN ORDER TO, TO FIND SOMETHING, WE HAVE TO HAVE AN ADVERSE EMPLOYMENT ACTION.

NOW, THIS COMPLAINANT WAS ABLE TO TIE IT TO A, AN ALLEGATION OF AN ADVERSE ACTION.

UM, AND, AND THAT MAY OR MAY MAY NOT BE, YOU KNOW, FACTUAL.

WE JUST DON'T KNOW AT THIS POINT.

BUT, UH, SO WE'RE NOT REALLY GONNA TALK ABOUT A SPECIFIC CASE, BUT WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT DOES IT STRIKE THE COMMISSION AS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE PROHIBITED, UH, TO, UH, CREATE OR YEAH, CREATE AN INTIMIDATING, HOSTILE, OR OFFENSIVE ENVIRONMENT BASED ON OTHER PROTECTED CLASSES OTHER THAN, THAN, THAN SEXUALLY RELATED THINGS.

SO FOR EXAMPLE, RACE, ETHNICITY, NATIONAL ORIGIN, RELIGION, AND, UH, VETERAN STATUS, UH, FAMILIAL STATUS, AND WHATEVER ELSE I FORGOT, THAT'S IN OUR CODE.

SO THAT'S, THAT'S ONE QUESTION TO DISCUSS.

THE OTHER QUESTION IS, SHOULD IT BE EXTENDED ALL FORMS OF HARASSMENT TO OTHER COVERED SITUATIONS? IN OTHER WORDS, OUR CODE COVERS EMPLOYMENT, HOUSING, CREDIT, AND PUBLIC ACCOMMODATIONS.

EACH ONE OF THOSE HAS A SEPARATE SECTION OF THE CODE.

UH, SEXUAL HARASSMENT IS SPECIFICALLY PART OF THE EMPLOYMENT SECTION.

UH, IT COULD NOT BE TRANSFERRED DIRECTLY BECAUSE WHEN IT TALKS ABOUT MAKING EMPLOYMENT DECISIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT'S NOT GOING TO APPLY.

BUT IF A, IF A PERSON WERE SUBJECTED TO SEXUAL HARASSMENT OR, YOU KNOW, RACIAL HARASSMENT IN A, IN A HOUSING SITUATION, IN A CREDIT SITUATION, IN A, UH, PLACE OF PUBLIC ACCOMMODATION, UH, YOU KNOW, AND I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER, I'M JUST SAYING THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE COMMISSION MIGHT WANT TO DISCUSS.

UH, IT WOULD, IT WOULD RE IT WOULD INVOLVE, UH, YOU KNOW, REVISIONS IN THE CODE, WHICH ARE NOT THE PURVIEW OF THE COMMISSION.

THAT'S, THAT HE GOES THROUGH CITY STAFF AND ULTIMATELY THE CITY COUNCIL.

UH, SO, SO WE'RE NOT, AND AND YOU PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE THE ONES TO WRITE IT.

I IMAGINE THAT IF IT WERE THE, UH, RECOMMENDATION OF THE COMMISSION, THAT WOULD PROBABLY GO TO THE CITY ATTORNEY, I GUESS, NEXT, OR TO THE CITY MANAGER.

UH, SO, SO I, I DON'T WANT TO, YOU KNOW, SAY YOU COULD JUST, YOU KNOW, ROLL OUT YOUR PEN AND DO IT TONIGHT.

UH, IT'S THE BEGINNING OF A PROCESS MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE.

UH, AND, AND THERE MAY BE OTHER THINGS THAT COME ALONG AS, AS THE, THE, UH, THE STATEWIDE ASSOCIATION LOOKS AT, AT CODES AND LOOKS FOR THINGS.

BUT THAT'S, UH, IT'S, ANYWAY, THAT'S, THAT'S KIND OF OUTLINING WHAT THE SITUATION IS.

I'LL, I'LL REMAIN AT THE PODIUM, I GUESS IF YOU WANT ME TO.

IT SEEMS LOOKING AT SEXUAL HARASSMENT IN THE WORKPLACE, THAT THERE CAN BE OTHER TYPES OF HARASSMENT THAT MAKE THE WORKPLACE HOSTILE.

AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD ADDRESS THAT.

OTHER THOUGHTS? THIS MAY BE A CHICKEN AND EGG, UH, EXAMPLE OF MAYBE THERE AREN'T A LOT OF THESE TYPES OF ALLEGATIONS THAT WOULD COME TO FRED, UM,

[00:50:01]

SO IT'S HARD TO TELL JUST HOW MUCH DEMAND THERE WOULD BE FOR THESE OTHER TYPES OF CASES UNTIL IT'S, UM, EXPLAINED THAT THIS WOULD CONSTITUTE, UM, DISCRIMINATION POTENTIALLY MM-HMM.

.

YEAH.

AND THERE HAVE BEEN SEXUAL HARASSMENT CASES THAT WE'VE HANDLED, YOU KNOW, IN, IN THE EMPLOYMENT SITUATION.

MM-HMM.

.

HUH? JUST BE CLEAR.

ARE YOU SAYING THAT WE SHOULDN'T LOOK INTO THIS AND COME BACK IN MAY WITH SUGGESTIONS? OR ARE YOU SAYING THAT THERE HAVEN'T BEEN ENOUGH CASES? WHAT, COULD YOU CLARIFY YOUR STATEMENT, PLEASE? WELL, IT'S NOT THE FIRST AND LAST TIME THEY'LL HAVE TO CLARIFY THINGS, BUT IT WAS JUST, UM, A THOUGHT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD THAT, UM, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER ANY OF THESE OTHER THINGS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT POTENTIALLY ADDING TO THE CODE HAVE EVER BEEN BROUGHT UP.

MM-HMM.

FRED WOULD KNOW BETTER THAN WE WOULD.

YEAH.

BUT MAYBE THEY HAVEN'T BEEN BROUGHT UP BECAUSE, UH, IT'S NOT PART OF, IT'S NOT DISCRIMINATION TECHNICALLY IN, IN THE CITY CODE RIGHT NOW.

YEAH.

AND IF WE MADE IT SO AND PUBLICIZED THAT, THEN MAYBE SOME OF THESE UNFILED CASES WOULD START TO COME TO THE FORE.

SO YES, I'M THINKING IF THERE IS AN INTEREST, AND I THINK THERE'D HAVE TO BE A FAIRLY STRONG INTEREST AMONG US TO START THE PROCESS, BECAUSE IT WOULD NOT END WITH US.

THE BEST WE COULD DO IS MAKE SOME SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATION TO, UM, TO CITY STAFF, TO THE CITY ATTORNEY THAT MAY OR MAY NOT GO ANY FURTHER, UH, TO TRY TO EXPAND ON THE HARASSMENT TYPES.

I AGREE.

I THINK WE SHOULD LOOK AT THIS AND COME UP WITH IDEAS OF BRINGING BACK IN.

MAY I AGREE WITH YOU.

ANY OTHER THOUGHTS ABOUT ALONG THOSE LINES? WE HAVE ANY WAY OF KNOWING THE, UM, POTENTIAL INTEREST, UH, AMONG THE OTHER PARTIES INVOLVED, THE STAFF AND THE COUNCIL TO DELVE INTO THIS? OR ARE WE, UM, HOPELESS ON GETTING THIS GOING? I, I DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER TO THAT.

I, I ALSO AM WONDERING WHETHER, UH, YOU KNOW, OTHER JURISDICTIONS, UH, HAVE LOOKED AT THIS AS WELL, YOU KNOW, OTHER CITIES, AND I COULD, I COULD DO A LITTLE BIT OF RESEARCH, YOU KNOW, JUST INTERNET RESEARCH.

BUT AS FAR AS THE RECEPTION FROM THE CITY STAFF, THAT'S NOT A QUESTION I CAN ANSWER.