Aug 17, 2023 Human Relations Commissions

GOT, UH, 4:00 PM

[00:00:01]

AND THE FIRST ORDER ON THE AGENDA IS A ROLL CALL HERE.

HERE.

FAVOR HERE.

UH, WE HAVE FOUR, WHICH IS A QUORUM, I BELIEVE, SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO TRANSACT TO ANY BUSINESS THAT NEEDS TO BE TRANSACTED TODAY.

UH, THANK YOU.

UH, APPEARANCE OF CITIZENS, UH, I DON'T SEE ANY, BUT, UH, THIS WOULD BE THE TIME THAT THEY WOULD COME AND WE DOWN, HOPEFULLY, I DO NOT KNOW .

I MAKE NO JUDGMENT ON THAT.

UM, LET'S MOVE TO 0.3.

THE APPROVAL OF THE MEETING MINUTES FROM JUNE 15TH.

UH, THEY'VE BEEN DISTRIBUTED, SO I'D GIVE, UH, EVERYONE, UH, FOUR OR FIVE MINUTES TO LOOK THINGS OVER.

AND THEN, UH, I'LL ENTERTAIN ANY, UH, MOTION FOR APPROVAL AND ANY DISCUSSION AFTER THAT,

[III. Approval of June 15, 2023, Meeting Minutes]

I'LL SECOND.

UH, COMMISSIONER SLEETER, UH, MOVED FOR THE APPROVAL OF MINUTES.

AND COMMISSIONER KELLER.

SECONDED.

UH, CAN WE TAKE THE ROLL? COMMISSIONER SLEETER? UH, AYE.

COMMISSIONER KELLER AYE.

COMMISSIONER WALKER AYE.

AND COMMISSIONER Z.

AYE.

FOUR AYES AND NO NAY.

SO THE MINUTES ARE APPROVED.

UM, LET'S MOVE ON

[IV. Monthly Activity Report & Summary of Cases]

HELLO.

UH, SHOULD I IDENTIFY MYSELF FOR THE RECORD? IS THAT, UH, FRED SPAN IS A CONTRACTUAL HUMAN RIGHTS INVESTIGATOR FOR THE COMMISSION.

UH, YOU RECEIVED MY REPORT, I BELIEVE, WITH YOUR AGENDA PACKET.

UH, THERE ARE SIX CASES ON THE REPORT THAT WERE ACTIVE AT SOME POINT DURING THE PAST MONTH.

UH, THE FIRST ONE IS THE OLDEST NUMBER, 2 2 0 2 0 1.

UH, YOU MIGHT REMEMBER ME TALKING ABOUT THAT LAST MONTH THAT IT'S BEEN, TOOK A LONG TIME, BUT THEY DID FINALLY REACH A SETTLEMENT.

THE PROCEEDS OF THE SETTLEMENT WERE PAID TO THE COMPLAINANT, AND SO THE COMPLAINANT HAS WITHDRAWN THAT CASE.

SO THAT CASE IS MARKED AS SETTLED AND IT IS CLOSED.

THAT WAS A DISABILITY DISCRIM DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION IN EMPLOYMENT SITUATION.

NEXT, 1, 2 3 0 3 0 3, UH, DISCRIMINATION BASED ON RELIGIOUS OR NATIONAL ORIGIN DISCRIMINATION IN EMPLOYMENT.

UH, THERE WAS SOME ATTEMPT ON BOTH SIDES TO, TO REACH A SETTLEMENT PRIOR TO THE INVESTIGATION THAT, UH, ATTEMPT FAILED.

AND SO THE CASE IS NOW MOVING INTO THE INVESTIGATION PHASE.

AND AT THE END OF THIS MONTH, I HAVE, UH, SEVERAL INTERVIEWS SCHEDULED WITH, WITH KEY PEOPLE IN THAT CASE.

SO THAT, THAT'S ACTIVE NUMBER.

THE NEXT ONE, NUMBER 2 3 0 6 2 9.

THAT'S A DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION IN EMPLOYMENT.

UH, CONDUCTED THE INTERVIEW ON JULY 7TH, UH, FOUND A REASONABLE SUSPICION PREPARED THE FORMAL CHARGE, UH, THAT WAS SENT TO THE RESPONDENT, UH, UH, ON AUGUST 8TH, I HEARD, GOT AN EMAIL FROM AN ATTORNEY FOR THE RESPONDENT ASKING FOR A SHORT EXTENSION OF ABOUT TWO WEEKS TO FILE THEIR RESPONSE.

AND I AGREED TO THAT.

SO, UM, THE

[00:05:01]

AT THAT POINT, I HAVE TWO STORIES, AND THEY'RE VERY DIFFERENT STORIES, AND THAT BEGINS THE ACTUAL INVESTIGATION.

SO WE COULD ANTICIPATE THAT SOMETIME IN SEPTEMBER, THAT INVESTIGATION WILL GET UNDERWAY.

NUMBER 2 3 0 7 1 9 IS RACE DISCRIMINATION AND EMPLOYMENT.

INITIAL INTERVIEW WAS, UH, JULY 27TH.

I DID FIND REASONABLE SUSPICION, UH, PREPARED THE FORMAL CHARGE, AND IT'S BEEN SENT TO THE RESPONDENT AS OF AUGUST 4TH.

SO THAT RESPONDENT AS ABOUT 30 DAYS FROM THE DATE THAT THEY RECEIVED THE CHARGE TO RESPOND.

AND I, SORRY, I DON'T HAVE THAT DATE, BUT WE DID GET THAT CARD BACK, I BELIEVE, ON THAT ONE.

SO THE RESPONDENT DOES HAVE THAT.

THEN WE RECEIVED TWO CHARGES ON THE SAME DATE, UH, NUMBER 2 3 0 7 2 5 A.

AND THE NEXT ONE, NUMBER 2, 3 0 7 2 5 B, UH, TWO FIVE A.

THE REASON IT SAYS NONE, IT WAS A, A SITUATION WHERE THE COMPLAINANT, UH, HAD RELATED A STORY ABOUT SOME, UH, VERY UNFAIR TREATMENT, UH, BY THE EMPLOYER, BUT THE COMPLAINANT WAS NOT ABLE TO TIE THAT TO UNLAWFUL DISCRIMINATION.

IN OTHER WORDS, IF AN EMPLOYER TREATS YOU BAD, YOU BADLY.

THAT'S NOT DISCRIMINATION.

IT'S NOT NECESSARILY AGAINST DAKOTA.

IT MAY BE AGAINST SOME OTHER LAWS OR MAY NOT BE AGAINST SOME OTHER LAWS.

BUT, UH, WE'RE NOT THE PLACE, UH, FOR THOSE COMPLAINTS.

I USUALLY REFER THOSE.

I'LL SAY, YOU MIGHT WANNA GET AN EMPLOYMENT LAWYER, OR IF IT LOOKS LIKE A WAGE AND HOUR TYPE DISPUTE, YOU MIGHT TALK TO THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, BUT IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'S AGAINST OUR ORDINANCE, SO WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING WITH IT.

UH, THEN THE NEXT, THE LAST ONE ON THE LIST HERE, UH, NUMBER 2 3 0 7 2 5 B, RACE DISCRIMINATION AND EMPLOYMENT.

AGAIN, THE INITIAL INTERVIEW, AUGUST 7TH, FOUND REASONABLE SUSPICION OF A VIOLATION, PREPARED THE CHARGE, AND IN FACT, THE COMPLAINANT DID, UM, COME IN AND SIGN THAT CHARGE.

I THINK THAT WAS JUST THIS PAST MONDAY, IF I'M, IF I'M MY MEMORY'S CORRECT.

AND, UH, SO THAT HAS ALSO BEEN SENT TO THE RESPONDENT FOR THEIR, UH, FOR THEM TO FILE THEIR, THEIR FORMAL RESPONSE.

SO, UH, I ALSO MENTIONED AT THE BOTTOM THERE THAT I ATTENDED THE ILLINOIS MUNICIPAL HUMAN RIGHTS ASSOCIATION.

THERE SHOULD BE AN H IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT ONE MEETING ON JULY 18TH.

UH, AND I THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE MORE RELEVANT TO TALK ABOUT WHEN WE GET TO, UH, UNFINISHED BUSINESS.

UH, THE LAST ITEM THERE, UH, I KNOW, UH, CHAIRMAN ZA AND I HAVE HAD SOME EMAILS BACK AND FORTH, AND IT SEEMS THAT MAYBE WE COULD FOLD THAT, MY OBSERVATIONS FROM THAT MEETING INTO THAT DISCUSSION, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.

IT DOES TO ME.

UM, FRED, UH, I APPRECIATE THE REPORT.

UM, I WONDER IF YOU COULD, UH, INDICATE FOR THE NEWER MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION THE TIMEFRAME FOR, UH, COMPLETING, UH, A CASE.

UH, IT, IT CAN'T JUST GO OUT INDEFINITELY.

UH, SOMETIMES IT SEEMS IT CAN , UH, THERE IS NO, AND THERE'S NO REQUIRED TIMEFRAME IN THE ORDINANCE.

UH, BUT THERE HAVE BEEN CASES AS THIS FIRST ONE HERE THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF.

UH, THAT MIGHT BE, THAT MIGHT BE THE LONGEST ONE THAT I'VE DEALT WITH IN, IN EIGHT YEARS.

BUT IF YOU HAVE A SITUATION WHERE, FOR EXAMPLE, THEY TRY TO REACH A SETTLEMENT, THEY HAVE A CONCILIATION CONFERENCE, THEY DON'T REACH A SETTLEMENT, THEN YOU HAVE TO GO BACK TO WHEREVER YOU WERE BEFORE THAT HAPPENED.

UH, OR YOU HAVE A CASE WHERE A LAWYER FOR ONE SIDE OF THE OTHER, AND IT'S NORMALLY THE RESPONDENT, FRANKLY, FILES A MOTION OF SOME SORT THAT HAS TO BE RULED ON BA BY THE CORPORATE COUNSEL.

AND, AND THEN THEY MIGHT SUBMIT WRITTEN ARGUMENTS, YOU KNOW, BACK AND FORTH.

UH, OR IN THIS CASE, WHAT HAPPENED IN THIS CASE? UH, I DON'T THINK IT WAS ANY OF THOSE THINGS.

IT'S AT THE, UH, THE ATTORNEYS FOR BOTH SIDES WERE TRYING TO REACH A SETTLEMENT AFTER THERE WAS A FINDING OF PROBABLE CAUSE.

UH, THE INVESTIGATION TOOK A LONG TIME BECAUSE THERE WERE SOME, UH, SOME PEOPLE HAD TO TRACK DOWN.

UH, BUT ONCE, ONCE THE FINDING OF PROBABLE CAUSE WAS A LONG TIME AGO.

AND, AND THEN THE LAWYER SAID, WE WANT TO TRY TO SETTLE THIS WITHOUT GOING TO A HEARING.

AND IT TOOK A

[00:10:01]

A LOT OF PRODDING ON MY PART.

BUT, UH, BUT THERE'S NO OUTSIDE LIMIT ACTUALLY, HOW LONG THESE THINGS CAN GO ON AVERAGE.

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY? IT'S, IT'S A YEAR'S WORTH JUST IS ABOUT HALF AN HOUR WHEN I, WHEN SOMEBODY COMES IN AND TALKS TO ME AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT AN ISSUE OF DISCRIMINATION.

UH, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

ON AVERAGE, I DON'T KNOW, FOUR TO SIX MONTHS MAYBE.

THAT'S, THAT'S A, JUST OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, GUESS, UH, I DO, AT THE FIRST INTERVIEW, I ADVISE PEOPLE THAT IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A QUICK RESOLUTION, UH, THAT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN.

YOU NEED TO, TO REALIZE THAT THIS IS A LONG PROCESS.

UH, EVEN JUST GETTING, EVEN AT BREAKNECK SPEED, IF, IF IT WOULD WIND UP WITH A HEARING, YOU'RE LOOKING, IT'S GONNA TAKE SEVERAL MONTHS BEFORE YOU GET TO THAT POINT.

THERE, THERE ARE TWO PLACES IN THE ORDINANCE WHERE THERE'S BUILT-IN DELAYS.

UH, ONE IS THAT THE RESPONDENT GETS 30 DAYS TO RESPOND, AND THE OTHER IS IF YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A HEARING THAT'S, I THINK IT'S 60 TO 90, 45 TO 60 DAYS, MAYBE OUT FROM THE TIME THAT YOU COULD ACTUALLY SCHEDULE THE HEARING BEFORE YOU CAN HOLD IT.

SO.

WELL, I THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

UH, DO ANY OF THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE QUESTIONS? YEAH, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK, AND I'M SURE IT'S FAIR WORK.

BUT WHEN I'M TRYING TO SETTLE SOMETHING, AND I KNOW THESE AREN'T KIDS, BUT MM-HMM.

, I WORK AS A SUBSTITUTE PRINCIPAL.

I TRY TO HEAR BOTH SIDES.

MM-HMM.

.

AND IS THERE ANY TIME THAT WE GET TO HEAR OR READ WHAT THE COMPANY'S, UM, SIDE IS, HEAR WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY AT ANY POINT? ONLY IF IT GETS TO, WELL, THERE'S ONLY WHEN IT GETS TO A HEARING AND, AND YOU ACTUALLY NEVER HEAR THE OTHER PERSON'S SIDE EITHER.

I MEAN, THESE ARE JUST, I KNOW, YEAH.

KNOW PRETTY GENERAL ALLEGATIONS.

UH, AND I KNOW IT'S FRUSTRATING, YOU KNOW, TO SAY WHAT'S GOING ON, YOU KNOW, WHO'S IN TROUBLE NOW, , YOU KNOW, UH, IS THERE ANYTHING TO IT? YOU KNOW? AND I, I CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND THAT FRUSTRATION.

WE ARE, UH, NOT ALLOWED TO GIVE ANY INFORMATION OTHER THAN, THAN WHAT YOU HAVE.

UH, SO YOU DON'T HAVE THE OTHER SIDE.

UH, YOU KNOW, I CAN TELL YOU THAT WHENEVER, TO MY MEMORY, UH, GENERALLY THEY SAY WE DIDN'T DO IT.

, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, UH, IT'S NOT DISCRIMINATION THE PERSON DESERVED TO BE FIRED, YOU KNOW, OR, OR, OR, YOU KNOW, SOME OTHER, SOME OTHER REASON.

BUT THERE, THERE ARE ALWAYS AT LEAST TWO SIDES TO THE STORY.

BUT I, AND I, UH, YEAH, IT'S FRUSTRATING THAT WE CAN'T TELL YOU ANYMORE THAN, THAN, YOU KNOW.

CAN YOU TELL ME WHY? IS IT, YOU KNOW, UH, NO, I CAN'T ACTUALLY.

'CAUSE IT'S NOT, THE CODE ITSELF DOES NOT SAY ANYTHING ABOUT CONFIDENTIALITY.

AND OBVIOUSLY A PUBLIC HEARING IS PUBLIC, YOU KNOW? UH, BUT THE CODE ITSELF DOES NOT SAY ANYTHING ABOUT CONFIDENTIALITY.

THIS IS THE WAY THAT IT'S DONE.

I THINK IN MOST OTHER CITIES, I WOULD LIKE TO AT SOME POINT DISCUSS WITH THE OTHER CITIES, YOU KNOW, UH, WHETHER IT'S WRITTEN INTO THEIR CODE, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT ISSUES ARE CONFIDENTIAL.

UH, YOU KNOW, THE PRACTICE WHEN I CAME ON BOARD WAS THAT IT'S, IT'S NOT PUBLIC UNTIL IT'S A PUBLIC HEARING.

AND THE ONLY TIME THAT'S BEEN, UH, NOT TRUE IS IF I DISMISS A CASE AND A PERSON APPEALS THE DISMISSAL, THEN THAT COMES BEFORE THE COMMISSION.

UH, BUT THE RESPONDENT ISN'T PART OF THAT PROCESS.

YOU KNOW, THE RESPONDENT, UH, DOESN'T HAVE A VOICE THERE.

IT'S, IT'S THE PERSON SAYING, WELL, YOU WENT THROUGH ONE OF THESE, YOU KNOW, FRED MADE A MISTAKE, HE DIDN'T DO THE RIGHT THING.

AND FRED SAYING, WELL, HERE'S WHY I MADE THAT DECISION.

YOU KNOW, BUT, BUT THE RESPONDENT IS NOT PART OF THAT PROCESS.

BUT IT OCCURS TO ME THAT IF AT SOME POINT, IF WE COULD BE THE ADJUDICATORS, WE WOULDN'T WANT TO HAVE ANYTHING THAT COULD BE PREJUDICIAL BEFOREHAND.

THAT IS THE, THAT'S THE REASON, I GUESS THAT'S THE BEST REASON, IS THAT YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE CASE.

UN UNTIL YOU BECOME THE ADJUDICATORS OF THE CASE.

NOW, THAT WHEN YOU HAVE A, A SITUATION THOUGH, WHERE THERE HAS BEEN AN APPEAL OF A DISMISSAL, YOU KNOW, YOU DO KNOW ABOUT THE CASE.

UH, AND, BUT THAT'S KIND OF UNAVOIDABLE THERE.

IN THE PAST, I'M, THIS IS A LONGER ANSWER THAN YOU WANT TO HEAR, BUT THERE WAS A COMPLAINTS AND COMPLIANCE COMMITTEE, I BELIEVE, OF THE COMMISSION THAT WAS, UH, ONE UNDER THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE NECESSARY FOR IT TO BE A PUBLIC MEETING.

AND THEY WOULD, THEY

[00:15:01]

UH, BUT THAT COMMITTEE WAS TERMINATED FOR THE REASON YOU, YOU SAID THAT THE, UH, THE, THE RULING WAS THAT THAT MIGHT PREJUDICE THEM LATER, YOU KNOW, SO THEY, SO NOW IT'S JUST A, JUST ME AND THE STA AND THE HR STAFF THAT DIS THAT DISCUSSES CASES AND NOBODY ELSE.

AND USUALLY THAT'S PENNY.

SO DID THAT SATISFY YOUR CURIOSITY ON THAT ? TO A POINT? IT ANSWERED THE QUESTION, BUT IT WAS NOT SATISFACTORY.

I GET IT.

, THANK .

YEAH, I GET IT.

THANK YOU.

ALRIGHT, SO IF WE CAN PUT YOU, UM, TO COOL YOUR HEELS, UH, UNTIL WE GET A LITTLE FURTHER DOWN INTO THE AGENDA, I, I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO HEAR WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE, UH, HUMAN RIGHTS INVESTIGATORS, UH, IN THE, IN OUR REGION.

OUR NEXT POINT THEN

[V.A. Discussion on participation in Pride Fest]

AND, UM, I DUNNO IF ANYBODY HAS ANY THOUGHTS ABOUT THAT.

PARTICULAR, THE WAY IT APPEARED IN THE MINUTES WAS THAT THE CITY MANAGERS SAID THAT AS LONG AS IT DID NOT APPEAR THAT COMMISSIONERS WERE ADVOCATING FOR ANY CAUSE WE COULD BE THERE IN AN INFORMATIONAL, UH, SETTING.

IS, IS THAT THE CORRECT INTERPRETATION? UM, SO IS THAT TO SAY THAT THE CITY COULD FETCH US UP A TABLE WITH A BANNER OR, OR WHAT ARE THE LIMITATIONS IN THAT CASE? WELL, I DON'T THINK CITY STAFF WILL BE PARTICIPATING.

HOWEVER, UM, WE CAN, YOU KNOW, GIVE, GET YOU THE BANNER TO TAKE AND, AND PUT ON A TABLE AND, AND, UH, FLYERS OR, OR, UM, ANY PAMPHLETS, THINGS LIKE THAT.

UM, COMMISSIONER SLEETER, YOU HAVE AN INTEREST IN THE PRIDE FEST.

UH, DO YOU HAVE THOUGHTS? UM, UH, YEAH, I MEAN, UM, I WOULD HOPE THAT YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO HAND OUT INFORMATION OF SOME SORT ABOUT, UH, THE WORK OF THE COMMISSION.

UH, YOU KNOW, THE IDEA IS TO GET THE WORD OUT SO THAT PEOPLE KNOW WE'RE HERE AND CAN AVAIL THEMSELVES IN DISCRIMINATORY ISSUES.

AND OF COURSE, WE HAVE A POPULATION HERE THAT IS A PROTECTED, UH, GROUP.

UH, SO THIS WOULD BE A GOOD PLACE TO BE.

UH, YOU HAVE A EIGHT FOOT TABLE, UM, THAT'S BEEN PROVIDED FOR YOU AT NO COST.

UM, YEAH, ONE OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS, UH, DONATED THAT.

SO THERE'S NO COST TO YOU ON THAT? YOU JUST, WE, WE JUST NEED, OR YOU NEED, I, I'M JUST NOT AVAILABLE, OBVIOUSLY TO STAFF IT.

UH, PRIDE FEST BEGINS AT 11, AND WE, AND THE VENDORS, THAT'S ANYONE WHO HAS A TABLE, UM, USUALLY RUN THEM TILL ABOUT THREE, FOUR OR FIVE O'CLOCK.

ACTUALLY, PROBABLY TILL ABOUT FOUR.

UM, AND I WAS JUST DOING, JUST KIND OF GOING OVER IT, IF, IF YOU HAD, IF YOU RAN IT TILL THREE, YOU WOULD ONLY NEED FOUR PERSONS TO STAFF IT.

IF YOU WENT TO FOUR, YOU'D NEED FIVE.

JERRY, UM, I REMEMBER JERRY AT THE LAST MEETING SAID HE AT THE TIME WOULD BE WILLING TO DO A COUPLE HOURS.

SO, SO IT'S JUST A MATTER OF STAFFING IT.

IF YOU COULD GET, IF YOU COULD DEVELOP THOSE FLYERS, IT WOULD BE GREAT TO, TO HAVE THAT TO HAND OUT.

YEAH.

WE, WE DO HAVE LESS THAN A MONTH TO, UH, DECIDE ON THOSE THINGS.

UH, BUT I AGREE WITH YOU THAT THIS WOULD BE BENEFICIAL PLUS WHATEVER OTHER MATERIALS THAT WE, UH, WEREN'T WE SUPPOSED TO HAVE SOME THINGS PREPARED FOR JUNETEENTH? IS THERE A SUPPLY BEYOND WHAT FLYERS WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO? SHERRY, CAN YOU ANSWER THAT QUESTION? THE ONLY THING WE HAD WAS PAMPHLETS.

YEAH.

YEAH.

DIDN'T WE HAVE, WERE THE BUTTONS JUST FOR MARTIN LUTHER KING? THE BUTTONS ARE JUST FOR JUNETEENTH.

JUNETEENTH, YEAH.

PARDON? THE BUTTONS WERE ONLY FOR JUNETEENTH.

OH, OKAY.

THEY WERE GIVEN TO EVELYN HOOD, RIGHT? OH, RIGHT.

WELL, TO BE HONEST, OH, UH, WE, UM, SOMEONE GAVE THEM, CAME TO ME AND SAID I COULD USE THEM, UH, IN OUR CHURCH, UM, STAFFED A TABLE AND WERE GIVING OUT THE BUTTONS.

AND THEN I SAW IN THE MINUTES THAT, UH, THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO BE CONVEYED TO, UH, EVELYN HOOD.

SO, UH, I HAVE PROBABLY COMMITTED SOME SORT OF TRANSGRESSION.

SO, DO WE HAVE

[00:20:01]

UH, DOES ANYBODY WANT TO COMMIT TO AN HOUR OR SO WITH THE TABLE? I'M NOT, I'M NOT SURE WHAT MY SCHEDULE WILL BE THEN.

MM-HMM.

, I CAN BE THERE SOMETIME.

I, ACCORDING TO, WELL, WHAT TIME IS LEFT OR WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE, OR WHAT THE OTHERS MAY BE FILLING.

UM, I, SO IT WOULD SEEM TO ME THAT THE EARLY PART OF THE DAY WOULD BE THE MOST IMPORTANT IF WE CAN'T BE THERE FOR THE ENTIRE TIME.

UM, I'D LIKE TO KIND OF PIN IT DOWN 'CAUSE WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE ANOTHER MEETING BEFORE, UH, THE PRIDE FEST HAPPENS.

SO, UH, WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO START THERE AT 11? I'M NOT SURE THAT I COULD BE THERE AT 11.

WE'LL BE COMING 12 AND FROM THE FARM ONE .

UM, YEAH, I'D PROBABLY BE, OKAY.

SO I, I HESITATE TO COMMIT MYSELF BECAUSE MY WIFE IS NOT HERE AND MY, AND MY, MY CALENDAR'S NOT HERE.

BUT, UH, PERHAPS 11 WOULD BE SOMETHING I COULD DO.

AND THEN YOU WOULDN'T HAVE THE PRESSURE TO BE THERE RIGHT AT THE BEGINNING.

AND IF YOU COULD CONTACT JERRY AND SEE IF HE COULD GIVE THOSE TWO HOURS.

SO IF YOU'RE, YOU SAID YOU'D COME AT ONE YES.

PROB SHOULD BE IN TOWN BY THEN.

ALRIGHT.

WHY DON'T WE SAY IF, UH, JERRY, UH, IS NOT AVAILABLE AT 11, THAT, UH, THAT I COULD, UH, AGREE TO BE THERE FROM 11 TO ONE AND JOYCE AT ONE, AND WE'LL WORK JERRY IN THERE.

AND THEN, AND YEAH, I, I CAN'T REALLY SPEAK TO THE PEOPLE WHO AREN'T HERE.

WE'VE GOT A COUPLE OF COMMITMENTS AND, UH, IF, IF YOU WANT TO EMAIL ME LATER, UH, ABOUT YOUR AVAILABILITY, THEN, UH, I THINK WE'D BE PRETTY UNDERSTANDING ABOUT THAT BECAUSE WE ARE ALL VOLUNTEERS.

BUT MAKING A NOTE TO, UH, TRY TO GET IN TOUCH WITH JERRY AND VIVIAN AND, UH, TRACY TO SEE WHAT, UH, THEY CAN COMMIT TO FOR THE, UM, THE NINTH.

ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ABOUT THE PRIDE FEST? I DON'T KNOW IF YOU COULD PUT TOGETHER A FLYER BY THEN OR NOT.

IT WOULD BE NICE FOR YOU TO HAVE THAT.

IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE VERY, UM, IT CAN BE VERY FAIRLY SIMPLE.

I WOULD THINK IT NEEDS SOME, LIKE, SOME SORT OF CATCHY TITLE, LIKE VICTIMS OF DISCRIMINATION AND THEN, YOU KNOW, LISTING THE CATEGORIES, YOU KNOW, OF EMPLOYMENT AND HOUSING AND, AND SO FORTH AND, AND LISTING THE PROTECTED CLASSES.

AND, UM, AND THEN OF COURSE, CONTACT INFORMATION.

I TOOK THE LIBERTY OF, UH, PRINTING OUT SOMETHING THAT ON THERE.

AND, UH, IT'S NOT, I JUST TOOK OUT THE, UH, THE PROTECTED CLASSES AND SOME OF THE VENUES IN WHICH SOME OF THE DISCRIMINATION COULD BE, UH, OCCURRING.

AND, UH, A CONTACT, I PUT PENNY DOWN THERE.

I SUPPOSE THAT WAS AS LOGICAL AS I KNEW.

BUT, UM, ANYBODY HAS, UH, UM, IMPROVEMENTS ON THIS.

UM, I WANTED TO PRETTY IT UP SOME, BUT MY WORD PROGRAM WASN'T TOO VERSATILE, SO, UH, THAT'S WHAT I WOUND UP WITH.

I WOULD JUST, I, I WOULD JUST DISCUSS HAVING THAT SECOND LINE BEING THE FIRST ONE.

I THINK IT'S REAL CATCHY.

OKAY.

AND I THINK IT WOULD CATCH PEOPLE'S EYES.

YEAH.

THAT MM-HMM.

THAT FIRST LINE.

I THINK SOMETHING TO GRAB PEOPLE.

MM-HMM.

.

OKAY.

AND MAKE THAT IN CAPS.

AND THEN PUT THE DISCRIMINATION, PUT THE DISCRIMINATION UNDER IT.

MAYBE JUST A, BUT NOT TINY PRINT, BUT A LITTLE SMALLER PRINT.

SO UNDER THE DISCRIMINATION HEADER, UH, WE'D, WE'D START OFF WITH THE DECATUR

[00:25:01]

WHAT YOU'RE SUGGESTING HAVE THE, IT'S A BIG ISSUE MAYBE AFFECTING YOU FIRST.

OH YEAH.

OKAY.

THEN DISCRIMINATION, THEN THE REST OF IT.

LEAVE THE REST THE SAME.

YEAH.

FRED, DO YOU, DO YOU, UM, THINK IT'S, UH, SUCCINCT ENOUGH IN THE, WHAT YOU CAN DO SECTION, TRYING TO SKETCH OUT A LITTLE BIT OF THE PROCESS WITHOUT CONFUSING OR BORING PEOPLE? YEAH.

YEAH.

I THINK IT'S, YES.

I THINK IT'S, IT'S FINE.

YOU WANT THIS TO BE SHORT, SOMETHING THEY CAN READ WHILE THEY'RE WALKING AROUND ONE PAGE, FOR SURE.

YEAH.

THEY CAN PICK UP THE BROCHURE AND READ IT AT HOME, BUT THEY'RE PROBABLY NOT GONNA READ IT WHILE THEY'RE THERE, SO.

AND ARE WE OKAY WITH MS. ROGERS BEING THE CONTACT? I'M FINE WITH IT.

.

UH, YES.

AND THEN I CAN FOR, YOU KNOW, ALWAYS, I ALWAYS FORWARD THINGS TO, TO, UH, FRED, SO THAT'S FINE.

UM, GOOD.

WELL, IT, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A GOOD START.

YOU KNOW, I WOULD HOPE IN THE FUTURE WE COULD GET SOMETHING THAT'S COLORED AND ALL LIKE THAT JAZZ, BUT, YOU KNOW, A REMA PAPER COPY MACHINE, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN CRANK THESE OUT PRETTY CHEAPLY, UM, AND HAVE 'EM AVAILABLE.

WELL, WE SAY THAT, BUT, UH, I DON'T WANT TO PUT A BIG BURDEN ON THE STAFF.

UH, UH, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE FEEL COULD BE PRODUCED, UM, A FEW DOZEN ANYWAY, UH, IN, IN ADVANCE OF THE NINTH? UH, YES.

SO, UH, DICK, SINCE YOU HAVE THIS SAVED PROBABLY ON, ON YOUR COMPUTER, DO YOU WANNA MAKE THOSE CHANGES AND, UM, EMAIL THEM TO SHERRY AND I, I AM VERY CONSCIOUS OF TRYING TO KEEP OFF YOUR, YOUR BACKS AS FAR AS THE WORK GOES, BUT I JUST, I, I'M, SO I'M JUST ASKING WHETHER THAT BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE REASONABLE.

UH, AND THEN I GUESS I COULD PICK THEM UP IF I'M GONNA BE ONE OF THE EARLY PEOPLE AT THE, UH, FAIRVIEW PARK TO, UM, CART 'EM OUT THERE, PICK 'EM UP FROM YOUR OFFICE.

AND WE COULD PROBABLY MAKE COPIES IN A CERTAIN, A DIFFERENT COLOR, IF I WAS GOING TO SAY.

BUT I WAS GOING TO SAY COULDN'T.

I MEAN, I WOULD BE, IF YOU GET ME THE INFORMATION AND THE COPIES, I WOULD BE GLAD TO TAKE IT TO STAPLES AND GET COPIES.

AND I WAS THINKING ABOUT HAVING, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT COLORED PAPER.

YEAH, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD IDEA.

I, I DON'T HAVE A COLOR PRINTER FOR, FOR STARTERS.

AND, UH, YES, WE WANT TO MAKE A PRESENTATION ON, ON DIFFERENT COLORED PAPER.

AND, AND LIKE I SAID, I WOULD, IF YOU CAN GET IT TO ME AND I CAN TAKE IT OUT TO STAPLES, WE COULD, YOU WOULDN'T HAVE, WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO PUT ANY BURDEN ON THEM.

WELL, THANK YOU.

WE'LL MAKE COMMISSIONER KELLER THE SUPERSTAR OF THE AUGUST MEETING.

IT WOULD PLAN.

I WOULD BE GLAD TO DO THAT.

WELL, I DO WANNA MENTION THAT WE NO LONGER HAVE A CHECKING ACCOUNT, SO WE CAN'T REALLY REIMBURSE PEOPLE ANYMORE.

SO, UM, I MEAN, I MEAN, WE CAN JUST GO AHEAD AND MAKE COPIES.

UH, IN OUR OFFICE WE HAD DIFFERENT COLOR PAPERS.

PARDON? WE HAD DIFFERENT COLOR PAPER.

OH.

JUST TRYING TO, AND I'D BE GLAD TO, YOU KNOW, DO DO IT OR DONATE, DONATE IT OR WHATEVER YOU WANT TO DO.

WE APPRECIATE IT, BUT IT REALLY SHOULDN'T BE A BURDEN ON US.

SO, UM, WE, WE CAN DO IT PRETTY QUICKLY AND EASILY.

WELL, IN THAT CASE, UH, I WILL, UH, MAKE THE CHANGES THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AND, UH, EMAIL IT TO SHERRY AND PENNY AND WE'LL GO FROM THERE.

AND THEY'LL LET ME KNOW WHEN THEY'RE AVAILABLE FOR ME TO PICK UP.

AND WE WILL DO OUR BEST TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE PUBLIC, UH, ON SEPTEMBER 9TH.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR INPUT.

SO, SPEAKING OF FLYER

[V.B. Input from Commissioners about places to distribute flyers about Commission and what should be on the flyer]

AND, UH, PENNY, UH, GAVE US, UH, A LISTING FROM PAST MEETINGS ON POSSIBLE SITES.

AND I HAD A COUPLE MORE THAT I THOUGHT OF SUBSEQUENT TO THAT.

BUT, UM, DO WE HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ABOUT THE ONES LISTED HERE AS FAR AS BEING APPROPRIATE, BEING EASIER OR HARD TO GET

[00:30:01]

.

BUT I THINK IF WE TAKE IT BACK TO OUR OWN, AND MAYBE EVERYBODY TAKE TWO OR THREE, I THINK TAKE A COUPLE OF CHURCHES, YOUR OWN CHURCH AND A COUPLE OTHERS.

YEAH.

YES.

I THINK, UH, THAT'S A GOOD WAY TO ATTACK IT AROUND.

YEAH.

WE HAVE A DATABASE OF CHURCHES.

ALL I HAVE TO DO IS PRINT OUT THE LABELS AND IF SOMEBODY WANNA TAKE 'EM AND STUFF 'EM AND SEND THEM, THERE YOU GO.

AND WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A DATABASE OF A WHOLE LOT OF CHURCHES.

SO IS THERE MONEY TO, TO MAIL THOSE? IT'LL COME OUT THE HUMAN RELATIONS BUDGET.

WELL, HR, WHATEVER, ZERO, WHATEVER BUDGET WE PAY FRED OUT OF THAT WILL, IT'LL COME OUT OF THAT .

WELL, I MEAN, WE CAN, WE CAN, UH, HAND DELIVER SOME, ESPECIALLY OUR AT CHURCHES WE GO TO, THERE IS MORE LIKELIHOOD THAT THEY'LL GET, UH, PUT UP BEING A PASTOR AND KNOWING THE STUFF THAT COMES ACROSS THE PASTOR'S DESK.

AND YOU KNOW, WHAT I TEND TO DO WITH THAT STUFF.

SO, UM, THE MORE WE CAN HAND DELIVER, THE BETTER.

BUT THE REST WE CAN MAIL OUT.

I JUST REALIZED I'VE GOT A TYPO ON HERE WHERE IT SAYS, UM, UNEMPLOYMENT, IT SHOULD BE OFFICE INSTEAD OF OFFICER.

BUT I DON'T THINK THE UNEMPLOYMENT OFFICE IS NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC ANYMORE.

IT'S ALL, IT'S ALL DONE LIKE ONLINE OR ON THE PHONE.

SO THAT PROBABLY WOULDN'T, WOULDN'T REALLY BE APPLICABLE ANYMORE BECAUSE NO, NOBODY CAN GO IN THERE.

I DON'T KNOW ABOUT RETAIL ESTABLISHMENT.

I PUT DOWN STARBUCKS.

I DON'T KNOW, I HAVEN'T BEEN IN THERE A LONG TIME.

YOU USED TO BE ABLE TO KIND OF POST STUFF THERE.

ALRIGHT.

WASN'T PANERA KIND OF THE SAME WAY? THEY HAD A COMMUNITY BOARD SOMEWHERE? MM-HMM.

, I DON'T SEE, OH, I DON'T SEE THE LIBRARY HERE.

SAYS THE FOLLOWING PLACES THAT WERE LISTED WAS LIBRARY COLLEGES, PUBLIC AID OFFICE, OLD KINKS ORCHARD, NORTHEAST COMMUNITY FUND, OASIS, D M V, CITY OF DECATUR.

WELL, JUNETEENTH, FACEBOOK AND TV.

OH, NOT ON THAT ONE.

I FORGOT TO PUT IT ON THAT LIST.

OH, OKAY.

WELL, IT'S IN THE MINUTES.

OKAY.

I WOULD ALSO THROW IN DOVE ALSO.

KONO.

SO THE WAY IT STANDS NOW, WE'RE GOING TO, UM, DIVVY UP, UH, CHURCHES, GET A HANDFUL OF CHURCHES.

HOW DO WE WANT TO DISTRIBUTE THE OTHER ONES, UH, TO, UH, AND THERE'S NOT REALLY AS MUCH OF A TIME CRUNCH AS THIS.

SO, UM, WE COULD CONSULT WITH, UH, OUR MISSING COMMISSIONERS NEXT MEETING.

AS FAR AS, UM, DISTRIBUTING THESE, I DON'T, UNLESS SOMEBODY IS EAGER TO, UH, VOLUNTEER FOR A COUPLE OF PLACES, I, I'D BE GLAD TO DO, I CAN DO, UH, I HAVE A CONTACT AT, WELL, AT D M H, UH, AND, UH, NORTHEAST OASIS.

AND OF COURSE I'VE GOT SEVERAL CHURCHES I COULD DO AND DOVE IN CONO.

OKAY.

ALRIGHT.

THANK YOU.

WELL, SHE TOOK ALL THE PLACES I WANTED TO DO, BUT , SORRY.

THAT'S OKAY.

I'LL TAKE LIBRARY.

ALRIGHT.

I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHERE DOVE IS.

I'VE HEARD OF IT, BUT I DON'T, IT'S DOVE IS ON UNION STREET.

WELL, THE MAIN OFFICE IS ON UNION STREET.

THEY HAVE ONE ON CLAY TOO, BUT, UH, I CAN, I CAN DO THE HOSPITAL.

I COULD DO THE HOSPITALS.

I CAN DO ST.

MARY'S OR D M H.

I HAVE A CONTACT THERE.

OH, YOU GOT THAT ONE TOO.

OKAY.

D M H.

OKAY.

DO YOU HAVE ST.

MARY'S ? CAN YOU DO? I CAN.

OKAY.

ALRIGHT.

THEY'RE LEAVING YOU BEHIND.

MARK.

I'LL DO CIVIC CITY CENTER.

.

ALRIGHT.

NO, I JUST THOUGHT THAT WAS FUNNY.

UM, 'CAUSE I THINK THEY COULD JUST PUT ONE UP OR, YOU KNOW, AS WE WALK OUT ONE DAY, PUT ONE UP.

I JUST DON'T WANNA LEAVE ANYTHING TO CHANCE.

OH, OKAY.

I WAS GONNA WAIT TILL NEXT MEETING AND HOPEFULLY HAVE MORE COMMISSIONS HERE AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I WANNA, WANNA DO MY PART, SO.

OKAY.

MAYBE JERRY STILL HAS SOME ACCESS TO THE NORTHEAST FUND, SO WE COULD PIN HIM WITH THAT PERHAPS.

YEAH, I'M SURE HE'D DO.

UM, ST.

JOHN'S.

ALRIGHT,

[00:35:01]

AND, UM, ANYBODY WHO COMES UP WITH ANY OTHER, OH, I SHOULD HAVE THOUGHT OF SUCH AND SUCH PLACE, UM, JUST FEEL FREE TO LET US KNOW AND WE'LL COVER THE WATERFRONT AS FAR AS THAT GOES.

ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THAT? OKAY.

[V.C. Discussion on how to expand the harassment protections under Chapter 28]

UM, AND, UH, I THINK FRED IS, UH, GOING TO BE VERY VALUABLE IN LEADING US THROUGH THE INITIAL DISCUSSIONS OF WHAT WE WANNA DO, WHY WE WANNA DO IT.

UH, AND, AND I BELIEVE I'M ANTICIPATING CORRECTLY THAT WE'RE GOING TO, UH, NEAR THE BEGINNING, REVIEW CHAPTER 28 2, REMIND US ABOUT WHAT, UH, AUTHORITY WE HAVE IN WHAT AREAS SO THAT NOBODY IS LEFT WONDERING WHAT CAN WE DO AND, AND WHAT ARE WE, UH, EMPOWERED TO.

AND THIS IS IN CHAPTER 28 OF THE CITY CODE.

THANK YOU.

UH, SO AS I KIND OF THOUGHT THROUGH THIS AND MET WITH THE, UH, HUMAN RIGHTS INVESTIGATORS FROM OTHER CITIES, UH, IT STRUCK ME THAT MAYBE WHAT YOU MIGHT WANNA DO AS A COMMISSION IS RATHER THAN TALK ABOUT ONE PARTICULAR ISSUE AT THIS POINT, KIND OF WORK THROUGH THE CODE AND FIGURE OUT WHAT ARE THE AREAS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO RECOMMEND THE CITY CHANGES.

THAT MIGHT TAKE A, TAKE US SEVERAL MONTHS, BUT I DON'T THINK, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY BITES AT THE APPLE YOU'RE GONNA GET IN TERMS OF GOING TO THE CITY AND SAYING, WE WANNA MAKE A CHANGE.

IT, IT'S KIND OF MAKES SENSE TO ME THAT YOU MIGHT WANNA GO WITH ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU WANT TO CHANGE AT ONE TIME, RATHER THAN GOING WITH THIS AND THEN COMING BACK NEXT MONTH WITH THIS AND THE FOLLOWING MONTH WITH SOMETHING ELSE.

UH, THAT'S, I'M JUST PUTTING THAT OUT THERE, UH, FOR US TO THINK ABOUT IN TERMS OF HOW THE COMMISSION WANTS TO GO FORWARD.

UH, BEFORE I DO THAT THOUGH, I WANTED TO GET BACK TO THE QUESTION YOU ASKED BEFORE, COMMISSIONER WALKER, 'CAUSE I FORGET THE MOST IMPORTANT ANSWER.

WHY, WHY THIS IS CONFIDENTIAL IS PROTECTING THE INNOCENT, YOU KNOW, UH, JUST BECAUSE A PERSON IS ACCUSED, AND JUST BECAUSE I FIND REASONABLE SUSPICION DOESN'T MEAN THAT THEY'VE COMMITTED A VIOLATION.

SO WE DON'T WANT AN INDIVIDUAL OR A COMPANY'S NAME OUT THERE IN PUBLIC MORE THAN A NAME.

I'M MORE INTERESTED IN, COULDN'T YOU SAY LIKE, A PERSON A DID DA, DA DA DA DA, AND THEY WORKED AT COMPANY B, AND THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS.

I'M, I'M MORE INTERESTED IN THE FACTS THAN A NAME.

I, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A, I GET IT.

AND I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW THAT, I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH INFORMATION I COULD GIVE WITHOUT LIKE, PREJUDICING YOU WHEN, YOU KNOW, FOR LATER ON.

UH, SO I DON'T KNOW.

OKAY.

GIVE THAT SOME THOUGHT.

OKAY.

BUT I, BUT THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING NO, THANK YOU, .

THANK YOU FOR ASKING.

UH, SO I WANT, I WANTED TO KIND OF BACK UP A BIT THEN TALK ABOUT, UH, WHAT I LEARNED ABOUT WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING FOR THEIR COMMISSIONS.

UH, AND THIS, WE MET JULY 18TH IN DANVILLE, AND THERE WERE ONLY A FEW OTHER CITIES, CHAMPAIGN, DANVILLE.

AND THEN URBANA CAME IN, UH, LATER IN THE MEETING.

BUT I, I ASKED THEM FOR THIS, BASICALLY FOR DANVILLE AND CHAMPAIGN, THEN HOW OFTEN THEIR COMMISSIONS ACTUALLY MET.

UH, DANVILLE IS FIVE TO SIX TIMES A YEAR, SO ABOUT EVERY OTHER MONTH, UH, CHAMPAGNE MEETS MONTHLY.

BUT, UH, THE PERSON SAID OFTEN THEY HAVE NO BUSINESS TO CONDUCT.

SO THEY'RE SCHEDULED TO MEET MONTHLY, BUT SOMETIMES THEY HAVE NO BUSINESS.

WHICH LED TO MY NEXT QUESTION, WHICH IS, WHAT DO THE COMMISSIONS ACTUALLY DO BESIDES CONDUCTING HEARINGS? UH, AND THE OTHER CITIES HAVE HEARINGS JUST ABOUT AS OFTEN OR SELDOM AS WE DO THINGS RARELY GET TO HEARINGS IN, IN ANY THE OTHER CITIES.

UH, AND DANVILLE SAID THEY DO HOLD AN ANNUAL COMMUNITY PICNIC AROUND THE THEME OF DIVERSITY THAT THE COMMISSION SPONSORS.

UH,

[00:40:01]

UH, ONE IS THAT CHAMPAGNE HAS A, UH, CITIZEN POLICE REVIEW BOARD THAT IS A SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION, WHATEVER THE, I THEY MAY CALL IT, THEY MAY NOT CALL IT HUMAN RELATIONS, BUT IT'S A SUBCOMMITTEE OF THEIR COMMISSION.

BUT IT'S REALLY ONLY ONE COMMISSIONER FROM THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION SERVES ON THE, UH, POLICE REVIEW BOARD.

THE REST ARE APPOINTED BY THE, THE MAYOR.

UH, ONE OF THE, UH, I THINK IT'S A PERSON FROM CHAMPAIGN SENT, SENT AN EMAIL OUT JUST A COUPLE DAYS AGO SAYING, UH, DO ANY OF YOU, YOU KNOW, DO SOMETHING SIMILAR? AND, AND EVERYBODY THAT'S RESPONDED SAY THAT THEIR CITIES LIKE DECATUR DON'T HAVE A CITIZEN POLICE REVIEW BOARD.

SO, SO THAT'S UNIQUE TO CHAMPAIGN.

AND ALSO IN CHAMPAIGN, THE COMMISSION IS RESPONSIBLE FOR OVERSEEING CITY CONTRACTING FOR MINORITY PARTICIPATION.

YOU MAY REMEMBER FROM CHAPTER 28, THERE'S A SECTION ABOUT, UH, CITY CONTRACTING, BUT THAT'S NOT A ROLE OF THE COMMISSION IN OUR, IN OUR ORDINANCE.

THAT ROLE IS A PUBLIC WORKS.

MAYBE THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WE WORKS HAS THAT RESPONSIBILITY.

UM, SO THAT'S ALL I LEARNED FROM THOSE TWO CITIES.

UM, I DID ASK, OR WE KIND OF DISCUSSED AS A GROUP WHAT COMMISSIONS MIGHT BE DOING TO MAKE THEIR, THEIR MEETINGS MORE WORTHWHILE FOR PEOPLE TO, FOR COMMISSIONERS TO ATTEND.

UH, AND ONE THOUGHT THAT CAME UP THAT STRUCK ME WAS, UH, ACTUALLY GO THROUGH THE, THE LOCAL ORDINANCES SECTION BY SECTION, LOOKING AT WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING, WHAT WE'RE DOING, AND KIND OF MARKETING THINGS THAT WE, WE MIGHT WANNA KNOW MORE ABOUT, OR THINGS THAT WE MIGHT WANNA RECOMMEND CHANGES.

SO WE COULD, YOU KNOW, BEGIN JUST PLOWING THROUGH IT SECTION BY SECTION AT MEETINGS.

AND, UH, GETTING INTO IT.

UH, LET ME, LET ME INTERRUPT AND ASK IF, UM, ALL OF US HERE HAVE RECEIVED, DID YOU SEND OUT SOME OF THOSE, UH, OR ORDINANCES FROM OTHER CITIES? I DID.

I DON'T, DID I SEND 'EM TO EVERYBODY? OKAY.

YEAH.

AND I COULD, YEAH.

AND WE COULD MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY HAS THOSE.

UH, AND I THINK THAT I HAD ONLINE FOUND THEM FROM, UH, PEORIA, SPRINGFIELD, URBANA BLOOMINGTON NORMAL, DID I SAY CHAMPAIGN URBANA? THERE WERE SEVERAL, ABOUT HALF A DOZEN, UH, BASICALLY ALL THE OTHER CITIES THAT ARE FAIRLY LARGER CITIES WITHIN THE CENTRAL ILLINOIS AREA.

UH, AND, AND THERE'S A REAL VARIETY THERE IN TERMS OF HOW THEY, THEY APPROACH THINGS THAT MIGHT GIVE US SOME IDEA.

UH, THE OTHER SUGGESTION WAS TO HAVE, UH, OCCASIONAL SPEAKERS.

UH, THE PERSON WHO SPOKE TO OUR GROUP IN DANVILLE, AND IT WAS REMOTE, WAS ALEX BTA, WHO'S WITH THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RIGHTS.

AND THAT WAS REALLY INTERESTING BECAUSE BASICALLY ALL I'VE KNOWN ABOUT THE I D H R, THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RIGHTS IS WE TELL PEOPLE THAT THEY CAN COFI, THEY CAN FILE WITH THEM AND FILE WITH US.

WE HAVE THE FORMS FOR THEM.

IF THERE'S A CASE THAT, UH, THERE'S SOME CASES THAT WE COULDN'T HANDLE, SAY THAT THERE'S A COMPLAINT AGAINST THE CITY EMPLOYEE, THAT THAT WOULD GO TO I D H R RATHER THAN US.

SO IT WAS INTERESTING LISTENING TO HIM AND, UH, AND IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TALKING WITH HIM ABOUT HOW WE MIGHT, YOU KNOW, COORDINATE BETTER THAN WE DO CURRENTLY.

UH, DO YOU RECOMMEND, UH, IN, UH, INVITING HIM TO SPEAK? I, I ASKED HIM WHETHER HE WOULD COME SPEAK TO THE LOCAL COMMISSION, AND HE SAID YES.

UH, AND IT'S, I DON'T KNOW IF HE'S, IS IT FREE? IS HE, IS HE BASED IN SPRINGFIELD OR CHICAGO, DO YOU KNOW? I BELIEVE CHICAGO.

SO, SO THAT MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT FURTHER FOR HIM TO COME.

HE COULD DO IT REMOTELY OR WE COULD JUST SEE IF HE'S, YOU KNOW, AVAILABLE TO ACTUALLY COME TO DECATUR AND TALK.

COMMISSIONER WALKER SAID, WILL IT BE FREE? YEAH.

BECAUSE WE'VE ALREADY ESTABLISHED, WELL, HE, HE COULDN'T CHARGE, HE'S A STATE EMPLOYEE.

THEY CAN'T CHARGE FOR PRESENTATIONS AND, AND YOU CAN'T EVEN GIVE THEM A COOKIE, I DON'T THINK.

, THEY'RE, THEY'RE, UH, IT'D ALSO BE INTERESTING TO HAVE, UH, SANDRA FINCH, WHO'S THE HUMAN RIGHTS INVESTIGATOR FROM DANVILLE.

'CAUSE SHE'S BEEN DOING THIS FOR 33 YEARS, AND SHE'D BE AN INTERESTING PERSON TO TALK TO.

AND SHE'S ONE THAT WE'VE LEANED ON FOR ADVICE ON CASES.

SO THAT WOULD BE A, I DIDN'T ASK HER IF SHE'D COME OVER, BUT SHE WOULD, SHE'S FRIENDS WITH PENNY AND FRIENDS AND SHERRY.

SO, UH, SO THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I CAME AWAY FROM THAT AND HOW I, THE INFORMATION I WANTED TO GIVE YOU IN TERMS OF, UH,

[00:45:01]

YEAH.

UH, YOU SAID, WAS IT CHAMPAIGN THAT HAD A CITIZENS REVIEW, A POLICE CITIZENS REVIEW BOARD? SO WHEN THERE ARE ALLEGATIONS OF A MISTREATMENT AGAINST THE POLICE, AGAINST A POLICE OFFICER, THAT THEY HAVE A CITIZEN'S REVIEW BOARD THAT REVIEWS THOSE COMPLAINTS.

OH, OKAY.

AND DETERMINES THE VALIDITY OF THEM.

UH, A LOT OF LARGE CITIES DO THAT.

UH, DECATUR DOES NOT HAVE ONE.

RIGHT.

YEAH.

IT'S, AND, UH, POLICE DEPARTMENTS GENERALLY ARE NOT IN FAVOR OF THOSE.

I'M NOT SPEAKING ABOUT DECATUR POLICE, BUT JUST IN, YOU KNOW, GENERALLY POLICE DEPARTMENTS DON'T RIGHT.

AREN'T CRAZY ABOUT THE IDEA.

, THANK YOU.

SO I'M JUST KIND OF THROWING THAT OUT THERE AND THAT COMMISSION CAN DISCUSS IT AND, OH, I THINK FRED BRINGS UP A, A GOOD IDEA THAT WE SHOULD, AS A COMMISSION, LOOK AT A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF THIS AS OPPOSED TO GOING AT A PIECEMEAL, WHICH WILL TAKE US LONGER.

UH, AS I READ THROUGH IT, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAME TO MY MIND IS, UM, GENDER IDENTITY AND HOW THAT FITS INTO, IT'S NOT NAMED AND IF IT FITS IN UNDER SEXUAL HARASSMENT LETTER, BUT WHETHER IT NEEDS TO BE SPECIFICALLY NAMED, THAT'S JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF, YOU KNOW, TWEAKING AND CHANGING, YOU KNOW, THE WHOLE THING.

IT'S A GREAT EXAMPLE.

I, I, I WAS SAYING, BECAUSE THAT'S, THAT'S, YOU WILL SEE DIFFERENT WAYS IN WHICH THAT ISSUE IS HANDLED.

UH, OUR DEFINITION IS EXACTLY THE ONE THAT SAID THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RIGHTS, BUT IT'S SORT OF ANTIQUATED.

IT SAYS SEXUAL ORIENTATION, THEN IT THROWS GENDER IDENTITY AND OTHER THINGS UNDER THERE THAT ARE REALLY NOT PART OF SEXUAL ORIENTATION.

SO IT'S, BUT, BUT YOU'LL SEE WHEN, IF, IF YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO LOOK THROUGH SOME OF THE OTHER ORDINANCES, YOU'LL SEE OTHER DEFINITIONS.

AND WHAT YOU WANNA DO IS LOOK AT THE DEFINITION SECTION FIRST.

THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE YOU'LL FIND ALL THAT.

WERE YOU SAYING AT ONE POINT IN OUR CONVERSATIONS THAT TRANSGENDER COULD BE INTERPRETED WITHIN ALL OF THE VERBIAGE IN THE SEXUAL ORIENTATION CATEGORY? WE NOW HAVE MM-HMM.

? YEAH.

I MEAN, IT'S THE CA THE, UH, AND I DON'T HAVE SECTION, I DON'T HAVE CHAPTER 28 HERE, BUT, UH, SO IT SAYS, UH, THERE IS A DEFINITION OF SEX, WHICH SAYS THE STATUS OF BEING MALE OR FEMALE, BUT THEN SEXUAL ORIENTATION MEANS HAVING, OR BEING PERCEIVED AS HAVING AN EMOTIONAL, PHYSICAL, OR SEXUAL ATTRACTION TO ANOTHER PERSON WITHOUT REGARD TO THE GENDER OF THAT PERSON.

OR HAVING, OR BEING PERCEIVED AS HAVING AN ORIENTATION FOR SUCH ATTRACTION, OR HAVING, OR BEING PERCEIVED AS HAVING A SELF-IMAGE OR IDENTITY, NOT TRADITIONALLY ASSOCIATED WITH ONE'S BIOLOGICAL MALENESS OR FEMALENESS.

SO IT, IT UNDER THAT CABINET.

YEAH.

SO YEAH, IT, IT FITS UNDER THERE.

IT'S JUST MAYBE THE, THE TITLE MAYBE NEEDS TO BE DIFFERENT CHANGED TO YEAH.

SEXUAL AND GENDER ORIENTATION.

YEAH.

AND YOU'LL SEE DIFFERENT WAYS IN WHICH THAT'S, THAT'S HANDLED THAT SOME, SOME BREAKOUT SEPARATE DEFINITIONS, YOU KNOW, IN SOME, I MEAN, I JUST BROUGHT THAT UP AS JUST A YEAH, YEAH.

IT'S ALSO JUST A SMALL, AND THERE MAY BE SOME THINGS THAT NEED TO BE TWEAKED.

THERE ARE SOME CATEGORIES THAT WE MAYBE WANNA INCLUDE.

YEAH.

BUT I THINK WE SHOULD TAKE A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO THIS.

TAKE SOME TIME AND DO IT IN IT, AND THEN PRESENT THE, THE WHOLE THING.

UH, YEAH.

INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, IT, IT'S ONE OF THE AREAS WHERE PERCEPTION IS COVERED.

WHERE IN SOME OF THE OTHER CATEGORIES, PERCEPTION IS NOT COVERED.

IN OTHER WORDS, BEING PERCEIVED AS, AS BEING IN A PROTECTED CLASS ISN'T THE SAME AS BEING IN THAT CLASS.

BUT IN THIS CASE IT IS.

THAT'S ANOTHER THING.

JUST YOU MIGHT WANT TO EARMARK, YOU KNOW, THAT, UH, COULD BE AN IMPROVEMENT ON THE CODE AT SOME POINT.

UH, AND I'LL DIRECT THIS TO, TO PENNY.

WE PROBABLY NEED TO LET, UH, CORPORATION COUNCIL KNOW THAT WE'RE EMBARKING ON THIS, SO THAT WE'LL BE HEARING FROM US AT SOME POINT WHEN WE HAVE A, A REPORT FOR THEM.

UH, BUT I, HE ALSO, UH, IT'S IMPORTANT TO ME THAT THE CITY MANAGER, WHEN HE TALKED WITH YOU A COUPLE MONTHS AGO, SAID THIS WAS THE LEGITIMATE RULE OF THE COMMISSION.

AND, UH, SO HE,

[00:50:01]

SO DID HE MENTION SOMETHING THAT I'M REMEMBERING ABOUT MINORITY BUSINESS ENTERPRISES, THAT THERE WAS SOME ROLE THAT WE'D PLAY IN A REVIEW OF THAT? I THINK WHAT HE SAID IS THAT'S THE ROLE THAT PUBLIC WORKS IS PLAYING.

OH, OKAY.

YEAH.

YEAH.

WHICH IS, UM, SO I DIDN'T WANT TO CUT YOU OFF OR ANYTHING, BUT IS IT YOUR SUGGESTION THAT WE COMB THROUGH OUR CHAPTER 28 TO GET A GROUNDING OF WHAT THE WORDING IS, WHAT OUR PARAMETERS ARE, AND THE WORDING, AS COMMISSIONER SLE SAID, UH, UH, SEXUAL ORIENTATION NEEDS TO BE FINE TUNED TO SOME EXTENT BEFORE WE GET AN ANALYSIS OF THE OTHER CITY'S, UH, ORDINANCES, HOW WE CAN DO AT THE SAME TIME.

I MEAN, YOU JUST, IF YOU'RE LIKE, IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT THAT PARTICULAR ISSUE, YOU COULD SAY, OKAY, LET'S, LET'S SEE WHAT THE OTHER CITIES ARE DOING.

UH, ONE SUGGESTION, I I THINK IT WAS FROM PENNIES, YOU MIGHT WANT TO, YOU KNOW, APPOINT A SMALLER GROUP TO WORK ON THIS THAN BRING THEIR WORK BACK EVERY MONTH TO THE COMMISSION.

UH, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S TOTALLY UP TO YOU.

YOU KNOW, YOU COULD, UH, BUT AS YOU, EVERY TIME YOU LOOK AT SOMETHING, YOU'RE PROBABLY GONNA WANNA SAY, OKAY, WHAT, WHAT THE OTHER CITIES DO WITH THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE.