Civil Rights Commission

CIVIL RIGHTS COMMISSION MEETING CITY OF DAVENPORT, IOWA Tuesday, August 12, 2025; 12:00 PM Virtual Via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84869608008?pwd=MUhuMUNSUnp4WlZndk9tbXZiMlY1UT09 AMID CONCERNS ABOUT THE SPREAD OF COVID-19 (CORONAVIRUS) WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY, AS AN ONGOING MITIGATION MEASURE, IN COMPLIANCE WITH CDC RECOMMENDATIONS, THE COMMISSION WILL HOST ITS NEXT MONTHLY MEETING, SCHEDULED FOR AUGUST 12, 2025, AT NOON THROUGH A VIRTUAL FORMAT. THIS ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN DUE TO SAFETY CONCERNS ASSOCIATED WITH COVID-19. THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS, VISITORS, CUSTOMERS AND OUR STAFF AT THE DAVENPORT CIVIL RIGHTS COMMISSION IS ALWAYS A TOP PRIORITY. IT IS WITH THIS IN MIND THAT WE HAVE TAKEN THIS STEP TO MITIGATE THE POSSIBILITY OF COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SIGN UP TO ATTEND OUR NEXT MEETING, PLEASE REGISTER IN ADVANCE FOR THIS MEETING - YOU WILL FIND THE LINK IN THE AGENDA UNDER ROLL CALL. AFTER REGISTERING, YOU WILL RECEIVE A CONFIRMATION EMAIL CONTAINING INFORMATION ABOUT JOINING THE MEETING. I. Roll Call Virtual Via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84869608008?pwd=MUhuMUNSUnp4WlZndk9tbXZiMlY1UT09 II. Approval of Agenda III. Approval of Minutes A. July 2025 Minutes IV. Director's Report A. July 2025 Director's Report B. July 2025 Case Status Report V. New Business VI. Old Business A. Comission Position Salaries 1. Civil Rights Specialist 2. Civil Rights Investigator  B. Commission/Remodel/Relocation Updates 1. Requirements for Commission Relocation 2. 3506 N Harrison Relocation C. Davenport Civil Rights Commission Council Resolution VII. Public Comment and Presentation VIII. Adjourn IX. Next Meeting  City of Davenport Civil Rights Commission Department: Civil Rights Action / Date Contact Info: | 8/12/2025 Subject: July 2025 Minutes Attachments: 1. JULY 2025 Meeting MInutes  CIVIL RIGHTS COMMISSION MEETING CITY OF DAVENPORT, IA TUESDAY, JULY 8, 2025 The Davenport Civil Rights Commission met and Called to Order: 12:04 via Zoom. Commissioner Mike Guster presided over the meeting. ROLL CALL: COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Mike Guster Frank Holley Charlene Upchurch-Taylor Glenn Peterson Ethelene Boyd COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: Jeff Transou OTHER ATTENDEES: Director Latrice Lacey The City of Davenport AGENDA: Commissioner Mike Guster called for the approval of the agenda. It was moved by Commissioner Ethelene Boyd to accept the agenda: seconded by Commissioner Gary Peterson; motion carried. APPROVAL of JUNE 2025 MINUTES: It was moved by Commissioner Ethelene Boyd to accept the minutes with any necessary corrections; Seconded by Commissioner Glenn Peterson; motion carried. DIRECTOR’S REPORT: • No right to sue letters issued in the month of June. • No mediation or conciliation settlements in the month of June. • Still waiting for response regarding salary. • Commissioner Guster wants Director Lacey to get clarification from the City who is making the decision about salaries. Is it the Commission or the City? • Director Lacey doesn’t want the Commission to be legally responsible for changing salaries.  • Commissioner Guster suggested we table the topic until Director Lacey comes back and finds out more information. It was moved by Commissioner Frank Holley and 2nd by Commissioner Ethelene Boyd; Motion carried. • Director Lacey will do the research herself or follow up with the Corporation Council to get answers to the questions and then have the information ready to be presented at the next Commission meeting. • Director Lacey received from the City Administrator Doug Maxeiner an email concerning the possibility of the Commission moving to another facility. This would postpone the remodeling of the present facility and use the funds for the next. Fire Station 3 is the location mentioned. • Commissioner Guster suggested that Director Lacey set up a walk through the Fire Station. Look at the pros and cons of relocating before deciding. • It was moved by Commissioner Ethelene Boyd to table until August the assessment for the move to a different building. Seconded by Commissioner Upchurch-Taylor; motion carried. • Director Lacey filed a motion to dismiss on the Judicial Review Proceeding • Director Lacey will need to file a reply to the respondent’s resistance on that this week, • Director Lacey stated we have another brief reply due to one of the housing cases that’s ending public hearing. NEW BUSINESS: None OLD BUSINESS: None PUBLIC COMMENTS AND PRESENTATIONS: None NEXT MEETING: Regular DCRC Meeting, August 12, 2025 ADJOURN: Commissioner Mike Guster called to adjourn the meeting. It was moved by Commissioner Charlene Upchurch-Taylor and Seconded by Commissioner Glenn Peterson to adjourn the meeting at 1:30pm; motion carried. Submitted by, Commissioner Charlene Upchurch-Taylor Commissioner Charlene Upchurch-Taylor, Secretary  City of Davenport Civil Rights Commission Department: Civil Rights Action / Date Contact Info: | 8/12/2025 Subject: July 2025 Director's Report Attachments: 1. July 2025 DR  DIRECTOR’S REPORT FOR THE DAVENPORT CIVIL RIGHTS COMMISSION FOR July 2025 I. CASE STATUS 1. No “right to sue” letters were issued in the month of July. 2. No cases settled in mediation in the month of July. II. OTHER ACTIVITY 1. The Director completed case processing documentation. 2. The Director worked on pre-hearing preparation. 3. The Director met with the Interim IT Director to discuss IT related questions for the of ce. 4. The Director attended the pre-bid meeting for the of ce remodel. 5. The Director conducted a 35th Anniversary of the ADA training. 6. The Director continues to await a substantive response regarding salary assessment data for the agency’s investigation-related positions. The Director has conducted further analysis, as it was unclear how the Commission could be subject to adverse effects or limitations arising from actions taken by city staff. The Director has not received any information which shows that the city staff obtained authority to negotiate on behalf of the Commission. The Director has not received any followup providing an update on the potential legal remedies or recommendations, to date. 7. The Director attended the Civil Service Commission meeting. 8. The Director attended the IAOHRA Midwest meeting, the conference will be held in October in Anchorage, Alaska, we are still awaiting the receipt of the agenda. 9. The Director worked with Councilman Kelly and Councilwoman Burkholder and Corporate Counsel to update the proposed resolution, it was passed at the July 23, 2025. 10. The Director toured the property proposed for the of ce relocation to conduct a preliminary assessment of whether it meets the Commission’s needs for a new space. 11. The Director worked on post hearing brie ng in the housing public hearing. 12. The Director has yet to receive responsive information from the City Administrator regarding the information from Finance relating to the HUD funding, where we were noti ed that Finance would no longer do the Finance-related certi cation for our HUD contract, despite controlling the funding and the lack of response from Human Resources, the delays in processing personnel actions by Finance and Human Resources, the unilateral removal of the Civil Rights Investigator job posting from Human Resources and the absence of resolution to the internal complaint regarding the interception of the Commission’s con dential mail, submitted on December 20, 2023. 13. The Director continued to monitor COVID-191 rates and its impact on of ce functions. 14. The Director worked on case resolution documents. 15. The Director worked on litigation. 16. The Director has continued to pause reviewing applications for the Civil Rights Specialist position as we have continued to await information on the next step for setting salaries. 1 Also, measles, influenza and RSV. fi fi fi fi fi fi fi fi  17. The Director continues to work on the development of training and professional development opportunities related to the staf ng realignment related to the forced departure of the Asst. Director/Housing Programs Manager. 18. Housing Analyst worked on housing investigations. 19. Housing Analyst worked on housing inquiries. 20. Housing Analyst worked on case resolutions. 21. Investigations Manager worked on case le reviews and updates. 22. Investigations Manager worked on case resolutions. 23. Investigations Manager worked on complaint intakes. 24. Investigations Manager worked on expedited investigation and subpoena enforcement. III. OLD BUSINESS 1. Ongoing discrimination, harassment and bullying of Commission staff. 1. Retaliatory actions against Commission staff and further examples of different treatment. 2. Legal Department refusal to accept Commission referral. 3. Use of racial slurs in City Hall. City’s failure to initiate complaint investigation. 4. Investigation of hostile working environment, still no ndings over a year after the initiation of the investigation. 5. Continued refusal to process vacation correction, despite receiving their legal opinion which clearly indicates that the Commission’s procedure for processing the correction was appropriate. 6. Constructive discharge of Commission employees. 7. Staf ng Concerns - Investigation position postings and salary. 8. The Commission continues to face delays and obstructive actions by City Administration that have hindered resolution of matters previously presented to the City Council. These actions appear to undermine the Commission’s mission and re ect ongoing retaliation and retaliatory harassment in response to substantiated complaints of discrimination and harassment. 9. Salary Update Procedure - The Director received an email on August __, 2025 which directs her to follow Administrative Policy 1.6, which was already done. 10. Of ce Relocation - The Director has conducted a preliminary accessibility audit of the property, there appears to be suf cient room for the Commission and it appears to be able to be updated within the budget set for the of ce remodel. 11. Council Resolution - The resolution was passed on July 23, 2025. IV. NEW BUSINESS 1. Commission inclusion in the city’s union agreement. fl fi fi fi fi fi fi fi  City of Davenport Civil Rights Commission Department: Civil Rights Action / Date Contact Info: | 8/12/2025 Subject: July 2025 Case Status Report Attachments: None  City of Davenport Civil Rights Commission Department: Civil Rights Action / Date Contact Info: | 8/12/2025 Subject: Comission Position Salaries Attachments: None  City of Davenport Civil Rights Commission Department: Civil Rights Action / Date Contact Info: | 8/12/2025 Subject: Civil Rights Specialist Attachments: None  City of Davenport Civil Rights Commission Department: Civil Rights Action / Date Contact Info: | 8/12/2025 Subject: Civil Rights Investigator Attachments: None  City of Davenport Civil Rights Commission Department: Civil Rights Action / Date Contact Info: | 8/12/2025 Subject: Commission/Remodel/Relocation Updates Attachments: None  City of Davenport Civil Rights Commission Department: Civil Rights Action / Date Contact Info: | 8/12/2025 Subject: Requirements for Commission Relocation Attachments: None  City of Davenport Civil Rights Commission Department: Civil Rights Action / Date Contact Info: | 8/12/2025 Subject: 3506 N Harrison Relocation Attachments: None  City of Davenport Civil Rights Commission Department: Civil Rights Action / Date Contact Info: | 8/12/2025 Subject: Davenport Civil Rights Commission Council Resolution Attachments: None