Human Relations Committee

Name: Human Relations Committee — Laconia, NH
Start: 2022-02-14
End: 2022-02-14
Location: Laconia, NH

Regular Meeting

Laconia, NH · February 14, 2022

Minutes

Laconia Human Relations Committee February 14, 2022 - Meeting Minutes I. CALL TO ORDER David Stamps welcomed everyone to the meeting of the Laconia Human Relations Committee. Committee member roll call was taken, a quorum was established, and the meeting was called to order at 3:34pm. II. ATTENDANCE Present – Chair David Stamps, Carol Pierce, David Osman, Matt Soza, Trish Weatherbee, Janet Simons, Pat Wood, Carrie Chandler Present via Zoom – David Osman, Margaret Donnelly, Rev. Judith Wright, Kay Anderson Excused – Mayor Andrew Hosmer, Kate Bruchacova, Seifu Ragassa III. OLD BUSINESS Minutes Approval – A motion was made by Matt Soza, seconded by Pat Wood, to accept the minutes of the January 10, 2022 Laconia Human Relations Committee. With no further discussion, the motion passed unanimously. Martin Luther King Jr – Committee’s letter was printed in the Daily Sun prior to the holiday. IV. NEW BUSINESS Facebook – thank you Margaret Donnelly for being our FB page administrator. Carrie Chandler offered to take admin rights. Laconia Multi-Cultural Day – Becky Guyer is no longer interested in organizing this event and has given notice. Planning typically starts in January. Committee shared thoughts about how to continue this event.  Need someone to organize the event – Pat Wood may know of someone  Explore a partnership with Laconia Mill and Celebrate Laconia  Smaller scale?  Increase pay of organizer? The Mill has opportunity to schedule a wedding on the same date as the Multi-Cultural Festival. A motion was made by Rev. Wright, seconded by Matt Soza, to release the date scheduled for Multi- Cultural Day, with the understanding that if we are able organize the festival, in some form or fashion, that another date and/or location will be determined. With no further discussion, the motion passed unanimously. Resettlement – there may some movement to resettle Afghani refugees to Laconia. 1 Southern Poverty Law article: “Ten Ways to Fight Hate” – David Osman brought this to the group for discussion.  Ways to respond to difficult incidences; to understand the difference between hate crimes and bias incidence. A bias incidence may be harmful or hurtful but is not always a criminal act.  Understanding community tools to deal with a hate crime as opposed to a bias incident  Create a network to include law enforcement  How does this article speak to us? Budget Request - $2000 request was submitted last fall. Thank You The group spent some time thanking Margaret Donnelly for her many contributions to the committee. One member appropriately described her as a “spark plug.” Margaret will be greatly missed – and we wish the very best for her as she moves to California. V. PUBLIC COMMENTS There was no one present for public comment. VI. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned by Chair David Stamps 4:51p. Next meeting is scheduled for Monday, March 14, 2022, 3:30p, City Hall Room 200A and via zoom invite. Respectfully Submitted, Carrie Chandler, Recording Secretary 2

Agenda

Laconia Human Relations Regular Monthly Meeting February 14, 2022 3:30PM – 5:00 City Hall Rm 200A also via Zoom Agenda Welcome and Roll Call Review and Acceptance of January 10, 2022 Meeting Minutes Old Business  MLK letter New Business  Facebook management  Laconia Multicultural Festival  10 Ways to Fight Hate o https://www.splcenter.org/20170814/ten-ways-fight-hate-community-response-guide  Community Engagement  Budget Request  Other business  Next Meeting Room 200A, Monday March 14, 2022, at 3:30pm also via Zoom Public Comment – The public is invited to offer their opinions. Initially, they will be limited to four minutes until all have had an opportunity to speak. Each person is constrained to their time period or to ask questions of the committee. Everyone is expected to speak respectfully. If on Zoom, the public will be visible but muted until unmuted by the chair. Members of the public wishing to speak will use the “raise hand” option. ------------------------------------------------------ Note: The meeting will also be held online through Zoom and will begin at 3:30pm although people are encouraged check in early. Contact David Stamps, 387-4382 or email at dbstamps@dbstamps.com if you are having trouble connecting. You are invited to a Zoom webinar. Topic: Human Relations Commission Please click the link below to join the webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81922296874?pwd=M0E4a1pES0VGV0Rsa1hmT0ZDU3Bmdz09 Passcode: 793636 Or One tap mobile : US: +16465588656,,81922296874#,,,,*793636# or +13017158592,,81922296874#,,,,*793636# Or Telephone: Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location): US: +1 646 558 8656 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 312 626 6799 or +1 669 900 9128 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 346 248 7799 Webinar ID: 819 2229 6874 Passcode: 793636 International numbers available: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/k661pCha Laconia Human Relations Regular Monthly Meeting February 14, 2022 3:30PM – 5:00 City Hall Rm 200A also via Zoom A More Perfect Union “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.” – Preamble to the U.S. Constitution The Preamble contains five ingredients for developing a more perfect union:  establishing justice,  insuring domestic tranquility,  defense,  general welfare,  and liberty. Too often of late, the talk is all about liberty as though the other five goals were of diminished importance. When in fact Liberty requires equal justice for all, domestic tranquility, common defense and support for our general welfare. The combined purpose of the Preamble and indeed the whole Constitution was to establish a social contract with rights and obligations of people individually and collectively. This was not the first social contract written by the Europeans settling in the New World. The Mayflower Compact, written and signed on board in 1620, was thought crucial to the survivability of Plymouth Colony. The State of New Hampshire also has a Constitution that is a living social contract A subcommittee of the Laconia Human Relations Committee is developing this series of short essays, A More Perfect Union, to explore our social contracts, how they are working or not working and how they might be made more perfect. Currently the essay topics are: Introduction to the series – David #1 – What does freedom mean? - Pat #2 – What gives legitimacy to democracy? – Carol #3 – Whose at the table? – Matt #4 – Right to know our history – Trish #5 – What are these freedoms? - Pat #6 – Freedom of the Press? - #7 – What does it take to have a functioning society/community – David

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