Human Relations Commission

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Human Relation Commission 20 North 6th Street • Lafayette, Indiana 47901 Phone 765-807-1063 • www.lafayette.in.gov NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION July 25, 2019 – Noon to 1 pm Council Chambers City Hall MINUTES 1. Call meeting to order 12:01 p.m. a. Present: Mary Alyce Bolinger, Kara Boyles, Susan Brouillette, Cliff Cox, Michelle Reynolds, Stephen Smith, Cassie Wade, Joel Wright; Megan Thompson City of Lafayette b. Approval of April 25, 2019 Minutes Mary Alyce 1st Motion, Cliff Cox 2nd, All approved 2. Old business; a. Stephen reported in the process of trying to get all of commissions together. Stephen to attend planning meeting with Global Fest. 3. New Business a. Volunteering for upcoming events Stephen sent a link out, handful of events that HRC typically participates. Stephen to get with Megan to pay for OUTFest. Other commissions pay for other events. Events include Global Fest, Latino Festival, OUTFest, Rainbow Call Out, Hanna Festival. Please sign up and volunteer. Hang out, answer questions. All commissions have handouts and materials. Volunteer with other commission. About 1 hour – 1.5 hours. Help set up and tear down if at beginning or end. Michelle: Megan, in the past there have been business cards and badges for commission members. Do we still have them? Megan: Have not seen any generic business cards. Commission members should have business cards now. Have not seen badges, can make them. Michelle reported there may be additional funding through HUD related to Fair Housing, Fund. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Human Relation Commission 20 North 6th Street • Lafayette, Indiana 47901 Phone 765-807-1063 • www.lafayette.in.gov Discussed purchasing a table sign. Megan reported we have a banner, could purchase tablecloth. If we want marketing materials someone on the commission can spearhead. Stephen stated badges would be nice to identify. HUD completed a visit at the end of June. West Lafayette HRC attended. Wanted to talk to us about outreach activities, education. Michelle discussed email to get all 3 commissions together. Previously hosted training on disability. There is a requirement to submit 5-year plan. There will be survey that will be on the site, could potentially be on the City’s website. Another opportunity to market. Megan – if survey, send her the link. Megan has the template for the business cards. Consortium meeting, Michelle attended. A lot of material provided, not sure how to disseminate materials. Michelle to send directly to Megan, Megan will forward to commission members. b. Announcement: Public Comment Stephen reported we will open to public comment at the end of meeting for 3 – 5 minutes. Michelle asked if City Council gave 3 minutes? Yes, we should be consistent with City Council. 3-5 minutes was consensus. 4. Member Updates (festivals, website, brochures) Brochures: Brochures have been printed now, assigned locations to deliver to. -YWCA -Hanna Center (Northend Community Center) (Cassie) -LUM (Susan) -McCallister Center (Cassie) -Lafayette Housing Authority (Michelle will print) -Legal Aid (Kara) -Legal Services (Kara) -Downtown Library (Stephen) -Valley Oaks -Latino Center for Wellness (at Northend Community Center) (Cassie) -Northend Community Center (Cassie) -YMCA (Cassie) -Bauer Family Resources (Kara) -Michelle will print for the Lafayette Housing Authority. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Human Relation Commission 20 North 6th Street • Lafayette, Indiana 47901 Phone 765-807-1063 • www.lafayette.in.gov -Black Cultural Center (Stephen) -LARA (Susan) -Area IV -Social Security office Megan reported we have Spanish version now. Megan to have printed 100 in English, 50 in Spanish. Michelle requested Megan to send PDF version to all commission members (in Spanish as well). Stephen reported trying to meet next week with the all commissions re: Global Fest and joint meetings. Global Fest reached out to WL Commission, Stephen volunteered to represent City Commission, trying to get together on the 31st for panel discussion. Stephen to restart conversation about regular meeting with all commission, Diversity Roundtable. 5. Staff Report a. City of Lafayette Health and Wellness Fair: Scheduled for September 20 for city employees. Scheduled 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. Megan cannot be present, is requesting volunteers to attend. b. Indiana Civil Rights Commission Training- October: Julia from WL Human Relations Commission reaching out to Megan. Trying to get speaker to come to training, inviting other commissions to training. Thinking October would be good time. October is good for us, Stephen, Kara, Cassie advised it was good time and would be interested in participating. Michelle reported it may be the ED of ICRC. 6. Public Comment Paul Mycorft: Spoke to Megan this morning, was invited to come here. Trying to figure out some things on discrimination. Wanted to see if he has a case. I am disabled, with places I work, I have noticed a lot of discrimination. Approached Steak & Shake GM, asked for break, said I did not qualify, another manager said I deserve a break. On Tuesday went to take 5 minute break, was told to go back to work, manager that was there at the time, spoke with him about, did nothing. Wanted to see if I have a case. Not only that, there have been other times I have been discriminated against. Used to work there, said I was too slow. I told them I was disabled, said did not want to work with me. Do not receive SSI, said I was making too much. Michelle asked if receiving subsidy for housing, Paul stated yes, live in Fowler apartments. Questions about HUD – had questions about 14-day limit. Michelle advised could have guest for 14 consecutive days. Receiving services with Globe Star. Have ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Human Relation Commission 20 North 6th Street • Lafayette, Indiana 47901 Phone 765-807-1063 • www.lafayette.in.gov you talked to Legal Aid/Legal Services? Yes, they said they cannot help. Have you thought about moving out of Fowler Apartments? Cannot sign up again until 2021. Banned from Housing Authority for unauthorized move out. Stephen asked about recency Paul reported Megan talked to him about filing complaint, Paul reported he sent in today. Michelle advised need to file a complaint with HUD. There is a phone # and website that you can file a complaint with Fowler Apartments. Megan reported had not received complaint yet. Susan asked if Paul knows what triggers complaint or investigation, Paul said yes. Indiana is an at will state. Paul reported quit his job because of discrimination. Michelle asked if he has any advocates. Yes, has job coach and case manager. Reported case manager would not attend today to file complaint. Stephen advised of process, scope, we would contact with other avenues for complaint. Michelle encouraged to file separate complaint on Fowler House, HUD complaint online, and could refer to different avenues. Paul asked about naming Coliseum at Fair Grounds after Grant’s House. Mary Alyce advised would have to contact Tippecanoe County. 7. Adjourn Michelle moved, Susan second, meeting adjourned 12:44 p.m.