Ad Hoc Committee on Diversity

MINUTES AD HOC COMMITTEE ON DIVERSITY Friday, October 26, 2018 @ 11:30 a.m. Council Conference Room, 10th Floor, City Hall Call to Order The meeting was called to order at 11:35 a.m. Committee Members Council Member Carol Wood, Chair Council Member Patricia Spitzley-excused Council Member Brian T Jackson - absent No quorum present Others Present Sherrie Boak, Council Staff Julee Rodocker Jim Bale Joe Abood, Chief Deputy City Attorney Judi Harris, Refugee Center Stacey Locke, Peckham Tammy Lemmer, TCOA Elaine Womboldt Mark Brown Minutes Council Member Wood passed the gavel to Council Member Jackson. MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER WOOD TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM OCTOBER 29, 2018. MOTION CARRIED 2-0. Council Member Jackson passed the gavel to Council Member Wood. Discussion ORDINANCE- Chapter 206 Amendments; RE: Purchasing Law confirmed there were no changes since the hearing. MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON TO APPROVE THE ORDINANCE FOR THE AMENDMENTS TO CHAPTER 206; PURCHASING. MOTION CARRIED 2-0. Review from Law on the draft HB on Restrictive Covenants on Deeds Council Member Wood stated that at the last meeting Mr. Brown provide the document and asked the Committee to provide a statement on the HB to the State. Mr. Abood informed the Committee that he researched the HB and communicated with Representative Singh office who informed them the draft the Committee received was not provided to the public, but his office had provided it to only one person. Their office also informed him they are still working on it, and this is the first draft, which means they are in the early stages, so Mr. Abood acknowledged it would be premature to have the City send comments or recommendations. Mr. Bale provided a copy of a property deed for land he owns and the Committee discussed the language in deeds that offer restrictions on properties. Mr. Abood was asked if restrictions could be taken out of a deed when sold, and Mr. Abood noted that one of the items currently in the draft bill would require the Register of Deeds to read every deed to make sure there are certain types of restrictive covenants not included. Public Comment on Immigration Law Changes Council Member Wood recapped that Mr. Brown had provided a link to information on this, but since it was 187+ pages she did not have it printed. The changes, she highlighted, were that the proposed changes required a public comment opportunity. At this point, she suggested discussing important points to the group move on in a letter. Ms. Harris recommended MIRC.org which has the resources that breakdown the law. The idea of public charge, is if someone tries to immigrate to the US, with a sponsor, they have to sign they will never become a “public charge” or a burden on the US. Council Member Wood noted that the deadline to comment is December 10th so they have time to field comments. She then invited Ms. Harris to do a presentation on November 9th on the immigration changes. Other Council Member Wood stated that she and Council Member Jackson recently had a discussion on the environmental findings and their effects by the year 2040. The irreversible changes, determined by a study, Council Member Jackson cited, determined they need to get carbon out of the air. Ms. Harris supported a discussion at AD Hoc on Diversity because her belief was that these issues are a social justice issue. Council Member Wood noted that there was supposed to be a committee on what the community can do, and begin the discussions on climate control. Ms. Boak confirmed that it was mentioned in a Council resolution in 2017, and earlier in 2018 Council Member Dunbar began a discussion at the Intergovernmental Relations Committee. It was noted there was no Ad Hoc formed, but Council Member Dunbar took the interested parties from that IGR meeting and began meeting with them on the plan of action. Updates on Participants in the Committee Ms. Womboldt provided updates on southwest Lansing activities, including an event that evening at the SWAG site. Ms. Locke provided a self-advocacy update, and Peckham was looking for mentors for a future trip to Washington in 2019 to help advocate on behalf of the members of disability. Ms. Harris stated her organization had 153 arrivals in 2018, compared to 600 over the Mr. Brown informed the group that Holy Cross took over the VOA. Mr. Brown then informed them of a service that Dean Transportation will be doing to assist on election day getting member of 4 senior housing units to the polls to vote. Ms. Lemmer stated that TCOA secured State funding for prevention and awareness and are working with RSVP. Council Member Wood made the group aware that CATA also offers free rides to the polls on election day to any registered voter. Adjourn Adjourn at 12:48 p.m. Submitted by, Sherrie Boak, Council Office Manager Approved by Committee on Fri Nov 9, 2018