Human Rights Commission

HRC Meeting August 22, 2022 Called to Order 6:35p.m. Members Attending: Ash Orr (Chairman) Bonnie Brown Tim Hairston (HRC Rep) Keenan McClane Daniel Trejo Zoey Vilasuso Brian Butcher Approved meeting minutes for June (passed unanimously) Commissioner Updates Update from Tim Hairston about state commision. No quorum was met at the most recent meeting. Upcoming elections and officer appointments were discussed. Ash Orr made an update about MEI status. MEI has been submitted. Danny Trejo update about infomercials. Infomercials have been made about what to do if contacted by ICE. Future plans for similar materials to be made about fair employment - all directed towards the Spanish speaking population. Some discussion about absorbing Minority Liaison Council - to be discussed or voted on formally at the next meeting. Questions were raised about how members would be brought onto Council, if HRC has jurisdiction to interview people. Brian Butcher suggested that Ryan Simonton (city lawyer) be contacted to help with updating the resolution. Bonnie Brown brought up the possibility of bringing in Vickie Ashcroft from the Fair Housing Association for a training session. Points brought up: can this be public, who should be explicitly invited, when to schedule - preference was for november between election day and thanksgiving. Bonnie agreed to pass on support from commission members. The Community Coalition for Social Justice has asked HRC to attend the upcoming meeting. Meeting scheduled for Sept. 18, 2-4, Riverfront Stage. Zoey Vilasuso will likely be able to attend. Priority Items Officer Elections:  ● Open positions: Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary ● Positions were described ● Ash Orr nominated Danny Trejo for Vice-Chair ● Ash Orr self nominated for Chair ● Keenan McClane self Nominated for Secretary ● Brian Butcher mentioned the possibility of bringing in a payed city position for clerical work ● Ash Orr calls motion to elect Danny Trejo as vice-chair, Bonnie Brown seconds ○ Motion passes unanimously ● Bonnie Brown calls motion to elect Ash Orr as chair, Danny Trejo seconds ○ Motion passes unanimously ● Ash Orr calls motion to elect Keenan McClane as secretary, Bonnie Brown seconds ○ Motion passes unanimously Racial Equity Group: Brian Butcher spoke on experience with racial equity groups, their importance in legal challenges for racially targeted issues in the city. Some discussion about relevant history in Morgantown. Ash Orr calls a motion to create a working group headed by Brian Butcher, Danny Trejo seconded. Motion passes unanimously. Indigenous People's Day: Bonnie Brown discussed the current status of the proposal for the city to honor Indigenous People's Day. Working group met with members of the Italian American community that had previously been brought up as opponents of the proposal. Working group made the case that the proposal was not a slight to them, and that the proposal is consistent with actions of the community and WVU for the past 30 years. Various alternate proposals were discussed. Timeline for bringing the proposal to council was discussed. Working group will meet again on Friday. Meeting Adjourned at 8:33