Human Rights Commission

AGENDA Human Rights Commission Meeting 5:15 PM - Monday, October 28, 2024 City Hall Council Chambers Page 1. CALL TO ORDER 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 2.1. Approve Minutes of the August 26, 2024 meeting (September meeting 2-4 cancelled due to lack of a quorum). 2024-08-26 HRC Minutes 3. BUDGET REPORT 3.1. Review Monthly Financial Report. 5 Financial Report 2024-10-24 4. EVENTS COMMITTEE REPORT 4.1. South Central Minnesota Pridefest Parade - Summary of parade held Saturday, September 7, 2024. 4.2. Rural Welcoming Initiative - Summary of Welcoming Week Event held on Friday, September 20, 2024. 4.3. Human Rights Award - Nomination form and Press Release from last year 6-7 attached. nomination form - draft Press Release nominations - draft 5. EDUCATION COMMITTEE REPORT 5.1. Poster, Essay and Video Contest - Deadline November 1, 2024. 6. OTHER BUSINESS 6.1. Community Needs Survey - Discuss how to continue using the survey. 6.2. Student Commissioner Vacancy - No applications received to date. 7. LEGISLATIVE UPDATE 8. CITY COUNCIL LIAISON 8.1. Kristin Sprenger (July - September) - Need to appoint someone for October - December. 9. CURRENT HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES 10. DATE OF NEXT MEETING 10.1. The next regularly scheduled meeting is Monday, November 25, 2024. 11. ADJOURNMENT Page 1 of 7  MINUTES NEW ULM HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION Monday, August 26, 2024 – 5:15 p.m. City Hall Council Chambers Members Present: Kristin Sprenger, Casey McMullen, Obehi Okojie, Katie Dorschner, Kc Ness, David Nissen, Jyneal McCrea, Sarah Leslie, Mayor Kathleen Backer. 1. Call to Order Meeting called to order by Chair Kristin Sprenger. 2. Approval of Minutes Motion to approve July 22, 2024 Minutes by Casey McMullen, seconded by Jyneal McCrea, passed by all members present. 3. Budget Report a. Reviewed Monthly Financial Report. 4. Events Committee a. Speaker – Kristin Sprenger confirmed cancellation of the speaker. b. Inventory of Human Rights Commission items. Jyneal McCrea prepared a list of items distributed and a list of items remaining that are stored at City Hall. c. New Ulm Night Out – Thursday, July 25, 2024. Jyneal reported good attendance overall for the event. Stickers and lip balm seemed popular. Kc mentioned people were asking for bags. Next year look at getting bags with New Ulm Human Rights Commission logo on them so people can put items received at each booth into the bag for carrying and move away from bookmarks. d. Brown County Fair – Wednesday, August 7 through Sunday, August 11, 2024. Not as many signs were distributed. Some people did not want to carry them and possibly others already have a sign from last year and they are holding up well. Lip balm and the new kindness and social justice stickers were very popular. A few people scanned the QR code for the survey. Obehi received a concern regarding a child in a group home. Discussion on what to do when complaints are received. Casey McMullen noted that our role is to help by directing them to the Minnesota Department of Human Rights if they so choose and assist with education. Jyneal McCrea noted individuals can submit concerns with long term facilities to the Ombudsman Office. Kc received a concern regarding financial situation. Suggested having county assistance information available to hand out at future booths. Mayor Kathleen Backer said Brown County has a brochure. d. South Central Minnesota Pridefest Parade and Festival – Saturday, September 7, 2024. Registration has been submitted. Casey said so far two people are interested in joining from One New Ulm and there may be more. Motion to purchase $100 worth of candy to distribute at parade made by Casey McMullen, seconded by Obehi Okojie, passed by all members present. Casey volunteered to purchase the candy. Motion to buy 200 stickers made by Katie Dorschner, seconded by Obehi Okojie, passed by all members present. Page 2 of 7  e. Rural Welcoming Initiative – Events Subcommittee meeting August 20, 2024. City Council received a $500 stipend to be used towards a Welcoming Event. The subcommittee suggested having an event on Friday, September 20th to create a space for diverse community to gather in the City Hall parking lot. Kristin submitted the request for City Council approval to use the parking lot. The next City Council meeting is September 3rd. Alternate location is street by German Park and Kristin has contacted Park and Recreation Department. Activities include food trucks, music, businesses and organizations to set up booths, bounce house, puppet wagon. Casey will prepare flyer and PeachJar (school digital newsletter). Other advertising will include City Facebook and web site, KNUJ, The Journal. Jyneal McCrea reaching out to Brown County about booth or brochure. Obehi Okojie and Kristin Sprenger started reaching out to food trucks. HRC will have a booth, promote Community Needs Survey, have signs available, and purchase additional stickers to hand out. Motion to purchase $100 worth of candy and two sets each of social justice and kindness stickers for the Welcoming Event made by Katie Dorschner, passed by all members present. Follow up on how the Commission will receive the $500 stipend for holding the event. 5. Education Committee Poster and Essay Contest – Reviewed letter to schools. Suggested to emphasize prizes. Discussed revising prize levels to stay within budget. Motion to approve prize levels as outlined below made by Sarah Leslie, seconded by Jyneal McCrea, passed by all members present. POSTER ESSAY VIDEO 1st Place K - 3rd $100 1st Place 5th - 8th $100 1st Place 5th - 8th $100 1st Place 4th - 6th $100 1st Place 9th - 12th $100 1st Place 9th - 12th $100 1st Place 7th - 9th $100 Random 5th - 12th $25 Random 5th - 12th $25 1st Place 10th - 12th $100 Random 5th - 12th $25 Random 5th - 12th $25 Random K - 12th $25 Random K - 12th $25 $450 $250 $250 Katie Dorschner contacted The Grand regarding displaying posters and essays. They are interested but currently have limited staff so Public Library is a backup location if it does not work for The Grand. Katie will stay in contact with them. Suggested adding information in the letter to schools about entries being on display at a location to be determined. Discussed additional changes to letter to schools. Remove bullet point about referencing United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, United States Bill of Rights or Minnesota Human Rights Act and put a note at bottom such as more information about protective classes can be found at…or suggested references are…and possibly adding a link to Human Rights Commission mission statement. Video – Entries can be up to ten minutes in length and no limit of the number of students in each video. Clarify under each category that the first place and random prizes are total for each entry, not each person involved in the entry. Regarding submission of videos, suggested creating public folder and people can upload to it. Casey will check with Lisa to see what will work for submitting videos. Add QR code in letter. Submit letter to school week before the contest opening of October 1st so date letter September 23rd. Motion to make changes to the letter to school as discussed made by Casey McMullen, seconded by Sarah Leslie, passed Page 3 of 7  by all members present. Attach Contest Entry Form and Video Release Form to the school letter. Distribute via Peachjar school digital newsletter, flyers, posting at the Public Library, social media. Kristin Sprenger will connect with New Ulm Area Catholic Schools, Casey McMullen with New Ulm Public Schools and St. Paul’s Lutheran School, Sarah Leslie with Minnesota Valley Lutheran, and Kc Ness with Riverbend Education District. 6. Other Business a. Community Needs Survey - Received few responses but want to keep utilizing the survey. Even though not many participated, the ones who did put some time and thought into their responses. The information will help determine future speakers/topics. Suggested using QR Code at future events and putting link on City’s Facebook page and web site. b. Art Wall – There was a newspaper article and editorial about hate speech on the Art Wall. Community members covered it up, but it continues to be an issue, although not as often because the area is being monitored. Discussed idea of having a camera in the area but if it is not illegal, what can be done. Mayor Kathleen reported that City staff have been diligent at painting when hate speech has been reported. Casey mentioned that a community group has volunteered to sign up for shifts to check the area. She wondered if Park and Recreation Department staff could be doing this. Another suggestion was to check with City to see what rules apply to this area. Mayor Kathleen suggested a commission member meet with the City Manager to see what direction the commission can take on this issue. Casey and Kristin volunteered to meet with the City Manager to have a discussion. Thank you to the citizens who continue to clean up the hate speech. 7. Legislative Update – Nothing to report. 8. City Council Liaison – Kristin Sprenger (July – September). Nothing to report. 9. Current Human Rights Issues Mayor Kathleen mentioned that she was at a Convention and Visitors Bureau meeting last week. They discussed images to use to encourage New Ulm as a destination. They are seriously considering being more inclusive with the images being used which is positive and encouraging. Sarah Leslie mentioned something similar with Heart of New Ulm Action Team, Safe Route to Schools and Active Transportation Team doing a new See Safe Campaign with pictures of kids on bicycles. They are looking at redoing some of the promotions and looking for more diverse photos. If you know anyone that may be interested in participating to be on a poster, they are looking for volunteers. 10. Date of Next Meeting The next regularly scheduled meeting is Monday, September 23, 2024. 11. Adjournment Motion to adjourn meeting by Obehi Okojie, second by Casey McMullen, passed by all members present. Respectfully submitted, Cassandra (Kc) Ness, Acting Secretary Page 4 of 7  NewUlm MN AccountDetail DateRange 01 012024 12 312024 AccountNameEncumbrancesFiscal BudgetBeginningBalanceTotalActivityEndingBalanceBudgetRemaining Remaining 101 GENERAL FUND Expense 101 1000 355115HumanRightsCommission 0 006 050 000 00 4 845 994 845 991 204 0119 90 PostDatePacketNumberSourceTransactionPmtNumberDescriptionVendorProjectAccountAmount 02 07 2024APPKT137770005236152EquitySpeaker Fee769501 STEVEN L WILSON2500 00 02 29 2024APPKT13760INV0025959236385EquityTraining Wilson355200 JOURNAL THE270 27 03 28 2024APPKT13848INV0026280236871ReimbHRAward ReceptionR02567 MCCREA JYNEAL33 46 04 30 2024APPKT13936069456237327HRAward NUMAS Haus plaques567850 PRINTWEARGRAPHICS INC14895 06 05 2024APPKT14197INV0026794237784086600 NUHuman RightsComm Parade Registr f BAVARIANBLASTINC1000 06 05 2024APPKT14197INV0026795237786BCFair Exhibitor BoothRegistr fee118000 BROWNCOUNTYAGSOCIETY15000 06 27 2024APPKT14179069822238085HRCyard signs567850 PRINTWEARGRAPHICS INC1200 00 07 31 2024APPKT142842693030R1238535748150 promo onal itemsforparade and vendor THEVERNONCOMPANY28349 07 31 2024APPKT14377INV0027235238542reimburseparade candyR02517 SPRENGER KRISTIN11632 08 29 2024APPKT1439217TY VH3P NQHL7242stickersforvendorbooth028150 AMAZONCAPITALSERVICES INC3405 08 29 2024APPKT143922694718RI238901promoitemsforvendorbooth748150 THE VERNON COMPANY23450 09 06 2024GLPKT45227JN41005 GRANTFROMRWIWELCOMINGINTERAC 500 00 09 26 2024APPKT144921P33 7YM1 6NCF7323stickersforeventhandouts028150 AMAZON CAPITALSERVICES INC36 95 10 31 2024APPKT1458314298AdvertiseWelcomingWeek45 516750 NEWULMAREACHAMBER OFCO 00 10 31 2024APPKT14583315800Bounce House Rental422680 MANKATOA toZRENTALINC19500 10 31 2024APPKT14583INV0027789HRC WelcomingWeek Ad355200 JOURNALTHE88 00 ExpenseTotals 0 006 050 000 00 4 845 994 845 991 204 0119 90 101 GENERAL FUNDTotals 0 006 050 000 00 4 845 994 845 991 204 0119 90 ReportTotal 0 006 050 000 00 4 845 994 845 991 204 0119 90 Page 5 of 7 1024202493414AMPage1of2  HUMAN RIGHTS AWARD NOMINATION FORM Submit nomination to LisaG@newulmmn.gov Deadline ______ __, 2024 (last year was November 17th) To: Human Rights Award Committee From: Telephone Number: Email Address: Date: I nominate: Because: Page 6 of 7  Date (last year was September 18, 2023) New Ulm Human Rights Commission PRESS RELEASE Each year the New Ulm Human Rights Commission selects an individual or organization to receive its annual Human Rights Award. The Human Rights Commission is currently accepting nominations for its 2024 Award. The recipient of the New Ulm Human Rights Commission annual Human Rights award should be an individual, activists, organizations or businesses in the New Ulm area that have worked toward social justice and the betterment of life for a protected class; a person or organization that has made a significant contribution to the preservation and advancement of Human Rights. Human Rights are considered the fundamental rights that humans have by the fact of being human, and that are neither created nor can be abrogated by any government. These include cultural, economic, and political rights, such as right to life, liberty, education and equality before law, and right of association, belief, free speech, information, religion, movement, and nationality. The Minnesota Department of Human Rights is the state agency within the Governor’s Cabinet responsible for enforcing the Minnesota Human Rights Act. The Human Rights Act is a state law prohibiting discrimination in Minnesota. Every person in Minnesota is protected by the Human Rights Act because every person, based on their personal characteristics such as a person’s race or sex, belongs to one or more of the protected classes below: • Race • Color • Creed • Religion • National Origin • Sex • Marital Status • Familial Status • Disability • Public Assistance Status • Age • Sexual Orientation • Local Human Rights Commission Activity To nominate an individual, business or organization, obtain a nomination form by contacting Lisa Grathwohl at City Hall, LisaG@newulmmn.gov or 507.359.8235 or the City’s website www.newulmmn.gov. Nomination deadline is __________ last year was November 17, 2023. The Commission will discuss the nominations at their __________ meeting. (last year was November 27th) Page 7 of 7