Human Relation Commission Meeting

MINUTES OF A SPECIAL MEETING _____________________________________________________________________________________ URBANA HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION DATE: Tuesday, May 5, 2015 TIME: 5:30 p.m. PLACE: Urbana City Council Chambers Urbana City Building 400 South Vine Street Urbana, Illinois 61801 _____________________________________________________________________________________ MEMBERS PRESENT: Frances Rigberg Baker, Kevin Bowersox-Johnson, Daniel Larson, Peter Resnick MEMBERS NOT PRESENT: Lisa Mosley, Aisha Lamb Sobh STAFF PRESENT: Todd Rent 1. CALL TO ORDER, ROLL CALL, AND DECLARATION OF QUORUM a. Chair Larson called this special meeting of the Urbana Human Relations Commission to order at 12:00 p.m. Roll was taken. A quorum was present. 2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA a. Mr. Resnick made a motion that the Commission approve the agenda as presented. Mr. Rent proposed that “Public Input” be added to the agenda following New Business. There were no objections. Ms. Rigberg Baker seconded the amended motion. Chair Resnick called for a voice vote. All were in favor. The motion carried unanimously; the agenda was approved as amended. 3. NEW BUSINESS a. HRO Case #UC1402-01: Review and approval of pending settlement agreement i. At the request of Chair Larson, Mr. Rent reviewed the procedure for review and approval of the above referenced settlement agreement. Mr. Rent addressed comments and questions from the Commission during his review. It was the recommendation of City staff that the Commission approve the settlement agreement. Further comments and questions from the Commission were addressed by Mr. Rent. Mr. Resnick requested that, per the terms of the Human Rights Ordinance, a formal order of dismissal be drafted by City staff, to be reviewed and approved by the Commission at its next regular meeting. There were no objections.  Chair Larson requested an overview of the case and its settlement. Mr. Rent provided the requested overview. Discussion ensued. Following discussion, Mr. Resnick made a motion, to wit: WHEREAS, the Commission approves of the settlement agreement and general release presented to us in regards to UC1402-01, and WHEREAS, we expect approval of an order stating these particulars to be issued by the Commission, we direct staff to inform the parties that they may proceed with their agreement and to prepare the order for approval at our next meeting. Mr. Bowersox-Johnson seconded the motion. A brief discussion followed. Chair Larson called for a voice vote. All were in favor. The motion carried unanimously. 4. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION a. There was none. 5. ANNOUNCEMENTS a. Mr. Rent announced that the City had asked an individual to fill the role of Human Relations Officer on a half-time basis, for an appointment term of six months. At the conclusion of the six-month appointment, the situation would be revisited and a decision made on how to go forward with the position. Discussion followed. 6. ADJOURNMENT a. There being no further business to come before the Commission, Chair Larson declared the meeting adjourned at 12:25 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Tony Weck Recording Secretary 2