Human Relation Commission Meeting
Regular MeetingUrbana, IL · December 9, 2020
Minutes
MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING APPROVED
_____________________________________________________________________________________
HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION
DATE: Wednesday, December 9, 2020
TIME: 5:30 p.m.
PLACE: Urbana City Council Chambers
Urbana City Building
400 South Vine Street
Urbana, Illinois 61801
*Virtually Via Zoom
_____________________________________________________________________________________
MEMBERS PRESENT:, Florence Caplow, Peter Resnick, Frances Rigberg.
MEMBERS ABSENT: Carol Bradford, Stacie Burnett, Daniel Larson,
1. CALL TO ORDER, ROLL CALL, AND DECLARATION OF QUORUM
Chair Frances Rigberg called this meeting of the Urbana Human Relations Commission to order at
5:30 p.m. Roll was taken. A quorum was not present.
2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
A vote was not taken to approve the agenda due to a quorum not being present.
3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
a. October 14, 2020
A vote was not taken to approve previous meeting minutes due to a quorum not being
present.
4. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
a. Christopher Hansen shared his opinions on the ineffectiveness of the HRC and his
frustrations with the HRC and the CPRB.
5. UNFISNISHED BUSINESS
a. Proposed Changes to HRC Ordinance
Peter Resnick gave an update on HRC ordinance proposed changes. Commissioners
discussed issues such as jurisdiction, conflicts of interest and proposed changes. Mr. Resnick
suggested changing the ordinance to allow outside council to handle complaints against the
City in order to alleviate some of the conflicts of interest. He also suggested adding language
that would reflect the City’s commitment to living up to the spirit of the ordinance
regardless of the outcome. Ms. Rigberg stated her desire to hear more from other
commissioners before forming an opinion in order to allow all possible sides to be heard.
Rev. Caplow liked the suggestions mentioned and the direction things were moving, but
agreed with Ms. Rigberg that other commissioner’s opinions should be heard before forming
a final opinion.
6. NEW BUSINESS
a. Introduction of Community Engagement Coordinator – Lemond Peppers
Chair Frances Rigberg introduced Lemond Peppers as the new Community Engagement
Coordinator for the City of Urbana. Mr. Peppers shared his vision and goals for the future.
b. Update on Recent HRC Appeals Hearing
Chair Frances Rigberg announced that the panel found in favor of the complainant on the
issues of probable cause and jurisdiction.
c. EEO Workforce Statistics
Commissioners discussed applications. A vote was not taken on EEO Workforce Statistics
due to a quorum not being present.
a. Staff Report – Elizabeth Hannan
Elizabeth Hannan presented the monthly activity report to the Commission. Ms. Hannan
addressed comments and questions form the Commission.
7. ANNOUNCEMENTS
Peter Resnick stated that there was a new police procedure that was announced with regard
to traffic stops. He stated that this fulfills one of the recommendations and shared his
thoughts that this was a great step forward.
8. ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business to come before the Commission, Frances Rigberg declared
the meeting to be adjourned at 6:42 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Tamra Jane Corbin
Recording Secretary
2
Agenda
URBANA HUMAN RELATIONS
COMMISSION
DATE: Wednesday, December 9, 2020
TIME: 5:30 pm
PLACE: *to be held virtually via Zoom, 400 S. Vine St., Urbana, IL 61801
AMENDED AGENDA
1. CALL TO ORDER, ROLL CALL, AND DECLARATION OF QUORUM
2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
a. October 14, 2020
4. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
5. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
a. Proposed Changes to HRC Ordinance – Peter Resnick and Daniel Larson
6. NEW BUSINESS
a. Introduction of Community Engagement Coordinator – Lemond Peppers
b. Update on Recent HRC Appeals Hearing – Frances Rigberg
c. EEO Workforce Statistics
d. Staff Report – Elizabeth Hannan
8. ANNOUNCEMENTS
9. ADJOURNMENT
*Due to the Governor and Mayoral Emergency Orders, the Urbana City Council Chambers will be not
be open to the public during this meeting. For those wishing to provide public input, please follow the
instructions below on how to provide public input. Anyone can watch the meeting on streaming
services, UPTV, or attend virtually via Zoom webinar. Additional instructions are attached.
Persons with disabilities needing special services or accommodations for this meeting should contact the City
of Urbana's Americans with Disabilities Coordinator at 384-2466.
You are invited to a Zoom webinar.
When: Dec 9, 2020 05:30 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
Topic: Human Relations Commission
Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86189228155
Or iPhone one-tap :
US: +13126266799,,86189228155# or +19292056099,,86189228155#
Or Telephone:
Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
US: +1 312 626 6799 or +1 929 205 6099 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 669 900 6833 or +1
253 215 8782 or +1 346 248 7799
Webinar ID: 861 8922 8155
International numbers available: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kbb47HmHh
Public Input and Viewing for Urbana City Council, Committee of the Whole, and some Boards and
Commissions
Anyone can watch the meeting on streaming services or UPTV. You can attend virtually via Zoom if you
wish to provide public input during the meeting. If you attend the meeting via Zoom, please turn off any
sound from other sources such as UPTV, as there will be a lag in the audio. The meeting will be recorded by
the City as part of the record. The recorded video will be available on the City’s website. The Zoom webinar
information is listed on the agenda.
PUBLIC INPUT GUIDELINES
The City of Urbana welcomes Public Input during open meetings of the City Council, the City Council’s
Committee of the Whole, City Boards and Commissions and other City-sponsored meetings. Our goal is
to foster respect for the meeting process, and respect for all people participating as members of the
public body, city staff, and general public. The City is required to conduct all business during public
meetings. The presiding officer is responsible for conducting those meetings in an orderly and efficient
manner.
Public Input will be taken in the following ways:
Zoom Webinar Participant
Click on the link listed in the agenda to join the Webinar. You must provide your name and email
address in order to join the Webinar. If you wish to speak during Public Input, “raise your hand” and
wait to be called on by the meeting host. You must state your first and last name for the meeting record.
Participants will be muted except when they are called on to speak; video will remain off for all members
of the public when speaking.
Telephone Participant
Call the phone number listed on the Agenda. Enter the Webinar ID followed by the # key. All callers are
muted by default. If you wish to speak, “raise your hand” by pressing *9 once. When you are called on
Persons with disabilities needing special services or accommodations for this meeting should contact the City of
Urbana's Americans with Disabilities Coordinator at 384-2466.
by the host or presiding officer you will be un-muted. You must state your first name and last name for
the meeting record.
Email Input
You may email public input between 8 am and 4 pm on the day of the meeting to
HRO@urbanaillinois.us. Please put “PUBLIC INPUT” and the meeting date in the subject line.
Written Input
Any member of the public may submit their comments addressed to the members of the public body in
writing. If a person wishes their written comments to be included in the record of Public Input for the
meeting, the writing should so state. Written comments must be received prior to the closing of the
meeting record (at the time of adjournment unless otherwise noted).
Verbal Input
Protocol for Public Input is one of respect for the process, and respect for others. Ridicule, obscene or
profane language, lack of respect for others, and personal attacks are not acceptable behavior. Public
Input shall not be used to air personal grievances. Speakers should address all comments to the public
body as a whole and not to individual members or City staff.
Public comment shall be limited to no more than four (4) minutes per person. The Public Input portion
of the meeting shall total no more than one (1) hour, unless otherwise shortened or extended by majority
vote of the public body members present. The presiding officer or the city clerk or their designee, shall
monitor each speaker's use of time and shall notify the speaker when the allotted time has expired. All
public comments should be addressed to the public body as a whole. A person may participate and
provide Public Input once during a meeting and may not cede time to another person, or split their time
if Public Input is held at two (2) or more different times during a meeting. The presiding officer may give
priority to those persons who indicate they wish to speak on an agenda item upon which a vote will be
taken.
The presiding officer or public body members shall not enter into a dialogue with citizens. Questions
from the public body members shall be for clarification purposes only. Public Input shall not be used as
a time for problem solving or reacting to comments made but, rather, for hearing citizens for
informational purposes only.
Accommodation
If an accommodation is needed to participate in a City meeting, please contact the City Clerk’s
Office at least 48 hours in advance so that special arrangements can be made using one of the following
methods:
• Phone: 217.384.2366
• Email: CityClerk@urbanaillinois.us
*In order to maintain reasonable decorum at a meeting, the presiding officer or any member of the
public body may call a speaker “out of order”. The presiding officer of the meeting shall have the
authority to provide a verbal warning to a speaker who uses abusive, harassing, threatening, or
defamatory language, or who engages in disorderly conduct that disrupts, disturbs, or otherwise impedes
the orderly conduct of a meeting. If the speaker refuses to cease such remarks or conduct after being
warned by the presiding officer, the presiding officer shall have the authority to mute the speaker’s
microphone and/or video presence at the meeting. The presiding officer will inform the speaker that
Persons with disabilities needing special services or accommodations for this meeting should contact the City of
Urbana's Americans with Disabilities Coordinator at 384-2466.
they may send the remainder of their remarks via email to the public body for inclusion in the meeting
record.
*Definitions of Types of Language and Conduct That May Warrant Verbal Warning:
“Abusive” means harsh, violent, profane, or derogatory language which would demean the
dignity of an individual or which is intended to humiliate, mock, insult or belittle an individual.
https://www.lawinsider.com/dictionary/abusive-language
“Harassing” means to annoy or bother someone in a constant or repeated way; to make
repeated attacks on another person.
https://www.learnersdictionary.com/definition/harass
“Threatening” means to say that you will harm someone or do something unpleasant or
unwanted especially in order to make someone do what you want.
https://www.learnersdictionary.com/definition/threaten
“Defamatory” means a statement or communication that tends to harm a person's reputation
by subjecting the person to public contempt, disgrace, or ridicule, or by adversely affecting the
person's business. A statement that is likely to lower that person in the estimation of reasonable
people and in particular to cause that person to be regarded with feelings of hatred, contempt,
ridicule, fear, or dislike.
Black's Law Dictionary (11th ed. 2019)
Citations that Authorize the Presiding Officer to Bar Offensive Language During Public
Comment:
The following citations provide the legal basis for adopting UCC Section 2-5(b)(1)(d) that allows
the presiding officer of a City Council, Committee of the Whole, or a City-sponsored board or
commission regulate “abusive, harassing, threatening, or defamatory language” during public
comment. The following Attorney General binding opinions and case law essentially classify
abusive, “harassing, threatening and defamatory language as “manner”, not “content”, of speech
that can be reasonably regulated under the First Amendment. UCC Section 2-5(c) (Ordinance
No. 2020-09-049. Attorney General binding opinion numbers 2019 PAC 59187, 2018 PAC
55462, 2016 PAC 45349; Milestone v. City of Monroe, Wisconsin, 665 F.3d 774, 783-784 (7th Cir.
2011); Vega v. Chicago Board of Education, 338 F.Supp.3d 806, 811 (N.D. Ill. 2018); Sandefur v. Vill.
of Hanover Park, 862 F.Supp.2d 840, 847 (N.D. Ill. 2012); I.A. Rana Enterprises, Inc. v. City of
Aurora, 630 F.Supp.2d 912, 920-923 (D.C. N.D. 2009).
Persons with disabilities needing special services or accommodations for this meeting should contact the City of
Urbana's Americans with Disabilities Coordinator at 384-2466.
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