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e e e e e e recording I woke call this um Human Rights Commission meeting today is Monday
February 24th all right um we will look at the minutes from the Janu January 29th 2025 meeting sh
if there's no um additions or corrections I would entertain a motion to approve those minutes also move [Music] I'll [Music] second um all those in favor of
approving the minutes from January 29th I I post same sign okay the minutes from January 29th are approved we'll review the budget report
acting chair I just want to um update you that the uh monies that were requested to be carried forward uh action was uh put off until the March meeting because we only had three city council members present okay
and I don't believe we need a motion for that so okay we'll move on to the events committee report um does anyone from events committee want to give an update on
that is there any updates I could make it meeting yeah yeah on the committee but I was I was not able to attend okay it looks like um uh the human rights award we received
an update from the Vets committee who met on February 12th um to a plan the human rights award ceremony ceremony is scheduled for March 26th at 6:00 p.m. at the community center and we need to
determine our wording on the pl Rel so any thoughts on that what have we done in the past I am not sure I thought typically it would just say like the date and who it was awarded to but I I don't know if there needs to
be more than that or if there typically is I'm not aware I wouldn't imagine we would put like details of what the program or anything was that they were working with so I don't know why we would need more than that it was I I can't remember the wording but when we talked about it last
week and decided to do both entities we had a reason and do you remember how that was worded because the one was more um not really personal but you know there there and that might if we could do that in a very succinct way you know to point out that there are different ways of doing it but I don't remember
how we worded it I think the discussion was around one was kind of more of a longterm project and one was more of a very short-term focused so I you know it might be kind of nice to if we could come up with a way to word that but suggest that to the
committee that people can realize that there's different ways to do it you know some can can be something that's just a onetime deal or it could be something that's like the the new's own store it's more long [Music] term just a
thought so there' be like a section that would be for their contributions in dot dot dot dot or what for your forethought or maybe in in the longevity of the the good this does or I don't know I don't know it just
occurred to me that it would I thought I really was impressed last time when we decided to do both of them to realize that there were different ways of doing it you know and that they should both be recognized yeah so I just thought that might be nice and that way other people would hear too that that was why they
both got chosen and um think well it doesn't have to be some big splashy thing it could be something that's more long term like I said a thought yeah do we do a press release to go along with the uh the
award I think we have in the past I think we have done a press release in the past cuz then maybe then we wouldn't have to be as succinct as on a right black and we usually do like a little
presentation as well at the ceremony and so um those that nominated I know in the past have been asked to say a few words if they're willing to I mean I I guess I would say keep keep it Syle with the plaque but press
release and the and that whole thing that would that's a good thought yeah MH do that require motion yeah yeah maybe it might um so yeah so do we need a motion for
exact wording I I'm not sure what what are thoughts on that how about I make a motion to keep the plaque verbage as is but at the award ceremony and in the press release to make the
distinguishment of the difference between the two I would second that do I have a second on that motion oh you second sorry any more discussion on that okay
all those in favor of um the motion to keep the plaque simple um say I I I opposed nay okay motion carried and then um we are going to move
on to the executive committee um we need to review the mission statement and the committee met on February 20th to do that um we didn't make any suggestions for changes as far
as the mission statement you can um review that if you'd like um perhaps we need a motion to keep the mission statement as it is I don't know if there's any discussion on
that any thoughts I don't think Madame Cherry that you need to have a motion not to change anything okay all right we will move on then to the annual review of the bylaws
and again we met on the 20th um to review those we did make a little proposed change to that section 4 a and 4D um and that was related to kind of our committees and how to split those up
um so we we um within our draft got rid of the Public Relations Committee and um we'll be splitting the vents committees into
separate subcommittees based on the number of events that we have because we're getting to have quite a few events that's good those seem like good changes I would make a motion to accept the bylaw
changes okay I'll second okay any discussion any further discussion on that at all okay then I will um entertain a vote for that motion um to accept the
changes all those in favor say I I okay oppose nay motion is carried other business um Community needs survey press release submitted February 11th press release
2025 Community needs survey there's a link there to that um and I don't know that I don't know if we've gotten anything on that I I don't know of any updates
where where are we putting the surveys how are we Distributing those or making them available yeah that's a good question I know Sarah has kind of done some of the work on that I know the goal was like to be able
to do social media and and all of those things but we can't have our own page so then this link would be available on the city page um as well as like the Chamber of Commerce and and all of that like to be able to use the QR code um and then be
able to distribute that to to schools with their I forget what it's called but it's online information peache the peach tree Y and that I'm fairly new to new Al so I don't know if you have a um like a senior center sort of place here do you yeah okay because it seems like it might
be nice to have paper copies there or at the library because I don't personally like to do stuff on the computer that well and if you're older than I am there's a good chance you might not want to and a lot of those people would have needs sure and without the QR code right so but how do we how do we manage that
that was the issue that we came up with cuz originally like we were feeling at the fair we weren't getting enough of everybody actually doing it so how do we do that to incorporate people who might not be good with cell phone or have one
okay well can't you just make paper copies and have them places or not like paper copies at uh but it would be QR code so you would still need so then how would you turn in the survey I don't know how you do a q why does have to be a QR code couldn't they turn him back in at the library or at the some place here
here correct they could return them here probably probably yeah mail them in there was just one of the conversations when we were doing it was how do we facilitate and manage that yeah I would assume you could you know have the
option of returning via mail here or dropping off here sure if people wanted to complete a paper copy I just would hate to leave a b bunch of people if there's a senior center they could fill them out there and leave them there and maybe somebody could I don't know who's going to tally those if we are or what
but somebody could pick them up from the senior center you know once a week or every few days or whatever however many people do it I go to an exercise class the cers that every now and again there's a lot of people that go oh yeah
y Sor I'm a New Alm resident Teresa cavany and I do go to the senior center exercise class every now and then and I think there are 20 to 30 people I am guessing if there were surveys and you could even put a QR code on the survey
so if someone wanted to scan it in and do it online they could and it would probably just be a matter of having a box at um Cara's office if she would be willing to collect and I wonder if the
library wouldn't be willing to also have a box and collect and obviously you'd need someone to input onto the form but I think we we don't want to miss opportunities for input sure anyway y that's just my
idea thank you yeah I think those are great ideas and um we certainly can possibly look at adding you know adding to a paper survey I would think um do we have who is that
part of a committee that's taking that on is that under the do we have that under a certain committee think it was under education okay is that something that education wants to revisit is anyone from education here
one of the events ones it's not it we would bring it to events but it wasn't something that we okay I didn't know if that was what it was okay okay I think that could definitely be possible to visit that at the meeting
okay all right that sounds like a great idea so we'll just kind of revisit that issue and look at getting a paper um ready and and maybe some boxes ready to go to to have those
paper um paper surve comments surveys placed in yeah thank you um okay we'll move on to the community supporting family well-being event sponsored by department of children youth and families um Grant
application was submitted and we're waiting to hear back we have an invitation to participate in the Park and Recreation open house event on April 6th at new Al recreation center and we need to decide if the commission wants to partner with Park and Recreation
Department regardless of the Grant status I feel like par does a lot for us whenever we do events so we should they were even willing uh when with the uh welcome event they were willing to have a backup space depending
on weather for us without charge so yeah okay it's also another place we can have surveys yeah yeah might does anyone want to make a motion that we participate in that I'll make a
motion we participate on April 6th whether we get the grant or not okay I'll second that any further discussion on on that I'm a new Madam chair of the the commission here so I I'm wondering what
the nature of the participation is at their event and what does it entail yeah kind of it looked like it was um like a CH to have have a booth or a
presence there we could have giveaways promotional materials um to highlight our organiz organization's Mission kind of get our name out there and what we do for the community connect with with families and
individuals so that's whenever you have a booth it's it's been nice because we actually get to talk to people and we've had like the stickers and we did chapstick this last year but like the paper surveys would be mhm like you were
saying a a good thing but it's it's a booth where you just kind of you you're able to communicate and we do quite a few of those is what I've read from it and it's sometimes we get things brought to our attention at those booths too which
is nice yeah suggestion box sort of thing might be nice MH yeah in other words it's a matter of Staffing the booth having materials to share with community that stopped by and just getting into
brief conversation with folks letting them know that we're there and Y some we just need within the group to volunteer to go and what was the date of that again April April 6th April 6th and 1130 to
1:30 so it's pretty a pretty short event um I'm not sure off hand I assume that's maybe a Saturday or Sunday it's a Sunday yeah it's a Sunday okay well I'd be willing to be a
commission member at the um at the little booth or whatever it happens to be and U but it would be nice to have some company yeah and we usually it's always nice when someone's with you
there we usually try to have a couple people I think when we do these events just because it's good to have you know have a partner and on that note I just want to compliment this commission is so active there are always members
attending and participating in all of the events and Carl as a newer commission member I think you'll take great pleasure and joy and also the uh student Commissioners uh how active commission is so I doubt that you will be uh sitting alone
[Laughter] Carl all right any other discussion on that so I think we had a motion in a second um all those in favor of participating in the park and Rack open house say I I
I oppose name okay motion carries legislative update does anyone have anything they'd like to bring [Music] forward I know it's
been quite busy um with different things going on um there was a few things that I wanted to to mention to kind of keep on our um radar and be aware of within
our state um there is a a house um HF 22 it's a parents Bill of Rights and basically it's um well there's a lot of
a lot of things in there but um one area of concern I think is that some youth that may be at risk for being marginalized and might reach out to um adults that they trust whether it be
doctors or therapists or um you know clergy or whoever um they might have limits placed on doing that um because of this bill and so that is um a concern
to me um so I would encourage everyone to to educate themselves on that bill and and um speak out if you have concerns like I do um and then nationally the save act
which is um basically would would require that the people present a passport or a birth certificate in person to register and your name and your gender need to match
and so I think the thought is that it's aimed at transgender people which you know that end of of itself but um it also disenfranchises Women Voters because
often their married name does not match that on their birth certificate so it would aim to disen disenfranchise them from voting um so that is HR 22 and um
Senate 128 the save act so yeah anyone have anything else that they want to bring up as far as legislative updates I would agree on those topics that being concerns is there a way
that um we can link in uh to those house file numbers to follow them and get updates or see what the legislation actually looks like and how it reads there got I would assume there's a
length to read the text I know that you know you can go on um I'm not probably a Savvy I'm looking at Teresa cuz she probably knows how to do that but yes I know you can yeah go on like
the Minnesota site and and look at updates mhm Minnesota State Legislature okay Minnesota state legisl and then explore it to participate thank
[Laughter] you all right to be able I mean if we have the link is that something that we try to be able to get out to the community to be able to look it up and learn about these things that are
coming I don't know I know that we get emails you know sometimes from Lisa and things that are going on statewide right we all get those um whether it be different legal things that are happening um
yeah that seems like a good idea for want people to be more aware of Human Rights I mean we should be encouraging ways for them to see what's going on and how they might be able to be a part of making decisions yeah so it would be nice to have a like
I said I'm not a real computer person but have a connection there you know from our website because it has to do with human rights y I would be in favor of figuring that out I can't figure it out but I know we said earlier in the meeting that we aren't able to have our own
Facebook page is that a city policy or okay okay CU yeah I just I agree that we need to find better ways to communicate and I don't know that a ton of people are going to the city website to look for the Human Rights Commission and
clicking through multiple links to find Details I mean I thought for the education fund is a website not allowed uh because you'd have to pay for website but I know we've struggled with
our um whole the contest every year like it was kind it was a flop the last couple of years like people weren't the students weren't participating in the contest like is having a we it different
than having our own social media is that something that we could look at putting the education fund towards instead of a contest I'd be willing to look into that and call the city office and talk through possible options that sounds
okay sure yeah I also think when um a press release let's say um it gets printed in the newspaper for us to share it on our own sites to get the information out and I know when I was running for mayor people would say well how can I help and it's like all you
have to do is go on Facebook and share but it doesn't seem to resonate with people uh so we have yeah there's we have to figure it out I know I asked too about uh a mayor uh Facebook and uh so along with you Dave I will be asking so
I could figure out uh because I would like to post and I'm not sure uh if each commission would be able to have a fa Facebook site that gets to be uh pretty much uh I shouldn't say difficult to manage but we always want to make sure that the information is vetted and it's
representative of the city Absolut and and that's the bottom line and that's probably why it goes through a clearing house yeah that's why I was thinking instead of social media an actual website where it would have to be approved before we put it up but it's a website yeah where it's not something as hackable I guess as
Facebook sure if I may uh Madam chair just want to share with you I did spend um uh a day and a half at the uh state capital on legislative action day and had the opportunity first of all it is a
conference an annual meeting hosted by the Coalition of Greater Minnesota cities and why this may not apply directly to uh the human rights it's just an example of what what is going on behind the scenes and so the Coalition of Greater
Minnesota cities is something that I prefer to attend as opposed to the league of Minnesota cities because that includes Minneapolis St Paul the larger communities so the Coalition of Greater Minnesota speaks to us and uh there's a
disproportionate uh let's just say formulas as far as uh funding and pass through doar and timing of those pass through dollars but as an example of something that resonates at the state is
uh one size or one uh zoning uh regulation fits all well what they're uh proposing is as an example that it would negate our local zoning and our Planning Commission and it would be established
by the state so if you are living in a residential area somebody could put up a fourplex or an aplex right next to you uh because of the need in the metro area for more housing you know family dwelling that kind of thing and of
course we don't believe one size fits all and say make it applicable to the seven County uh metro area so that's our strong lobby but there were so many of those things and I did have the opportunity sit next to the executive director from that Coalition and also uh
with representative Tolson for dinner that night and continued our lobby not necessarily on just uh the human rights issue and since I just but we had so many things lined up but we made sure that we were also looking at how does it
impact our seniors and the programming the pass through dollars that uh support uh senior programming or let's say Transportation or the long-term uh healthare some of it doesn't even resonate with the legislatures uh that
are um let's say in majority so uh but we continue to to and I will continue to write letters on a regular basis uh to carry our message forward but just wanted to share that with you that there were three of us at that event and on
March 6th another group will be going to the league of Minnesota City's conference and lobby with legislators as well thank you for that update um all right um city council Le liaison she kind of touched on it
already huh yeah right let say okay okay nothing else nothing else all right okay uh move on to current human rights issues we um discussed last time a little bit uh immigration
concerns and we were talking about doing something on that um considering hosting an event are open forum and um I don't know where the status of speakers or resources are does
anyone have updates on that at all I know someone was going to be looking at that did we T somebody to talk to people about that I think Christ was going to do that chrisan was going to do that I I I thought yeah I don't know that she
gave me an update I know Teresa had brought it to our committee are you willing to speak on it at all did okay thank you Teresa okay I wanted to thank the commission for actually taking this up and I had
understood that Kristen was investigating bringing in some speakers I highly support that I have attended meetings and coffees if you will with individuals who are impacted by the new
requirements if you will that have been handed down for schools and churches to uh open to ice agents and I know that differs from State policy and we've been
told that both our County sheriff and our Poli police don't necessarily lend their resources to do isis's work but I think there'd be great benefit to having
a forum where we could hear them speak and where we could also um discuss this with church leaders as well as our school officials um I don't know that the people affected would even
necessarily come because of their own fears but if we were educated as a community I think we would be better equipped to be of help to people who are affected who are possibly afraid of
family separation and so forth so whatever this commission can do to elevate um this as a community discussion I think would be helpful it might be good to invite Congressman finstead or his staff and a courtesy
perhaps to our city and county commissions and state legislators they're all busy and who knows who would attend but at least it would make them aware that this is viewed as a human rights concern and that we seek to
educate the public on what our rights are and what we should be mindful of as we're facing these changes and I if I may on the save Act I did want to just add a little Factory
that eight out of 10 um married women assume the name of their partners and most of them move at some time in their life to change from one voting jurisdiction to another so if the save Act passed as written they would be
impacted and I don't think everybody would be able to um figure out what the right course of action is cuz the law the draft Bill does not allow a marriage license to be used as a validating um
piece of information it requires passport or birth certificate it has to match your current ID or what you're putting on your voter regge forms so sorry that's not in sync with the agenda but no thank you for that clarification
y I would I would like to also add to that is a lot of the people that would be affected by that can't afford to go get a passport AB abolutely a birth certificate they have an ID they they got married but would not be allowed
unless they have evidence of your location at Birth and certain military IDs would not be allowed y yeah thank you MH okay yeah those are you know I think those are great ideas of trying to bring people together and and talk
about immigration concerns I don't know what everyone's thoughts are I mean I think it's important I think I think it would be important to at least have a forum and see what happens and put it out there I mean I don't know what research has
already been done or who's been talked to but I think it would be an important thing to do I think anytime we get out there and do things like that it helps the whole public realize that human rights is a concern you know and that's seen in many different
lights I think it'd be a good idea would it be valuable to put this to the events committee so then we can have some discussions and set up potential dates and who we'd like to be in contact with I just want to make sure we're making an
action move for this I'm on the events committee but I think I'm the only one here so I wouldn't be you are okay you are too okay and then okay I'm not sure who that was in the the minutes for last month yeah the oh that's the wrong but I
would be willing to definitely meet on that okay okay do we have a motion that the events committee would meet to discuss further so move I'd second it
any further discussion what is the motion calling for to happen that the events committee would meet to discuss um hosting a forum on immigration
concerns and identifying presentors and in an invitation list of sorts y yeah we would come up with ideas and bring it back here for approval sounds okay any further
discussion all right all those in favor I I oos name okay motion carries um do we have anything else to discuss I had a thought the other day Okay I I randomly walk around every
morning and um it occurred to me I may I don't know if we have anything in that place about this or not but with the bus Herman bus system the thought occurred to me that I've seen signs for bus stops but is there a way that we can have something there so if somebody was blind they would be able to know where the bus
stops are I don't know what that would be but it seems like there should be something because the buses are handicap accessible yeah and so they're not going to know if they have to look for a sign yeah you know so I don't know if that's that seems like that would be within our
purview since we want everybody to have the same rights to ride the bus and a lot of people that would want to be riding it might not be able to see a sign not even sure what they do in the Metro for that that's a good question I don't remember anything in
Minneapolis with anything for blind at the stops I just I don't know what that would consist of cuz I know that they have like the stop don't walk right they have the little beeper thing at the stop lights yeah I don't know I just happened to think about that and I thought well how
are they going to be able to know where there's a bus stop so man GPS ping for it I know a lot of times they could they get you can get directions you know through I don't know
those things oh right just bringing oh I don't talk a good question that's a good question I just thought i' bring it up just never never seen anything for blind people in Metro areas when I lived in them either
so that Braille but I don't know at least Madam they could somehow publicize the locations the corners the street addresses of where these are sure yeah
yeah can be found in those Corners are they listed I guess I'm not sure are they listed where I've seen them listed before but I'm not sure where all where all they have been listed but I mean that would at least be
a first step in making it more accessible but there's definitely more that could be done as well again if it's just listed somewhere they're not going to see that right yeah yeah you know so anyway that's yeah we circling back to printouts and
webs yeah I think we are I think whoever operates at either a county or a city function would be a place to start to have them you know display somewhere
could be a a question for them the um yeah to see so we do on the on the new al.gov website there is a list of the um
of the stops and there is a schedule but again not a lot of people are F able to find that information very readily so making sure we have that available I mean do we have a lot of
resources in Braille uh for the City of New Alm or is that a larger concern I guess that's I looked into it once for a restaurant and it's expensive to get one sheet I can believe yeah because we wanted to have that
available as menus sure so I I just know that costly but I don't know but beneficial it seems to me there's some ordinances or statutes that require it on elevators uh the sides of the panels of
the frame the door there's got to be Braille uh hotel rooms are supposed to have Braille mhm yep I'm not sure what else but
U I think it's uh um Deb a good question that you brought up about um again making this accessibility so for those who um have um um a vision impairment and would ask that somebody within the
commission uh check into that so that we can um make sure that we're satisfied that it is accessible and if there's something more that can be done what is that because I don't know at this point sitting here sure yep yeah sounds like we have more questions is there anyone
that would be willing to look into it further I think I could be a candidate to do that okay thank you Carl we will follow up on that okay if there's nothing else then um our
next meeting is Monday March 24th and do we need a motion to adour is there a motion to journ so move okay a second second all those in favor I
oppose nay all right we are adjourned e