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HomeMy WebLinkAboutJune 2019PADUCAH HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION Minutes —June 3, 2019 RECEIVEDAUG _ 6'2019 Meeting Called to Order: 5:06pm CITY CLERK Roll Call: By Ruthie McCabe, Office Manager — Present: Chair Shirley Thompson: Commissioners Dann Patterson, Robert Shy, and Kenneth Hurt Sr. Quorum: Established at 5:01pm Invocation: a silent time of prayer Pledge of Allegiance: Led by Chair Shirley Thompson Visitors: City Clerk Lindsay Parish; City Manager Jim Arndt; and Rev. J.W. Cleary, President of NAACP. The May 6, 2019, minutes were reviewed — a motion to approve as written by Commissioner Dann Patterson; a second by Commissioner Kenneth Hurt Sr. — unanimous approval with no changes. OLD BUSINESS: Diversity forum on June 21St, at Walker Hall, starting at 6pm was discussed. The menu is set for 130 people and 130 tickets will be distributed (can only attend with a ticket). Each Commissioner will have 20 tickets to distribute, and the other 50 tickets will be for speakers, their guests, and the public. Chair Thompson handed out a list of businesses that adhere to diversity standards. She suggested having different speakers deliver a report on how their business or organization adheres to and benefits from diversity. Chair Thompson suggested Pam Spencer, Paducah's Public relations Officer, introduce the event. Attorney Adam Futrell, appointed to the Kentucky Human Rights; Chris Hartman or Robert Courtney from the Diversity Council of Humana; Someone from US Bank and possibly someone from the foster care review board. Commissioner Robert Shy suggested someone from OUT PADUCAH to speak for LGBTQ. Commissioner Silverstein was in agreement (by phone) as Commissioners Patterson, Shy, and Hurt Sr. was; to have speakers instead of a panel discussion. Chair Thompson will contact and confirm the speakers. She is also working on the flyers. The office will contact Walker Hall on number of tables and the sound system. City Manager, Jim Arndt, came to the meeting to address the PHRC proposed ordinance changes and to go over the existing ordinance line by line to inform the PHRC exactly what is expected of the commission, because the existing ordinance is the law in the city of Paducah. Commissioner Shy asked had the Mayor and City Commissioners read the proposed new ordinance and were they going to act on it? City Manager, Jim Arndt, stated he had met with them and went over it, but they were not going to do anything with the request. Commissioner Shy stated he doesn't think the City Commissioners and Mayor cares about the Human Rights. City Manager, Jim Arndt, stated there were 40 different Boards in the city and the PHRC is only one of them, but the PHRC is the only one with an office space in City Hall and the Mayor and City Commissioners do not attend any of the 40 Board meetings. City Manager,. Jim Arndt, had really researched the state and city Human Rights Ordinances. He was very informed and helped the PHRC to understand their role to fulfill the ordinance as written. Chair Thompson stated the Ky. Human Rights does not do anything with the complaints that are sent to the state. It takes a year or more City Manager, Jim Arndt, stated he and Ruthie in the PHRC office would have to work together to get the elected Ky. Officials on board with doing something about the time on the complaints. Chair Thompson and the PHR Commissioners feel the Mayor and City Commissioners made the changes without ever discussing or getting any imput from the PHRC, and the Mayor and City Commissioners should get a legal agreement with the KHR to be more forth coming with information and the progress on the complaints sent to them. City Commissioner Abraham and Mayor Harless with their proposed Religious Freedom Amendment, was not discussed with City Manager or anyone. City Manager let the PHRC know as soon as he knew, which was the day it was introduced at the City Commission meeting. City Manager stated he tried to get them to wait on the amendment, but that did not work out. The amendment was added to the very end of the PHR ordinance. Questions were asked on complaints coming into the office as how to handle them. City Manager, Jim Arndt, stated to go by the ordinance; and there is a difference between facilitating a complaint and investigating a complaint: Facilitate means to make easier. Investigate means to observe or inquire into detail. To make a systematic inquiry or examination. He stated the PHRC was doing a good job of going by the ordinance and he is willing to help in any way he could. NEW BUSINESS: The June 4, 2019 budget variance report was compared to the new proposed budget for 2019-2020, beginning July 1, 2019. The city increased the PHRC budget by $855. Reverend J.W. Cleary spoke on the NAACP state convention being held in Paducah on September 13, 14, 15. They are having a gospel singing on the riverfront on Friday night, September 13, 2019, and wanted the Paducah Human Rights to co-sponsor the event with them. Rev. Cleary is looking at getting Lee Williams and the QC'S to perform at a cost of $3000. The NAACP is asking the PHRC to donate $1500 and the county has committed to donating $1500 to the event. A motion to co-sponsor and donate $1500 to the event was made by Commission Dann Patterson; Chair asked for a second and no second was given. A motion to table was given by Commissioner Shy, second by Commissioner Hurt Sr.; unanimous approval to table for further discussion. The PHRC went into Executive Session at 7:20pm.