City of Raleigh

North Carolina HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION Minutes of October Meeting held on Thursday, October 13, 2011 Members Present Tanzeel Chohan Robyn Hicks Shelia Jones (Vice-Chairwoman) Stan C. Kimer Amalia Mercedes Restucha-Klem Chris Moutos (Co-Chairman) Michael Oakley Adam Terando Honorable Eugene Weeks, Raleigh City Council Staff Present Dwayne C. Patterson City Liaison Jerry Glenn Volunteer Recorder Absent Yabi Kidibu Emanuel Larson (Youth) Michael Leach (Co-Chairman) James Ranieri

MEETING CALLED TO ORDER The October 13, 2011 meeting of the Raleigh Human Relations Commission was called to order. By whom: Co-Chairman Moutos Time: 6:00 pm APPROVAL OF AGENDA Motion by: Commissioner Mercedes Restucha-Klem Seconded by: Commissioner Kimer
Motion approved.

APPROVAL OF SEPTEMBER MINUTES Motion by: Commissioner Terando

Motion approved.

Seconded by: Commissioner Kimer

A Minor change to the minutes is suggested: Commissioner Adam Terando was present at the September meeting.

CHAIRS REPORT: No report VICE-CHAIRS REPORT No report. COMMUNITY SERVICES PROGRAM MANAGERS REPORT: The budget was presented by City Liaison Dwayne Patterson and no discussion followed. COMMITTEE REPORTS: BYLAWS COMMITTEE: No Report COMMUNITY RELATIONS AND CELEBRATIONS:

2011 Human Relations Commission October 13, 2011 Minutes

Vice-Chairwoman Jones started by mentioning that there was one correction to the HRC Annual Banquet 2012 timeline report: Change to read Response by 11/28/11 and not 11/28/09. Commissioner Jones asked each commissioner to get at least one sponsor for the Annual Banquet. The banquet book is going to have a color change but last years book is very elegant. The nomination forms will be on our web site and we also need to form a volunteer committee. Commissioner Mercedes Restucha-Klem asked to be placed on this Nomination Committee. Commissioner Jones would like to see the Nomination Committee begin with the nomination forms no later than November 1, 2011. Councilman Weeks suggested that we get the forms to the schools at least three or four weeks before the Thanksgiving Holiday giving the school employees some lead time. The location for the Annual Banquet is yet to be determined. If anyone has suggestions please send them to Commissioner Jones. The date for this banquet is February 9, 2012. The sponsorship levels are: Platinum $1000, Gold $500, Silver $250, then there is the individual level. Once a sponsor is determined a letter will be sent to them with the invitation NOMINATIONS COMMITTEE: No report GRANTS COMMITTEE: No report POLICE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE: No report COMMUNICATIONS (Public Relations) COMMITTEE: Commissioner Kimer explained the RHRC Communications Committee report that was passed around to each commissioner. This report was also sent to everyone electronically. The report starts with the 2011-2012 RHRC work plan and expands from there. Yet to be accomplished is the understanding of the listserv and adding names to this list and making it easy to find and see them. Councilman Weeks mentioned about the City of Raleigh IT department as they should be aware of the RHRC plans and be in sync with them. As for any press releases, the public affairs person in the department is responsible for the press releases to the N&O newspaper. It was also mentioned that the RHRC should reach out and interface better with the other commissions within the City of Raleigh. RACE RELATIONS COMMITTEE: Commissioner Mercedes Restucha-Klem passed out new the handout that had been printed for Mayors Unity Day Celebration. The date for this event is Saturday, December 3, 2011 beginning at 9:00am through 12:00pm at the Raleigh Convention Center. Items discussed were: the public was invited and breakfast will be served. Commissioner Kimer stated that each Commissioner needs to push not only the Mayors Unity Day Celebration but all functions. Try to keep the morning of December 3, 2011 open and plan to attend. Commissioner Jones asked Councilman Weeks to invite the City Council members to the Mayors Unity Day Celebration breakfast. Commissioner Weeks pointed out that the new council will not be sworn in at that time but it was suggested that they get invited along with the seated City Council members. The breakfast is an individual breakfast and if too many people actually show up there may not be enough food. The Raleigh Convention Center must use their caterers. It was mentioned that we should ask the City Manager to see if the Convention Center will wave some of the cost for food to lower our expenses. Commissioner Jones then passed around the RHRC Annual Banquet 2012 Timeline to each Commissioner. She pointed out that under the comments column, the response listed for the Letters to Guest Speaker(s) and guest of the panel for program should read Response by 11/09.

2011 Human Relations Commission October 13, 2011 Minutes

HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION APPROPRIATIONS: No report ACTION ITEMS TO BE APPROVED/VOTED UPON: Co-Chairman Moutos recommends that the Raleigh City Council make a public pronouncement against the anti-gay marriage amendment recently passed by the State Legislature and which will be on the May, 2012 ballot. Commissioner Kimer passed around an excerpt from the Raleigh GLBT Report to each Commissioner and stated that he drafted the language. Please refer to the content of this report. Commissioner Mercedes Restucha-Klem suggested making one change: 1. Take out the word progressive from the second to last bullet Motion by: Mercedes Restucha-Klem Motion approved Seconded by: Commissioner Hicks

Commissioner Kimer stated that he will make all necessary grammar changes to the Raleigh GLBT Report and resend to everyone. Commissioner Jones wanted to know if the RHRC is going to continue to have dialogues next year. Everyone is in agreement that the RHRC should continue. Commissioner Mercedes Restucha-Klem will make sure that this topic is brought to the committee meeting and discussed.
MEMBER COMMENTS/ANNOUNCEMENTS

Co-Chairman Moutos stated that Commissioner Adam Terando is leaving the RHRC and moving to the City of Raleigh Planning Commission. This will be his last meeting. ADJOUM
Motion by: Co-Chairman Moutos to adjourn at 6:45 pm

Seconded by: All Commissioners

Submitted by: Jerry J. Glenn Edited by: Stan C. Kimer, Secretary

2011 Human Relations Commission October 13, 2011 Minutes