09/08/1986 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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II. HUMAN RIGHTS PROGRAM STRUCTURE e Ms. Miller said that the council subcommittee had requested that staff examine the structure of the human rights commissions and investigate the possibility of combining them into one commission, Ms, Miller said that the staff had reviewed the program's history. They had looked at the situation that would be created by the formation of a single commission. The staff recommended that the streamlining efforts that have been begun be continued, Staff would like to look at the possiblity of going to nine required meetings with the option of each commission meeting more often if it wished. On page 4 in the staff notes there was a recommendation to streamline the application process, Currently the commission and the City Counci 1 i ntervi ews everyone that applies. Staff is recommending that the applicants be screened through pre- determined criteria and a joint committee of councilors and commissioners interview the best of those applicants, Staff was also recommending that alternates be bumped up if there was a vacancy, Currently alternates are approved by the City Council. Ms, Mill er said that staff was recommending that the program not be consolidated at this time, but rather continue to clarify the role that the program plays in City government and tighten the links to the City's agenda, Ms. Miller asked the councilors if if they had questions or comments, Ms. Bascom asked other councilors their opinion of the appointment process streamlining, She said that she and Mr, Holmer had valued the evening they spent interviewing applicants, She said that she wondered if the staff was not taking away, in an effort to save councilors' time, a portion of what is a valuable experience, She asked Mr, Miller if staff had trouble securing .- councilors to interview applicants, Ms, Mill er sa i d that the counc il will still be interviewing applicants, just not every applicant. She said that the councilor would be interviewing with someone from the commission, Currently there was a two-tiered system where everyone was interviewed by both the commission and the council, Mr, Hansen moved, seconded by Ms, Erhman, to accept staff's recommendation regarding the human rights program structure, Mr, Miller said that he thought the streamlining process could be helpful to the applicant and aid in reducing confusion, Ms, Ehrman said that she felt the work products were very impressive, Each commission had followed a work program and contributed to the council's better understanding and human rights endeavors in the community, Ms. Bascom said the commissions were like a lengthening, strengthening arm of the council to do the things councilors are unable to do themselves, Mayor Obie said he had been prepared to challenge staff's recommendation, He said that he had changed his thinking with the presentation and resulting ,~ MINUTES--City Council Dinner Meeting September 8, 1986 Page 9