06/23/1975 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mayor Anderson said the women's rights area of the outline he presented did need to be better defined. He suggested a group comprising a couple of Council members, several from the women's groups - those most active in preparation of this resolution - repre- sentation from the senior citizens, minorities, and limited mobility might work out -- a structure that could be taken to the Council in public hearing. He emphasized that that would not mean the proposed council would be an "umbrella" or a human rights bureaucracy. The women's commission still would be a separate group and able to advocate programs on its own. However, he thought a group like that should not be able to file complaints, investigate, and then act as judge also. He offered to bring a group together representing different areas, with help of the women's groups, to properly structure a human rights council. A vote now, he said, would only have to be repeated. There would have to be public hearing. Perhaps other women might oppose a separate women's commission, he said, and they should have an opportunity to be heard. Councilwoman Beal said that segmenting the different areas as proposed by the Mayor did give the women some standing. However, she felt to put the majority [women] on a level with a very small minority [elderly, limited mobility, minorities] with a human rights council as a barrier between the women's commission and the City Council would be putting the women one step farther away and they would not be satisfied with that arrangement. She again urged a vote now to create a separate women's commission. Councilman Murray expressed concern with the kind of urgency requested by Mrs.Beal, saying it might not be the most frui tful way to deal wi th the issue and that it could be a tactical error on the women's part. He said he might be in favor of the creation of a separate women's commission but he was not going "to be backed into- a corner" and not look at any other proposal. The issue was a very significant one, he said, and should receive significant attention. It should not be dealt with any differently than any other issue coming to the Council. To force the e issue at this time would deny the opportunity to consider both proposals, he said, after which endorsement might perhaps even be given for the proposal Mrs.Beal was championing. Mr. Murray moved seconded by Mr. Haws that decision on the issue be postponed for no longer than one month during which time a commi ttee Comm would be established composed of two Council members appointed by the 6/11/75 Mayor, two members of the Human Rights Commission, three members of Approve the organizing group of women making the proposal for a separate women's commission, and that this group study the two proposals and bring a recommendation back to the Council no later than one month from now; also that the recommendation would allow for a minority report if no consensus was established so that the Council could have full exposure to the differences of opinions within that group. Councilwom~n Shirey felt it was simply one more committee to study something which had already been studied. Mayor Anderson said this proposed committee was a good idea - not only to look at the resolution proposed by the women's groups and the proposal he submitted, but also to consider any other possibility, even perhaps to the extent of includ- ing other areas not mentioned. Councilwoman Beal said the area covered is the problem of women, that anything proposed for the rights of minorities, elderly, limited mobility would receive sympathetic hearing and help from the women. But the proposal was unacceptable, that it was a method of delay, the same as . had occurred with the affirmative action program. She was willing to delay for further discussion by the Council, but she was not willing to form another committee. 6/23/75 ':" 18 . '34,e,