07/02/1980 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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period for the report to be completed. The Human Rights Council's role has been e mostly reactive in the past. Throughout the years, comments from the Human Rights Council have been fairly consistent: 1) progress has been much less than should be shown by a City the size of Eugene; 2) the goals have been minimal, making the progress even more disappointing; and 3) they have a problem with the formulation and presentation of the report. Although Eugene has made a commit- ment to Human Rights, the City's progress has been shown to be limited. Everyone is supportive of equal opportunity but no one has made the commitment to ensure that it happens. The Human Rights Council does not want to be an adversary to City staff but they want to work constructively together with them. The City Council needs to make a strong statement and personal commit- ments from the councilors also needs to be made. They have the following recom- mendat ions: the goal-setting process should be done by the City Council, a more ambitious equal opportunity/affirmative action plan should be employed, there should be a continuation of involvement with the Human Rights Council, and this effort should be made as public as possible. Ms. Schue stated she would like information about the relationship between the commissions and the Personnel Department in regard to items such as goal-setting. Ann Gowdey, Personnel, stated she had met with a working committee of the Human Rights Council before the report was prepared to see if changes should be made. The Personnel Department accommodated requests for changes. She feels that perhaps these groups should be working together on an ongoing basis rather than at the end of the report year. Personnel is willing to work with the Human Rights Council more closely. e Ms. Schue asked how the goals are originally formulated. Ms. Gowdey responded the in setting the goals, they look at seven or eight different factors such as labor statistics, what kinds of jobs are being recruited for, available staff time, and abilities to do these projects. They set the goals in relation to what they think the department can achieve and what the government requires without outside input at that time. Ms. Schue asked if they have tried coor- dinating their efforts with other groups such as minority groups. Ms. Gowdey responded that they have. They have worked more closely on job announcement circulation and they have been talking with the Handicapped Commission. Ms. Smith noted that it is in the council's best interest to meet with repre- sentatives from the Human Rights Council. This has not been happening lately, but she feels this is a high priority. They have lost some communication that should be re-established. Vivian Frelix-Hart, Minority Commission, stated she was at the meeting to encourage the council to work with the Human Rights Council and was available to answer questions regarding their critique. Mr. Delay stated that he has read the material and feels the thrust of the Human Rights Council critique regarding council involvement is a most positive step. A City Council subcommittee should meet and come back to the council with goal proposals. This kind of activity does not have a single focal point within the City. It is not just one single person's responsibility; rather it is the e 7/2/80--5