CC Minutes - 06/30/10 Work Session

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Ms. Mona commended Eugene Police Department Chief Pete Kerns for his collaborative efforts with the HRC and said he had been very helpful to the work of the commission. Ms. Mona stated that the HRC continued to work with the Civilian Review Board. The HRC had also conducted a very productive meeting with Police Auditor Mark Gissiner earlier in the year. The HRC continued to explore a variety of other conflict resolution opportunities in the community and continued to investigate ways in which the commission might take advantage of human rights resources in the community. Mr. Beecher provided information regarding the Community Anti -Hate Crime area of the HRC's work plan. He reported that the commission had had the opportunity to work with the Eugene Police Commission and its Education & Outreach Subcommittee on a collaborative project in December and January in response to a number of issues that had emerged involving hate and bias crimes in the community. He stated that the HRC had participated in several weekend meetings with various community members and human rights group representatives to provide information regarding the prevention and response to such crimes. He further stated that the HRC's Anti -Hate Resolution had been drafted as part of those meetings and subsequent discussions. Ms. Kerwood provided an overview of the contributions of the HRC's Accessibility Committee. She further noted that the Accessibility Committee had worked in a number of community outreach areas involving accessibility, including elements of the City's Envision Eugene plan. She noted that she served on the City's Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan Advisory Committee. Ms. Kerwood reported that the Accessibility Committee had reviewed service dog issues and the manner in which the various animal control policies of both Lane County and the City of Eugene might be better coordinated. Ms. Kerwood stated that the Accessibility Committee had fielded a number of helpful suggestions from community members regarding the placement and installation of audible pedestrian signal devices throughout the City. Ms. Gyatso described how the HRC had supported the creation of the Human Rights Summit event and noted that it had been intended as a collaborative effort with the Community Coalition for the Advancement of Human Rights. She further noted that the planning for the summit event had involved over sixty representatives from various human rights groups. Ms. Gyatso briefly reviewed the goals of the Human Rights summit: 1) to increase awareness of the human rights framework and its local relevance; 2) education efforts describing the City of Eugene and Lane County's efforts to improve human rights in the community; 3) encouragement of discourse regarding ways in which the human rights framework in local government and community groups; and 4) to encourage the City of Eugene to move forward as a "human rights city" while developing a broader human rights community. Ms. Gyatso noted that the attendance and participation for the Human Rights Summit events had far exceeded the HRC's expectations. Ms. Hamilton opened the HRC's presentation to questions from the council members and asked how the HRC might improve its communication collaborative efforts with the Eugene City Council. Ms. Hamilton noted that the HRC members had proposed a council and commission "buddy system" and noted that further details regarding the proposal had been included in the agenda item summary materials. MINUTES— Eugene City Council June 30, 2010 Page 2 Work Session