CC Minutes - 11/16/11 Work Session

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Mr. Pryor commended the work plan. He was pleased that the HRC was able to see the connections between the work it did and the work of other groups and organizations. That approach created a much stronger network and helped the City make progress toward its goals. He looked forward to seeing how the HRC could make that network and its collaborations even more effective. Mr. Farr believed the HRC could accomplish what Mr. Pryor desired through its coordination with other entities and its focus on the third leg of the Triple Bottom Line, social equity. He suggested that other commissions consider scheduling a regular agenda item regarding social equity. Mr. Zelenka commended the work plan as exactly what he wanted to see and recognized that it reflected the council's listening session with the HRC. He asked how other listening sessions had affected the work plan. Ms. Gyatso said the work plan reflected many of the major themes the HRC had been able to identify as a result of the listening sessions. Mr. Neubeck agreed. He described the scope of the HRC's outreach, which involved more than 600 people. He said as a result of the project the HRC's work program was more flexible and responsive to the community and the concerns expressed by the council. He said the HRC's main challenge had been organizational, and commissioners had agreed to restructure the meeting format so more time was spent on the individual work groups. Ms. Wells added that staff had interviewed present and past commissioners and heard about the issues they had struggled with. The HRC also heard heart- breaking stories from the community about people's lives. Those stories gave the commission and staff a sense of the scope and interconnectedness of the problems people were facing. That required the commission to consider its allies and how to be more intentional with its resources and time. The HRC had solicited solutions from the community as well as issues, and approached the work plan by thinking about it could be achieved and how the commission could be accountable to the work plan. Mr. Zelenka endorsed the proposed meeting structure, the work plan's focus on homelessness, and the commission's liaison system. He determined from Ms. Wells that the former members of the Accessibility Committee would serve on the new Eugene Disability Advisory Committee to assist with the transition. Ms. Taylor asked if the commission was doing anything to prevent homelessness for those who became homeless because they could not pay large utility bills. Ms. Gyatso said that utility bills resulting in homelessness had not been raised as a topic but it was something that the HRC could consider. Ms. Taylor recalled that a former commissioner suggested to her the HRC did not care about human rights for those who were not part of a protected class. Ms. Wells said the HRC listened to everyone, including people who did not support the HRC's existence. Human Rights staff attempted to assist all those who came to the City with concerns, not just those in protected classes. Ms. Taylor was happy to hear that. Mr. Clark commended the commission's work plan. Referring to Objective 3.3, Respond to and advocate for the removal of impediments to immigrant integration within the Eugene community, Mr. Clark asked what was envisioned in that regard. Mr. Neubeck anticipated the HRC would work with community groups who worked with immigrants, such as Centro Latino Americano. The focus of the effort would be on how to make immigrants feel welcome, safe, secure, and included in the community. He said the HRC would make connections with those groups and lend a hand to work already in progress. Mr. Brown also commended the work plan and its emphasis on homelessness. He was happy to have more people working on the problem., He commended the HRC's intention to reach out to the schools MINUTES— Eugene City Council November 16, 2011 Page 2 Work Session