Auburn Human Rights Commission
Minutes from meeting May 7, 2003
Members: Present (P; Absent, (A); Excused (E)
Karen Sheftic-Burns, Ex.Dir. P Fred Richardson, Comm.; P
Zan Liebowitz, Sec.; E Judah Rodriguez-Sierra; E
Fr. Stephen Mack; P Loretta Snell; E
Gwendolyn M. Jones; E Valerie Bauhofer; E
Kent Brandstetter; P Anthony DeCaro; P
Members Present: 4 ; Members Absent: 0; Members Excused: 5
No quorum. General meeting of members.
Director’s Report for May 2003
· Monthly intakes (50) consisting of questions and complaints dealing with eviction/housing matters, employment/termination, legal assistance and various questions concerning human rights matters.
· Discussion of intakes.
· Update on Annual Report 2002: copy/layout is near completion. We have the stats from Legal Services and the break down from HR is complete. There’s a possibility that a new art CD will be used for this layout if we’ve exhausted all useful creative efforts on the current CD. Appointment with Printer Representative to be set and Claim to be completed during this fiscal budget.
Members discuss encumbering budgetary funds for printing at a later date. This will happen upon gaining access to our office in City Hall. Due to construction within the building, some files cannot be reached until returning to our original office site.
· Juneteenth Day UPDATE: Director and Commissioner have consulted on the J-Day site and agree to have the program at BTW Community Center – with their approval as per Brent Logue. HR has outgrown the site at the Harriet Tubman grounds and we are in need of a large space with easy accessibility. Our Presenter (who has been contacted with the site change information) is a high-energy “speaker” with a voice that carries well in a gymnasium. All media efforts are complete at this time with notices mailed to service organizations, churches, schools, politicians plus public service announcements and press releases completed and mailed
to newspapers and cable television, radio, etc. As of this writing, HR has nearly 100 confirmed attendees for the program. Currently awaiting a response from Wegmans for their anticipated annual sponsorship
Members discuss Juneteenth Day and the need for the extra room due to the growth of the program. Our Presenter will have her accompaniment this year for even greater interaction with our large student audience. Human Rights Student Volunteer and Senior at Auburn High School, John Liberatore, will be honored at this program. Members discuss what type of appreciation acknowledgment should be bestowed upon our volunteer that assisted HR with the Awards Program for three years.
· Attended Homsite monthly board meeting. Discussion concerning housing.
· HR Scholarship UPDATE: bulk mailing netted $200 in responses. Fundraiser raffles plus TomatoFest sales net: $218. Total as of this printing equals $418. The number will change as Commission members show their sales efforts.
Commission Members discuss the amount of money raised. Members also review/discuss applications from student candidates applying for the HR Scholarship. The chosen recipient for this year’s scholarship is: Thomas F. Keegan. Auburn High School will be notified for the upcoming Awards Program at the school.
· Currently, the HR office Director is working out of her home-based office with access to the messages deposited on the HR voice-mail system. HR appointments and Legal Service appointments are held on the first floor conference room located directly off of the Council Chambers. The HR office has been covered in plastic to keep materials as dust-free as possible with a double wrapping of items expected from the construction crew. Current work folders/disks/reference materials, etc. are moved off-site for accessibility.
Members discuss the construction and changes at City Hall. Services will continue as usual with information posted on the Human Rights Office door.
Meeting closed at 6:15 pm
THE NEXT HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION MEETING WILL BE ON WED., JUNE 3 AT 5:OO PM AT THE AME ZION CHURCH,
WALL STREET, AUBURN. Please call 255-4122 if not attending.
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