BARNSTABLE COUNTY HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION
MINUTES OF MEETING: JANUARY 23, 2012
draft from Coordinator Thomas Ryan, for consideration at HRC meeting of 2.06.12
In attendance: 7 commissioners; absent: Paul Houlihan, Camila Monteiro Santos
Town Rep. from Falmouth
HRC Coordinator
1. Call to Order: Ingrid Muzy Murray called the meeting to order at 5:43 p.m.
2. Public Comment: There was no public comment.
3. Transitions to 2012:
a. The two new HRC commissioners -- Rita Ailinger and Donald Barrett -- introduced themselves and shared some of their background. The returning HRC commissioners also spoke of their work and backgrounds.
b. The election of a new chair and vice-chair was delayed from the start of the meeting, in anticipation of the arrival of Commissioner John Reed, who was not yet present, but had sent word that he would be present. Upon his arrival (as agenda #5 was completed), the election took place.
John Reed was unanimously elected as chair for 2012. Donald Barrett was unanimously elected as vice-chair for 2012.
c. Meeting dates were set for 2012, usually the first Mondays, except as noted, in Room 11 of the Superior Courthouse.
2/06
3/05
4/02
5/07
6/04
(no meeting in July)
8/06
9/10 (2nd Monday, due to Labor Day)
10/01
11/05
12/03
4. Approval of minutes: December 2011. Minutes were unanimously approved.
5. Human Rights Academy:
Michael Medeiros, who recently completed his years of service as an HRC commissioner, is willing to stay on as chair of the HRA committee and work. Due to illness, he had to cancel the committee meeting slated for January 9. Commissioners McDowell and Whitmore agreed to get another meeting scheduled, so that plans for the spring session can continue. Rita Ailinger volunteered for this committee. Town Reps Ballantine and Milsted have also been serving on this committee.
At least as agreed by the HRC in December, the cancelled meeting of January 9 was to have included a meeting with Elizabeth Swanson Goldberg, regarding her recent presentation of her own Human Rights Academy in Sandwich.
The UN Association of Greater Boston will have a program for teachers in our county on March 16. The HRC agreed that coordinator Ryan could send a note about this to HRA faculty advisors, and allow them to contact the UNAGB if they wish.
The UN Association of Greater Boston has also invited the HRC to send someone to this program who can speak about the work of the HRC and the HRA. Such a rep is still to be determined.
6. Human Rights Day: December 10, 2011
Allelements of the program were evaluated and found to be excellent -- the opening music, the keynote speaker, the audience, the facility and food, the awards, the publicity from the Cape Cod Times and the Postal System before and after the event. Almost 150 persons participated, the highest number in the six years of HRC doing this program.
All agreed to start earlier in planning the event and publicity for December 10, 2012.
7. Budget Process:
The HRC commissioners have been invited to meet with the County Commissioners on 1/25. Commissioners Reed, McDowell, and Barrett indicated that they could form the HRC delegation. Some talking points were discussed:
- the great success of the HRA autumn session
- the great success of the breakfast speaker and awards event on 12/10.
- the various efforts at outreach, such as with J-1 visa students and on Nantucket.
These points will be collated and supplemented by Commissioner McDowell and Coordinator Ryan on 1.24.
Future dates in the budget process for the HRC are:
Wednesday, 2/15/12, 4:00 p.m. Assembly of Delegates meeting -- submittal of County Commissioners' proposed budget for FY 2013 (July 1, 2012-June 30, 2013)
Wednesday, 3/17/12, 1:30 p.m. Assembly's Standing Committee on Health and Human Services -- discussion of HRC budget. Thi is the most important meeting for HRC participation.
Wednesday, April 4, 2:00 p.m. Assembly's Finance Committee receives reports of other committee chairs, including Health and Human Services, re: HRC.
Wednesday, April 18, 3:00 p.m. Assembly's Finance Committee holds a public hearing on the budget. Depending on the outcome of the prior meeting, this meeting's importance for HRC can be evaluated.
Wednesday, May 2, 4:00 p.m. Assembly votes on the budget.
8. Reports from Strategic Planning Committees
There were no reports. The plan will be discussed at the HRC meeting of 2/6.
9. Process for Town Representatives being appointed:
This was tabled to a future meeting. The chair and coordinator will meanwhile work on preparing and sending a letter to all boards of selectmen.
10. Adjourn
The public meeting adjourned at 7:32 p.m.
An executive session was convened at 7:33 p.m., and adjourned at 8:27 p.m.