Human Relations Commission Meeting Minutes - December 16, 2021

The Regular Meeting of the Board of Human Relations Commissioners of the City of Fargo, North Dakota, was held in the Commission Chambers at City Hall at 12:00 p.m., Thursday, December 16, 2021.

The Human Relations Commissioners present or absent were as follows:

Present: Matuor Alier, Barry Nelson, Hamida Dakane, Cody Severson, Ahmed Shiil, Carolyn Becraft, Nancy Boyle (via conference call), Sarah Boonstoppel, Cheryl Schaefle

Absent: Jed Locquiao, Abdiwali Sharif-Abdinasir

Item 1. Welcome and Introductions
Chair Alier welcomed Members to the meeting and introductions were made.

Item 2. Approve Order of Agenda
Member Becraft moved the Order of Agenda be approved as presented. Second by Member Schaefle. All Members present voted aye and the motion was declared carried.

Item 3. Approve Order of Minutes
Member Nelson moved the minutes of the November 18, 2021 Human Relations Commission meeting be approved as presented. Second by Member Dakane. All Members present voted aye and the motion was declared carried.

Item 4. Public Comment
No public comment was provided.

Item 5. Approve Vision & Mission Statement
Chair Alier noted that an updated mission and vision statement was compiled and is in front of the Board for review.

Discussion was held on the words conciliation and mediation in the mission statement, including gender identity, and the audience of the mission statement.

Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Dr. Terry Hogan spoke on the draft.

Member Nelson moved to amend the mission statement to include sexual orientation and gender identity. Second by Member Becraft. All Members present voted aye and the motion was declared carried.

Assistant City Attorney Alissa Farol spoke on the conciliation and mediation wording.

Member Becraft moved to approve the mission and vision statements as amended. Second by Member Schaefle. All Members present voted aye and the motion was declared carried.

Item 6. Staff Report
Dr. Hogan shared that the Police Oversight Advisory Board will meet later this week. He provided an update on the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day event noting that the event will be conducted through the North Dakota Human Rights Coalition in 2022. Subsequent years the event will be conducted through the Human Relations Commission.

Discussion was held on the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day event. Member Nelson noted the 2022 event will be in-person and virtual.

Discussion continued regarding the importance of the recognition awards.

Fargo Police Sgt. Cristie Jacobsen provided additional information on the Police Oversight Advisory Board and the applications received to the Fargo Police Department for the upcoming Police Academy.

Item 7. Announcements
City Commissioner John Strand extended his thanks to Board Members for their public service and outreach.

Jamie Garvey spoke on behalf of the Fargo Fire Department and their recruitment.

Item 8. Adjourn
The time at adjournment was 12:40 p.m.