HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018-08-23 HRC MinutesMINUTES OF A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE
HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF CHULA VISTA
August 23, 2018 6:00 p.m.
The regular meeting of the Human Relations Commission of the City of Chula was called to order at 6:04
p.m. in HR Conference Room B111-B112 located in Public Services North Bldg. C at 276 Fourth Avenue,
Chula Vista, California.
ROLL CALL
PRESENT: Commissioners Branch, Felix, Godinez (arrived 6:28 p.m.), B. Gonzales (arrived 6:23
p.m.), Lake, Medina, Zadah, and Chair Martinez-Montes
ABSENT: Commissioners Bordeaux, D. Gonzalez
OTHERS: Secretary Jay Agan, Director of Human Resources Courtney Chase, City Attorney Glen
Googins, Police Captain Vern Sallee, and Marketing & Communications Manager Anne
Steinberger
PUBLIC COMMENTS
• Maggi Baker of South Bay People Power spoke about:
- The Trump Administration filed an appeal of USA v. California
- South Bay People Power observed the federal court cases to document ways in which
“Zero Tolerance” and “Operation Streamline” are interfering with due process for
asylum-seekers and undocumented immigrants
- Advocated for refugee resettlement by writing to the Trump Administration to raise
the US refugee ceiling to a minimum of 75,000 arrivals for the next year, and calling
Senator Corker (Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee) to urged him to
oppose the nomination of Ronald Mortensen as head of the Bureau of Population,
Refugees, and Migration
- Welcoming Week is scheduled for September 14-23, 2018 and encouraged the
Commission to ask the City Council to proclaim the week of Sept 14 as “Welcoming
Week” in the City of Chula Vista
CONSENT CALENDAR
1. WRITTEN COMMUNICATION
E-mail from Commissioners Brodeaux requesting an excused absence from the July 26, 2018
regular Human Relations Commission meeting
Staff recommendation: Commission excuses the absence
2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES of July 26, 2018
Staff recommendation: Commission approves the minutes
ACTION: Commissioner Medina moved to approve staff’s recommendation and offered Consent
Calendar Items 1 and 2, headings read, text waived. Commissioner Branch seconded the
motion, and it carried by the following vote:
YES: 6 – Medina, Branch, Felix, Lake, Martinez- Montes, Zadah
NO: 0
ABSTAIN: 0
3. STAFF COMMENTS (Part 1 of 2)
• Police Captain Vern Sallee spoke about the August 15, 2018 incident that occurred at
SDG&E park
- Confrontation between juveniles and police officers
- A female juvenile threw an empty water at a police sergeant which prompted a police
officer to use force to subdue the juvenile
- Increase crime and graffiti in the area
- Increase calls from the local school and neighbors reporting of incidents which resulted
with one additional patrol car in the area
- Police department launched an investigation
ACTION ITEM:
4. DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON A RESOLUTION RECOMMENDING CITY
COUNCIL TO OPPOSE THE FEDERAL ACTIONS TO LIMIT IMMIGRATION ACCESS
FROM SPECIFIED COUNTRIES
Staff recommendation: Commission take such action(s) as it deems appropriate
ACTION: There was none.
• City Staff will e-mail updated draft resolution to Commissioner Zadah for review
• Commissioner Zahad will reach out to local Muslim organizations for feedback on the
update resolution
• Goal is to review the final product for September 27, 2018 Human Relations Commission
meeting
5. AD HOC COMMITTEE UPDATES, DISCUSSIONS AND POSSIBLE ACTIONS TO
FURTHER IMPLEMENT CITY APPLICATION FOR CERTIFIED WELCOMING CITY
STATUS
Staff recommendation: Commission take such action(s) as it deems appropriate
ACTION: There was none.
• Anne presented the online Welcoming City’s application
• Each Ad Hoc Committee will meet with Anne to upload the required documents and links
onto the application no later than the third week of September 2018
• Goal to submit Certified Welcoming City no later than October 2018
6. CHAIR’S COMMENTS
• Thanked Staff for having Police Captain Vern Sallee for speaking to the Commission
7. COMMISSIONER’S COMMENTS
• Commissioner Felix stated:
- Updated the Commission regarding to the LGBTQ Proclamation that he received by
City Council
- City will fly the rainbow flag
• Commissioner Medina stated:
- He wanted to go on record that he had a difficult time with Captain Sallee’s
presentation
- Has a hard time dealing with reactionary work
- Wanted to ensure that both the City and the community is moving in the right
direction
- Questioned how to heal relationships with the community
- Wished to have the youth to be present at the meeting
- Frustrated to know that millions of dollars is being pumped into the community
from Promised Neighborhood and questioned the positive interventions that are in
place
8. STAFF’S COMMENTS (Part 2 of 2)
• City Attorney Glen Googins stated:
- He has been trying to contact with Chris Hulburt from, National Conflict Resolution
Center, to set up a day to present to City Council
- Recommended Chair Martinez-Montes or another Commissioner to attend the
presentation
- Suggested to invite the Police Chief to speak after the completion of the investigation
of SDG&E park
• Director of Human Resources Courtney Chase stated:
- Commissioner Bordeaux resigned from the Commission
- The City received tentative 2018 ranking by the Human Rights Campaign. Score
currently in the mid 90’s and City has provided additional information with hope of
obtaining score of 100
ADJOURNMENT At 7:29 p.m. Chair Martinez-Montes adjourned the meeting to the regular meeting
on September 27, 2018 at 6:00 p.m. in the HR Conference Room B111-B112
located in Public Services North Bldg. C at 276 Fourth Avenue, Chula Vista,
California.
Jay Agan, Secretary to the Commission