HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018-09-27 HRC MinutesMINUTES OF A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE
HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF CHULA VISTA
September 27, 2018 6:00 p.m.
The regular meeting of the Human Relations Commission of the City of Chula was called to order at
6:02 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, Gutierrez, Lake, Medina, Vice-Chair
Gonzalez, and Chair Martinez-Montes
ABSENT: Commissioners B. Gonzales, and Zadah
OTHERS: Police Department’s Community Advisory Committee Co-Chair Norma Cazares,
Director of Human Resources Courtney Chase, City Attorney Glen Googins, Police
Chief Roxana Kennedy, and Marketing & Communications Manager Anne Steinberger
INFORMATIONAL ITEMS
1. INTRODUCTION OF HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSIONER RICARDO GUTIERREZ
• 25 years with the of San Diego Social Services at the South Bay offices
2. PRESENTATION REGARDING THE ROLE AND FUNCTION OF THE CITY OF CHULA
VISTA POLICE DEPARTMENT’S COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE BY
COMMITTEE CO-CHAIR, NORMA CAZARES AND CHIEF OF POLICE ROXANA
KENNEDY WITH ADDITIONAL COMMENTS FROM CHIEF KENNEDY REGARDING
CVPD EFFORTS TO ADVANCE CITY WELCOMING CITY OBJECTIVES
• Community Advisory Committee Co-Chair Norma Cazares stated:
o Community Advisory Committee (CAC) is a diverse group that
represents all groups of Chula Vista
o Confident that the City is looking into the SDG&E Park incident and
the Committee making sure the City is looking into the matter
o Inquiring about additional training opportunities
o CAC has assisted with immigration guidelines, domestic violence
protocols, sex offender residency, homeless outreach team, Grand Jury
reports, and more
o The SDG&E Park incident on August 15, 2018 is not a Police
Department issue, it is a City issue
• Chief of Police Roxana Kennedy stated:
o Police Department partners with CAC to work on the issues in the
community
o Invited Human Relations Commissioners to participate in ride-a-longs
o Working with Anne to complete the Welcoming City objectives
o Will work with Norma Cazares to create a CAC website that will list
agendas and minutes
o CVPD Officers get 90 hours of training every two years exceeding the
State required 24 hours of training
o Homeless Outreach is finding resources and aiding the homeless
o Increase in officer hiring due to officers retiring
o CVPD collaborates with various community partners (People Power,
Spanish radio, school partnerships, and South Bay Community
Services)
CONSENT CALENDAR
3. CONSIDERATION OF REQUEST FOR EXCUSED ABSENCE
E-mail from Vice-Chair Gonzalez requesting an excused absence from the August 23, 2018
regular Human Relations Commission meeting
Staff recommendation: Commission excuses the absence.
4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES of August 23, 2018
Staff recommendation: Commission approves the minutes.
ACTION: Commissioner Felix moved to approve staff’s recommendation and offered Calendar
Items 3 and 4, headings read, text waived. Commissioner Medina seconded the motion,
and it carried by the following vote:
YES: 8 – Felix, Medina, Branch, Godinez, Gutierrez, Gonzales, Lake,
Martinez-Monte
NO: 0
ABSTAIN: 0
• Commissioner Medina requested a correction to the Commissioner Comments
regarding to his comments
PUBLIC COMMENTS
• Maggi Baker stated:
o Additional concern is needed proposed changes for the public charge
rules for immigrants
o New rules will have drastic effect on families
o Work on the communication plan to get the word out of how policies
are affecting families
o Education for immigrant rights
ACTION ITEM:
5. CONSIDER AND TAKE ACTION ON PROPOSED RESOLUTION AND
RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL TO OPPOSE DISCRIMINATORY POLICIES
THAT LIMIT IMMIGRATION ACCESS FROM SPECIFIED COUNTRIES
Staff recommendation: Commission take such action(s) as it deems appropriate.
ACTION: Commission Lake recommended that the resolution be approved with changes pending
Commissioner Zadah’s approval. Commissioner Medina seconded the motion, and it
carried by the following vote:
YES: 8 – Lake, Medina, Branch, Felix, Godinez, Gutierrez, Gonzalez,
Martinez-Montes
NO: 0
ABSTAIN: 0
6. AD HOC COMMITTEE UPDATES, DISCUSSIONS AND POSSIBLE ACTIONS TO
FURTHER IMPLEMENT CITY APPLICATION FOR CERTIFIED WELCOMING CITY
STATUS
Staff recommendation: Ad Hoc Committees provide updates and take appropriate actions to
further and finalize City’s Welcoming City application.
ACTION: There was none.
o Courtney Chase stated goal is to submit application by the end of
October 2018.
7. DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING CORRESPONDENCE FROM
AMERICAN FRIENDS SERVICE COMMITTEE IN CONNECTION WITH INCIDENT AT
SDG&E PARK ON AUGUST 15, 2018
Staff recommendation: Commission take such action(s) as it deems appropriate.
ACTION: Chair Martinez-Montes recommended that she and Commissioner Medina draft a
response letter for American Friends Service Committee and submit to staff for review
by the second week of October 2018. Commissioner Branch seconded the motion and
it was carried by the following vote:
YES: 8 – Martinez-Montes, Branch, Felix, Godinez, Gutierrez, Gonzales,
Lake, Medina
NO: 0
ABSTAIN: 0
OTHER BUSINESS
8. CHAIR’S COMMENTS
• Chair Martinez- Montes stated:
o Provided update on City flag raising for Pride Day
o Welcoming Week Proclamation at City Council
9. COMMISSIONERS’ COMMENTS
• Commissioner Medina stated:
o Would like to get additional assistance with Maggi Baker’s request of
additional communication
o Suggested that the HRC participate in the Starlight Parade
• Commissioner Lake stated:
o Would like action regarding to the green card approval being linked to
pubic services
• Commissioner Felix stated:
o Agrees with Commissioner Medina that Chula Vista is rising in status
with immigration and with LGBTQ
• Commissioner Godinez stated:
o 340 employees from United Technology plant will be impacted when
the plant moves to Mexico
o Possibility of assisting the impacted employees
• Vice-Chair Gonzalez stated:
o Early voting begins on October 8, 2018
10. STAFF’S COMMENTS
• Director of Human Resources Courtney Chase stated:
o Chula Vista shared the third spot, with New York, in the New
American Economy’s Cities Index
o Has a conference call with the Census Bureau
• City Attorney Glen Googins stated:
o The Code of Civil Discourse is schedule to go in front of City Council
on October 16, 2018 and suggested to move the agenda to be placed on
the October 23, 2018 City Council meeting
ADJOURNMENT At 7:56 p.m. Chair Martinez-Montes adjourned the meeting to the regular
meeting on October 25, 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