HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-25-2019 HRC Agenda PacketC y o f C h u l a Vista Boards &C o m o n s
Human Relations Commission
April 25, 2019 Executive Conference Room 103A
6:00 p.m.City Hall, Building A
276 Fourth Avenue
Chula Vista, CA 91910
CALL TO ORDER
ROLL CALL:Commissioners Branch,Felix,Godinez,Gutierrez,Gonzales,Kean-Ayub,Lake,
Medina,Zadah,Vice-Chair Gonzalez, Chair Martinez-Montes
CONSENT CALENDAR (Items 1-2)
The Commission will enact the Consent Calendar staff recommendations by one motion,without
discussion,unless a Commissioner,a member of the public,or staff requests that an item be removed
for discussion.Items pulled from the Consent Calendar will be discussed immediately following the
Consent Calendar.
1.CONSIDERATION OF REQUEST FOR EXCUSED ABSENCE
Request from Commissioners Lake and Medina requesting an excused absence from the March 28,
2019 Human Relations Commission meeting.
Staff recommendation:Commission excuses the absence.
2.APPROVAL OF MINUTES FOR MARCH 28, 2019 REGULAR MEETING
Staff recommendation:Commission approves minutes.
PUBLIC COMMENTS
Persons speaking during Public Comments may address the Board/Commission on any subject matter
within the Board/Commission’s jurisdiction that is not listed as an item on the agenda.State law
generally prohibits the Board/Commission from discussing or taking action on any issue not included
on the agenda,but,if appropriate,the Board/Commission may schedule the topic for future discussion
or refer the matter to staff.Comments are limited to three (3)minutes.
ACTION ITEMS
The Item(s)listed in this section of the agenda will be considered individually by the
Board/Commission and are expected to elicit discussion and deliberation.If you wish to speak on
any item,please fill out a “Request to Speak”form and submit it to the Secretary prior to the meeti ng.
Comments are limited to five (5)minutes.
4.DISCUSSION AND ACTION ON PROPOSED WORKSHOP REGARDING
LAW DAY SUBJECT OF FREE SPEECH, FREE PRESS, AND FREE
SOCIETY AND INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS , A “KNOW YOUR RIGHTS”
WORKSHOP ,INCLUDING PLANNING FOR SUCH PARTICIPATION , AND
DISCUSSION AND ACTION REGARDING IDENTIFICATION OF FUTURE
WORKSHOPS
Staff recommendation: Commission to discuss proposed workshop and take steps to implement,
including identification of partners, content, dates, venues, and creation of HRC ad hoc committee
to assist.
5. UPDATE ON SOUTH BAY EARTH DAY OUTREACH
Staff recommendation: Commissioners who participated to provide update on event activities and
feedback for upcoming events.
6 .DISCUSSION AND ACTION REGARDING POTENTIAL EVENTS/ACTIVITES TO
SUPPORT AND PARTICIPATE IN FOR 2019, SUCH AS, BUT NOT LIMITED TO,
PARTICIPATION IN NATIONAL NIGHT OUT DAY, CHULA VISTA PRIDE DAY,
WELCOMING AMERICA WEEK, HUMAN RIGHTS DAY,INCLUDING
PLANNING FOR SUCH PARTICIPATION
Staff recommendation:Commission to discuss next event for HRC to participate in and take steps
to implement, including scheduling which HRC member to participate and logistics to attend.
7 .DISCUSSION REGARDING MUSLIM COMMUNITY AND HOW TO
SUPPORT SAID COMMUNITY
Staff recommendation:Commission to discuss Muslim community, including recent threats around
the nation to mosques, and how to support said community.
STAFF PRESENTATIONS
The items listed in this section of the agenda will consist of presentations by City staff members.
No action is expected to be taken by the Human Relations Commission om these items. If anymember of the public wishes to speak on any item, please fill out a “Request to Speak” form and
submit it to the Secretary prior to the meeting. Comments are limited to five (5) minutes.
8.UPDATE ON WELCOMING CITY CERTIFICATION
9.PRESENTATION ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND BROWN ACT
OTHER BUSINESS
10.CHAIR’S
COMMENTS
11.COMMISSIONERS’
COMMENTS
12. STAFF’S COMMENTS
ADJOURNMENT to the meeting on Thursday,May 23,2019 at 6:00 p.m.,Executive Conference Room
103A, Building A, at City Hall 276 Fourth Avenue, Chula Vista, California.
Materials provided to the Human Relation Commission related to any open-session item on this agenda
are available for public review in Human Resources Department at City Hall,Building C,Human Resources
Department 276 Fourth Avenue, Chula Vista during normal business hours.
In compliance with the
AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT
The City of Chula Vista requests individuals who require special accommodations to access, attend, and/or
participate in a City meeting,activity,or service, contact the Human Resources Department
(619) 691-5041 (California Relay Service is available for the hearing impaired by dialing 711)
MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING OF THE
HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF CHULA VISTA
March 28,2019 6:00 p.m.
The regular meeting of the Human Relations Commission of the City of Chula was called to order
at 6:01 p.m.in City Hall Conference Room 103 located in Public Services North Bldg.C at 276
Fourth Avenue,Chula Vista,California.
ROLL CALL:
PRESENT:Commissioners Branch,Felix,Godinez,Gonzales,Gutierrez,Kean-Ayub,
Zadah,Vice-Chair Gonzalez and Chair Martinez-Montes
ABSENT:Commissioners Lake and Medina
OHERS PRESENT:Simon Silva and Anne Steinberger
CONSENT CALENDAR (Items 1-2)
1.CONS IDERAT ION OF REQUEST FOR EXSCUSED
Request from Commissioners Zadah and Vice-Chair Gonzalez requesting an excused
absence from the February 28,2019 special Human Relations Commission meeting.
Staff recommendation:Commission excuses the absence.
2.APPROVAL OF MINUTES FOR REGULAR FEBRUARY 28, 2019 MEETING
Staff recommendation:Commission approves minutes.
ACTION:Commissioner Branch moved to approve staff’s recommendation and offered
Calendar Items 1 and 2,headings read,text waived.Commissioner Felix
seconded the motion,and it carried by the following vote:
YES:9-Branch,Felix,Godinez,Gutierrez,Gonzales,Kean-Ayub,
Zadah, Vice-Chair Gonzalez,Chair Martinez-Montes
NO:0
ABSTAIN:0
PUBLIC COMMENTS
There were none.
ACTION ITEMS
3.UPDATE ON WELCOMING CITY CERTIFICATION
Staff recommendation:Commission discuss Welcoming City Audit Report and take such
action(s)as it deems appropriate.
Staff recommendation:Commission take such action(s)as it deems appropriate.
Action:There were none.Will continue to discuss at next meeting.
4.DISCUSSION AND ACTION REGARDING NEXT STEPS, GOALS FOR COMMISSION,
AND POTENTIAL EVENTS/ACTIVITES TO SUPPORT AND PARTICIPATE IN FOR
2019, SUCH AS, BUT NOT LIMITED TO,PARTICIPATION IN NATIONAL NIGHT
OUT DAY,CHULA VISTA PRIDE DAY, WELCOMING AMERICA WEEK,
HUMAN RIGHTS DAY; HOLDING COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS (ON TOPICS
SUCH AS POLICING/CITIZEN COMPLAINTS AND HUMAN RELATIONS);
CONDUCTING OUTREACH VIA SOCIAL MEDIA AND OTHER MEANS;
ENHANCING LANGUAGE ACCESS; REVIEWING DISABILITY ACCESS;
INCREASE INTERACTION WITH CITY COUNCIL; PARTICIPATE IN CITY
EVENTS; AND COLLABORATE WITH OTHER COMMISSIONS (I.E. CHARTER
REVIEW COMMISSION AND HEALTHY CHULA VISTA)
Staff recommendation:Commission take such action(s)as it deems appropriate.Commissioners
encouraged to bring additional ideas for 2019 events/activities to support or participate
Action: There were none. Will continue to discuss bullet points in further detail at next meeting.
OTHER BUSINESS
5.CHAIR COMMENTS
Thanked the Commissioners for making the community a better place.
6.COMMISSIONERS’COMMENTS
There were none.
7.STAFF COMMENTS
Simon stated that minutes are for actions and not dialoged. Per the municipal code actions are to
be recorded.
ADJOURNMENT At 8:02 p.m.Chair Martinez-Montes adjourned the meeting to the meeting on Thursday,
April 25, 2019 at 6:00 p.m.,in Executive Conference Room 103A, Bldg.A, at City Hall 276 Fourth Avenue,
Chula Vista,California.
Summer Haskins,Secretary to the Commission
The Brown Act and
Social Media
SIMON SILVA
DEPUTY CITY ATTORNEY
BROWN ACT
“OPEN MEETINGS LAW”
The Brown Act is the State’s “Open Meetings” Law
It provides:
“All meetings of a legislative body of a local agency shall be open and
public, and all persons should be permitted to attend any meeting of
the legislative body of the local agency” (Gov. Code sec. 54953)
The act applies to City Council and Boards and Commissions.
BROWN ACT
“OPENS MEETINGS LAW”
If a majority of City Council/Commissions meet then the following has to occur:
1.Timely and noticed agenda:
72 hours/24 Hours
Description of subjects to be discussed (20 words or so)
Documents also provided to public
2.Only discuss/act on items on Agenda
3.Allow for Public Participation:
For items on agenda, before action taken
In “Public Comment” section, on matters within subject matter of Council or Board or
Commission
May be critical (but not disruptive)
May record
BROWN ACT
What is a meeting?
A meeting occurs when a quorum of City Council or Board or
Commission communicates with each other on a matter within the
subject matter jurisdiction of the Council or Board or Commission
Government Code section 54952.2 (b)(1) provides:
“ A majority of the members of a legislative body shall not, outside
a meeting authorized by this chapter, use a series of
communications of any kind, directly or through intermediaries, to
discuss, deliberate, or take action on any item of business that is
within the subject matter jurisdiction of the legislative body.”
BROWN ACT
SERIAL MEETINGS
Traditional meeting: a quorum gathers together
A, B, C, D all meet at same time
Serial meeting:
A combination of connections to contact a quorum
A to B, B to C, C to D until A, B, and C all have communicated on same item
A to B, A to C, and A to D until all have communicated on same item
BROWN ACT
MEETINGS
TRADITIONALLY MEETINGS WERE:
IN PERSON
TELEPHONE
LETTERS
BUT NOW:
EMAILS
TEXT MESSAGES
SOCIAL MEDIA
BROWN ACT
Social Media
There are various kinds of social media including:
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
What’s App
Snapchat
Vine
Tumblr
SOCIAL MEDIA IS A DEVELOPING TECHNOLOGY
BROWN ACT
Social Media
Types of communication you can do on the various platforms
Comment
Post
Like
Share
Re-tweet
Send a Snap
Tagging (including # or @)
BROWN ACT
Activities on Social Media may be speech
The types of actions taken on the various social media platforms
can be speech depending on the content/message
Indeed, the Federal Court of Appeal for the 6th Circuit in Bland v.
Roberts (2013) 730 F.3d 368 held that “like” button on Facebook is
speech
Pictures are also speech-remember the adage, “a picture is worth
a thousand words.”
Brown Act
Social Media As Speech
How the following acts may be speech:
Commenting/tweeting/Posting: This is speech like a letter, email, etc..
Sharing/re-tweeting/tagging: By sharing/retweeting you may also be adopting
the content of the post
Liking: The Courts have said it is speech
Snapchat: A picture is speech
Tagging/@/#: by directing them to your post or another post, its akin to bringing
them into the discussion and that post’s message may be adopted
The activity on the social media may convey a message directly (commenting or
tweeting) or indirectly (in the context of sharing/posting/liking it may seen as you
are adopting the message) and, hence, speech
BROWN ACT
Social Media As Speech
The Brown Act may be violated if you engaged in a social media
activity (commenting, liking, sharing) with a quorum and such activity
involves a matter within the HRC’s jurisdiction it may violate the Brown
Act
Guiding principles:
When using social media, think about the content of the activity -the
message it sends.
If it is a message about a matter within the jurisdiction of the HRC do
not send it to a quorum of the members. Also, don’t send it in such
a way, it becomes a serial meeting.
Be cautious about monitoring another’s social media-they may post
messages with the subject matter of HRC and a serial meeting may
occur
BROWN ACT
Social Media As Speech
In sum, most social media activity that is provided to a quorum HRC
and involves communication about a subject of the HR may create
violations of the Brown Act
What about “upcoming events” type messages
If the use of social media is about upcoming events, it may not violate
the Brown Act
For example, you forward a post or share an upcoming event, but provide no
commentary on it, such may be allowable. Akin to when the HRC Agenda is
provided to the HRC members
If so, don’t be discussing it on the social media platform
Brown Act
Social Media
What do other agencies do:
West Hollywood:
“City social media sites shall be managed consistent with the Brown
Act. Members of the City Council, Commissions and/or Boards shall
not respond to, ‘like’, ‘share’, retweet or otherwise participate in any
published postings, or use the site or any form of electronic
communication to respond to, blog or engage in serial meetings, or
otherwise discuss, deliberate, or express opinions on any issue within the
subject matter jurisdiction of the body.”
BROWN ACT
Social Media
What other agencies do:
Aliso Viejo
“City social media sites shall be managed consistent with the Brown
Act (California Government Code section 54950 et seq.). City Council
members should take caution in responding to any published posting,
or using City social media sites or any other form of electronic
communication to respond to, blog, or otherwise discuss, deliberate, or
express opinions on any issue within the subject matter jurisdiction of
the Council because such responses may create a meeting in violation
of the Brown Act.”
Meeting Non-Compliant Core Criteria
Category # Requirement/
Indicator
Description Evidence of Non-Compliance Action Plan
GOVERNMENT
LEADERSHIP
GL 4 Requirement A program is in place to manage a
community-wide plan for immigrant inclusion.
A community plan for immigrant inclusion
has yet to be developed; although there is
clear commitment for plan development
from the HRC, government leaders, and the
community at large.
Develop Community Plan for Immigrant
Inclusion outlining activities and goals to
meet requirements demonstrating:
Government Leadership, Equitable Access,
Connected Communities, Education,
Economic Development, Safe Communities
GOVERNMENT
LEADERSHIP
GL 4.1 Indicator The program includes processes to regularly
assess the needs and priorities of the local
immigrant community in each of the
categories of this standard and use that
feedback to strengthen the plan.
See GL 4 Conduct outreach with community
Develop assessment plan
Incorporate input into Community Plan for
Immigrant Inclusion
GOVERNMENT
LEADERSHIP
GL 4.2 Indicator The program includes processes to engage
cross-sector and diverse stakeholders in the
maintenance and implementation of the plan,
including stakeholders from the immigrant
community and receiving community.
See GL 4 Engage stakeholders: community, City
leaders, City Commissions, City program
leaders (Library, Cultural Arts), partner
agencies
Community Plan for Immigrant Inclusion
EQUITABLE ACCESS EA 2 Requirement A program(s) is in place to ensure language
access across government agencies with the
goal of expanding equitable access to
programs, services, and activities.
Insufficient evidence was provided. While
the City has actively sought to employ
Spanish speakers especially in community
facing positions, language access services
for other language groups is inconsistent
across agencies.
Develop Language Access Plan
Category # Requirement/
Indicator
Description Evidence of Non-Compliance Action Plan
EQUITABLE ACCESS EA 2.1 Indicator The program(s) assesses and addresses
language needs for accessing important
community information including safety
services and emergency and alert systems.
See EA 2 Identify language access efforts established
Formalize and promote existing processes
Identify opportunities to expand language
access
EQUITABLE ACCESS EA 2.2 Indicator The program(s) includes training for staff. See EA 2 Review and promote Staff Training Program
Identify gaps and take steps to enhance
training
CONNECTED
COMMUNITIES
CC 1 Requirement A partnership program(s) is in place to
nurture connections between the immigrant
community and receiving community.
Although several nascent efforts are in the
works (for example the expansion of
Neighbor Day to a citywide event), current
efforts to nurture connections between the
immigrant community and receiving
community are limited.
Collaborate with Internal partners (Library,
Cultural Arts, Recreation) and external
partners (Education providers, arts
programs, CBOs) to identify activities that
nurture connections
Collaborate with partners on existing
events held in the City to expand
connections
Collaborate on new event(s) to nurture
connections between and among resident
communities
Category # Requirement/
Indicator
Description Evidence of Non-Compliance Action Plan
CONNECTED
COMMUNITIES
CC 1.1 Indicator The partnership program(s) brings the
immigrant community and receiving
community together to work on issues of
common interest.
While evidence was shared of significant
past projects, such as community
engagement around the KaBOOM!
playground or districting, insufficient
evidence was provided of current and
consistent programming to meet this
requirement.
Collaborate with Internal partners
(Library, Cultural Arts, Recreation) and
external partners (Education providers,
arts programs, CBOs) to identify
activities the nurture connections
Additional Criteria
Category Total Criteria Complied Non-complied
GOVERNMENT LEADERSHIP 10 6 4
EQUITABLE ACCESS 14 10 4
CIVIC ENGAGEMENT 6 4 2
CONNECTED COMMUNITIES 3 0 3
EDUCATION 9 9 0
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 13 11 2
SAFE COMMUNITIES 3 1 2
OVERALL COMPLIANCE 58 41 17
South Bay Earth Day
April 6, 2019
Human Relations Commission Booth Comments Received
Town Halls – More communication with community
Graffiti
Want to be able to walk safely in city
Homeless in Memorial Park
Put more Jesus in us
Response time west side
West tree maintenance
West Chula Vista More lights/streets
Drug issues
Speeding – Bonita/Telegraph
Vigilant – abandoned cars
Drugs in vehicles/pot
People living in their vehicles
More police presence for parks, too
What are you doing to avoid homeless coming to this beautiful City of Chula Vista
West + East
Drug paraphernalia
Where to call for help? Other than 911
Fire safety issue – businesses up to code
More affordable housing/low income housing
Issue with trash company – competitive business
Timely Manner PD – East Side
Better online response for callers
Gang presence near Central Chula Vista – Graffiti, Burglary
Make the sidewalk bigger
For person with Parkinson’s Disease – crossing signals – make longer or more responsive if person needs
more time
Make every City building easily accessible
Blocked handicap ramps/ West CV
City sidewalks upkeep/cleaning
More resources for the homeless (from 2 residents)
Rents raised residential, small businesses
Taking care of buildings
Visitation Volunteers for Chula Vista VA Retirement Bldg on Naples (especially Bldg A)
My worry is the congestion that will come with the Bayfront Development. Also, are the existing species
that inhabit the bayfront going to be displaced?
Human Relations Commission
The Human Relations Commission serves as an advisory body to provide input and make
recommendations to the Mayor, City Council and City Manager on how best to promote ways in which
the community welcomes and embraces its diversity and safeguards equal opportunities for everyone.
The Human Relations Commission is
addressing the following initiatives:
• Immigration Issues and Policies
• Welcoming City Certification
• Interrelationships between and among
residents
• Collaboration with other City
Commissions
• Language Access
• Disability Access
• LGBTQ Community Support
• Public Safety
• Participation in City Events
• Community Outreach and Engagement
• Other Community Priorities
The Human Relations Commission was re-established in 2017 and held its first meeting in January
2018. The Commission meets the fourth Thursday of every month at 6 p.m. at Chula Vista City Hall,
276 Fourth Ave., Chula Vista, 91910. More information at www.chulavistaca.gov/boards.