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MEMORANDUM <br />Office of the Mayor and Council <br />Date: June 11, 1996 <br />To: Honorable Mayor and Councilmembers /, y� - <br />From: Councilm0 (�ember Deirdre H. Bennett .'td'• # <br />Subject: Consideration of Formation of Commission of Human Relations <br />Council Meeting of June 18, 1996 <br />In Los Angeles, they have formed a Commission to address the issues of Human <br />Relations. I would like this Council to discuss the possibility of forming a Commission <br />similar to the Los Angeles Human Relations Commission. It is in my opinion that such a <br />Commission would help our community deal with our differences and ultimately reach a <br />consensus that will benefit everyone. I strongly believe that the many concerns facing <br />our community can be resolved with the aid of a Human Relations Commission. Below, <br />I have provided some background information on the Human Relations Network. <br />BACKGROUND INFORMATION <br />The following news article from the County of Los Angeles Commission on Human <br />Relations publication titled In Touch: Volume 24/Issue 1 - Winter 1995, focused on a <br />local human relations organization: <br />"Human Relations Network <br />On December 7 the <br />Commission, in collaboration with <br />the Museum of Tolerance, <br />convened a conference of local <br />human relations task forces, <br />councils and commissions. The <br />effort is the first step in <br />developing a mutual support <br />system for delivery of human <br />relations services Countywide. <br />Only ten cities in the <br />County have human relations <br />organizations. The first were <br />formed in the 1950s, the newest <br />ones in 1994. Most have little or <br />no staff. Some have office <br />facilities, some don't. Some rely <br />upon membership dues and <br />fundraising to pay expenses. <br />Others have municipal budget <br />allocations -- through the City <br />Mayor's Office, the Health <br />Department, or the Human Service <br />and Park Commission, for example. <br />Commission members <br />may be appointees of the Mayor or <br />Council. Human relations Council <br />and Task Force members may be <br />voted in by other members, or may <br />simply volunteer. City <br />Commissions are advisory. Task <br />forces and Council may or may not <br />have official relationship to <br />government. <br />Program emphases vary, <br />too. They include hate crime, <br />holocaust studies, open forams, <br />research and community education, <br />and cultural diversity celebrations. <br />Recently, one of three <br />discussion groups at the meeting of <br />local human relations organizations <br />was held. The conference kept with <br />a Board of Supervisors' action <br />directing the Commission to work <br />with the County's 88 cities for increased <br />understanding and tolerance. <br />All this was discussed in <br />small groups and informal conversations <br />throughout the conference day. <br />Participants were eager to begin <br />exchanging information on their <br />objectives and methods, discussing <br />current issues, gaining access to <br />additional resources, and considering <br />goals for a human relations network. <br />The conference is in keeping <br />with a Board of Supervisors' action <br />directing the Commission to work with <br />the County's 88 cities for increased <br />understanding and tolerance. While the <br />motion by Supervisor Antonovich <br />responded to anti-Semitic activity, the <br />Commission is planning a mechanism to <br />help communities deliver effective <br />human relations services when any <br />group is subjected to discrimination or <br />prejudice." <br />DHB:adf <br />Agenda Item No.� <br />