HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-06-12-LHRC-min-copyTown of Lexington Human Rights Committee
Meeting Minutes for Wednesday,June 12,2024
Conducted in in person and remotely on Zoom
LHRC MEMBERS PRESENT
Christina Lin,Chair (CL);Dana Bickelman (DB);Colleen Dunbar,Lexington Police Department (CD);
Stephanie Stonefish Ryan (SR);Courtney Apgar,Clerk (CA)
Liaisons:Eileeen Jay,School Committee (EJ),Mark Sandeen,Select Board (MS)
The minutes recorded by Courtney Apgar,LHRC Clerk
1.Welcome/Call to order
a.Quorum was met with 5 members present
b.Suggestion by CL to sign up for the LexPride newsletter to stay abreast of Pride
events in Lexington
2.Minutes Approval
a.Minutes to be approved at next meeting
3.RFP on Lowell St Parcel
a.No comments by LHRC
4.LHRC CHarge
a.Language on removal of members does not exist on other committee charges.
i.MS sees no reason for LHRC to have that language when other committees do
not.Per MS:Questions about how members are removed should be taken up
with Select Board and/or Town Counsel.No committees have the ability to
remove members from their own committee,as appointments are through
Select Board or Town Moderator.
ii.Plan is to remove that language from LHRC charge.
b.Appointment of members
i.Change from Select Board and Town Manager to appoint members to just
Select Board
ii.Suggestion to change members from School Committee,Police Department,
and Town Staff to liaisons (non-voting members)
1.CL suggests keeping committee to 9 members,which means
appointing 3 more members to replace members being moved to
liaison status.General agreement of members present.
2.MS cautions that enlarging the committee can become
burdensome.
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3.Right now,LHRC has 6 voting members (once aforementioned
members are moved to liaisons).Need an odd number of
members.
4.CL:5 is too small,so perhaps 7.
5.Change quorum to be defined as a majority of member then in
office.
iii.Discussion of whether LHRC should have a member of LPS administration as
well as a School Committee member,as their perspective is often different
than that of School Committee.Should discuss with LPS.
1.Per EJ,it has historically been one or the other,depending on
availability.In recent history,has been School Committee
member.
iv.MS:This charge does not resemble other committee charges,so might be
important to look at other charges and align format to match.
v.Advisory Council
1.Goal is to ensure that LHRC is hearing from people representing
the diversity of citizens in Lexington,even when the committee
does not reflect that diversity
vi.Select Board will take up LHRC charge on June 24th,2024
5.Committee Updates and inputs/suggestions
a.Liaison to committees
i.Lexington Interfaith Community Association (LICA)is looking for a liaison
from LHRC
1.DB is willing to assume that role
ii.Commission on Disability looking for Liaison
1.CA will take that role
iii.Council on Aging is also looking
1.DB already goes to those meetings,so will take that role
iv.Lexington United Against Antisemitism (LUAA)
1.CL and SH already go,but could use another liaison
v.CD suggests that we at the least try to make sure a member is able to attend
community events if possible.
b.Social gathering in Aug/Sept
i.Plan for week of 8/12/24.Will discuss further when more members are
present.
c.Meeting formats for next cycle
i.Do we want to meet twice per month?
1.Twice is harder to schedule,but allows us to be more reactive to
events
2.Could call second meeting when we have more to discuss,but
scheduling is an issue.
1625 MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE •LEXINGTON,MASSACHUSETTS 02420
3.Meeting once means meetings of 90-120 minutes
4.Perhaps earmark time for second meeting,but only actually
attend when we have business to discuss,and plan for second
meeting to always be remote.
d.Loretta Ross online class 7/23-8/15
i.Training course for “Calling In”that meets evenings,tuesdays and thursdays,
remotely.
ii.Town would cover the cost of the course for LHRC members.
iii.CA and SR can take the course.CL will follow up with members not in
attendance.
e.Member updates
i.DB:citizen wants to bring a documentary about Gaza to the community
center and host a potential screening with some part of proceeds going to
charities benefitting Gaza.What does LHRC think.
1.SR recommends that someone on the committee prescreens the
film for content before getting involved.
2.Sounds like a fundraiser,so maybe would make more sense to
hold it at the depot or Venue.Should not be associated with the
town unless changed to a free screening.
ii.School Comittee has elected Eileen Jay as Chair.
iii.Questions about special education enrollment have come up around space
availability (students have been placed out of disctrict due to space).
Presentation given about this issue at last School Committee meeting.
1.Autism has become primary diagnosis.Data about recent
enrollment can be found at link in last School Committee
meeting agenda.
iv.LUAA presentation recently about rise of White Nationalism and role
antisemitism plays in the movement.“Skin in the Game,”article by Eric Ward
about this issue worth reading to address how we think about who belongs.
1.Important to think about how we show support without fueling
hate.
2.How do we help with polarization in the upcoming election
season?
a.Braver Angels is a group that helps facilitate
conversations like these.
6.Vote for Chair and Vice Chair will be taken up in the fall
7.Meeting adjourned at 10:o5AM
8.Next Meeting is Wednesday,June 26,2024 at 9:00 AM
1625 MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE •LEXINGTON,MASSACHUSETTS 02420