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Fair Housing and Human Relations Committee
Minutes
2/8/95
Present Florence Baturin, Co-Chair; James R. Brannon;
Mary Haskell; Marion D. de B. Kilson, Co-Chair;
Michelle Waters-Ekanem; Robert Pressman; Ernest
Tsai; Donnalee Farris, Lexington Savings Bank,
candidate; Dan H Fenn, Jr , Board of Selectmen;
Stephen Baran, Fair Housing and Human Relations
Director (recorder)
Absent Leona Martin; James R. Brannon; Peter Brown
Minutes, 1/11/95
The Minutes of 1/11 were approved
School Affirmative Action
Dan Fenn said that he had talked with Jeff Young, Superintendent, and Joe
Dini, School Committee member, about a situation at the Bridge School where
their hiring committee had refused to alter its composition to include a
minority member Dr Young said there was a clear policy calling for balanced
representation that remained in effect and that the discriminatory action
should not have occurred
Bob Pressman reported on a recent School Committee hearing on affirmative
action in which the entire draft of a proposed revised policy was not
distributed The portion which dealt with implementation of the policy was
omitted. Dan Fenn commented that when he was a member of the School Committee
it did all the hiring He questioned the dichotomy between "policy" and
"implementation" but advised that the emphasis should be on making things
happen rather than dwelling on the dichotomy issue Florence Baturin reported
that she had talked with Joe Dini about the recommendations, and he had been
supportive Meetings scheduled to pursue this matter are 1) with candidates
on 2/16 at 7 30 p.m.; with Jeff Young on 2/23 at 3 p.m
Diversity
A committee whose members include Sarah Harrington, Leona Martin and Dan Fenn
is planning a celebration on diversity "without sugar-coating" , i.e , a
recounting of the positives and negatives of the experiences of different
racial/ethnic groups in Lexington They will firm up a plan, call together
some key people who can meet the challenge and watch for leadership to emerge
The target date is May, 1996 (chosen because it comes after the April 19
celebrations and before school vacation) Mickey Hinkle will coordinate during
the initial phase The kiosk concept will be folded into the larger plan
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Fair Housing/Human Relations Committee Minutes, 2/8/95 Page 2
Housing Forum
Steve Baran reported that work is going forward on a Fair Housing Forum with
Michelle Ekanem participating in the planning A planning meeting for
representatives from cities and towns in the area is scheduled for Tuesday,
March 7 at 8 p.m , and the tentative date for the conference is Thursday, May
4 LexHAB and the staff of the Metropolitan Boston Housing Program's Moving to
Opportunity staff will be involved
Fair Housing Banner
Florence will obtain an estimate on the cost of a six-foot-long banner for the
Committee When she has obtained the estimate, Steve will request funding from
the Lexington Savings Bank
Lexington Guide
Florence Baturin was in touch with the Lexington Guide regarding their
omission of mention of the Fair Housing and Human Relations Committee this
year She arranged for the Committee to be listed next year
Membership
Dan Fenn commented that the Selectmen were now attentively reviewing proposals
for candidates to Town Committees in the interest of making committees
balanced
Concern was expressed about the frequency of absence of some members Those
who do miss meetings are expected to contribute in some other way
Grandview Ave.
There was some discussion about Grandview Avenue as an address for proposed
affordable housing under LexHab auspices Dan Fenn offered background
information Earlier, there had been a proposal to build three LexHab houses;
the current proposal was a more modest effort The issue around LexHAB, as
expressed in the Minuteman, was whether it was right for Lexhab to buy open
space and build houses as opposed to buying and renovating existing houses
There was a discussion about sites presently under review such as the Baker
Road area and Grandview Ave Steve Baran was asked to invite Bob Bowyer,
Planning Director, to review available open sites