HomeMy WebLinkAbout1998-12-16-FHHR-min.pdf FAIR HOUSING AND HUMAN RELATIONS COMMITTEE
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MINUTES
12/16/98
Present: Ralph Clifford, Chair; Florence Baturin; Bensen Chiou; Margaret Cole;
Kathryn Davis; Michelle Ekanem; Tom Montanari; Dan Fenn, Selectmen
liaison; Kamla Raj, guest; Steve Baran, staff and recorder
Absent: Beverly Goodridge
Minutes
The Minutes of 10/28 and 11/18 were approved
Diversity Brochure
Kathryn Davis and Steve Baran will meet to work on changes to the diversity brochure.
It was suggested that there be less emphasis on names of persons connected with
organizations. This could be moved to the Lexington web site.
Membership
Kamla Raj expressed her interest in the work of the committee and is considering
becoming a member She will receive an agenda and minutes for the next meeting of
the committee. Letters are being sent to members of the real estate community, and a
notice is being run in the Minuteman.
Affirmative Action
1 A letter from Ralph Clifford to Rick White was distributed.
2. Gerri Weathers has been suggested to the Town Manager's office by the Fair
Housing Committee as a community representative to the Affirmative Action
Working Group.
3. An American Association of University Women four-town (Lexington, Bedford,
Lincoln and Concord) initiative has been undertaken. Florence Baturin felt that
Rick White and Dan Fenn had been very helpful in this regard. The town
managers seem committed, and they are developing a broad-based agenda
including a spring workshop that will involve police, fire and town office
personnel.
4 A review of the skill matrix used in hiring was recommended.
( 5 There is no common training and approach between "school" and "town"
6. The approach to locating minorities in the application process is lacking.
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7 The Town has been successful in recruiting women for positions traditionally
held by men and hiring men for roles traditionally held by women.
8. It was suggested that the Affirmative Action Working Group might examine how
historically new employees have entered the workforce.
9 Lexington should try to separate what part of the problem stems from internal
dynamics and what part is owed to externalities over which we have no control,
e.g. transportation. If it costs too much to live in Lexington, that may be
considered a broader political problem. On the other hand, there are nearby
communities—Malden, Medford—which do have affordable housing.
10. It was felt that any lack of progress to date was due more to neglect than any
deliberate act of omission or commission.
11 The Committee's role will be to monitor rather than make this their primary
interest.
FAIR HOUSING COMMITTEE WORK PLAN
Everyone was asked to come to the next meeting with a couple of interests they wished
the Committee to explore.
DIVERSITY AMONG TOWN POLITICIANS
It was noted that the number of minorities on town committees had doubled. Although
Dan Fenn had noted this at a meeting of the Selectmen, the Minuteman did not report
it. It was thought that this might be done in relation to Martin Luther King Day
There was some discussion about inserting a letter from the Committee in the
Minuteman encouraging minorities to run for town meeting (January 11 deadline) while
noting certain sameness on the Town Meeting floor It was concluded that informal
communication might be the best approach pending further discussion on why
minorities failed to run and what kinds of publicity were useful in encouraging
participation
It was felt that there should be some indication that minorities' contribution would be
valued and that the next step after taking part in boards and committees was to be
active in Town Meeting. LexFest! was suggested as one vehicle for accomplishing this.
FUTURE SCHEDULING
The Committee will meet on the fourth Wednesday of every month except in January
Fhmin.doc