HomeMy WebLinkAbout1999-03-24-FHHR-min.pdf FAIR HOUSING AND HUMAN RELATIONS COMMITTEE
MINUTES
3/24/99
Present: Ralph Clifford, Chair Margaret Cole; Michelle Ekanem; Tom Montanari;
Steve Baran, staff and recorder; Gerri Weathers, guest.
Absent: Florence Baturin; Bensen Chiou; Kathryn Davis; Michelle Ekanem;
Beverly Goodridge
Minutes
The Minutes of 2/24/99 were approved
Affirmative Action Working Group
It was agreed that Tom Montanari should represent the Fair Housing and Human
Relations Committee as their representative.
Gerri Weathers reported on her impressions of the Affirmative Action Working Group:
1 Gayle Shattuck, personnel officer, told Gerri that the town was not successful in
hiring minorities.
2. Gerri investigated use of a grid for defining abilities, asked about the extent to which
other staff provided oversight into use of this instrument.
3. The Working Group viewed a video of an African-American high school senior
speaking at the Martin Luther King event. He related his experience of being
followed when shopping.
4 Gerri affirmed that there was a need to examine the recruitment process. She had
previously consulted with the schools on their hiring methods.
5. It was agreed that the Fair Housing Committee report which was circulated only
among the Selectmen prior to the formation of the Affirmative Action Working Group
should be distributed among its members. The report showed underrepresentation
of African-Americans and Hispanics in the work force and concluded that the Town
was not fully implementing its affirmative action policy
6. The Town had been successful in hiring women. Perhaps there was an "old girls'
network. To the extent that the Town had been successful in hiring women, it
followed that it ought to have success in hiring minorities.
The above led to a consideration of the climate existing in the Town for people who
were different. Was this applicable to the experience of residents going into the Town
Office Building to transact business? It was noted that the workforce was almost
3 2
entirely white. This by itself sends a message. And in one of the schools, Tom
Montanari's son noted that a teacher requested a METCO student to change his
clothes which apparently did not conform to an implicit dress code. Did this, also, send
a message?
Relating the above to affirmative action procedures, it was suggested that local level
hiring needed citizens from outside the town employee system to be effective. Further,
politeness training was needed, and the Town Manager needed to clarify expectations.
Committee Structure
It was recommended that Dan Fenn be invited to serve on the Fair Housing Committee
as an Associate Member Apparently, Mary Haskell is considering moving to an
associate status.
Agenda
For agenda at next meeting:
1 800 number to generate diversity and affirmative action information.
2. Recruitment of a real estate broker for the committee