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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2000-06-21-FHHR-min.pdf FAIR HOUSING AND HUMAN RELATIONS COMMITTEE MINUTES 6/21/00 Present: Florence Baturin; Margaret Cole, Co-Chair Beverly Goodridge; Jean Hibino;Tom Montanari, Co-Chair Jed Snyder Cathy Abbott, Selectman Liaison; Steve Baran, Fair Housing Director Pat Taylor guest. Absent: Michelle Ekanem; Kathryn Davis; Appointment of new chair Tabled.To be taken up in September Resignation Keng Hsu has resigned. Additional candidate Pat Taylor suggested Pat Gardiner as a possible Fair Housing Committee member and will ask her if she is interested. Group photograph Arrangements will be made for group photograph to be taken at September 20 meeting beginning at T45 p.m. 5/17 minutes Minutes approved as 'notes' due to lack of a quorum. Correction: Under item 8c: This reads: At the time, Michelle had actually seen her daughter's name of the voting list. This should have read: 'seen her daughter's name on the voting list. Otherwise, minutes were approved. 2020 statement on diversity Steve who had been staff to the 2020 diversity committee focusing on 'sense of community"asked the Fair Housing Committee to comment on their diversity statement which has come out as part of a larger report. Jed: Negatives make news. His church which was very diverse was reflective of a welcoming atmosphere in Lexington and celebrated diversity every Sunday Moreover he commented, problems are not solved all at once but a step at a time. Pat: Black people need to accept that racism exists. The community has moved a lot in the past ten years but has gone back in the last three years. Peg: If we were truly a diverse community we would not have to talk about it. Cathy. Demographic change has contributed a lot to progress in the schools. It was agreed that members would contribute further comments and that Steve would create a statement for committee review by the next meeting. 2 Affordable housing Fiske and Harrington Peg recommended sending letter of intent to the School Department (Robin DiGiammarino). Cathy Abbott volunteered to mention the Fair Housing Committee's interest in her liaison report to the Selectmen. Met State Peg had talked about Met State with Glenn Garber Planning Director in relation to inclusionary housing. Belmont and Lexington have an interest in making the land available for affordable housing while Waltham is advancing a golf course concept. Glenn welcomes the committee's support. Peg will ask Glenn to notify the committee about future meetings. LexHab Cathy Abbott clarified that LexHab has the responsibility of creating more affordable housing in Lexington. Pat asked if homebuyers assisted in purchasing houses acquired by the town and slated for demolition with Beverly noting that there was a house meeting this description on Waltham Street. Cathy said that there was a program for homebuyers under Mass. Housing Finance Agency auspices. Pat said she would inquire further Acton Beverly volunteered to look into information that eight houses had been sold in Acton© $95,000. For September agenda How does the Town get affordable housing on its agenda? Voting incident Tom:wrote a letter to the Selectmen protesting the handling of the incident wherein the vote was denied to a registered, African American, Lexington voter He than met with Linda Vine. He felt she was unable to grapple with what else might be done beyond issuing an apology and training. Tom talked with Linda about due process and Lexington's gaps in problem solving mechanisms in relation to: • Time line. • Procedures for dealing with divergent versions of an incident. Sherry he reported,was still dissatisfied in spite of efforts by the Town to reach an understanding. Cathy Denial of voting rights was something that really did happen. The voting official had not handled the matter correctly—she did not turn the page to where Sherry's name appeared; she was not polite; other voting officials did not step in to help; no one followed protocol. Voting officials are not considered Town employees. Beverly Sherry Gordon's name should not have been made public. Jed: The aggrieved person needs to move on, as does the Town: • Has the voting official been reprimanded? • Has an apology been proffered? • Has training taken place? 3 If so,the Town should write to Sherry to bring closure with a statement suggesting that"we welcome you and anyone else to hold our feet to the fire. Jed volunteered to draft a statement giving Sherry an invitation to return with her concerns making it clear that this was not an obligation. The Town wants a 1 diverse community and will hold itself accountable.