HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 10-19-1993 - VII-A 1
ORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Action Agenda
Item No. VII-j
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: October 19, 1993
SUBJECT: Report - Human Relations Commission Comments Regarding
Proposed Civil Rights Ordinance
DEPARTMENT: PUBLIC HEARING: Yes x No
Human Relations Commission
ATTACHMENT(S) : INFORMATION CONTACT:
. Report Lucy Lewis, ext 2251
TELEPHONE NUMBER:
Hillsborough - 732-8181
Chapel Hill - 968-4501
Durham - 688-7331
Mebane - 227-2031
PURPOSE: To provide feedback from,the Human Relations Commission
regarding the proposed civil rights ordinance.
BACKGROUND: The Board of Commissioners held a public hearing to
receive public comment on the county' s proposed civil rights
ordinance on Tuesday, September 14, 1993. The Human Relations
Commission (HRC) met on October 11, 1993 and discussed the public
hearing . Staff has developed a brief report summarizing HRC
comments.
RECOMMENDATION(S) : The Manager recommends that the Board receive
the report as information.
2
REPORT FROM THE HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION REGARDING THE
PROPOSED CIVIL RIGHTS ORDINANCE
The Orange County Human Relations Commission (HRC) met
at their regularly scheduled meeting on Monday, October 11,
1993 . A major agenda item was to discuss the September 14,
1993 Public Hearing on the proposed Civil Rights Ordinance.
HRC members were concerned about citizen comments
indicating uneasiness with the process of how the Commission
will be involved in the enforcement aspects of the ordinance.
The Commission members expressed the view that further
clarification of the technical aspects regarding enforcement
of the ordinance would help address this concern. Additional
exploration of the panel concept, and more specifics about
the type and level of training necessary before an HRC member
could be involved in either a reasonable cause hearing or
review of an Administrative Law Judge decision, were
discussed as some of the possible ways to address this issue.
Commission members expressed their commitment to acquiring
the necessary preparation and training to effectively serve
in these new roles .
The Commission members were concerned that some citizens
do not seem to be aware that many other communities have
successfully and effectively used a similar process . They
hope that elected officials will positively affirm the role
of informed citizen participation and the role of the Human
Relations Commission in the ordinance process.
HRC members discussed the view that they are being
perceived primarily as "policemen" . They believe that their
role is to help promote a climate of openness, fairness and
non-discrimination, and that the HRC needs to continue to
place the ordinance in this context.
After some discussion, HRC members supported the recent
decision of the County Commissioners to delete the first two
sections of the "prohibited discriminatory acts" section of
the ordinance not because of any legalities but because of
their controversial nature.
HRC members expressed their strong concern that not only
the Board of County Commissioners but all the municipalities
set public hearings and adopt the ordinance. They believe
that it will have a significant positive effect on the
community, including helping some citizens "who you just
don't see, but they are there" .