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Home My WebLink AboutHRC Packet JuneHuman Rights Commission June 22, 2021 Electronic Formal Meeting- 5:30 PM Zoom Meeting Platform Electronic Meeting (Pursuant to Iowa Code section 21.8) An electronic meeting is being held because a meeting in person is impossible or impractical due to concerns for the health and safety of commission members, staff and the public presented by COVID-19. You can participate in the meeting and can comment on an agenda item by going to https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Sy35gpjrTgeK11snp7wB-Q via the internet to visit the Zoom meeting’s registration page and submit the required information. Once approved, you will receive an email message with a link to join the meeting. If you are asked for a meeting ID or webinar ID, enter the ID number found in the email. A meeting password may also be included in the email. Enter the password when prompted. If you have no computer or smartphone, or a computer without a microphone, you may call in by telephone by dialing (312) 626-6799. When prompted, enter the meeting ID or webinar ID. The ID number for this meeting is: 941 8316 5236. Once connected, you may dial *9 to “raise your hand,” letting the meeting host know you would like to speak. Providing comments in person is not an option. Agenda: 1. Call Meeting to Order and Roll Call 2. Approval of the May 25, 2021 meeting minutes 3. Public Comment of Items not on the Agenda. (Commentators shall address the Commission for no more than 5 minutes. Commissioners shall not engage in discussion with the public concerning said items) 4. Conversation with Police Department Liaison for the Human Rights Commission, Daisy Torres 5. Funding Request: Diversity Market 6. Coralville Pride: Does Commission Want to be a Vendor at Event (Sunday, September 5, Noon-8PM) 7. Request for Transit Facility Letter of Support 8. Discussion on Including a Land Acknowledgement as a Part of HRC Meeting 9. Subcommittees: Housing, Anti-Racism, Health Equity 10. Commission Statement in Support of Black Lives Matter 11. Convention on the Rights of the Child 12. Social Justice Racial Equity Grant Reports 13. Staff/Commission Announcements. (Commissioners shall not engage in discussion with one another concerning said announcements). 14. Adjournment. If you will need disability-related accommodations to participate in this meeting please contact the Equity Director, Stefanie Bowers, at 319-356-5022 or at stefanie-bowers@iowa-city.org. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your access needs. HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION JUNE 22, 2021 MEETING PACKET CONTENTS AGENDA ITEM #2 • DRAFT MAY 25, 2021 MEETING MINUTES AGENDA ITEM #5 • FUNDING REQUEST FOR DIVERSITY MARKET INCLUDING CORRESPONDENCE, FUNDING REQUEST, BUDGET AGENDA ITEM #7 • IOWA CITY TRANSIT OPERATIONS & MAINTENANCE FACILITY PROJECT INCLUDING DRAFT LETTER AGENDA ITEM #12 • QUARTERLY REPORT FROM CENTER FOR WORKER JUSTICE Draft Minutes Human Rights Commission May 25, 2021 VIA Zoom Platform Commissioners present: Mark Pries, Jessica Andino, Ashley Lindley, Jason Glass, Bijou Maliabo, Adil Adams, Roger Lusala, Tony Sivanthaphanith. Commissioners not present: Noemi Ford. (Electronic Meeting Pursuant to Iowa Code section 21.8) An electronic meeting was held because a meeting in person was impossible or impractical due to concerns for the health and safety of commission members, staff and the public presented by COVID-19. Meeting called to order: 5:39 PM. Approval of the minutes from the April 27, 2021 meeting: Lusala moved; the motion was seconded by Pries. Motion passed 7-0. (Maliabo not present). Public comment of items not on the agenda: None. Introduction of Monica Stone Deputy Director Iowa Department of Human Rights: The mission of the Department of Human Rights is to achieve equity and opportunity in Iowa. There are three priority areas: 1) Community Action Agencies, 2) Criminal & Juvenile Advocacy Planning, and 3) Community Advocacy & Services. The goals are to eliminate economic, social and cultural barriers for Iowans, ensure basic rights, freedoms and opportunities for all, and ensure access to government services, advance educational achievement and employment success consistent with the aspirations of Iowans. There are 15 Commissions that fall under the Department and include a focus on women, Latino, African Americans, Asian and Pacific Islander, Native American, and persons with a disability. The Youth Action Squads (YAS) are comprised of Iowa youth, aged 14-24, from diverse backgrounds with lived experience and an interest in advocacy. YAS participants learn leadership skills, conduct research to gain an in-depth understanding of issues, and create an actionable plan to address the issues in their communities or statewide. 2020 YAS members addressed racial justice and COVID-19. Actions included: advocating for and achieving removal of school police officers in Des Moines, adopted curriculum to include Native American history, and gallery space for youth featuring art on justice. More information can be found by visiting the link humanrights.iowa.gov. Discussion of including a Land Acknowledgement as a part of HRC meetings: No update at this time. Funding Request for Coralville Pride: This is a request from Reach Out Marketing for $1000 to support Coralville Pride being held on September 5. Glass inquired into using Iowa City money to support an event in Coralville. Lusala thinks that Coralville is close enough to Iowa City to support the event. Andino noted the Commission has provided funding for events in Johnson County. Lindley pointed out that the event is a fundraiser for the University of Iowa Health Care LGBTQ Clinic. Because some Commissioners had questions about the City of Coralville’s financial support of the event it was decided to table the discussion until the June meeting date. Staff will follow up with the requestor for more information. Motion by Pries, seconded by Andino. Motion passed 7-0. HRC Subcommittees: Anti-Racism Committee: the kick off for the implicit bias summer series starts June 3. This is the one-year anniversary of Iowa City demonstrators being teargassed by law enforcement while marching for change. On June 28, a film screening of Stonewall Forever will be held via Zoom. A panel discussion will follow the screening. Health Equity: has been working with the Johnson County Public Health Covid-19 Committee. Some of the work has focused on bringing awareness as to why a person should be vaccinated. Commission Statement in Support of Black Lives Matter: The Commission decided not to change the statement itself. Instead they will work to reaffirm that Black Lives Matter. Ideally something that will last into the future. Suggestions from all Commissioners will be sought and incorporated into the statement. Pride Month: Sivanthaphanith will accept the Pride Proclamation at the City Council meeting of June 1. Juneteenth: Lusala will accept the Juneteenth Proclamation at the City Council meeting of June 16. Social Justice and Racial Equity Grants: The Sudanese Community Center submitted their quarterly report for the Commission to review. Reports of Commissioners: Adams mentioned a fight between two Sudanese teenagers that resulted in everyone being kicked out of the establishment. Glass will be on a 5-week military leave for the Army Reserves and will miss the June meeting. Lindley attended the One Iowa LGBTQ Older Adults Conference. Lusala mentioned the one-year anniversary of George Floyd’s murder and that the war has not ended. Sivanthaphanith recently became a trained LGBTQIA Inclusive Training Facilitator. Adjourned: 7:25 Human Rights Commission ATTENDANCE RECORD YEAR 2021 (Meeting Date) NAME TERM EXP. 1/26 2/23 3/23 4/27 5/25 6/22 6/27 8/24 9/28 10/26 11/23 12/28 Adil Adams 2021 X X E X X Jessica Andino 2021 X X X X X Noemi Ford 2021 E X E E E Jason Glass 2022 X X X X X Ashley Lindley 2021 X X X X X Roger Lusala 2023 X X E X X Bijou Maliabo 2023 X X X X X Mark Pries 2022 X X X X X Tony Sivanthaphanith 2023 - - - X X KEY: X = Present O = Absent O/E = Absent/Excused NM = No meeting --- = Not a Member From:South District To:Stefanie Bowers Subject:Checking in--DIVERSITY MARKET Date:Sunday, May 30, 2021 11:32:21 AM Hey Stefanie, I wanted to reach out and let you know I submitted (probably a bit late) an application forHuman Rights Commission Funding to help with entertainment costs for our pilot DiversityMarket. We are working to piece this event together to stand it up and show its needed in ourneighborhood and for marginalized entrepreneurs. The entertainment part of this event wouldbe free to the folks who come out and check the market out regardless of if they buy anything. We want their kids to have some fun stuff to do and so I thought I'd see if that aligned withHuman Rights Commission grant. We appreciate the consideration and hope to hear back soon! Respectfully and Kindly, -- Angie Jordan she/her/hers* President & Lead OrganizerSouth District Neighborhood AssociationEmail: southdistrictneighborhood@gmail.comWebsite: www.southdistrictneighborhood.orgFacebook: South District Neighborhood Association Nextdoor.com: Wetherby, Grant Wood, Pepperwood and South Pointe*Why this matters Please share info about this association with others who live, work and play in the South DistrictIf you would like to be removed from this email, please respond with SUBJECT: Please remove my email from this list Human Rights Funding Request Cover Letter (required reading) Thank you for your interest in seeking sponsorship from the Iowa City Human Rights Commission. The Commission provides funding to organiza Application Date* Group/Organizaton Name* Contact person* Phone number* Email * Date of activity/event/program * If your event occurs on multiple dates, list here Event location and address* Is the event wheelchair accessible?* Is the event accessible to individuals with visual impairments?* Describe the activity/event/program and how it contributes to Human Rights.* Amount of funds requested. Attach an itemized budget (field below).* Attach itemized budget.* List other funders below: Has this organization applied for any other City of Iowa City funding for this activity/event/program? 5/30/2021 South District Neighborhood Association Angie Jordan 319-471-0181 southdistrictneighborhood@gmail.com 6/12/2021 6/12, 6/19, 6/26, 7/3, & 7/10 611 Southgate Ave Yes No Yes No The goal of this summer "pop-up" market is to bring together and elevate BIPOC-owned and/or woman-owned entrepreneurs, artisans and others looking for a spot to shine and sell their products & services! Another goal is to increase access to a neighborhood marketplace for South District residents and other folks throughout the Iowa City area to come shop and enjoy our side of town (that often has a negative narrative produced by people who don't live over here). 2,000.00$ Diversity Market 2021_Budget & Accounting - Sheet3.pdf 27.94KB JD Beauty Supply Shop Iowa City Program to Improve Neighborhood (PIN) Grant-City of Iowa City Multicultural Development Center of Iowa City Yes No If yes, what department were the funds requested through? How much funding was requested? Was this request granted? Has the organization received any funding from the City of Iowa City in the last year?* If yes, what department were the funds requested through? How much funding was requested? How will this activity/event/program be marketed? Will sponsors be mentioned and/or logos be used in the marketing of the activity/event/program? Is the activity/event/program a fundraiser?* Program to Improve Neighborhood (PIN) Grant--for promotion 1,150.00$ Yes No Yes No Neighborhood Development (PIN grant for Neighborhood Mural Ribbon cutting Event, Thanksgiving Feast Meal Box Distribution, National Night Out 5,000.00$ It is already being promoted by our sponsors, community partners, neighborhood residents, businesses, nonprofits, etc. through social media (and boosts), flyers, resident door hangers, & through a press release Yes No Yes No Diversity Market Pop-up Pilot Event ENTERTAINMENT EXPENSES ITEM COST AMOUNT TOTAL COST ENTERTAINMENT Bounce House $200/wkend 5 weekends $1,000 Face painting $200/wkend 5 weekends $1,000 $2,000 The Iowa City Transit Operations and Maintenance Facility Project willreplace a facility that is failing in condition and unable to support futuregrowth or full conversion to a zero-emission fleet. The existing facility islocated on a former unregulated dump site and has significant groundsettlement and air quality issues which prevent expansion. The existingfacility needs significant repairs and is over capacity with some busesbeing stored in the wash bays overnight. The replacement facility will beconstructed to modern safety, accessibility, and sustainability standardsand feature expanded capacity to support the 1.5 million annual riders ofIowa City Transit. In 2020, the City invested $250,000 in a transit study tooptimize and improve operations -- setting the stage for ridership growth. Iowa City Transit Operations &Iowa City Transit Operations & Maintenance Facility ProjectMaintenance Facility Project Zero Emission Transit for a Sustainable Future Iowa City's Climate Action Plan calls for replacing 55% of vehicle trips withsustainable transportation options by 2050 and the City's goal is to doubletransit ridership in the next 10 years. In 2021, the City replaced four dieselbuses with battery electric buses and envisions a full transition to a zero-emission fleet in the future. The existing facility cannot support afull transition to no emission technology or an expanded fleet. The City's electricity supplier produced 61.3% of energy from renewable sources in 2019,with a goal of 100% in the next few years. This means the City's electric buses will be100% powered by clean energy and one of the most sustainable systems in the U.S. Senator Chuck GrassleySenator Joni ErnstU.S. Rep. Dave Loebsack Iowa City Mayor Bruce TeagueProcter & GambleIowa Department of TransportationUniversity of IowaIowa City Business Partnership(Chamber of Commerce)Iowa City Area Development GroupMetropolitan PlanningOrganization of Johnson County(MPOJC) (former IA-02, 2007 - 2021) City Share (25%): $5 million Project Description It is estimated the existing facility would require $1.9 million in building andsafety repairs, asphalt overlay, and methane abatement over the next 5 years. Existing Facility Condition Project Cost + Timeline SiteAcquisition STIP & LongRange Plan EnvironmentalReview Fall 2021- 2022: Design & Engineering Spring 2023:Construction Community Support Letters of support receivedfor the project: Planning DocumentsA new transit facility isprogrammed in: CONTACT: Darian Nagle-Gamm, Director of Transportation Services | 319-356-5156 | darian-nagle-gamm@iowa-city.org Ground subsidence up to 3' deep Auxiliary building required formethane monitoring Annual asphalt overlay requiredso buses can enter bay The existing transit facilitywas rated as poor tomarginal condition bythe Iowa DOT in a TransitFacility Condition Assessmentconducted in 2018. FY18 - FY21 Iowa DOT STIPFY20 - FY23 MPOJC TIPMPOJC 2045 Long-RangeTransportation PlanCity capital planning documents Total Cost$20 Million Federal Request (75%): $15 million City Match (25%): $5 million Iowa City Transit Iowa City has the 17th highestridership per capita in the nation. Metro Population: 171.4KAnnual ridership: 1.5M Congressional District: IA-02 June 21, 2021 The Honorable Pete Buttigieg Secretary of the United States Department of Transportation 1200 New Jersey Ave., S.E. Washington, DC 20590 RE: Support for the City of Iowa City’s RAISE grant funding request for a replacement transit facility Dear Mr. Secretary, I am writing to express support for the City of Iowa City’s RAISE grant application for a replacement transit facility that will help remove barriers to economic opportunity and enable the City to further social justice and racial equity goals in the area of transportation. The infrastructure to support a strong transit system is critical to making our environmentally burdened and economically disadvantaged communities healthier, cleaner and more sustainable places to live, work, play, and learn. Iowa City recently completed a full-scale transit study reviewing all routes, stops, service frequency, service hours, fares and passes, amenities and even a potential transition to zero-fare. The proposed service changes and future enhancements included in that study reflect the City’s commitment to the future of transit in Iowa City. Proposed changes such as increased service frequency, improved connectivity across area transit systems, and pilot Sunday and late night on-demand service will provide significant mobility and equity benefits to community members that have been historically overburdened by pollution and under-investment in housing, transportation, water and wastewater infrastructure, and health care. However, expansion of service will not be possible without a replacement transit facility. The current facility is nearly 40 years old and reaching the end of its useful life. Additionally, it is located on a former unregulated dump site with significant ground subsidence and air quality issues that require costly annual investments in asphalt overlays, methane abatement, and safety repairs which could be better spent on service enhancements for the community. The Human Rights Commission supports this application for replacement transit facility. These investments are essential for supporting Iowa City’s tradition of and commitment to providing exceptional, equitable, and sustainable transit service. Sincerely, Name Chair Iowa City Human Rights Commission Interim Report, April 1, 2021 Social Justice and Equity Grant: Social Enterprise Project Center for Worker Justice of Eastern Iowa Purpose of Project As stated in the previous interim reported submitted on November 1, funds from this grant were designated to be used for specific services and items of equipment to support the newly formed Center for Worker Justice Social Enterprise, a project focused on creating opportunities for economic independence for members with culinary skill through the creation of a café. The Social Enterprise project addresses the following priority areas: 1. Community building: by providing an alternative for low-income, underrepresented and immigrant workers to showcase their culinary skills while also modeling good business practices within the community. 2. Employment: through the creation of new jobs, which will have a ripple effect leading to the creation of additional jobs as the social enterprise chefs set up their own independent restaurants and catering businesses. 3. Education: by providing training in food handling to minority and low-income chefs as well as education in managing food quantities and developing customer service skills. Background The initial stages in the development of the social enterprise project were described in some detail in the previous interim report. The partnership with St. Andrew Presbyterian Church, begun in the spring of 2019 to conduct fundraising events in a space donated by the church, continued throughout 2019 and into early 2020, providing an opportunity for the parishioners and members of the wider community to experience the cuisine of the social enterprise cooks. The events were very successful in providing both profit for the chefs and useful feedback from customers. At that point, our plans for the future included continuing to host similar events and making adjustments to our internal processes to increase profits and improve efficiency in preparing and presenting food. Recent Developments and Current Status of the Project With the advent of the pandemic, the partnership that had developed with the network of local churches for the social enterprise to cook and raise funds during community events was put on hold until these facilities are again able to open their kitchens. In the meantime, the social enterprise is exploring other options to provide the chefs with the opportunity to prepare food for their catering services and continues to pursue acquiring a licensed kitchen for the chefs to use to conduct their catering activities. The best option for this appears to be securing a location in an unoccupied space in an Iowa City restaurant to serve as a certified kitchen for our cooks to prepare and sell food. We are currently working with the Chamber of Commerce and local business owners to explore the possibilities. In the meantime, some of the social enterprise cooks, in an effort to compensate for the loss of income resulting from the pandemic, have been offering some of their specialty items such as tamales and sweet empanadas on a free will donation basis throughout the winter and early spring with pickup occurring at the Center for Work Justice. The project has enjoyed considerable success, and at this point the enterprise is ready to purchase equipment items from the approved grant budget to support these events and other future events when local churches with whom we had partnered are able to reopen their kitchens to us. The equipment purchased will increased the mobility of the enterprise and facilitate cooking for outdoor events. The following items have recently been purchased. (Links are provided for purchase information). This list includes 2 Apple tablets for the social enterprise to use as a bookkeeping tool and a credit care Square with a chip so they can use the tablet to make an electronic payment. The invoice for these items is attached; we will forward additional invoices as they become available. We have also included honoraria for the two guest speakers who will be speaking at a Zoom presentation to be held on April 12 moderated by Victor Oyervides, Retail Business Specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. This presentation is for our members already in the restaurant business or aspiring to be. The topics covered will include how to price items and how to determine quantities for larger catered events. Following this event, we will allow the social enterprise cooks to utilize the information they received to inform their requests for purchases with the remaining funds. Item Price # Total Vendor Grill/Griddle1 $ 499.99 1 $ 499.99 CostCo Shipping + Tax $ 30.00 $ 30.00 CostCo Commercial Blender2 $ 339.99 2 $ 679.98 Webstaurant Store Serving Chafers3 $ 34. 6 $ 208.68 Webstaurant Store Beverage Dispensers4 $ 88.99 2 $ 177.98 Webstaurant Store Shipping + Tax $ 105.43 $ 105.43 Webstaurant Store Apple Tablet (256GB) 5 $ 879.00 1 $ 879.00 Apple Apple Tablet (64GB) 6 $ 729.00 1 $ 729.00 Apple Square Stand for Contactless and Chip 7 $ 169.00 1 $ 169.95 Apple Shipping + Tax $ 106.68 $ 106.68 Apple Honorarium for Event9 $ 50.00 2 $ 100.00 ISU Extension TOTAL $3,868.69 REMAINING BALANCE $6,189.29 1 Louisiana Grills Event Grill with Griddle (costco.com) 2 Avamix BX2000V 3 1/2 hp Commercial Blender with Toggle Control, Adjustable Speed, and Two 64 oz. Polycarbonate Containers (webstaurantstore.com) 3 Choice 8 Qt. Full Size Stackable Chafer (webstaurantstore.com) 4 GaterGator 5 Gallon Black Insulated Beverage Dispenser (webstaurantstore.com 5 256GB Personalized 10.9-inch iPad Air Wi-Fi + Cellular – Sky Blue 6 64GB Personalized 10.9-inch iPad Air Wi-Fi + Cellular – Green 7 Square Stand for Contactless and Chip 8 Tax on Apple purchase 9 Vendors invited from Iowa State University Extension for April 12 event