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HomeMy WebLinkAbout02/09/2016 Council Work Session February 9, 2016 Time indicated below Harold E. Getty Council Chambers Roll Call. Approval of Agenda, as proposed or amended. 4:00 p.m. Discussion of FY2017 Budget-Community Development 4:30 p.m. Discussion of FY2017 Budget-Housing Authority 5:00 p.m. Discussion of FY2017 Budget-Legal Department/Code Enforcement 5:40 p.m. Discussion of FY2017 Budget-Animal Control 6:00 p.m. Discussion of FY2017 Budget-Human Rights 6:20 p.m. Discussion of FY2017 Budget-Airport ADJOURNMENT Suzy Schares, CMC City Clerk/Human Resource Director Success Points for Waterloo Commission on Human Rights (WCHR), Funchess' Administration, 2010-present • As of August 2013, our application for direct relationship with EEOC had been approved! This signature development will allow WCHR the opportunity to do more on behalf of our constituency, via increased staffing and more education outreach; • Thanks to internal process changes, logistical moves, additional team support, and renewed team spirit, we are now eliminating our Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) backlog; in fact, we have significantly reduced our backlog while maintaining high standards of care and justice for our complainants; • WCHR now realizes an increase in the funding associated with charge resolutions as a result of the new direct relationship with EEOC. [We have documented improvements along the way; e.g., WCHR was able to submit an EEOC invoice for over 60 cases this past fiscal year (2011/2012)—a 178% increase over last year's submission(and for that matter, over the last decade); • We had received additional HUD grant partnership funding $66,000 [FY2013], $120,000 [FY2014] , which allows for improved education outreach and staffing to affirmatively furthering fair housing education in Waterloo, in conjunction with Iowa Civil Rights Commission; • We have recovered over half a million dollars in economic relief for our complainants over the last several months [as of early 2012]—this is at least a 5000% increase over the last decade leading up to June 2010. This increase is indicative of more robust communications between WCHR and community entities that are concerned about creating a culture of diversity inclusion in our city; • We continue to engage in meaningful education outreach discussions and activity, like participation in forums which focus on improved education delivery; criminal justice reform to improve the life chances of those with criminal record; as well as sexual and domestic violence reform. In fact, the Commission championed on February 10, 2014, the passing of Article B. Housing Protections for Victims of Domestic Violence, of Chapter 3, Human Rights, Title 5, Police Regulations. We engage in these type of policy changes and community discussions while ensuring that our primary WCHR tasks—complaint processing, charge resolutions— remain on target; • We developed and implemented for the first time in WCHR history the Human Rights Training Academy. It debuted July 2012 and was attended by 25 persons. The Training Academy accents the positive developments occurring in the community while educating the participant about WCHR's history, structure, staffing levels, budget, enforcement work, etc.; • We continue to work with various community partners to advance the community's Building Healthy Community Initiative, which involves organizing community stakeholders and neighborhood coalition members to work toward the elimination of fear and violence in community. www.ci.waterloo.ia.us/humanrights