Live reporting by
Nathaniel Eichenhorn
Lacking access to their own current bylaws, commissioners postponed officer elections and approval of newly drafted bylaws to the August meeting, unsure of the proper procedures for conducting official business.
Nachum Eichenhorn
@NachumDetroit
Good Afternoon #Detroit !
I will be live tweeting the Detroit Human Rights Com meeting today at 5pm for #DetroitDocumenters @DetDocumenters media partners: @BridgeDet313 @chalkbeatDET @freep @media_outlier @metrotimes @MichiganRadio @PlanetDetroit @wdet @wxyzdetroit
I will be live tweeting the Detroit Human Rights Com meeting today at 5pm for #DetroitDocumenters @DetDocumenters media partners: @BridgeDet313 @chalkbeatDET @freep @media_outlier @metrotimes @MichiganRadio @PlanetDetroit @wdet @wxyzdetroit
03:43 PM Jul 18, 2024 CDT
They're figuring out the camera setup at the moment. I'll let you know when there's developments
So now I can hear them TALKING ABOUT how the audio isn't working... So progress!
Did you know the Detroit River isn't actually a river? It's technically a strait! And the Hudson (the river in NY, not the sorely-missed department store) is actually a tidal estuary!
I can't tell if the meeting is proceeding or they're trying to figure it out.
It'll be 3 minutes of silence then then a voice will go "we have no sound on Facebook Live" and then gone
So sound goes on and
"No no no they could hear us, we couldn't hear them!"
"I thought they couldn't hear us on FB live?"
"No no no they're fine"
"Oh ok nvm then" *switches audio back off*
"No no no they could hear us, we couldn't hear them!"
"I thought they couldn't hear us on FB live?"
"No no no they're fine"
"Oh ok nvm then" *switches audio back off*
Roll was taken and those present follows
Ross
Harris
Olivera
Mendoza
Carter
Singh
Ross
Harris
Olivera
Mendoza
Carter
Singh
They passed over opening remarks and moved onto Member Reports
A member described organizing his district in response to the event violence, and learning what the community needs in the aftermath
The CRIO Department director described recent outings and outreach efforts, in addition to advances in Marijuana business registration. She also described an election themed scavenger hunt for interns.
They are deferring unfinished business to the next meeting. It seems they need revised bylaws to proceed on item IIa. Commissioner Term Dates.
Staff responds that the term dates are already set and should be known to the commissioners.
Staff responds that the term dates are already set and should be known to the commissioners.
A commissioner says that they investigated a smell emanating from the Faygo factory, and were assured the substances involved were safe
Jumping around the agenda, they are now hearing a presentation from the city attorney's office about the Open Meetings Act
They had some trouble with the PowerPoint for this OMA presentation, so the board wondered aloud if the presentation on complying with the Open Meetings Act might be emailed privately to the board members, instead of shared with the public.
The attorney suggested that he would continue to present the slides, despite the possible delay
Don’t mess around and try and hold a meeting without holding a meeting
It's legal to destroy closed session minutes 1 year after they are approved. I didn't know that
One commissioner voiced his concerns that the commission's communications over email may constitute a violation of the OMA. Response: administrative, logistical emails are permitted, but they must not contain deliberations or decisions.
The attorney recommends utilizing the bcc function to make sure coordinating emails don't fall victim to a "reply all" turning into a in prohibited deliberation
Looks like there's no public comment and no remarks from the chair.
They are discussing how the minutes are handled. The plan is to post minutes and recordings in the same manner as City Council
The commission is discussing previous difficulties figuring out how to take minutes.
It seems that the first thing that needs to be done is the commission needs to adopt bylaws, as at the moment there is no document outlining how this body will work or how they elect or reelect members, etc
Basically the only decision that has been made so far is that the Human Rights Commission EXISTS and should DO THINGS, but the body is meant to meet and adopt bylaws to decide essentially what that will mean and how the commission will work.
Bylaws have been prepared in order to be adopted today, but as they have no officers they can't vote on them.
It seems bylaws currently exist, but no one has a copy or knows their content. The commission can suspend the current rules, elect officers, but they seem hesitant to do so for some reason.
They've decided to postpone electing new offers until August, at which time they'll adopt bylaws and do business. They've also cancelled (or postponed? It's unclear) a presentation on the powers of the HRC.
This closes my coverage of the Detroit Human Rights Commission board meeting for July 18. Learn more about our coverage of local meetings at
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If you believe anything in the coverage today is inaccurate, please email us at documenters@outliermedia.org with "Correction Request" in the subject line