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HomeMy WebLinkAbout77-024RESOLUTION NO. 77-24 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANA REPEALING RESOLUTION NO. 70-4, AND REORGANI- ZING AND REESTABLISHING A HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANA WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Santa Ana on the 19th day of January, 1970, adopted Resolution No. 70-4 and established a Human Relations Commission of the City of Santa Aha; and WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Santa Ana appointed an advisory group made up of Human Relations Commis- sioners and City Councilmen to propose and implement a re- organization plan that will structurally reconstitute the Human Relations Commission of the City of Santa Ana; and WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Santa Ana finds that it is necessary to repeal Resolution No. 70-4 and approve and adopt a resolution that will reestablish and re- organize the Commission so that it will further foster mutual respect and understanding among all racial, religious and nationality groups in the City. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Santa Ana: 1. That Resolution No. 70-4 is repealed, the appoint- ments of the members of said Commission are hereby terminated and in order to promote better understanding and relations between ali persons and to advance public health, both emotional and physical, and to secure increased welfare and security, the Human Relations Commission of the City ef Santa Ana is hereby reestablished, commencing on the date of adoption hereof, as an instrument to promote goodwill and better relations among all the citizens of the City. 2. The name of the Human Relations Commission organized hereby shall be the Human Relations Commission of the City of Santa Ana. 3. The purpose of the Commission is to advise the City Council on matters hereinafter specified and as assigned from time to time by the City Council. It shall be the responsibility of the Commission: (a) to make recommendations to the City Council which have as their main purpose the improvement of the human environment within the City. (b) to conduct studies and research as directed by City Council. (c) to provide written or oral advisory reports as requested by City Council. 4. The Commission shall discharge the following respon- sibilities: (a) Develop and periodically evaluate the social services element of the General Plan for the Planning Commission and City Council. This element should provide an assessment and RESOLUTION NO. 77-24 PAGE TWO prioritization of social problems, issues and needs coupled with the identification of avail- able resources and must establish policies and programs for the improvement of social services delivery in the City. This element must provide specific recommendations for problems including priorities, costs, delivery systems and funding alternatives for youth services, employment opportunities, senior citizen service programs, handicap programs, community care programs, educational opportunities, public health, wel- fare and safety programs, and other such programs as identified through a needs assessment process. The social services element must be coordinated with established policies and programs for physical development of the City provided in the Land Use Element of the General Plan. (b) Jointly with equal participation of the Planning Commission representatives and the Redevelopment Commission's representatives, review the Community Development program for the City of Santa Ana and advise City Council on the merits of such program, assist in the citizen participation requirements of this program, and participate in the City's citizen grievance procedure estab- lished to implement the objectives of the federal Community Development program. Cc) Assist the Personnel Board in its review of the City's affirmative action program. It is the City Council's intent that the primary responsi- bility of advising City Council on the affirma- tive action program shall remain with the Personnel Board. Within the scope of Section 3, provide advice to City Council, staff, or other boards or commis- sions on any community relations subject which: 1. has been requested by them; or 2. initiated by the Commission and approved by the City Council; or initiated by any citizen and approved by the Commission and approved by the City Council. (e) Serve as a resource for staff of other City Departments and Boards and Commissions who may need community input on major projects, such as, but not limited to, major public works pro- jects, which could have significant impacts upon the environment of local neighborhoods. Such projects could include major street widenings, storm drains, etc. (f) Submit an annual report to the City Council. 5. (a) The Commission shall be comprised of nine (9) members who shall, as nearly as possible, be representative of the various and diverse religious, racial, cultural and age RESOLUTION NO. 77-24 PAGE THREE groups within the City. Seven of said members, by the City Council, shall serve as members of mission. as determined the Housing Com- (b) Regardless of race, sex, creed or color, the City Council shall make Commission appointments from the best possible applicants available at the time each vacancy occurs. In order to provide good cross-representation of the community, however, the following composition shall be used as a guide- line, whenever possible, in the appointment of new members: As much as possible, membership shall be distributed geographically throughout the City generally in accordance with existing wards. For purposes of the initial appointment of a new Commission, under this resolution, each Council mem- ber shall nominate a person from his ward to constitute the initial seven (7) members of the Commission and shall continue to nominate individuals from his ward until the Council as a whole approves a selectee by each Council member. The remaining two members of the Commission shall be nominated in the regular manner of Com- mission appointments. Subsequent appoint- ments shall be made in the normal manner of the Council excepting that no more than two (2) persons on the Com- mission may come from any one ward. As much as possible, appointments shall be distributed in accordance with the ethnic makeup of the community at large and meet the affirmative action goals of the City of Santa Ana. 6. The Commission shall elect a chairman and a vice- chairman on an annual basis. The chairman shall be responsible for conducting Commission meetings. The Commission shall act on matters as a committee of the whole, and shall not divide itself into permanent standing committees. However, in the man- ner of all commissions which have been established by the City Council, the Commission may form ad hoc committees from time to time as necessary for specific projects or issues. The Commission may establish by-laws and rules and procedures on operation not in conflict with other provisions of this Resolution and shall submit such procedures to City Council for approval. 7. (a) The Community Relations Department shall provide the primary staff support to the Commission. The Commission may also be supported as required by the City Attorney's Office, the Police Department, and other departments of the City, but the primary responsibility for staff response to the Commission's activities shall rest with the Community Relations Department. The Community Relations staff shall be responsible for the preparation of agendas, preparation of study reports, attendance at meetings and organi- zations of such meetings, supply of materials RESOLUTION NO. 77-24 PAGE FOUR requested by the Commission, clerical support, preparation of an annual budget and other matters that may from time to time be mutually agreed be- tween Commission and staff. (c) The staff of the Community Relations Department shall function in the same relationship to the Commission as does the staff of the Planning Depart- ment to the Planning Commission, and all questions that may arise as to roles and relationships shall be viewed using the Planning Commission model. (d) The City Council may cause subpoenas to be issued upon the request of the Commission to aid in the investigation of any matter by the Commission. 8. (a) Commission members are private citizens who have been selected by the City Council to advise in matters for which they are expected to develop a special knowledge. (b) Individual members of the Commission are expected not only to join with other commissioners in jointly expressing concerns of the body as a whole, but also as private citizens are encouraged to express their individual opinion to the Council on matters of concern to themselves. (c) Commission members are advisors to the Council and shall recognize that the Council chooses to use the advice sometimes in total or in part, but generally from the Commission reports rather than from reports of individuals on the Commission. (d) Commission members shall recognize that they are part of the representative, democratic form of government in which the rule of the majority has a foregone precedent with the Council, but the opinions of the minority may well be valuable in formulating the eventual Council decisions on issues. (e) Commission members are expected to display sensi- tivity toward the public, members of the staff, and the City Council, recognizing that in their unique role they often must serve as a stable force in otherwise volatile matters. (f) Commission members acting in their capacity as members of the Commission are expected to represent themselves in a proper manner as a representative of the Santa Ana City government. (a) Commission members are expected to work within the system of City government to voice their griev- ance and opinions. 9. (a) Except as otherwise specified in this Resolution, the members of the Commission shall be appointed and may be removed by the City Council, subject to both appointment and removal by the affirmative vote of the majority of the members. Vacancies from whatever cause arising shall be filled in the same manner. Upon a vacancy occurring leaving an unexpired portion of a term, any appointment to fill such vacancy shall be for the unexpired RESOLUTION NO. 77-24 PAGE FIVE portion of such term. If a member of the Commission is absent from three (2) regular meetings of such Commission, consecutively, unless by permission of such Commission expressed in its official minutes, or is convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude, or ceases to be a qualified elector of the City, his office shall become vacant and shall be so declared by the City Council. (b) The members of the Commission shall serve for a term of four (4) years and until their respective successors are appointed and qualified, but in no event shall any person be eligible for reappoint- ment who has served two (2) consecutive terms of four (4) years each. The members first appointed to the Commission shall so classify themselves by lot that the term of one of each of their numbers shall expire each succeeding August 1st. 10. (a) As Soon as practical after this Resolution takes effect, the Commission shall organize by electing one of its members chairman and one vice-chairman, which officers shall hold office until July 31, 1977, and until their successors are elected, unless their membership on the Commission sooner expires. The election of each succeeding chairman and vice-chairman shall be held at the meeting of the Commission during the month of July of each year. The Commission, in the event of a vacancy in the office of chairman or vice-chairman shall elect one of its mem- bers for the unexpired term. (b) The Commission shall hold a regular meeting at least once a month with a provision for attendance by the public. The Community Relations staff shall designate a secretary for the recording of the min- utes of the Commission, who shall keep a record of its proceedings and transactions. The Commission shall prescribe rules and regulations governing its operations which shall be consistent with this Resolution and shall be filed with the Clerk of the Council for public inspection. 11. Commission members, or the Commission as a whole, may be from time to time, the first avenue of approach on issues that are not directly within the purview of the Commission, but which are more appropriately the consideration of other commis- sions or of the City Council itself. The Commission shall refer matters not under its jurisdiction to the appropriate Commission, or where there is question, the Commission shall submit the mat- ter to the Community Relations director for decision. 12. The City Council will take all expedient steps to appoint the members of such Commission within the near future, cognizant of the need to obtain the services of the citizens of this community dedicated to the advancement of the general propositions set forth in this Resolution. ADOPTED this ~nd day of February , 1977, by the following vote: RESOLUTION NO. 77-24 PAGE SlX AYES NOES, ABSENT, COUNCILMEN: COUNCILMEN: COUNCILMEN: Bricken, Ward, Brandt, Evans, Garthe Ortiz, Yamamoto None ATTEST: CLERK OF THE COUNCIL APPROVED AS TO FORM: CITY ATTORNEY