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N. County Updates <br />A. Dr. Stroman stated that Ms. Annette Moore is the Director that the HRC will be working <br />with but that she was unable to attend the meeting due to illness. <br />B. Ms. Tara May announced that the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) voted to <br />approve moving the Human Rights division out of the Housing, Human Rights, and <br />Community Development Department and making it a new department referred to as the <br />Department of Human Rights and Relations (the Department). She reiterated Ms. Bonnie <br />Hammersley's announcement from the November meeting that Ms. Annette Moore will <br />be the director of Human Rights and Relations. <br />C. Ms. May stated that on December 12, 2017 at 7:OOpm at Southern Human Services <br />Center in Chapel Hill she will give a presentation to the BOCC asking them to approve a <br />proclamation to recognize December 15, 2017 as Bill of Rights Day. Ms. May invited <br />HRC members to attend in the audience and show their support for the proclamation. Ms. <br />May stated that Ms. Moore suggested that the HRC could vote to give the proclamation <br />back to Chair Mark Dorosin of the BOCC and speak about his dedication to ensuring <br />Civil Rights in order to honor his work. <br />1. Dr. Stroman stated that she would work on something to say for that. <br />D. Ms. May also stated that Ms. Moore stated that the HRC needed to decide dates and <br />themes for the HRC Forum and the Pauli Murray Awards and should consider holding <br />both events in February 2018, as February is Human Relations Month. <br />E. Ms. May announced that the Department would be holding a Power of Attorney Clinic in <br />April 2018 and encouraged HRC members to consider volunteering or participating if <br />they can. <br />F. Ms. May also relayed that Ms. Moore is committed to getting Fair Housing training done <br />for HRC members within the next two to three months or as soon as reasonable. <br />1. Dr. Stroman asked Ms. May to determine whether the trainings would take place <br />at different times and dates or at one time. She stated that given everyone's <br />schedule, it may be unrealistic to only offer one training date. <br />2. Ms. Jackie Podger asked who would conduct the training. <br />a. Ms. May stated that Ms. Moore knows many people in the field and is <br />looking into inviting one of them to do the training. <br />3. Mr. Matt Case asked why the Fair Housing hearing function is not under one of the <br />advisory boards in the Housing and Community Development department. <br />a. Ms. May explained that the Civil Rights Ordinance requires that the HRC <br />serve that function. <br />4. Mr. Case asked for clarification on if Fair Housing is the majority of what the HRC <br />does and asked what the connection to Fair Housing was for the board. <br />a. Ms. May stated that Housing Discrimination hearings are only a small a <br />rarely used piece of the HRC's charge and that most of the HRC's focus <br />should be on social justice issues in the community and building <br />relationships among citizens. She also stated that the hearings involve <br />allegations of discrimination which is a social justice issue and why that <br />responsibility lies with the HRC. <br />G. Dr. Stroman mentioned the complaint flow chart that staff made and encouraged HRC <br />members to direct any questions to Ms. May. <br />2 <br />