Farmersville Municipal Code Ch. 2.16 Human Relations Commission

This chapter shall be known as the human services ordinance of the city.

(Ord. 258 § 1, 1983)

The city council finds that tension and conflict among individuals and groups within the city based on race, religion or national origin is socially and economically destructive, foments strife and disorder, contributes to crime and juvenile delinquency, and imposes substantial financial burdens on the city and its residents. The purpose of this chapter is to provide a means of actively dealing with such problems and to create an environment which will encourage and bring mutual understanding and respect among all individuals and groups within the city.

(Ord. 258 § 2, 1983)

A. There is created a human services commission of the city. The commission shall consist of seven members, each of whom shall be residents of the city or its environs. The city council shall appoint the seven members to the commission and each appointment shall serve for a period of four years unless the appointment is to fill a vacant, unexpired term of which thereupon the appointment shall be until the vacant unexpired term would have expired.

B. Four initial appointments shall be for terms which expire on December 31, 1987 and three initial appointments shall be for terms which end on December 31, 1985. Thereafter, all terms shall be for a four-full-year period of time except as provided for in subsection A of this section.

C. The city clerk shall advertise the availability of open seats on the commission. Notice shall be posted at least five days in advance of any appointment to the commission.

D. All appointments shall be subject to the right of the city council to remove any member who has been absent for two consecutive meetings. Reappointment to such vacancies shall be made consistent with the procedures within this section.

(Ord. 293 §§ 1, 2, 1985; Ord. 272 § 1, 1984; Ord. 258 § 3, 1983)

A. As the commission serves in an advisory capacity to the city council, it shall not be required to conduct any regular meetings. All meetings of the commission shall be done on an as-needed basis. Meetings shall be called by either the chairman of the commission calling said meeting or by a majority of the members of the commission requesting that a meeting be called. In either event, said request shall be in writing to the city clerk. The city clerk shall then call a meeting by posting the hour, date and place of the meeting as provided for in the municipal code at least seventy-two hours prior to the time of the meeting and by providing written notice to each member of the commission at least seventy-two hours prior to the meeting.

B. A simple majority of the commission shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, except that less than a quorum may discuss items of interest.

C. If a quorum is not present for two consecutive meetings, less than a quorum may bring an issue to the city council.

D. All meetings of the commission, including, without limitation, regular, adjourned regular, and special meetings shall be called, noticed, held and conducted in accordance with the provisions of the Ralph M. Brown Act, commencing with Section 54950 of the Government Code.

(Ord. 310 § 1, 1986; Ord. 272 § 2, 1984: Ord. 258 § 4, 1983)

A. The commission shall elect by majority vote of its membership a chairman and a secretary.

B. The chairman shall preside at all meetings, except that in the event of his absence the members present at a meeting shall elect a temporary chairman to preside at that meeting.

C. The secretary shall cause to be kept minutes of the regular, adjourned regular, and special meetings of the commission and shall, as soon as possible after each meeting, cause a copy of the minutes to be forwarded to each member of the commission and to the city clerk.

D. In the event of the absence of the secretary from a meeting, the chairman shall appoint a temporary secretary from among the membership for that meeting.

(Ord. 258 § 5, 1983)

The commission may adopt, amend or repeal, from time to time, such rules and regulations for the conduct of its meeting and affairs as may be required; provided, that nothing contained in said rules shall be inconsistent with the provisions of this chapter.

(Ord. 258 § 6, 1983)

The city manager shall, upon request of the commission attend meetings of the commission or shall provide a representative at the meetings.

(Ord. 258 § 7, 1983)

It shall be the responsibility of the commission:

A. To foster mutual respect and understanding among all racial, religious and nationality groups in the community;

B. To make such studies in any field of human relationship in the community as in the judgment of the commission will aid in effectuating its general purposes;

C. To inquire into incidents of tension and conflict among or between various racial, religious and nationality groups, and to take action by means of conciliation, conference, and persuasion to alleviate such tensions and conflict;

D. To conduct and recommend such educational programs as in the judgment of the commission will increase goodwill among inhabitants of the community and open new opportunities into all phases of community life for all inhabitants.

(Ord. 258 § 8, 1983)

The commission shall discharge the following obligations:

A. To hold conferences, and other public meetings, in the interest of the constructive resolution of racial, religious and nationality group tensions and the prejudice and discrimination occasioned thereby;

B. To issue such publications and reports of investigation as in its judgment will tend to effectuate the purposes of this chapter;

C. To enlist the cooperation and participation of the various racial, religious and nationality groups, community organizations, industry and labor organizations, media and mass communication, fraternal and benevolent associations, and other groups in an educational campaign devoted to fostering among the diverse groups of the community, mutual esteem, justice and equity;

D. To encourage and stimulate through the city manager's office, agencies under the jurisdiction of the local governing body which created the commission to take such action as will fulfill the purposes of this chapter;

E. To submit an annual report to the governing body.

(Ord. 258 § 9, 1983)