Minutes_Equity and Human Rights Commission 12.17.24City of Dubuque
City Council
CONSENT ITEMS # 1.
Copyrighted
January 21, 2025
ITEM TITLE: Minutes and Reports Submitted
SUMMARY: City Council Proceedings of January 6, 2025; Civil Service
Commission of December 11 and December 19, 2024;
Community Development Advisory Commission of November
20, 2024; Equity and Human Rights Commission of
December 17, 2024; Library Board of Trustees Update of
December 19, 2024; Resilient Community Advisory
Commission of November 7, 2024; Zoning Advisory
Commission of November 6, 2024; Proof of Publication for
City Council Proceedings of December 16, 2024.
SUGGUESTED Receive and File
DISPOSITION:
ATTACHMENTS:
1. 1 6 25 City Council Proceedings
2. Civil Service Minutes 12 11 24
3. Civil Service Minutes 12 19 24
4. Community Development Advisory Commission Minutes
5. Equity and Human Rights Commission Minutes
6. Library Board of Trustees Update
7. Resilient Community Advisory Commission Minutes
8. Proof of Publication for City Council Proceedings of 12 16 24
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Dubuque
THE CITY OF
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2007-2012.2013
2017*2019
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
EQUITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES
December 17, 2024
DATE: Tuesday, December 17, 2024
TIME: 4:30 PM
LOCATION: Multicultural Family Center, 1157 Central Avenue, Dubuque, IA 52001
The meeting was called to order at 4:31 pm.
Commissioners Present: Jake Kurczek, Matthew Zanger, Michaela Freiburger, Dave Heiar,
Rick Baumhover, Maita Joliet (virtual), Nikkole Nutter (virtual)
Commissioners Absent: none
Staff Present: Gisella Aiken Shadle, Chief of Equity and Human Rights; Ann Marie
Jannette, Equity and Human Rights Specialist
Approval of Meetinq Minutes
Motion to approve the minutes from the November 12, 2024, meeting by Freiburger,
seconded by Zanger. All in favor.
Public Input
One member of the public attended. They had no input.
Reports
Caseload Report
• Complaints filed — number of complaints that were signed during the month
o November amount: 0
• Active investigations — investigations that are currently active but in various stages
(active, administrative review, initiated, on hold, etc.)
o November amount: 17
• Incidents in mediation — complaints currently in mediation
o November amount: 1
• Incidents in full hearing — complaints in full hearing process
o November amount: 0
• Inquiries — calls/inquiries that don't result in an official complaint being filed (including
outreach events)
o November amount: 10
• Complaints closed during the month — signed complaints that were closed during the
month (doesn't include inquiries or complaints that were never filed)
o November amount: 3
• Total inquiries and complaints FY25 — signed complaints filed in FY25
o November amount: 23
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There were no complaints filed in November, so no example was provided.
Director's Report
Aitken-Shadle reported that there is a new commissioner that has been appointed to the
commission. DeLano Cain -Watson has been appointed and will be invited to January's
meeting.
The hiring of a third person for the Equity and Human Rights Department (EHR) will be
underway soon. The job description is with Human Resources and for a job category and
pay scale to be assigned.
Aitken-Shadle will oversee the DEIB Committee. At the last meeting with the committee,
they developed a mission and vision statement. She also noted that her department had
conducted two training sessions for internal staff in November, one on identity, and one on
EQ skills that was given with the police chief Jeremy Jensen.
Jannette reported on takeaways from the GARE Conference in St. Louis last month. She
and Zanger also reported on the Human Rights Conference in Waterloo earlier in
December.
Chairperson's Report
Chairperson Kurczek reached out to the state representatives and invited them to the
meeting, however none of them responded. He reported that he had conducted a training
session at Loras College with topics such as identity, language, equity, and stereotypes.
Freiburger and Baumhover reported that they had both reapplied for the commission.
Old Business:
On November 18, the updated ordinance was put before the city council. The extra two
readings at future council meetings was waived and it was unanimously passed.
Heiar requested that the rest of the commissioner binder be updated. Aitken-Shadle to look
into it in January.
New Business:
Motion by Heiar to approve Baumhover to serve as the primary representative of the EHR
Commission on the Dubuque Community Police Relations Committee (DCPRC) and Zanger
to serve as an alternate. Motion seconded by Freiburger. All in favor.
Reflections and Updates
Heiar reported that at the recent NAACP meeting they had discussed implementing a
program aimed at finding discriminatory acts in housing in Dubuque. Heiar was also invited
by the Northeast Iowa Workforce Development Board to help set up a program for DEI.
Heiar is also working with the Better Together Committee at the Community Foundation on
the creation of Know Your Rights documents for immigrants in the area.
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Freiburger reported that a resident felt the Dubuque Equitable Community Grant was
discriminatory towards Black people because most couldn't afford to file for a 501(c)(3) or to
have a fiscal agent. Aitken-Shadle will look into the language for next year's grant.
Adjournment:
Motion to adjourn by Freiburger, seconded by Heiar. All in favor. The meeting ended at
6:00 p.m.
The next regularly scheduled meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, January 14, 2025, at 4:30
p.m., at the Multicultural Family Center.
Minutes approved as submitted:
Minutes approved as corrected:
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