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Home My WebLink About2023-12-28 Advisory Committee on Racial Equity, Inclusion, and Human Rights Minutes ACREIHR Advisory Committee of Racial Equity, Inclusion, and Human Rights Minutes for the Tuesday, December 28, 2023 Meeting 6:OOp � Council Chambers Members Present: Chair Liana Fellis, Member Melissa Bulcholz, Evelyn Marasco, Student Rep. appointed in 2024, Jason Canniff, appointed ACREIHR member to start in January 2024, Member Theron Letterlough, Member Andre Chasse, Member Gabrielle Wiley, Student Rep. Rebecca Jones Members not present: Vice Chair, Katie Brydon, Member Julie Davis City of Bangor staff and guests present: City Manager, Debbie Laurie Call to Order Call to order at 6:OOpm Introduction of advisory board members and city members Approval of Minutes • Approval of November and September meeting minutes • Will update November meeting minutes to reflect the correct spelling of inember Canniff's last name and update the correct TANF acronym Education: School Department DEIB meeting No updates; DEIB Coordinator, Dana Carver-Bialer, unable to make the meeting Will reschedule update for January 2024 meeting Catholic Charities: update from Member Melissa Bulcholz • Refugee resettlement coordinator shared that the Catholic Charities resettlement program started in October • 2022 and received 50 individuals • 2024: anticipate to receive 100 immigrants (1/3 will relocate in the first quarter of the year) • Provide support for language courses, resettlement and furnishing funding, cultural orientation, and additional needs • Shared feedback on ways in which the Maine Multicultural Center works with Catholic Charities to support new individuals moving from different countries to the U.S. • Member Chasse asked for distinction between Catholic Diocese and Catholic Charities o Member Bulcholz clarified that Catholic Charities does work with churches, but is not affiliated with any religious expectations or exemptions based on the church o Follow up from member Canniff: is there pushback or confusion about the religious components based on the name? o Member Bulcholz: this does not seem to be the case; the code of ethics ensures that Catholic Charities serves all people, regardless of identity, sexual orientation, etc. • Chair Fellis asked if immigrants were aware of which agency they will be assigned once they arrive in the United States. Member Bulcholz clarified that most refugees move through several Federal agencies before being assigned a local charity for support • City Manager Laurie asked if refugees will continue to arrive from the same areas in the new year (as was the goal in 2023 to provide the most resources for overlapping language, culture, support, etc.). Member Bulcholz confirmed this will continue to be the goal in 2024 and reiterated the ways in which an existing community being already established to support individuals from countries with shared language is a helpful and important way to welcome new immigrants. • Reminder from Member Bulcholz: there are so many ways to volunteer your time long-term, by the day (moving, etc.), and providing in-kind donations. 1 Advisory Committee of Racial Equity, Inclusion, and Human Rights Minutes for the Tuesday, December 28, 2023 Meeting 6:OOp � Council Chambers Policy: no updates Ordinance: will receive updates from Parks and Rec on programming and accessibility during January 2024 meeting Working sub-committees: • Education and Engagement Committee: no new updates o Reminder: each person assigned is empowered to take the lead in identifying ways to stay connected and do the work for their subcommittee so that each month there are updates that can be shared with the group and with City Council on education and engagement opportunities in the city. ■ Subcommittee success comes from identifying passionate people to focus on certain areas; it's not mandatory, but allows space for members to act proactively instead of reactively o Member Chasse: has update from NLH cultural calendar that can be combined with working ACREIHR calendar to ensure recognition of cultural and religious days of importance o This can be used by the Education and Engagement subcommittee to identify focus areas • Housing: any updates from City Manager on Hope House • Accessibility: no new updates • Human Resources: no new updates • Will now include opportunity for committee members to provide updates during the Chair and Vice Chair agenda setting with City Manager Equity Index • Reviewed by City Manager with Advisory Committee • Available for review on the Human Rights Database: https://www.hrc.or�/resources/municipalities/ban�or- me • City reviewing areas that we are not scoring well (for example, 0 out of 2 for inclusive workplaces. Next steps: determine how this number was identified? Is it that this information isn't on the website or is it not included in the benefits of the organization, etc.?) • Questions: need to determine how the scores are assigned by the Human Rights Database o Recommended that the Human Resources subcommittee should explore how this rating was determined; they need to identify what's missing and what'sjust not available by the way the information was collected o Member Canniff, Member Wiley, Member Bulcholz, and Student Rep. Rebecca Jones volunteer to explore where this data is from and how it's collected and scored • New subcommittee identified to determine the data and outcomes of how this Equity Index number was established o To explore: are there other reports that pull from this HRC database, and if so, what's the impact of this as a nested resource? o Brings up additional point: there needs to be a DEIB staff person hired to represent the City of Bangor • Recommendation for new website revamp: identify what information needs to be included so that an Equity Index scrape in the future will reflect offerings/benefits of the city New Business • Annual Report 2023 Review (by Adv. Committee) 2 Advisory Committee of Racial Equity, Inclusion, and Human Rights Minutes for the Tuesday, December 28, 2023 Meeting 6:OOp � Council Chambers • Final report due to Gov't Ops committee by Feb. 5tn • Request to table the committee's review and approval for the January meeting Manager Updates • New member onboarding will take place for committee during January meeting o Select chair and co-chair o FOAATraining • Accessibility month: will request Council Chair Pelletier to give an abbreviated version of her Northern Light Health presentation • Next meeting scheduled for Bangor's PIT Count o Opportunity to volunteer for the count o Data collected will be used to develop policy • Hope House looking for new owner and operator o City of Bangor will be meeting in early January to determine options for Hope House • City Council to set priorities for the coming year o Housing and the balance of the ARPA funds o Public bathrooms will be a focus for ARPA funds o Will focus on available parcels that the city has access to; since zoning changed, what are the potential changes for these areas to be used for housing? o Bangor will review housing plans and approve permits for attached residential buildings in this coming year to provide more options • Two applications submitted to Maine State Housing for the 90% Low Income House Credit o Penquis awarded bid from for Milford St. Family Housing • Versant: City meeting with Versant to identify what could have been done differently o Identified as a problem: lack of communication to residents about the process o Bangor will be providing feedback and recommendations to ensure this does not happen in the future Closing • Chair Fellis thanked the committee for their commitment, work, and progress to make great things happen in Bangor • Member Chasse thanked Chair Fellis for her leadership and City Manager Laurie for her information, support, and guidance • Meeting adjourned; next meeting Tuesday, January 23rd 3