Troy — The Human Relations Commission announced plans to form a subcommittee to expand its Beloved Community work, recruit new HRC members and re-engage local pastors after the city’s informal Council of Churches ceased operating.

Commissioner Sonia told the commission the Beloved Community team organizes the Martin Luther King Day walk and other year-round activities; she said she will chair the effort this year and asked the commission for marketing and coordination support to grow participation beyond current volunteers.

Sonia proposed convening pastors and faith leaders to rebuild an interfaith coordination group and suggested a working meeting before the HRC’s next regular meeting. She said the Beloved Community subgroup would meet at Partners in Hope; a date mentioned in the meeting was the 26th at 6 p.m. Staff contact names offered included Salome and Lauren, and Sonia asked residents interested in serving on the HRC to email the city, “specifically Mayor Robin Oda,” to register interest.

Commissioners discussed practical steps: forming a subcommittee, creating a recruitment plan for new HRC members, producing marketing materials and sending mailers about five weeks in advance of events. Sonia asked commissioners to provide initiative ideas (for example, seniors’ resources and mental-health referrals) and said the commission should coordinate with pastors and the faith community to expand outreach.

Discussion points: need to move from occasional events to ongoing initiatives, recruit new HRC members, coordinate with local churches. Directions: staff to circulate dates and form a subcommittee; interested residents to contact Mayor Robin Oda or staff. No formal vote was taken to create the subcommittee during the meeting.

Ending — Commissioners agreed to pursue outreach and said staff would circulate planning dates and next steps for the Beloved Community subgroup.