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Councilors urge city manager to reconsider Human Rights Commission leadership changes
Summary
Councilors and commissioners asked the city manager to reconsider not reappointing two Human Rights Commission leaders, citing continuity and oversight needs; the city solicitor said appointments are executive decisions and not subject to council confirmation.
A group of councilors on May 6 publicly urged the City Manager to reconsider a decision not to reappoint the chair and vice chair of the Human Rights Commission (HRC), saying the commission’s work and institutional knowledge are important while police oversight and related policy work proceed.
Councilor Tatiana Ijeh told the manager she was “highly, highly, highly” urging reconsideration and said the two leaders were “very professional, meticulous, articulate, intelligent people” whose removal could hinder work on racial-equity and police oversight. Councilor King also raised concerns about continuity, noting a long-serving commissioner who is central to the HRC’s work and suggesting the manager be flexible as the HRC assumes duties previously handled by a dissolved diversity committee.
The City Solicitor cautioned the council that appointment decisions to the HRC are within the executive branch and that the council has no confirmation authority, saying the matter is not on the meeting agenda and should not be the subject of council directives. The solicitor told councilors, “the council has no confirmation authority for an appointment of a member to the HRCs. It's an executive board.”
The City Manager offered clarification on the HRC’s role and the scope of its powers. He said the commission’s subpoena authority applies to witnesses in investigations of complaints brought to the HRC, and that the administration had reorganized investigative support so the equity office could assist the HRC. “They have subpoena power when it comes to witnesses relative to those investigations of those complaints,” the manager said, explaining procedural limits on the HRC’s authority over municipal departments.
No vote or council directive was taken at the meeting. Councilors asked the manager to reconsider the staffing decision and to ensure the HRC has necessary support; the solicitor advised the council that it should not take action directing personnel or appointments that are executive functions.
