Civil Rights Board advances nominee, debates enforcement and appointments process

The Kalamazoo City Civil Rights Board on Wednesday voted to forward a nominee to the city commission for the mayor's approval while devoting much of its meeting to disputes over board appointments, enforcement of the city's Fair Housing ordinance and plans for an education subcommittee.

The board moved unanimously to forward Ursula Moore Doyle's nomination to the city commission for the mayor's approval after a motion by Vice Chair Lukeman and a second by Director Kyle DeRonde. The board recorded verbal "Aye" votes; members did not read a roll-call tally at the meeting.

The vote came amid extended discussion about whether the board's rules and the city's ordinance permit the Civil Rights Board to enforce the Fair Housing ordinance locally or whether complaints must be referred to state agencies. Commissioner Hoffman urged the board to highlight the board's role and the ordinance's influence at the state level. "I just would like to lift up that the original ordinance that was passed unanimously, I really feel like Kalamazoo, the city of Kalamazoo had a lot of influence at the state level,"…