Carlisle HRC announces MEI release, Pride Week dates and agrees to brief borough council after public comments on outreach

The Carlisle Human Relations Commission on Monday approved its November minutes, announced several spring outreach events and agreed to ask borough council to accept an annual HRC update after members of the public urged broader outreach and clarity about complaint options.

The session’s announcements included a YWCA-hosted human-trafficking lunch-and-learn set for April 22 and Carlisle Pride Week, scheduled for June 14–20, with the commission asking community members to observe Juneteenth on June 19 and attend Juneteenth events that day. Amy, a commission staff member, said the HRC is now permitted to release its Municipal Equality Index results and reported the commission received a score of 100 in early 2024. She also reported a pending personnel note that Morgan Goodling’s term is expiring and that the commission expects to nominate an alternate at an upcoming workshop.

The MEI release and outreach calendar drew questions from public commenters about how the HRC communicates with the borough and with residents. Wanda Hunter, a resident of 516 Southwest Street, asked what a recorded “partial term” meant for commissioners and whether the MEI results had been shared with borough council. Hunter said she had previously learned about the MEI only because it was discussed at a public meeting and urged better visibility for the HRC’s work.

"Is it not being done, or is there a reason that it's not?" Hunter asked about formally presenting the index to council.

Commission staff said the HRC shares results with council by email and during planning sessions and budget updates but that the group has not consistently brought an annual public update to a council meeting. A motion was made and passed for the HRC to ask a member to contact Patricia Blair, the borough secretary, to request a council agenda slot for an update.

Public comment also included extended remarks from resident Elijah Day, who said community members face time and economic barriers to participating in local public bodies and urged clearer, more accessible complaint and reporting pathways. Day described difficulty finding meeting information and said many people cannot attend meetings because of work or other demands.

"The time is a barrier between my community and you guys," Day said, urging the commission to make participation easier and to ensure residents know how to file complaints.

Commissioners and staff directed Day to the HRC’s complaint form on the borough website and asked him to follow up after the meeting; staff said the commission will review any submitted forms. The commission also noted community events listed by public commenters, including a Black Arts Festival on Feb. 22 and a community friendship dinner hosted by Moving Circles at New Life Church from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

No formal policy measures were introduced or debated at the meeting; the recorded votes were procedural. The commission approved its minutes by voice vote and later approved the motion to request a council agenda slot; both motions passed by voice vote with members saying "aye." The meeting adjourned following those actions.

The HRC encouraged residents with complaints or questions to use the official complaint form on the borough website and said it will pursue scheduling a public update to borough council through Patricia Blair, the borough secretary.