Human Relations Commission: conciliation agreement near completion; Metro Arts grant policies sent to council

The Metro Human Relations Commission reported on an ongoing conciliation agreement with Metro Arts and said key documents and grant-policy changes have been submitted to Metro Council, but some errors in the paperwork require corrections before final approval.

The update matters because the conciliation agreement — arising from a Title VI complaint and intended to change how Metro Arts distributes public arts funding — affects how roughly $3.2 million budgeted for Metro Arts grants will be allocated and administered this fiscal year.

MHRC staff member Ashley (last name not provided) told commissioners that Metro Legal completed a legal manual for boards and commissions as part of the conciliation agreement and has printed copies for distribution. Ashley said the Arts Commission approved a slate of grant policies on Dec. 5 and that the policies and supporting guidelines were submitted to Metro Council on Jan. 6 “so that deadline was met.” She added, however, that when MHRC staff reviewed the documents late on the prior Friday they found omissions and errors: “There is just a lot of errors, decisions that had been authorized by the arts commission…were not in the paperwork that was being submitted.”

David (MHRC staff) described the legal manual as long-awaited and useful, saying it “is an excellent document” and that it explains bylaws, Robert’s Rules and the powers and operations of boards and commissions. Mel Fowler Green, who…