Brookings removes investigatory role from Human Rights Commission; council approves ordinance

The Brookings City Council approved Ordinance 25-022, amending how the Brookings Human Rights Commission (HRC) handles discrimination complaints. The ordinance removes the commission’s authority to investigate, arbitrate and enforce complaints and instead positions the HRC as a resource and referral body.

Casey Bell, the city’s human resources director, introduced the ordinance and Lawrence, a member of the HRC, provided the detailed presentation. “We are kinda adopting our policy, to mail what they have. What the changes would be, it would remove the HRC's authority to investigate, arbitrate, and enforce complaints of discrimination,” Lawrence said, explaining that the change lets agencies with statutory investigatory authority handle adjudication.

Lawrence told council the revision was prompted by turnover among volunteer commissioners, training demands, confidentiality concerns and uncertainty about the legal competencies required to investigate discrimination complaints. Under the revised procedure, someone filing a complaint will still submit the HRC form; staff and the HRC will maintain records and direct complainants to agencies such as the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for housing matters or the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for employment matters.

Council members thanked volunteers and the working group for the reform. A roll-call vote approved the ordinance; council recorded all present members voting in favor. City staff said the HRC will continue to log complaints to track local issues while referring legal investigations to trained enforcement agencies.