TW Ingram, chair of the Cedar Falls Human Rights Commission (HRC), presented the commission’s fiscal year 2024 narrative summary to the Committee of the Whole, outlining membership changes, outreach activities, budget lines and concerns about recent state legislation affecting the Iowa Civil Rights Commission (ICRC).

Ingram summarized membership turnover and additions: several commissioners resigned before their terms ended and new members Hayman, Holding and Waltz were named. Ingram described FY2024 as "the year of growth and change for the Cedar Falls Human Rights Commission," and detailed the commission’s increased outreach, including an inaugural fall summit in 2023 that leadership said yielded modest proceeds for future programming.

The commission flagged a state-level change as its principal policy concern: Senate File 2385. Ingram said the law "altered the makeup of the Iowa Civil Rights Commission...the director or staff of director as defined in the law is appointed by the governor and given authority to approve or deny complaints filed for human rights issues across the state." The HRC said it opposed SF 2385 and submitted a letter to the state but could not prevent the measure’s passage.

Because a 2021 city ordinance change removed investigative responsibility from Cedar Falls’ HRC, the commission described its current role as education, advocacy and resourcing. Ingram said the commission now refers complainants to the ICRC or, when appropriate to complainants’ needs, to federal agencies such as the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or the Department of Justice. The HRC reported it resource-mapped complaints during the fiscal year: the commission provided referrals or advocacy for multiple individuals (the presentation listed two housing-related referrals and five instances of advocacy/education support) and noted several complaint outcomes that were logged as referrals, expired ICRC cases or matters outside city jurisdiction.

Ingram said the HRC continued partner work with nearby agencies, including informal and event collaboration with the Waterloo Human Rights Commission and attendance at a statewide conference organized by the League of Iowa Civil and Human Rights Agencies (LICRA). At that conference HRC representatives met with federal and state agency speakers and exchanged best practices the commission plans to use in individual complainant support.

On finances, the chair said the HRC’s general fund allocation and event proceeds are available for sponsorships, joint events and community programming. The presentation listed revenue and expense lines for the general fund and the fall summit; because some figures were read quickly during the presentation, staff or the HRC’s written report should be consulted for exact accounting. Ingram told council that the HRC has used available funds to support joint activities such as International Human Rights Day with Waterloo.

Council members asked clarifying questions about the commission’s role in routing complaints and whether the HRC receives reimbursement for referral work; Ingram confirmed the HRC refers complaints and that reimbursement/scheduling for collaborative work would be discussed later in the agenda. The commission reiterated that it does not perform investigations in-house and instead submits complaints to the appropriate investigative body per established protocols.

The Committee of the Whole thanked Ingram and HRC members for the presentation; no formal council action was taken on the report at the meeting.