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DeKalb council weighs reshaping Human Relations Commission to rely on nonprofit representation
Summary
City Manager Bill Nicholas proposed turning the Human Relations Commission into a panel of nonprofit representatives meeting on an as-needed basis; council members debated trade-offs between expert nonprofit involvement and resident representation and asked staff to draft ordinance revisions.
City Manager Bill Nicholas brought a proposal to the City Council on March 23 to revise the roles and meeting schedules of several city boards and commissions, focusing on changing the Human Relations Commission (HRC) to a body composed primarily of representatives from established local non-profits.
Nicholas said the Calhoun Municipal Code identifies multiple boards and commissions and that three bodies in particular have not been meeting regularly. He proposed that the HRC be constituted of representatives from local human-service organizations (examples raised included Safe Passage, Hope Haven and Elder Care Services) who would be nominated by the mayor and confirmed by the council, and convened on an as-needed basis rather than on a fixed schedule.
Council members broadly welcomed the idea of tapping nonprofit expertise but raised concerns about maintaining resident representation and ensuring access for faith-based actors. Alderman Larson suggested including representatives of ministerial associations; Alderman Berbick urged outreach to churches. Alderman Powell warned the HRC should not become a "judge and jury" panel and recommended clarifying the commission's role before appointing members.
Discussion touched on statutory constraints and logistics: the city attorney noted public-meeting requirements under the Open Meetings Act and staff said that some commissions are required by ordinance to meet a minimum number of times. Several council members suggested a phased approach: try the nonprofit-representation model for the commissions that have had low engagement and return with ordinance language for council consideration.
Mayor Cohen Barnes directed staff and the city attorney to draft ordinance revisions for the council to consider that would allow selected non-statutory commissions to meet "on demand," and to consult with stakeholder organizations about representation and proxy arrangements. No formal change was adopted at the meeting; the council asked for a follow-up ordinance and additional outreach to community groups.
