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Commissioner reads resignation letter alleging discrimination; HREC leaders, staff and city attorney discuss next steps
Summary
During roundtable Commissioner Bernadico read a resignation accusing the city of minimizing allegations of discrimination and lacking transparent internal processes; commissioners reacted emotionally and the city attorney advised that any full-group deliberation of personnel or structural process issues should occur in a public meeting with quorum and staff will follow up.
Commissioner Bernadico used the roundtable on May 12 to describe a recent resignation from the commission and raise concerns about transparency and the commission’s ability to advocate for underrepresented communities.
"Her resignation was not vague. It included clear statements about discrimination, distrust, structural limitations, and whether HREC is actually positioned to advocate for equitable treatment of our communities," Bernadico said, reading from the resignation and urging the commission not to frame the departure as "polite disagreement." The commissioner also questioned the selection process for an application committee and said two cisgender, heterosexual white-presenting commissioners were appointed without transparent process or full commission input.
Commissioners responded with emotion and calls for the commission to address the concerns rather than move on. "I don't want to just let it go," one commissioner said, and another described feeling unsafe or exhausted in the commission's current atmosphere.
City Attorney Ian Whitehiser advised that if the group as a whole wants to discuss personnel or structural process issues, that conversation must occur at a public meeting when a quorum is present. "If any of you... have ideas about how the group as a whole can talk about this, talk to Melissa. Email... a quorum of you, for the group of you to talk about this, it does need to happen in a public meeting," he said.
Chair Scott Jones and staff proposed follow-up options including one-on-one conversations, small-group meetings, and returning the issue to a future agenda. Melissa Kamagna offered to compile written feedback from commissioners and to schedule future public meeting time for a fuller conversation. With time expired the commission adjourned and encouraged commissioners to "sit with each other as humans" and to send follow-up input to staff.
Next steps: staff will compile commissioner feedback submitted by email and work with HREC leadership and the city attorney to bring options back to a public meeting for fuller consideration.
