Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Meeting Governance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Adrian HRC votes to seek ordinance change to meet monthly; commissioners hear calls for civility rules
Summary
The Human Relations Commission voted to pursue an ordinance amendment so it can meet monthly instead of quarterly, and commissioners heard community comments urging clearer rules on decorum and an ethics/values acknowledgement for officials.
The City of Adrian Human Relations Commission voted to move forward with a proposal to change its meeting schedule from quarterly to monthly and discussed community concerns about conduct at public meetings.
Members agreed to place a resolution and proposed ordinance amendment on the HRC docket and instructed staff to assist with drafting. City staff member Michelle told the commission that changing meeting frequency likely requires an ordinance amendment and described the process — an introduction/first reading followed by a second reading and formal vote at subsequent meetings.
A roll-call vote passed the motion to seek the ordinance amendment. Commissioners who recorded affirmative votes during roll call included Commissioner Clark, Commissioner Bernard (Andrea Bernard), Commissioner Giles, Commissioner Chesher, Commissioner Isam, and Commissioner McGawan; Commissioner Bot was excused from the meeting.
Public commenters and several commissioners stressed that the commission should adopt clearer conduct expectations for meetings. Kim Neel said residents sometimes experience verbal abuse at city meetings and asked the HRC to present criteria for acceptable public behavior, suggesting remedies such as cutting a microphone or asking a speaker to be seated when lines cross into abusive behavior.
Commissioners and a member of city staff noted limits to the HRC’s investigatory authority; staff cautioned that enforcement powers are limited and that some investigatory actions fall to other agencies. Several commissioners also proposed requiring commissioners to sign or acknowledge an ethics or values code to set expectations for behavior.
Other brief items: the HRC approved meeting agendas and prior minutes earlier in the session, and community partner Lead Adrian announced a notary-public scholarship (launched April 29; application deadline June 12; five awards). The meeting adjourned after the commission approved setting a special July meeting to finalize community input on the Gulf Street signage.
Next procedural steps: staff will draft an ordinance amendment for introduction; the HRC expects a first reading process and a later vote at subsequent meetings if the ordinance proceeds.
