Carlisle Human Relations Commission keeps quarterly 1 p.m. meeting time, names intake officer

Chair Wanda Hunter called the Carlisle Human Relations Commission to order and said the commission would remain on its current quarterly schedule at 1:00 p.m., while appointing Deb Fulham Winston as the commission’s intake officer. "Deb will take over as intake officer," Hunter said during the meeting.

The commission considered whether moving meetings to an evening time would increase public turnout but members concluded the change was unlikely to have a large effect. Mackenzie Clark, a commission member who said she maintains a private legal practice, said a state-level commission may supplant some local functions: "there is now the state commission, which has much better, bigger teeth anyway," she said, arguing the borough panel’s influence is limited.

Commission members reviewed how complaints are handled: residents are asked to submit an online form on the borough website, the borough office forwards submissions to the commission, and an intake commissioner provides initial instructions and options to the parties. Clark flagged a potential conflict-of-interest for private-practice attorneys serving as intake officers but volunteered to help when needed. Deb Fulham Winston raised her hand and agreed to serve as intake officer.

Members also handled routine business: Amy Barrier distributed the meeting minutes for review, a motion to approve the minutes was moved and seconded and the minutes were recorded as passed, staff said there are no anticipated vacancies through 2026, and there were no public comments at the meeting. The commission adjourned at 1:22 p.m.

The action taken was administrative: the commission kept its existing schedule and designated an intake officer. Commissioners asked anyone with a complaint to complete the borough’s online intake form so the full commission receives the information and can follow the intake process.