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Human Relations Commission session lacks quorum; members plan interim leadership and discuss Juneteenth support
Summary
The Human Relations Commission convened but could not act because it lacked a quorum. Members discussed appointing interim leadership, starting a small school outreach pilot, and potential collaboration with a Juneteenth event the task force reportedly pledged $5,000 to support.
The Human Relations Commission of Middletown opened its scheduled meeting but did not have a quorum and therefore took no formal votes, the meeting’s chair said.
Chair (S1) called the gathering to order and walked participants through logistics but confirmed that “we’re unable to have a quorum, so we won’t officially have a meeting,” a committee member noted. Because of that procedural limit, members agreed to postpone any official appointments or budget actions until a later meeting with a confirmed quorum.
Still, commissioners and participants used the session to plan next steps. Several members volunteered to serve in leadership roles temporarily; Howard offered to serve as vice chair and others signaled willingness to carry interim duties until the commission could vote officially, the chair said. The group agreed staff would contact absent members before the next meeting to try to secure enough participation to hold a formal vote.
Members also discussed program priorities. One participant urged starting small with a school-based outreach pilot focused on a single middle school rather than launching a large multi-school program immediately, saying a modest, all-volunteer event could build momentum and community buy-in for later expansion.
Health and staffing realities shaped the planning: the chair reported a member, Sanji, suffered a concussion earlier this year, has had multiple ER visits and is scheduled for a nerve-block procedure at Hartford Hospital; the chair said Sanji may be out for a month and asked members to plan around that absence.
Participants raised questions about documentation and the status of a related anti-racism task force. The chair noted that the task force’s minutes show it designated $5,000 in support for a Juneteenth event; a committee member said the task force currently lacks proper legal establishment and described its meetings as “illegal” in form, which prompted discussion about whether and how commissions should coordinate with that body.
The commission agreed to offer nonfinancial support—staffing a table and helping with outreach—if event organizers share details early enough for planning. “First Church on Court Street” was cited as willing to participate, and the chair said she would follow up with Councilman Darnell for more particulars that the commission could pass along to members.
Because the group lacked a quorum, no formal decisions or votes were recorded. The chair said the session would be documented for the record and members would reconvene when enough commissioners could attend to hold official business.
Next procedural steps: staff will contact absent commissioners before the next meeting to secure attendance for a formal vote on leadership appointments; members will compile ideas for community programming and a possible fall student survey to inform a school-based pilot.
(Reporting based on the commission’s recorded session; no formal votes or ordinances were taken.)
