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Public urges continued funding for Office of Human Rights as legislature considers codifying a Chief Equity and Diversity Officer
Summary
Residents and human‑rights commissioners urged the Tompkins County Legislature to keep the Office of Human Rights staffed and funded; the legislature signaled intent to set a public hearing on a charter amendment to add a chief equity and diversity officer and staff said both positions are actively posted.
Multiple members of the public and the county Human Rights Commission urged the Tompkins County Legislature on Nov. 6 to preserve funding and staffing for the Office of Human Rights and to avoid merging it into other departments.
"I urge you to keep funding the Office of Human Rights," Theresa Fulton, vice chair of the Tompkins County Human Rights Commission, told the legislature, recounting dozens of inquiries about immigration, LGBTQ+ discrimination, workplace issues and housing and saying volunteers alone cannot meet community needs. Several public commenters said human‑rights services are a crucial last recourse for people facing discrimination and called for the county to maintain its current office structure rather than merge it with other programs.
Legislators acknowledged the concerns and discussed a separate proposal to add a Chief Equity and Diversity Officer (CEDO) to the county charter; the chair said the next meeting would set a public hearing on the charter resolution and county administration reported the CEDO search was open with a Nov. 9 closing date and the Human Rights director position posted with a Nov. 30 closing date. "The Chief Equity Diversity Officer position is currently open and will close on November 9," the deputy county administrator said. Several legislators said community input should guide any structural change and that the legislature intends to engage residents during the process.
