Editor's Note: Ord. No. 1980 § 1, adopted August 19, 2004, repealed ch. 14 "Human Relations" and enacted new provisions set out herein. Former ch. 14 derived from ord. no. 1262 §§ 2 — 6, 3-7-1985 and ord. no. 1604 § 1, 6-2-1994.
[Ord. No. 1980 § 1, 8-19-2004]
(a) 
Members of human relations commission. There shall be a Human Relations Commission consisting of five (5) members, appointed by the Mayor, with the consent of the Board of Aldermen. All members shall serve without compensation and shall serve staggered terms of four (4) years each expiring on June 30 of the appropriate year; provided that all members shall continue in office until their respective successors shall have been appointed and qualified. Appointees to the first Commission shall serve shortened terms designated at the time of appointment, two commissioners serving for one year, one for two years, one for three years and one for four years. In the event of death or resignation of any member, the Mayor with the consent of the Board of Aldermen shall appoint a successor to serve the unexpired portion of his or her term. Commissioners must be residents of the city and registered to vote within the city at the time of their appointment and throughout their service on the Commission. Commission members should be interested in the matters over which the commission has jurisdiction and qualified by training, employment or past activities in community reconciliation processes. Effort should be made to appoint at least one member from each ward of the city.
(b) 
Organization of the commission. Each year the Mayor shall appoint one Commissioner as Chair who shall preside at all meetings of the Commission and perform all the duties and functions of the Chair thereof. The Mayor shall also annually appoint one Commissioner as Vice Chair who shall act as Chair during the absence or incapacity of the Chair and when so acting the Vice Chair shall have and perform ail the duties and functions of the Chair of the Commission. The terms of office of the Chair and Vice Chair shall be for one (1) year, and members may be reappointed to the commission and may serve consecutive terms as Chair and Vice Chair. The Chair or Vice Chair may resign from office at any time during the term and may do so without resigning from the Commission. In such event, the Mayor shall elect another member to replace the resigning officer and such person shall serve the unexpired term of the person he or she replaces. A majority of the appointed members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum for the purpose of conducting the business thereof.
(c) 
Training for commissioners. Commission members should receive training and orientation from and/or through the city as appropriate. They should be familiar with all aspects of city operations, federal, state and local anti-discrimination laws, the character of the city and its residents, and successful techniques for dispute resolution, mediation and community reconciliation. Commission members who fail to participate in training offered to the Commission may forfeit their office and be subject to removal by the Board of Aldermen.
[Ord. No. 1980 § 1, 8-19-2004]
The Commission, through its members, agents, committees and task forces, shall have the following functions, powers, duties and responsibilities:
(1) 
Promote mutual understanding and respect among all social, racial, religious, cultural, and ethnic groups in the City and seek solutions to related problems concerning citizens of the City with the objective to provide an environment in which each citizen shall have the opportunity to grow to his or her maximum potential and be treated with dignity and respect.
(2) 
Endeavor to eliminate prejudice among various groups in the City and to create harmonious relationships among citizens, groups and agencies within the City.
(3) 
Encourage the cooperation of all community groups, both private and public, and work with civil rights organizations, community organizations, law enforcement agencies, school districts and other community educational institutions and other groups to:
(a) 
Foster better human relations among the citizenry of Bellefontaine Neighbors and within the surrounding communities when those relations will significantly impact the quality of life in Bellefontaine Neighbors.
(b) 
Collect and review data relating to patterns of discrimination, hate crimes, hate group activity and general issues of civil and human rights and community relations.
(4) 
Facilitate the formation of local community groups to initiate and coordinate discussions between individuals or groups in order to lessen tensions and promote human relations understanding in the City.
(5) 
Conduct studies and assemble pertinent data for the purposes of:
(a) 
Developing the most effective means of improving human and community relations.
(b) 
Organizing training materials for use by the commission to assist civil and human rights and human relations agencies, neighborhood organizations, educational institutions, law enforcement agencies, businesses and others to prevent unfair treatment and encourage harmonious relations among all groups in the City.
(c) 
Disseminating such information and research as, in its judgment, will tend to promote good will and minimize or eliminate discrimination in the City.
(d) 
Measuring effectiveness of programs established to eliminate discrimination in the City.
(6) 
Conduct an inquiry into matters referred to the Commission by the City and into complaints of discrimination within the City filed with the Commission as hereinafter provided.
(7) 
Enforce the provisions of the City's Fair Housing Code, Article II of this Chapter.
(8) 
Seek and enlist the cooperation of private, charitable, religious, labor, civic or benevolent organizations for the purposes of this section.
(9) 
Implement and coordinate programs that may be funded by city, county, state and federal grants or other programs to effectuate the purposes and policy of this Chapter.
(10) 
Bring to the attention of the Mayor and Board of Aldermen issues of significance which require consideration of further legislative or administrative action.
(11) 
Advise and consult with the Mayor and Board of Aldermen on matters involving discrimination to assure effective compliance with nondiscriminatory policies and ordinances.
(12) 
Study, advise and make other recommendations for legislation, policies, procedures and practices of the City and other public entities as are consistent with the purposes of this chapter.
(13) 
Prepare an annual report for the Mayor and Board of Aldermen concerning the Commission's activities under the provisions of this division with recommendations and pertinent comments.
(14) 
Regularly advise the Mayor and Board of Aldermen, through distribution of its agendas, minutes, memoranda, reports and other pertinent documents, of the items of business before the Commission, the ongoing status of such items, and the dispositions of such items.
[Ord. No. 1980 § 1, 8-19-2004]
(a) 
Any individual who claims to be aggrieved by a discriminatory practice may file with the commission a verified complaint in writing stating the name and address of the person alleged to have committed such practice, the particulars thereof, and such other information as may be required by the commission.
(b) 
Any complaint filed under this section in which affirmative relief is sought shall state what relief is sought or proposed.
(c) 
All such complaints shall be filed within one hundred eighty (180) days of the date of the alleged discriminatory practice.
(d) 
An individual who files a complaint with the commission shall be advised of the possibility of filing a complaint with the Missouri Commission on Human Rights, when appropriate.
(e) 
Before investigating a complaint, the Commission shall determine if the complainant and respondent are willing to resolve the issues raised in the complaint through mediation or some other method of dispute resolution. If the complainant and respondent are willing, the Commission shall facilitate dispute resolution. The complainant and respondent may engage in dispute resolution at any stage in the process. If the complainant and respondent resolve the dispute prior to investigation, the case shall be closed.
(f) 
If the complainant and respondent are unwilling to attempt dispute resolution or are unsuccessful in such an attempt, the Commission shall promptly investigate the allegations of the complaint.
(g) 
When the commission is satisfied that the complaint has been properly investigated, it shall determine whether there is probable cause to credit the allegations of the complaint. If the commission determines that there is no probable cause, it shall dismiss the complaint. If the commission determines that there is probable cause, it shall attempt to have the issue resolved through mediation or some other method of dispute resolution. If the respondent is unwilling to participate in dispute resolution, the commission may forward the matter to the city prosecutor.
(h) 
At any stage in the process, the commission may close the case for good administrative reasons. Such reasons shall include but not be limited to the following:
(1) 
The complainant has failed to cooperate with the commission.
(2) 
The commission is unable to locate the complainant or respondent.
(3) 
The complainant wishes to withdraw the complaint.
(4) 
The subject matter of the complaint has been satisfactorily investigated and resolved by another governmental agency.
(5) 
The complainant has filed a lawsuit against respondent involving the subject matter of the complaint.
[Ord. No. 1980 § 1, 8-19-2004]
It shall be unlawful for any person to:
(1) 
Refuse to sell or rent after the making of a bona fide offer, or to refuse to negotiate for the sale or rental of a dwelling to any person because of sex, age, race, color, religion, religious affiliation, national origin, familial status or disability;
(2) 
Discriminate against any person in the terms, conditions, privileges of sale or rental of a dwelling or in the provision of services or facilities in connection therewith because of sex, age, race, color, religion, religious affiliation, national origin, familial status or disability;
(3) 
Make, print, or publish or cause to be made, printed, or published any notice, statement or advertisement with respect to the sale or rental of a dwelling that indicates any preference, limitation, or discrimination based on sex, age, race, color, religion, religious affiliation, national origin, familial status or disability, or an intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination;
(4) 
Represent to any person because of sex, age, race, color, religion, religious affiliation, national origin, familial status or disability that any dwelling is not available; or
(5) 
For profit, induce or attempt to induce any person to sell or rent any dwelling by representations regarding the entry or prospective entry into the neighborhood of a person or persons of a particular sex, age, race, color, religion, religious affiliation, national origin, familial status or disability.
[Ord. No. 1980 § 1, 8-19-2004]
It shall be unlawful for any bank, building and loan association, insurance company or other corporation, association, firm or enterprise whose business consists in whole or in part in the making of commercial real estate loans to deny a loan or other financial assistance to a person applying therefore for the purpose of purchasing, constructing, improving, repairing, or maintaining a dwelling, or to discriminate against him in the fixing of the amount, interest rate, duration, or other terms or conditions of such loan or other financial assistance because of the sex, age, race, color, religion, religious affiliation, national origin, familial status or disability of such person or of any person associated with him in connection with such loan or other financial assistance, or of the present or prospective owners, lessees, tenants, or occupants of the dwelling or dwellings in relation to which such loan or other financial assistance is to be made or given.
[Ord. No. 1980 § 1, 8-19-2004]
Nothing in this article shall prohibit a religious organization, association, or society, or any non-profit institution or organization operated, supervised or controlled by or in conjunction with a religious organization, association, or society, from limiting the sale, rental or occupancy of dwellings which it owns or operates for other than a commercial purpose to persons of the same religion, or from giving preference to such persons, unless membership in such religion is restricted on account of sex, age, race, color, or national origin; nor shall anything in this article prohibit a private club not in fact open to the public, which as an incident to its primary purpose or purposes provides lodgings which it owns or operates for other than a commercial purpose to persons of the same religion, or from giving preference to such persons, unless membership in such religion is restricted on account of sex, age, race, color, or national origin; nor shall anything in this article prohibit a private club not in fact open to the public, which as an incident to its primary purpose or purposes provides lodgings which it owns or operates for other than a commercial purpose, from limiting the rental or occupancy of such lodgings to its members or from giving preference to its members.