The City of Hackensack is hereby declared as a "stigma-free
zone" and, in furtherance thereof, there is hereby established a Stigma
Free Advisory Board (Board). The membership of the Board shall consist
of not less than 10 persons, the majority of whom shall be residents,
officials or employees of the City and the remainder consisting of
persons associated with local community groups, faith communities,
local businesses, schools, mental health organizations, hospitals,
physicians, attorneys, health care professionals, and social service
organizations expressing a commitment to promoting a stigma-free Hackensack.
This chapter is intended to formalize and codify the existing
Board that was previously established by resolution with its membership
appointed by the City Manager. Accordingly, all appointees to that
existing Board currently serving as of the date this chapter is adopted
shall remain in office until their successors are appointed. The City
Council shall appoint or reappoint, as the case may be, the members
of the Board so that no less than three and no more than five of the
members shall serve for a one-year term; no less than three and no
more than five of the members shall serve for two-year terms; and
the remainder of the members shall serve for three-year terms. Following
such initial appointments, all future appointments shall be for three
years, and vacancies shall be filled for the unexpired term only.
Board members shall receive no compensation for their services.
The Council shall appoint a Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson
from among the membership each year. The Chairperson shall be a Hackensack
resident or an official or employee of the City.
The purposes of the Board are to raise public awareness of the
stigmas associated with mental illness, sexually transmitted diseases,
including HIV, being discriminated against on the basis of age, race,
creed, color, national origin, ancestry, marital status, affectional
or sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability,
nationality or sex, and being subjected to harassment, intimidation
and bullying with the goal of eliminating such stigmas and encouraging
individuals suffering from the disease of mental illness and sexually
transmitted diseases to seek treatment and to urge individuals who
are subjected to discrimination, harassment, intimidation and bullying
to report same to the appropriate authorities.
The Board may, subject to the availability of adequate funds,
undertake a stigma free campaign, participate in public awareness
programs to eliminate stigmas, host stigma free forums, distribute
stigma free promotional materials, coordinate stigma free events with
local community service organizations, advise the Council as to additional
stigma free programs, and perform such other functions in furtherance
of the purposes to eliminate stigmas within the City of Hackensack.
In the event that any member of the Board shall miss three consecutive
meetings, the chairperson of the Board (or deputy chairperson, if
it is the chairperson who is so absent) shall report such absences
to the City Council. If the City Council, after due inquiry, is satisfied
that the absences were not occasioned by reasonable cause, it may
remove the member by resolution.