[Adopted 2-8-1978 as Ch. 24, Art.
II of the 1978 Code; amended in its entirety 12-2-2002]
It being essential to the health, safety and
welfare of this City and its inhabitants that differences of race,
creed and national origin serve as sources of individual and community
strength rather than as causes of discrimination, segregation and
restricted opportunity, a Commission on Human Relations shall be and
is hereby established.
This Commission shall consist of nine members
who shall reside in or be employed in the City of Middletown. They
shall be appointed by the Mayor with the consent of the Common Council
and shall serve without compensation. Of the nine members first appointed,
three shall serve for a term of three years (one of whom shall be
designated as the Chairman of the Commission); three shall be appointed
for a term of two years; and three shall be appointed for a term of
one year. After the first term of three years, the Commission shall
then elect its own Chairman, and thereafter all appointments to the
Commission shall be for a term of three years. In the event of the
death, disability or resignation of any member of the Commission,
his successor shall be appointed by the Mayor with the approval of
the Common Council to serve the unexpired period of the term.
The functions of the Commission shall be:
A.
To foster mutual understanding and respect among all
racial, religious, and ethnic groups of the community.
B.
To ensure equality of treatment of any racial, religious,
or ethnic group, or any of its members.
C.
To assure equality of opportunity for all individuals.
D.
To cooperate with governmental and nongovernmental
agencies and organizations having functions similar to those of this
Commission.
E.
To make such studies as in the judgment of the Commission
will aid in furthering the aims of this article.
The powers and duties of the Commission shall
be:
A.
To enlist the cooperation of the various racial, religious,
and ethnic groups, community organizations, labor organizations and
fraternal and benevolent associations, and other groups in programs
and campaigns devoted to eliminating group prejudice, intolerance,
bigotry and discrimination.
B.
To study the problems of prejudice, intolerance, bigotry,
discrimination and disorder occasioned thereby in all or any fields
of human relationship.
C.
To receive complaints of racial, religious and ethnic
group tensions, prejudice, intolerance, bigotry, and disorder occasioned
thereby, and discrimination against any persons, group of persons,
organizations, or corporations, and to refer such complaints to the
proper agency having jurisdiction in the particular matter.
D.
To publish, when appropriate, publications and reports
of research designed to promote good will and to minimize or eliminate
prejudice, intolerance, bigotry, and discrimination.
E.
To recommend to the Common Council legislation to
aid in implementing, improving or strengthening programs to accomplish
equality of opportunity and the elimination of prejudice, intolerance,
bigotry and discrimination.
The Commission on Human Relations shall have
available the services of other City departments and agencies for
the assistance of the Commission in its proper functions.
[Amended 5-2-2016 by Ord.
No. 06-16]
There shall be a Director of the Office of Equal
Opportunity and Diversity Management to be appointed by the Mayor
with the consent of the Common Council. The Director shall act as
the staff for the Commission on Human Relations and shall perform
the duties required by ordinance or resolution of the Common Council.
