(A) Establishment and composition. A Human Rights Liaison is hereby established. The Liaison shall consist of three members to be appointed by the Mayor by and with the advice and consent of the Council and shall serve staggered three-year terms. Members of the Liaison shall be appointed with due regard to their fitness for the efficient dispatch of the functions, powers and duties vested in and imposed upon the Liaison. Any person appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of the term for which his or her predecessor was appointed shall be appointed only for the remainder of the term. Upon the expiration of his or her term of office, a member shall continue to serve until his or her successor is appointed and shall have qualified. The members of the Liaison shall serve without compensation and may be removed from office for cause by the Mayor. The City Administrator/Clerk-Treasurer shall serve as ex officio member.
(B) Purpose. The purpose of the Liaison is to secure for all citizens equal opportunity in employment, housing, public accommodations, public services and education and full participation in the affairs of the city by assisting the State Department of Human Rights in implementing the State Act Against Discrimination being M.S. §§ 363A.01 et seq., and by advising the city on long-range programs to improve community relations in the city.
(C) Powers and duties. In fulfillment of its purpose, the Liaison’s duties and responsibilities shall be to:
(1) Adopt bylaws and rules for the conduct of its affairs including the election, assumption of duties and definition of responsibilities of officers and committees;
(2) Draft a memorandum of agreement with the State Department of Human Rights for the purpose of determining regulatory and enforcement procedures;
(3) Enlist the cooperation of agencies, organizations and individuals in the city in an active program directed to create equal opportunity and eliminate discrimination and inequalities;
(4) Formulate a human relations program for the city to give increased effectiveness and direction to the work of all individuals and agencies addressing themselves to planning, policy making and educational programming in the area of civil and human rights;
(5) Advise the Mayor, the Council and other agencies of the government on human relations and civil rights problems; and
(6) Act in an advisory capacity with respect to planning or operation of any city department on issues of civil and human rights, and recommend the adoption of any specific policies or actions as are needed to provide for full equal opportunity in the city; and develop in cooperation with the State Department of Human Rights any programs of formal and informal education as will assist in the implementation of the State Act Against Discrimination being M.S. §§ 363A.01 et seq. and provide for the Liaison’s assumption of leadership in recognizing and resolving potential problem areas in the city.
(1989 Code, § 2.34)