The Commission created by this subchapter shall have the following powers and duties:
(A) To establish and maintain a permanent office in the city.
(B) To appoint an executive director or other staff as it may deem necessary and to fix the compensation for these employees within the limits of funds made available to the Commission.
(C) To create subcommittees and advisory committees as in its judgment will aid in effectuating the purpose of this subchapter.
(D) To gather and distribute information intended to improve human relations and achieve equal opportunity.
(E) To reduce tensions and prevent violence caused by breakdowns in relations between persons of various racial, ethnic, and religious groups.
(F) To initiate or receive complaints and make investigations of charges of discriminatory practices. All investigations of complaints or Commissioner's complaints shall be made by the Commissioners or staff members.
(G) To prevent any person from discharging, expelling, or otherwise discriminating against any person because he filed a complaint or testified in a hearing before the Commission or otherwise cooperated with the Commission in the exercise of its duties.
(H) To discourage any person from engaging in discriminatory practices by methods of persuasion and conciliation.
(I) To request the City Attorney to seek temporary restraining orders and preliminary injunctions to preserve the status quo or prevent irreparable harm to the complainant, pending the resolution of the complaint or Commissioner's complaint either through conciliation conference, or public hearing, in cases where the Commission is empowered to issue cease and desist orders. This request may be made only when, after investigation, the Commission finds there is probable cause to credit the charge of the discriminatory practice alleged in the complaint or Commissioner's complaint.
(J) To hold hearing on discriminatory practice charges, contained in complaints and Commissioner's complaints, to subpoena witnesses, compel their attendance, administer oaths, take testimony of persons under oath, and require the production for examination of any books and papers relating to any matter under investigation or in question before the Commission. The Commission may make rules governing the issuance of subpoenas by individual Commissioners. Contumacy or refusal to obey a subpoena issued pursuant to this section shall be subject to section 12 of the State Civil Rights Law.
(K) To state its findings of facts after a hearing and, if the Commission finds a person has engaged in an unlawful discriminatory practice, it shall cause to be served on the person an order requiring the person to cease and desist from the unlawful discriminatory practice and requiring the person to take any further affirmative action necessary to effectuate the purposes of this subchapter.
(L) To request the City Attorney to seek enforcement in the event the respondent fails to comply with an order of the Commission.
(M) To reduce the terms of conciliation agreed to by the parties to a writing to be called a consent agreement which the parties and a majority of the Commissioners shall sign. When so signed, the consent agreement shall have the effect of an order issued by the Commission and may be enforced as provided in division (L) above.
(N) To adopt, amend, and rescind rules and regulations not inconsistent with the provisions or intent of this subchapter, but no rule shall be adopted, amended, or rescinded without the advice and consent of the Mayor and the Common Council.
(O) To commend to the Mayor and the Common Council legislation or amendments to aid in carrying out the purposes of this subchapter.
(P) To cooperate with the State Civil Rights Commission, wherever possible, to effect compliance with state laws.
(Q) To submit, at least annually, a report of its activities to the Mayor, Common Council, and the public.
(R) To adopt bylaws, with the consent of the Mayor and approval of the Common Council.
('80 Code, § 13-19) (Ord. 2170, passed 3-21-77)