(a) The Civil Rights Commission shall consist of five greater Oxford area residents selected by Council to serve three-year overlapping terms: one member shall be appointed for one year, two members shall be appointed for two years, and two members shall be appointed for three years. Thereafter, members shall be appointed for three-year terms of office.
(b) The Commission, in addition to the powers and duties set forth elsewhere in this chapter, shall have the power and responsibility of studying, investigating, conducting public meetings and public hearings relative to any and all matters of factual situations wherein there is the possibility of the existence of discriminatory practices or prejudice or discrimination which in any manner could conceivably result in any degree of deprivation of the civil rights of any person within the City of Oxford.
(c) Said Commission may initiate action pursuant to these powers upon its own motion and shall have the duty of initiating such action whenever a majority of the members of said Commission deem action necessary and appropriate.
(d) No provision of this section shall be construed so as to limit the power or authority of the Commission in the area of discriminatory practices or civil rights violations, and this section shall be construed broadly to permit the Commission great latitude in these areas.
(e) In addition to other purposes contained in this chapter, it shall be a primary purpose of the Commission to become acquainted with any and all discriminatory practices, civil rights violations or matters of similar nature existing within the City of Oxford, and to acquaint both the public and Council, as well as other persons, as to the nature thereof, as well as to make findings of fact, determinations and recommendations.
(f) The Commission may accept its own rules of procedure and whenever the Commission shall convene a hearing, said Commission may administer oaths and take such testimony as shall be deemed necessary by the Commission to effectuate such hearing.
(Ord. 3399. Passed 4-4-17.)