Meeting Minutes-approved 10/9/03

 

Date:               September 11,2003

Time                6:30-8:30pm

Place:              Governmental Center, 701 Ocean Street, Room 510 in Santa Cruz

 

1.0.      Call to Order

 

2.0              Roll Call

Present:          Dixie Mitchell-Clow, Evelyn Hall, Alison Harlow, Consuelo Alba-Speyer, Jennifer Bragar, Nadine Winslow, Celia Alvarez

Excused:         Sheryl Bailey

Absent:           

Staff:                Andrea Smith - Coordinator

Guests:           Kim Camacho

 

Co-chair Mitchell-Clow called the meeting to order at 6:32pm.

 

3.0              Announcements

4.0              Approval of Minutes

 

ACTION: The Commission approved the June meeting minutes with corrections.

msp  Hall/Winslow    

 

5.0              Additions/Deletions

 

6.0       Oral communications

 

7.0       Reports:

·          Domestic Violence (DV) Commission:

Co-chair Mitchell-Clow reported update from the DV Commission:

·          The California Universities of Santa Cruz, Berkeley, and Davis are pursuing a grant to increase domestic violence services on campus.

·          The DV Commission is updating their victim information card and preparing a campaign to ensure that these cards available in women’s restrooms and doctor’s offices throughout the county.

·          Nominations for individuals or groups who have contributed extraordinary efforts toward the prevention of domestic violence are being requested.

·          Judge Kelly reported at the DV Commission meeting that 2-days a week are set aside for domestic violence cases.

 

 

·          Reproductive Rights Network (RRN):

Commissioner Harlow reported that RRN meeting focused on implications of proposition 54. Commissioner Harlow requested that the Commission officially endorse opposition to proposition 54. She distributed organization endorsement and individual endorsement forms.

 

ACTION: The Women’s Commission approved to officially oppose Proposition 54 (Racial Privacy), which bans the collection of  demographic information regarding race, ethnicity, and national origin.

msp Harlow/Mitchell-Clow

 

·          ACCW Update

Commissioners’ Harlow  and Winslow reported on attending the ACCW Annual Convention in August. Commissioner Winslow reported that the highlight of the convention was the reports from the various commissions. Recruiting young people into political involvement seemed like a common goal and a good direction for Santa Cruz. Commissioner Harlow reported that the Annual Convention in 2004 would be in Pasadena at the same location as the NACW  Annual convention. The next ACCW quarterly meeting is scheduled for November in Pasadena.

 

·          Cultural Competency Standards

Commissioner Alvarez reported that the Cultural Competency Standards Taskforce is asking Community Based Organizations (CBO’s) to be responsible in their organizational makeup in representing the demographics of their consumers. The standards developed by the Taskforce will go to the Board of Supervisors in October 2003 for final approval and implementation. Currently the standards don’t address how to address gender equity, however the Taskforce’s intent and flexibility of this process will allow for that to be addressed through other means. Commissioner Alvarez reported that she would find out when the county is going to implement the standards on itself.

 

7.1       Commissioners Reports

 

Co-chair Alba-Speyer reported that the Lucille S. Williams Houston Memorial Photo Exhibit reception was very successful. The presentation by Luci’s co-worker was extremely moving. The exhibit will continue through September and then move to the County Building in October. It will be listed in the Arts and Entertainment section of the Mercury. She also reported that she is working with a group in South County to organize a Peace Teach-in in Spanish. The Peace Teach-in will provide information for spreading the word regarding the realities of war and will feature a speaker who has become an emerging leader in the Latino community. His son was killed in the Iraq war.  The Teach-in will also include speakers addressing the impact of the Patriot Act on immigration.

 

Commissioner Harlow reported that she has been very active in the Kucinich Presidential Campaign.

 

Commissioner Hall reported that the Memorial Photo Exhibit event was great. The video is being edited for a PSA (public service announcement) on community television. The October event will be filmed using a tripod to prevent movement on the film. Commissioner Hall also asked that the Commission look into why there was not press coverage when the Capitola police arrested the day workers on 41st avenue. She asked that this be on the October agenda.

 

ACTION: The Commission approved a letter to the City of Santa Cruz thanking them for voting to impeach President Bush. The Commission requested that the ways the Bush administration are not good for women be included in the letter.

msp Hall/Harlow

 

ACTION: The Commission approved a letter of appreciation to the City of Santa Cruz for keeping Free Radio on the air despite the FCC’s efforts to shut it down.

msp  Winslow/Harlow

 

Commissioner Alvarez reported that she is enjoying teaching at CSUMB.  She reported that the Memorial Photo exhibit was wonderful – and that the Commission needs to follow up with Supervisor Campos’ staff to get an article in the Register Pajaronian. 

7.2 Coordinator’s Report

The Coordinator relayed the information provided by the County on rapist alert.

 

8.0 On-going Business

8.1 Subcommittee Reports

Welfare Reform Implementation

The next meeting is scheduled for November 21, 2003.

 

Local CEDAW Implementation Taskforce

The Taskforce plans to have the draft ordinance ready for Commission approval at the October meeting. Once the Commission approves the draft, then select community members will be asked for further feedback before the recommendation goes to the Board of Supervisors in November. The Taskforce will also work to organize community support and lobbying for when the recommendation is made to the County.

 

Women as Leaders Taskforce

The Taskforce has been working on the Lucille S. Williams Memorial Photo Exhibit. The opening reception for the North County exhibit will be on October 3, 2003 from 5-7p.m.

 

8.2 Legislation

See the Reproductive Rights Network report on Proposition 54.

 

8.3 Photo exhibit

See Co-chair Alba-Speyer’s report and the Women as Leaders Taskforce update.

 

8.4 Women’s Online Event Calendar-tabled

 

9.0 New Business

9.1 CEDAW  draft

See the Local CEDAW Implementation Report above. Commissioners requested that Ajita Patel, EEO Officer be invited to attend the next Commission meeting to review the CEDAW draft.

 

9.2 County Housing Element

Mark Demming and  Julianne Ward, County Planning Department  presented highlights from the draft housing element. The most alarming information from the report was that a family of four at an annual income level of between $55-80,000  now falls into the moderate-income bracket and would qualify for affordable housing.

In preparing the Housing Element, the county has had to identify groups who need housing, identify potential housing sites, and provide systems for maintaining existing affordable housing. The County has distributed over 300 copies of the report and visited ten County Commissions for input.

 

Demming and Ward requested that the Commission send their recommendation on the Housing Element report to the Board.

 

9.3 Grey bears

Commissioner Alvarez requested that the Commission recognize the Grey Bears anniversary.

 

ACTION: The Commission approved posting a link to the Grey Bears webpage in recognition of their anniversary on the Commission website.

            msp           Alvarez/Winslow

 

·          Next Month’s Agenda:

o        CEDAW draft

 

The meeting adjourned at 8:20

Respectfully submitted,

Andrea Smith

Commission Coordinator