New Golden Valley Human Rights Commission Approved, Applicants Sought

After being put on hold two years ago, the Golden Valley City Council has reinstated city’s Human Rights Commission.

Two years after the Golden Valley City Council dismissed the entire Golden Valley Human Rights Commission, the group has been reestablished. The item, presented as an ordinance amendment, was approved by the council at the March 5 meeting, including a few updates to the commission’s bylaws. The city is now seeking applicants to serve on the Human Rights Commission, according to the Golden Valley website. The application deadline is 4 p.m. April 1, 2013. Here are application details from the Golden Valley website: The City of Golden Valley is recruiting applicants, representing a diverse cross-section of the City, to serve on its Human Rights Commission. Applicants must be residents of Golden Valley (with the exception of current high …

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Plans for Controversial Golden Valley Human Rights Commission Advance

After the Human Rights Commission was dismissed two years ago, the Golden Valley City Council considers reestablishing the commission.

Two years after the Golden Valley City Council dismissed the entire Golden Valley Human Rights Commission, the Council is looking at reestablishing the Commission. The December 2011 dismissal of the Human Rights Commission came after commission members presented a resolution to the City Council following a September 2011 shooting.  "I don't think any of them recognized the seriousness of their discussion or the legal liability they put us in," Linda Loomis, who was then Mayor, said at the December 2011 meeting at City Hall. Related: City Council Votes 4-1 to Dismiss Human Rights Commission Members Since the dismissal, the Golden Valley Human Rights Commission was suspended. A 19-member public task force was appointed by the City Council in…

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Human Rights Commission Task Force Appointed

The public is invited to several meetings this August to express thoughts about reconvening a Human Rights Commission.

The Golden Valley City Council appointed a 19-person public task force June 19, 2012, to begin community dialogue to assess the need for and scope of a Human Rights Commission as an advisory board to the Council.  Meetings are open to the public and will be held Aug 9, 20, and 29, 6–9 pm, in the Golden Valley City Hall Council Chambers, 7800 Golden Valley Rd. Additional meetings will be scheduled if necessary. The mission of Human Rights Commission Task Force is to: The City Council asked the Task Force to complete its charge before Oct 31, 2012. Complete information is available at www.goldenvalleymn.gov/boards/humanrights/index.php.   Editor's Note: The information above came from a press release from Golden Valley City Staff.

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City Council Votes 4-1 to Dismiss Human Rights Commission Members

In Tuesday night's meeting, everyone on the council agreed this was a hard decision, but not everyone agreed it had to be made.

In October, members of the Human Rights Commission met at their regular meeting. After discussing the September shooting of a woman Golden Valley Police say was armed, the commissioners came up with a resolution that they presented to the City Council in November that reads: “To Form a Task Force that will Identify and Adopt Best Practices that Prevent the Use of Unnecessary Force by Golden Valley Police Officers” When the Human Rights Commission members presented their resolution to the council in a work session in November, council members said they were blind-sided. "I don't think any of them recognized the seriousness of their discussion or the legal liability they put us in," Mayor Linda Loomis said at Tuesday night's meeting in …

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Charlie Quimby

12:21 pm on Sunday, December 25, 2011

This comment sounds right to me. For whatever reasons, it appears the commission has been dysfunctional for some time, and this council may have done the new administration a favor by providing an opportunity to start fresh.   more ›

All Four Members of Human Rights Commission to be Dismissed

The City Council said liability risks forced them to take action—temporarily suspending the commission, while dismissing its members.

The four people who currently comprise the Golden Valley Human Rights Commission are on their way out. During a special meeting Tuesday night held by the city council, the four commission members—Anne Dykstra, Marion Helland, Terri Policy and Tim Hepner—were told they would all be dismissed. Formal action by the council to dismiss the four is expected at the Dec. 20 regular council meeting in council chambers. “We need to protect the city from liability and possible damages,” said Mayor Linda Loomis. “This is a very serious matter.” At a city council work session in November, the commission publicly called for the creation of a special task force to look into police behavior amidst recent high-profile incidents including the city having to…

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GV City Council, Human Rights Commission Talk it Out

Both groups aired opinions about the recent suspension of the commission after it recommended a task force the council felt was inappropriate.

For a little over one hour late Tuesday afternoon, the Golden Valley City Council and the four people who make up the city’s Humans Rights Commission squared off to air opinions about who did what, why it was done and what the ramifications might be over the controversial commission resolution calling for a task force to look at city police department actions and behavior. The meeting was the result of the council suspending the commission last month after the commission publicly issued the resolution. The commission recommended the task force after two incidents—a recent lawsuit the city settled regarding alleged excessive force by a city police officer and the I-394 incident in September when a Golden Valley police officer shot and …

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GV Council, Human Rights Commission Square Off Tonight

The commission was suspended, now its future may be decided at a meeting tonight.

What begin as an acrimonious meeting at a Golden Valley City Council and city manager work session in early November is expected to come to a head around 5 p.m. today (Tues.). Issues between the council and the Golden Valley Human Rights Commission boiled over at the work session when it was suggested by the commission that a task force be considered to look at and address use of force by city police officers. The suggestion came on the heels of a couple of recent incidents, one in which the city paid out damages in a case brought against the police department involving use of force, and the incident a few months ago in which a city officer was involved a fatal shooting on I-394 which left a California woman dead. The idea of a task force–…

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Daniel Peters

10:15 am on Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Thank you Brad for the "legal" explanation. I guess I was implying that, the council didn't like what they said, so "they can't be part of us anymore". Chief Carlson wants the Commission eliminated and then the commission comes out with a statement about reviewing the police dept. policies, and then the council suspends the commission. Just reading between the lines.   more ›

Golden Valley Suspends Entire Human Rights Commission

The Golden Valley City Council suspended the Commission after it made a recommendation on police training.

City's Human Rights Group In Flux

Withering participation and cancelled meetings have damaged the commission.

Golden Valley's Human Rights Commission, stagnant for nearly three years, might soon dissolve altogether. With the commission struggling to maintain minimal involvement with the community—and its own members—the city council has decided to evaluate its structure, scope and effectiveness. During a heated discussion at the City Manager’s meeting this past week, council members, grappling with the commission's future, voted to form a community focus group this fall and ask community members to help define the commission's scope and responsibilities. "I'm out of ideas," stated Mayor Linda Loomis. "We need to ask the community what we would like to see around social justice and human rights in Golden Valley," Council Member Paula Pentel said. …

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Elaine Wynne

4:28 am on Friday, June 24, 2011

Could you call me - I'd like to talk with you.   more ›