Council approves purpose statement, appointment process for Human Relations Committee

LACONIA — City councilors passed unanimously two agenda items making changes to the ordinance which defines and authorizes the Human Relations Committee, a council subcommittee around social issues, during their regular meeting on Monday night.

Council approval came after months of discussion regarding the point and purpose and, ultimately, fate of the committee, which has for more than 20 years met in the City of Laconia. The committee became a subject of frequent and sometimes intense political discourse leading into the 2025 Municipal Election, when voters selected two new councilors, and a new mayor.

The Human Relations Committee typically meets to discuss business, and sometimes organizes civic events — like an observation in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. each year, and this winter, a countywide public forum on homelessness, held in the auditorium at Laconia High School. 

The first amendment had to do with the bones of the committee: the number of members, and mechanism by which they’re appointed. 

From this point forward, excluding any future city council amendments to the ordinance, the committee will comprise: seven members, six appointed by the council and one by the mayor; with staggered terms. 

Councilors approved the item with little discussion, despite significant public outcry on the matter over several months, following a public hearing Monday night. They also unanimously approved a purpose statement for the committee.