Council seeks public input on permanent installation of Human Relations Committee

LACONIA — City councilors will gather public input about making the Human Relations Committee a standing committee during their meeting on Monday, Dec. 8, but won't vote that night on any changes.

In recent months, councilors have pondered whether to formally incorporate the Human Relations Committee, which has been active for several decades, as a council subcommittee. The council subcommittee on government operations and ordinances is reviewing an ordinance to make such a change. 

A group from the Real Life Church on Pleasant Street designed so-called “God Pods,” temporary shelters for people experiencing homelessness, and presented their concept to members of the Human Relations Committee. 

The presentation and resulting discussions prompted backlash among community members about the decision-making authority of the Human Relations Committee.

At a previous meeting of the city council, an agenda item authorizing Mayor Charlie St. Clair to reappoint committee members was tabled, after a disagreement regarding council rules.

“Following the last council meeting, my interpretation of what you’re looking for,” City Manager Kirk Beattie said Monday, “if we were going to continue with the Human Relations Committee as a standalone committee, how we could do that to have the council more involved and have more oversight? That was the interpretation I took from our previous meeting.

“What’s presented before you today does that. It’s a change in the ordinance to make this a standing committee, but still under the city council’s control,” Beattie said Monday. “Both for the majority of the members that would sit on it, and also have input and oversight in the mission, vision and purpose of their organization.”

Proposed language includes the appointment of 13 members to three-year terms, and stipulations for members to be residents, property owners, or owners, managers or representatives of a business in the city. The committee’s policies and procedures would be reviewed and approved by councilors every three years after first adoption.

“I like the idea of bringing this under council, I think that’s an appropriate direction to take,” Ward 5 Councilor Steven Bogert said. “But I think there’s a few technical issues that need to get addressed along with this.”

One issue Bogert pointed to was the lack of a defined purpose, and another is that membership would comprise property owners, residents or representatives of a business.

“The word I have a problem with is 'business,' because business, the way it is stated and being used, is a for-profit business and a nonprofit business. What we have is, with our nonprofits, they take money from the taxpayer through the city and what not, they get money. So I feel funny about a committee or a nonprofit who’s taking city tax money being on the board that is potentially giving advice that could change how we tax pay,” Bogert said. “What I would recommend is that word be changed to either a 'for-profit business only,' or, if you want to have nonprofits, then it should be 'nonprofits receiving taxpayer funds shall not be eligible to become part of the committee,' so it’s not taking out every nonprofit, it’s just taking out those that are receiving taxpayer money.”

A third issue Bogert identified is that the council subcommittee on government operations and ordinances should review the language after the public has a chance to weigh in.

“They need to hear what the public is saying in order to take it to the [government operations and ordinances] committee, so they can review everything, and make sure that the wording is correct, and everything like that,” Bogert said. 

Bogert also represents Laconia as a Republican in the Statehouse.

Ward 1 Councilor Bruce Cheney said Human Relations Committee Chair Pat Wood agreed only residents should be able to vote on the committee.

“I do agree that the committee needs a policies and procedures, it needs a mission statement. If this were a brand new committee, I would agree that that should happen before we move forward, but given that this committee has been operating actually longer than anyone can figure out how long — at least 23 years — there’s not a lot of mystery as to what they’re doing for the city, or what they intend to do for the city,” Ward 3 Councilor Eric Hoffman said. “I think I’m OK with letting them create their own mission statement.” 

Cheney asked Wood to put together a mission and purpose statement, and provide it to Beattie quickly, so it can be reviewed before the public hearing. 

“I know we have a mission statement and a vision statement already for the Human Relations Committee so I will reach out to [Beattie] ASAP,” Wood said.