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05-12-1969 - Special 2 Meeting - MinutesMINUTES OF THE ADJOURNED REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL CITY OF WEST COVINA, CALIFORNIA MAY 12, 1969. The adjourned regular meeting of the City Council was called to order by Mayor Leonard S. Gl.eckman at 4.-07 p.m., in the West Covina Council . Chambers. The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Councilman Nichols. ROLL CALL Present.- Mayor Gleckman, Councilmen, Gillum, Nichols, Chappell, Lloyd Also Present.- William Beem, Chairman, Human Relations Commission Comissioners Overholt, Mount, Shrader Commissioner Casson (Arrived late) City Clerk Lela Preston. George Aiassa, City Manager (Arrived at 4.-12 P.M.) 1) JOINT MEETING WITH HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION_ a) Evaluation_ of. the present scope Q.�. Commission_ Responsibilities Chairman Beem.- (In summary) We asked that this meeting be called and we have two items on, the agenda that we would like to discuss to further our cause in the future. The first one is the original Resolution directing the Commission, we would like to make comments anal suggestions, Mayor Gleckman.- I understand through reading the minutes of the Commission that there was some discussion and misunderstandings as to the Commission's present scope of responsibilities and what areas they should work on. I think what you are really saying is you would like this informal. session to sit down and discuss what are your responsibilities to the City in the scope of a Human Relations Commission. We have .in front of us Resolution No. 2962 which. was the original. Resolution. There has been some changes made, primarily in the manner commissioners are appointed and the terms served and the compensation. received, but there has been no change in the purposes and for the record I would"li ke to read you .A - B - C and D. "A: The purpose of -the said Commission shall be to study formal complaints of unlawful discrimination and prejudice in the community and to offer servicesof conciliation in connection there with, and a formal complaint shall be construed as one placed before the Commission. in. writing and signed by the complainant:. Be To initiate and encourage activities which tend to promote inter -racial and inter -ethnic harmony and progress. C.- Foster mutual understanding between all racial and ethnic groups. D,: Keep the Council informed on all problems of local intergroup relations brought to the attention.of the Commission." Now where in those four situations do you feel the interpretation is necessary as to where you are going? (Mr. Aiassa arrived) Commissioner Shrader.- I think one of the situations we are confronted with is that I understand the intent of the original council. when they formed the Human ORelations Commission because I was on it then. Councilman. Nichols also knows those feelings that were incorporated in this Resolution. However, we have had a turn. -over in personnel on the Commission since then and consequently when I speak or react to a situation I speak from the know- ledge I think I have from the original Resolution. I don't know how much background has been given to the newer members. As a consequence I find a great deal of conversation about what I think and what others think. I don't know how much inservice training is given but I think that is part of our responsibility too and I think this accounts for some of.it. We have had an expression from the Council in the past as it relates to their - 1 - ADJ� REG. C.C. 5-12--69 Page Two JOINT MEETING - Human Relations Commission. - Continued attitude towards the Human Relations Commission. and both times it was with different personnel on the Commission,.; I would like a clarification in my own. mind now whether I personally as an old member -of the -Commission, if I am off base in my interpretation of the Commission's responsibility. My interpretation.is that we delve into formal. complaints, we report to the Council. situations which have been brought to the attention, of the • Commission; we are not an :investigative 'body per se where we act uni- laterally and go out and look for specific problems per se. (Commissioner Casson arrived at 4u14 p.m.) I also feel our actions are limited to the appurtenances of West Covina. So I would like clarification from Council. (Mayor Gleckman related to Commissioner Casson what had transpired so far at the meeting.) Councilman Nichols° At the time this matter first came up, as I re- call, Dr. Snyder initiated the discussion on Council of a Human Relations Commission. He was strongly in favor of the Comm.-L,ssion° s formation'; Harvey Krieger was strongly in. favor of the formation.; and, Councilman Jett and Councilman Heath were determinedly opposed to the .formation of the Commission in any form. I was in favor, but had reservations. So as a result of that I largely dictated the terms of the Resolution as developed. So I probably am uniquely qualified to tell you why it .is as it i.s. I felt there were two clear areas in the community that could 'be served by the Human Relations Commission. 1.o the studying of specific problems that arose, issues and areas of conflict between people. I felt these were the danger areas unless these areas were fairly closely prescribed as to the :role of •any special city body, mainly 'because such a body could become the source of unnecessary aggravation in the community and do more harm than. good. 2: We were informed during this period 'by our City Attorney that the State had preempted the field in investigative -,regulatory sense, and we could only work in a cooperative area in. this field, "but could not legislate in the area of open housing - one of the main problems at that time. For these .reasons I felt the City Council should mainta._i.n. a fairly tight control over the types of investigatory areas the Commission should engage in. The wording was put in "pmaki.n.g formal complaints, etc., so that someone would have to come forward and say "I am the aggrieved person" or "I represent the aggrieved person` and do this in. writing. This was to avoid rumors, etc. To offer services of conciliation, purely because of the legal. -rule that the field had been preempted, and we could only act in the conci.litary area. We could not find someone guilty and fine them or anything else. The second major area was the one of a more positive approach in the community, whereby activates could "be engaged in, motivated and stimulated 'by the Commission in the area of cooperation. This would cover the areas of B - C - D;, and this was left intentionally quite broad. We felt that this was a wide and very fruitful field of endeavor for the Commission to do these things enumerated in B - C - D. My own reaction would -be that areas B -. C - D have :not been, over a five year period, for whatever reason., exploited by the Commission to the extent they might 'be to serve the means as stated here. Area A is probably one of frustration and if the Council. in. its wisdom wants to enlarge its scope in authority as far as it is legally able to, that is the Council°s prerogative. I think this pretty well indicates to you the historical background of section A - why it was prescribed the way it was, for good or bad. Also, indications are regarding B - C - D, that you have not met your limits yet, in fact have not even bumped against it yet. Mayor Gleckmano Very good. I think you have spelled it out correctly. One other +,bis Commission 2 ,- ADJ. REG. C.C. 5-12-69 Page Three JOINT MEETING - Human Rel.atJLon.s Commission - Continued was set up so that we as a City would be prepared to handle such things and not wonder who was going to do what for whom wh.en.something did happen. I agree, I think B - C & D, have not been expanded upon to -any great degree by the Commission and in fact as I read the minutes of your meetings I think that is where the discussion is - as to what the meaning and intent is of number 1 _, B and C and of course D would come automati- cally. I think if.you have a question it would be with the idea of B and and not A and ]5 - to what extent do we want orl expect the Commission to initiate and encourage activities which tend to.promote inter -racial and inter -ethnic harmony and progress, and to what extent do we want to foster or should this Commission attempt to foster mutual understanding between.all racial. and ethnic groups. The only thing I would add to it is that I believe the intent was local and not for us to get involved with what is happening across the United States, only taking it into considera- tion when dealing with Local problems but not going out and seeking it, or study the situation. in New Jersey,or Detroit. I think there are greater sources of information being forwarded into larger and better equipped organizations to resort to as to what they feel about those different things, and I don't think we should seek it out. Commissioner Shrader.- This is not in the form of an apology because I think we have done more than is indicated in the official record, especially in the area. of school programs. Councilman Nichols knows and I know, although. not acting as a Commissioner exclusively but knowing the goals of the City, I worked actively with the city schools in fostering programs. Many of them have been adopted and new programs are coming up. I would like to give some credit to the City for some of these programs. We have talked to local organizations;.we have talked to out of town city councils but not on the scope you have suggested we could. I believe we could do -more in that. scope, but I think we have done more than the official records show© • Mayor Gleckmano I also take into consideration the establishment; of the Human Relations . Commission. because of the Francisquito-Azusa area coming into being at that time which gave the terminology often used of "ghetto" and this was to combat that particular area. If there was anything in the City that really brought this to mind it; was because of that area. 'becoming a problem. When we look. at 'these things I think we should look it straight in the eye and not go all the way around and that particular area in my°estimation through the workings of this Commission working with the Francisquito-Azusa Homeowners Association and the Commission having gone to them on several occasions saying "let's work these problems out bring these problems out in the front." Mr. Solder, when he was on the Commission, he worked actively with Al Jordon. thereby bringing the problems into perspective. And that was one of the main reasons this Commission was established. Commissioner Shrader My suggestion. is I don't think we need more power than what we have now- or more latitude, but I would have to say the latitude we do have is considered negative, because the community is changing and this Commission must change with. it. I think we are changing in attitude even on the Commission as the community changes. Mayor Gleckman.a I would like to hear from Mrs. Casson also. If there is any way in which we are to expand on some of the things you have discussed .... Commissioner Casson,- I have said many times on the Commission that I think we do too much. talking amongst ourselves. That we should figure out ways of connecting with the community. We get together once a month and the five of us sit and talk - I feel we are missing the boat. In terms of what the Recreation Department did with the Youth meetings I feel that we should find ways to connect with groups in the community and make our Human. Relations Commission a truly vital Commission. An active organization. I really doubt that all the people - 3 - ADJ. REG. C.C. 5-12-69 Page Four JOINT MEETING --Human Relations Commission - Continued in the city government really know that we exist and what our purpose is. I say this because of what happened when.I went to the Police Department to.have my picture taken. I had to make several trips there and they aaid - "Human Relations Commission, what's that?" 'So I went back a second time and I then told them who had sent me and they said "Who was he?" And by that time I was getting a little irritated, eventually my picture .was taken and as the policeman was taking it, the officer asked me what Human Relations was? I asked him how long he was in the force and he said about 9 months, so I gave him a brief summary of how long the Commission had existed, etc., and he thought it was a very interesting Commission and was sorry he didn't know about it. So that made me feel that if people under government don't know, maybe we really haven't got to the first step of letting people know we are here, letting them know what our purpose is, and trying to use the Commission in a way that would be preventive. I don't feel we should wait until things happen. If you educate and involve activities st won"t happen. I have become yourself in community concerned about the skills that are in the Commission and are not really being used. We come, have a nice chat, and then we fold up -our notebooks and nothing happens until the next month. 'As you say - B, C, and D have not been touched. Mayor Gleckman: Are there areas you '-feel you have been specific on and then closed out so you couldn't go ahead and promote them? The things you are saying, I don't think there is any argument about, but have you actually come up with any ideas or have any of the Commissioners come up with anything that others feel. this is not our prerogative - let's stay out of it. It is easy to say -.Let's get active • let's do something - but have you been a little more specific as to what you want to do? • Commissioner Casson: Unfortunately I never seem to get beyond that point, and then we seem to go back to - well this is our purpose, and we never talk it out enough to find out what we really can do. I really feel and I feel I should say this, that I haven't felt that the Commission as a whole really wanted to move too far beyond the one meeting at City Hall each month; and somehow Human. Relations meana people and unless we gather people we are not fulfilling our purpose. Councilman Nichols: I agree 1000% with your viewpoint Commissioner Casson., that the Commission's effectiveness can be enhanced in these areas of B - C - D. And that this Commission should not wait for some crisis but should be -at work in the community just making people .realize that human. beings are human beings. Incidentally, let me say I think if you vent out on the Street you would find the majority of the citizens if you said the Planning Commission, or Recreation & Parks Commission - they would also say - what is that? That is one of the unfortunate things. I think we do need to do more education in our own city family. It seems to me there are so -many areas that the Commission could be catalystic in that it is not a matter of things to do, but a matter of finding the time to do the most effective things and most helpful ones. Councilman Lloyd: I would like to say this is a very vital area and I think the Commission has a tremendously, important .role to play in this community. •Let's start calling a spade a spade and when we say we haven't had any racial problems yet it doesn't mean we won't have, and anybody that says we can't have them is really burying their heads in the sand. I heard a very exhilirating presentation about three weeks ago by Willie Brown the Assemblyman from San Francisco. He spoke to the Assemblymen and an audience of Mayors and Councilmen of the State of California and he kind of laid it on the line when he told us there is a new thrust upon the land as far as the Negro is concerned, and there is a new endeavor as far as the Mexican -American is concerned, and they are not satisfied with what they are getting now. - 4 - REG. C.C. 5-12-69 Page Five JOINT MEETING - Human Relations Commission - Continued We have to � relate th.1's type of thinking to , our own community and if we don't take this into consideration we are going to have serious difficulties presented to`us9 if not by our own residents because of a very low percentage of population of ethnic groups, we are going to have it brought into this community by other areas who see it as a de facto segregation So let Is call. a` spade a spade and we must have some sort of a program wh.ere'in we can bring this to the attention of the people who reside in this community - I' 'would therefore make - a recommendation to -this Commission that they gi''ve serious consideration to inviting Mr. Willie Brown. down. He tells an exciting story, makes a whale of a fine presentation. and demo° t go if you don ° t want to hear the truth as told by a Negro Leader. Very dynamic', very persuasive! I recommend highly that this Oomm:iss on. contact this gentleman and invite him here, if nothing el :e meet' with. this man. Better yet invite him to make a presentation. to the Chamber of Commerce, or one of the organizations in the community, with. you in 'attendance ' Perhaps after listening you would feel a greater motivation towards some pro gram wherein. we could relate this community to the problem of the Negr.og although it is not directly in West Covina; and to the Me l.can.-Americans although .it is not directly in West Covin.a.. This is my thinking. Chairman Beem. I wouldlike the rest of the Commissioners to speak f s.r st , and then I would like to sum up quite a' few things that we have accomplished. Commissioner Mount-. Mr. Shrade:r mentioned something about the ori,en:cation. of new members on the Commission. It' wasn't until recently, when I received a copy of the original resolution., until then I was ope;ratin.g under the misunderstanding that Item A just about described our total activities. Obviously now:B follows and there hasn't -:been too,much emphasis on B & C. • And I think probably in the area of our questioning now as.to what is the -scope of the Commission, how active we might.be, etc., obviously there are things that can be done. Recently two of our members sat in on. the Fair Housing meeting where they are trying to get organized.. I feel we could get involved in. this a bit more. It wasn't -until. recently that I realized there is an. area that this Commission can be active in. and not just sit and wait. Mayor Gleckman-. I agree and I think that Council or staff has been lax in not directing that new commissioners be ori,en.ted. A discretion on the part of Council. Commissioner Overholt° I think in calling a spade a spade and thinking in terms of what this City is going to -encounter in. Human Relations probably in the every near future, I think eventually we should consider professional. human relations people on our.staff. This could be done 'by citizens that are motivated by what they are doing for the community but in terms of 1.00% effort, the kinds you are .talking about in. B W C, t:h_.at eventually is going to have to be done by a professional that h.a.s had a wealth. of background and training in this field. Not a building contractor, or a store owner, or whatever. We can go -ou.t and try but we are limited in tame and. the effort we :..are talking about .is very easy to talk about, but -the time `we spend here is not enough. It would be difficult to do it in the time we have to spend on it. I hate to sound negative on this. • Mayor Gleckm.ano Well I can understand how something can 'be looked at in that light. In defense of not staffing the Commission, with. professionals, it is because professionals come in contact with this situation all day long and to come in contact with. it in. our particular community may not necessarily associate it with the particular problems that come into the communities that do have these problems. People living in. our community and do come in contact every day to certain situations, we donna expect them to handle .it on a professional plane or counselling9 but as looking - 5 - ADJ. REG. C.C. 5-1.2. 69 Page Six JOINT MEETING . Human. Relations Commission Continued at it as lay people, living in a community and associating in that particular perspective. Maybe when and if there ever comes a. need for professional action you might then seek it out, but to look at it on a local basis, I think many of the` ideas that might come forward ..0.. If you look across the country into the problem areas, they haven't done as good a job as they should'have done because -maybe they don't know the answers or it is just too much,for the amount of people working in the field. I don't see where a'professional in the City of West Covina sitting on a Commission today could do anything -but seek out other areas to bring into the City to show their particular talents, because what might excite us may not excite them, and what may make them react may not react us as lay people and T think that is the purpose'of Commissions. If we take professionals in every 'field the old story'of not being able to see the trees because of the forest, applies all too often. It might even extend to the elected officials and we don't want professional. politicians. Commissioner Mount such a time activities handle it as lay people assistance. I think I would say I agree wholeheartedly with our present method of city government including the . lay people on the various Commissions. If at on the Commission. get to the point that we cannot then. that would be the time to look for professional Mayor Gleckmano Only from the standpoint in which the Resolution is drawn. If Council, when this was set up, were looking for professionals they would have specified it in the Resolution as to the qualities of the appointee. The idea you have may be great but that wasn't the purpose of it. The .five people appointed by -Council as lay people do have the capacity to initiate and encourage activities depending upon. what they as a group feel. as the activity they • should encourage. That is the reason you are there, for you people to come up with these things. If the programs you.i-nitiate and encourage do not fit in with. what the community prescribes, then. council can step in and say "hey, get back over here" and we tell. you what we think is right and if you feel we are wrong in. correcting you, that's the time we get-together and discuss. Commissioner Casson.. There are about 37 organizations that we are not even touching and with. a lot of good talent in those groups. I have read about many activities put on in the United States and in California, by the use of volunteers. I feel. if we really used the abilities of the people in the community and worked out a. program we could do a tremendous job because people in town would be doing something and just touching one person., might include ten people.. But it has to be started and :not just sit and wait for them to come to us. Human relations means people reaching out, helping people., being concerned, and this is what I feel we should be doing. Mayor Gleckman� Just now I couldn't help outthink of the report that Cal -Poly dial on our Human Relations Commission. I since have visited them and told them what I thought and you still didn't get any invitation, so you know what they thought of my visit. One of the comments was made that Dorothy Casson doesn't typify the Negro living in the City of West Covina. I thought nothing could be further from the truth. If they were looking for the .Negro laborer to serve on this particularCommission, that particular person of that particular ethnic group doesn''t typify that particular group living in the City of West Covina. So my point is they judged Dorothy as being too professional. to serve on a Commission. of this type 'because the particu- lar people of the Negro community are not in her category and I questioned that immediately. I said that is just -the way it works out, that the particular scope of income demands in. this community people like Dorothy Casso and Dr. Bridgeford. So they missed the boat, unless you :feel that I missed the boat. 6 W ADJ. REG. C.C. 5-12-69 Page Seven JOINT MEETING - Human Relations Commission - Continued Commissioner Casson.- No. But I got a lot of messages from that report. I wasn't so concerned about what they said but the messages I got were that the community feels left out on this Commission. They feel angry because they are not included. They don't know what we are doing and if you don't know you immediately question it. This was a agn to me that maybe we need to become more involved. I wasn't concerned about what they said in the report but I think it is important to listen to the messages and that was what I got. We make it a point to keep.the Human Relations Commission too restrictive, and we don't let the community know.enough about what we -are about. This in itself is like a parent not communicating With a child. They get all kinds of anxities. Why isn't mother and daddy communicating? So .I feel if we are here and we communicate then we do have a purpose. Councilman Lloyd. I think it is a very necessary Commission and one of the things we have to do and should do.is have this type of representation. I don't think we should go to Watts to bring in some Negro into this area, because that person doesn't understand this community, but that doesn't mean that we are bad guys because we didn't go to 'Watts. We have a person living in our community who is obviously capable and qualified and lives in the community. Also I think if we need American -Mexican representation, the mere fact that we are willing to talk and discuss, is an indication that we are willing to do more than just continue the social tea. I think we have a. good healthy situation. this evening that will allow us to go forward, but I think the fact remains that we must all see the necessity.. One of the ways of seeing the necessity - let us get someone like Willie Brown, or whomever you wish, but he spoke so well on this that, I do suggest him - so you can see the problem as presented by someone who has a total overall picture.. That doesn't mean we should do it his way here, it only means we should take the overview and structure it to our community. I think • this is a real worthwhile program and one we can start right now and do something. Get Willie Brown - hold a meeting - talk to the man - structure it to your community and put someone .on it and gol Commissioner Shrader: Anyone that disagreed with Councilman Lloyd's remarks of expectedness in the future, would be very naive - I agree with him 100%. One thing in human relations, one danger that we should all be aware of is the point of evaluation of progress or lack of progress. What do you want to measure? What is success and what is failure? Working in the scope'of our Resolution as outlined to us I have had many occasions since the inception of this Commission where individual citizens, as much as two weeks ago, complained. to me and the last one was received at the League of Women Voters meeting. After the meeting was over someone said "you only told half the story, what about the unfair employment practices in the City of West Covina?" I asked that they put it in writing and send it to the Commission, but "no" they don't want to do this. So is it really a legiti- mate complaint or something off the top of their head. We have had to turn down verbal things because this is not a part of our Resolution. Councilman Nichols.- I think you have two distinct aspects to look at.' ' If someone comes in, and says - I am a Negro and I live in West Covina and I applied for a job at say Western Auto and they turned me 'down and I am sure.it was because I am a Negro, well that is none'of the Commission's business. The State of •California has preempted that area. Now whether or not he says I don't want to give you my name, that is immaterial. because it is an area you cannot enter and ,you can say to him there are official agencies that you can lake .this complaint too and that is where you should goo This area is not in your jurisdiction, but you'can advise the Commission at.the next meeting that this fellow told me this and evidently we have a problem in our community because'we have businesses here that are still openly dis- criminating against people. What could we do in thi.s.community to try and better educate our citizens as to their responsibilities- what the law says - what the qualifications are for the minority people. Sometimes you can go the other way around and get a positive approach, - 7 - ADJ. REG. C.C. 5-12-69 Page Eight JOINT MEETING - Human Relations Commission - Continued Commissioner Shradero This last complaint was against the City. The ]Police Department was supposedly turning down applicants, so at the last Commission meeting I went into this. I agree with you this can be" done and we discussed this very same thing at the Last Commission meeting in pursuing this. Chairman Beemo We have gone over this before at our meetings and I think there i.s'a lot of clarification that has to be brought before the Council. I feel it is only fair the Council should know what really has taken place in the past. The minutes are minutes - just words, but the feeling is not in black and white. Mr. Shrader and I were two of the original's on. this Commission. I have seen a lot of things come and go in the 5 years we have been here. As far as the purpose - A - studying formal complaints received in writing. We have had a few in writing. Many people have talked to the Commissioners separately, called City Hall with complaints, but not in writing. We `get very little in writing. What we have had in. the past we have dealt with. We went to the City Attorney a couple of times on some of these complaints and came up against a blank wall and there just wasnIt any more we could do. Many of the things were preempted by the State laws. So as far as A is concerned I think we have done as;much as we could under the circumstances - not having received formal letters, and where we dial receive formal letters. B - is to i.n.i.tiate and encourage ,activities. To .me this means letters, advertising, etc., to let people know we are in existence. Many people, Like Commissioner Casson related with regard to the Police Department, they do not even know we are here. I went for fingerprinting sometime back and they knew me because l knew the guy that did it. But many people in. West Covina do not know we exist. However, we are sending out a letter now to all the church groups and organizations in the community. •This is the last thing we discussed at our last meeting. And this, I think, is initiating a program of sorts We already got, one reply - from Councilman Chappell, asking us to the Lioz..s" group luncheon. Our newspaper relations have been lean for a long time, The Tribune -and the City have not been too hot for a Long time either. When our Commission was first initiated we did have newspaper coverage because it was new and different, but since that time we don't get the coverage. I am not asking to get an ad in the paper, but what I am saying is we sent out letters to the. newspapers advising that this Commission discussed this and decided this was a basic problem and in the future we would let the newspapers know what we have been discussing. We would send them copies of the literature we received from different sources and brought to -our attention by city staff. We are not sending them copies of the minutes, unless it is requested. As far as studying.outsi.de activities in relation to future problems in the City of West Covina, I will go along with that. But I am interested in Azusa and Los Angeles problems as far as what they do in relation to the problems we might have in our City and that is all. The suggestion of Councilman Floyd to have a speaker. _. we have had different people come to our Commission two or three years ago.. We had several ones come and talk but that only goes as far as listening to them. The action they may use is nothing we can use, It maybe someday but it isn't right now, and we are talking about our problems right -now and what we can use right now. Right now one problem has been and seems still to be, the two so-called ghetto areas. Al Jordon called me the other day and we had a cup ofcoffeetogether because he wanted to tell me about the Fair Housing •Program that they want to initiate in the area. This was brought to our attention at the last meeting and it is a .fine program as far as the:Negro or minority groups. Anyone wanting to mQ ve into the community would contact their office and be advised with regarding to housing. We have had meetings before with the Board of Realtors in their office along with the Homeowners Group and also in schools. Bill Dane was here and talked.to us and they do have a program within. -their own organization on this. There has been many denials of showing in that area and a lot of proof has been brought to us in - 8 m ADJ. REG. C.C. .5-12-69 Page .Nine JOINT MEETING - Human Relations Commission - Continued the last year of realtors in. Los Angeles coming into the area and showing them these homes. So,many times people tend to forget this. I think the Council and the new Commissioners should be aware of a lot of these outside activities. Mr. Shrader and I have been in since the inception of the Commission and we know how far we can.go whereas the other Commissioners feel that we should be doing more, getting out and promoting. Well I feel . like that but we have promoted and we are promoting now by sending out these letters. We have had articles'in the newspapers that have been against the Commission.. I objected wholehearte'dly'to-the report w.ritten.by the five students at Cal -Poly. They had no actual knowledge of just what we had done. They only attended one me`eting'that we had in Mr. Aiassa's office and one more, and that is as far as it 'went. Basically, we' have 'filled this hall on two -or three occasions with irate citizens complaints,, and that is what we are here for. When we have had something it usually has been in the housing program and generally from that one organization Francs squit'o-Arusa, and right now they are at it again. Two or three `months ago we sent letters to ,Mr. Jordon and the Francisquito-Azusa group asking them if they had'any complaints or if there was anything we could do and`what was going, on, but we heard nothing from them. We got,Mr. Shrader's school and we had it open fora meeting because we -anticipated a large group and we had one Negro couple appear. They were moving into the City, there was doubt in their mind that the realtor was being fair, etc. etc. We talkked to them and they left and we heard no:more. Mr. Solder showed up for a li.ttl,e' while. Al Jordon came in for about five minutes and said nothing. No one else showed up. So what we try to do doesn't always go through.. I want Council to know that we are not just sitting still.. Mrs. Casson no doubt feels we are sitting still because we have discussed this before. I know.Mr.10verholt and Mrs. Casson feel we should be doing more on this number B. But I don't know how or where or what else to do other than sending out letters. People won't react unless they know we exist and I don't know how they are going to know we exist. I don't feel., and it is a little insulting in a way for Jim.Lloyd to say we have a "social tea" going, because I don't agree with that. It is something we feel in our own hearts that we want to 'be here and not because we are appointed and we are not just sitting there - for the fun of it. I am willing to have speakers come in and talk, but if they just talk to us alone it won't benefit the whole City. Councilman Gillum,. In your opinion and the otherCommissioner.'s opinion some of these groups that should be working with you, do you feel at times they really don't give you the cooperation or support that they could? At times in talking with some of the people in. the Francisquito area they have been quite critical of the Commission and my question. has been to them - have you gone down and offered your assistance? And they say --No, we are not going down, we don't have any reason we aren't getting anything out of them. .My first reaction is that they haven't participated with you enough, they don't have to agree with your approach but I don't think they have participated. So my first question to them and to you would be - fine you are not happy with it then what is the answer? How are we going to get you two groups together to discuss our, mutual problems? Chairman Beeme When I talked to .Mr. Jordon the other morning his sole reason for talking tome was to have me try and initiate part of anoffice fice and a telephone in the new City Hall for this Fair Housing Council. I said this is ridiculous., it is impossible; there is no possible way for any organization outside of the city body to,have an office in the new City Hall. This was what he wanted because he felt it would benefit the whole city. They wanted to pay a portion or all for one full-time employee working in the office. I told him I had no way of answering "yes" on 'ono". And that is all he wanted to talk tome about. When we have asked .him and the homeowners organization we got nothing yet they can criticize use There is no question about that, they have done that. - 9 - ADJ. REG. C.C. 5-12-69 Page Ten JOINT MEETING - Human Relations Commission - Continued Commissioner Mount: I don't think I have taken the position that there is more we should be doing than we are doing. I question that we have been directed to do more. It might be pointed out for the record that the initial meeting set up by the Covina Fair Housing Counsel - this Commission was not invited. Two,of .us were sent notices by Harry Peacock and two of us did attend. Dorothy Casson was officially recognized but we'were not invited to that meeting. And this is the meeting they decided they needed a local office and hopefully in West Covina, etc. At no time was this Commission officially brought into this organization. We took the initiative on our own to attend. This is the -real lack - communication, It is a*two =-way street.' 7. Councilman Gillum: One more observation that is not only in our community but throughout the United States --many times minority groups are concerned with their ,own personal problems and have at times taken the method of direct or indirect pressure on a Commi'ssion' and therefore to pacify a small group, many governed bodies have gone that direction. I am wondering if the Commission and Council have ever given consideration - if the -majority of people in our community realized that we are trying to forestall any of these problem areas by'getting obit and telling them this Commission exists and the areas we are trying to work in,- wouldn't this in someway take the sting out of some of these thin that.they'u.se to take a shot on you, and you back off to defend yourself. I am wondering when these people are critical of the Commission and the Council 'for riot producing great changes in our areas of minorities if people would's_y to them that'we are aware of them doing this and this. This way people would at least have knowledge that you are here and these people 1 think would b e a little hesitant about being so'critical at times. At'times they are correct in being critical but I think we need the support of the whole community on this. I was somewhat disturbed when it came out in the paper the breakdown of minorities, how many lived in this area, etc. etc. I,don't care whether a Negro or -Mexican -American lives next door tome or where he lives. Many people were upset with this and again I think it goes back to communication. Commissioner Shrader: I am frankly getting sick and tired of hearing so -many comments about.this - I am the one that proposed the ethnic survey. I get tired of hearing so many comments about our community, and no one could tell me what the make up of our,community was. My opinion was and still is - how can you operate rationally unless you know what you got? I see no,reason for their offense in knowing what the make up of our community is. Never in our discussions did we say ,we wanted' to find ;out some of the criticisms and just how valid they were. Frankly, some of the comments we have received were way out of proportion to what the survey revealed. I know some of you feel that the survey was very, harmful, well that is'your prerogative to think that, but I take issue with:it based upon what we can do in planning for our City. We are not counting blacks and whites per se, we are trying to find places for the minority groups and take action. We were reacting to comments to this Commission and City Council. And actually it gets back to the essence of human 'relations, knowing what you do have, so you know what you have to work with. Councilman Gillum: I know you have to have a tool to work with and I .recognize this as a tool, but I have always felt the basic idea of human relations and the Commission was human relations and that it doesn't draw a line of color and I felt when this came out and it got coverage in the paper, knowing people they are going to draw a line, and this is what we were trying to get away from. Don't draw a line, work out our problems, don't put figures on it. In my own personal opinion it is just the reverse of human relations. We are trying to find a way to work together and live together and not put us in categories in the City. - 10 - ADJ. .REG. C.C. 5-12-69 Page Eleven JOINT MEETING --Human Relations Commission - Continued Commissioner Shradero That is like trying to define the word 'ghetto." Commissioner Overholt- My own thought is if there is any friction in the City of West Covina_b7 the ethnic groups it is generally manifested in the field of housing. . Commissioner Casson. I would like to give you a little example _ a young lady came to my house to Sell Avon and she was very enthusiastic and I mentioned to her that I noticed Avon and Fuller Brush representatives di.dn't last very long. She said I am going to keep this territory I like it. Her territory went down to.Lark Ellen and way over beyond Merced. She told me that some people turned the hose on her when she would go up to their door to sell -them products and I thought that was very bad. At Christmas time'she gave up her area. And it wasn't the Francisquito-Azusa area, it was beyond that where they turned the hose on her and this happen .ed more than once. That makes me feel there are angry feelings in the community. Mayor -Gleckmano I missed the point -was she Negro or white or what? Commissioner-Casson.,There n.ever has been any minority person selling the products. That i.s the point. She was not of a minority group. What I am saying is that if a person is that angry in seeing people come to the door to-sel'l something and are so discourteous that they would turn a hose on someone, I thought that was very bad and it made me feel that there are people with angry feelings in the community. Mayor Gleckman, But.the angry feelings you are talking about are chanrie.led along the idea of someone.trying to sell something. There was no,minority situation • involved. What is the point you are trying to,make? Commissioner-Casson.My point is if those kind of things are happening there is something underneath. It tells me that there are all kinds of feelings in the community and that we should get together -more so we don't have these type of things happen. Maybe it happens to other people also, I don't know, but she happened to tell me. Mayor Gleckman> Well the one area most evident with problems if there are such, has been in the housing problems and you have to solve that first before you can solve other problems because if you have a housing problem that won't allow any Negroes or minorities in the area, you will. definitely not have the other problems. Councilman Chappell: Let's get back to the survey. I was at a couple of meetings where this was discussed. A lot of things were missed as to what the survey brought out. It showed us several years ago the ideal situation. and this report brought out that this is happening in this community;more and more parts"of our community are ren.ti.ng or selling to the minority races and I think some body is doing a job to have this happen. I think we are going in the right direction. I think one.of the things we are overlooking is that a good job is being done. I travel this town all day long, I live here and I work here, and I hear very very few criticisms on the Human Relations Commission. I sell insurance in the homes, I have all types of clients, and most of them knowI am on the Council and they knew.I was on the School Board, and I don't get the feeling that we have a real deep problem in West Covina. I think something like that report proves we are a mature community and we are reacting in a.mature manner. The fact that report,was taken out of context and wasn't written. as it is was unfortunate but we can continue to do these things and I think we are headed in the right direction. I don't think we have ever turned around and gone the other direction since this Commission was started. That is just a personal opinion and that is an observation I have -made. �1.1m ADJ. REG. C.C. 5-12­69 Page Twelve JOINT MEETING --Human Relations Commission.- Continued Councilman Nichols'. It is a very fine observation. Chairman Beem'. We were talking about how many people have integrated in'this area, we sent out questionnaires sometime ago to all. the apartment house owners in West Covina. We took quite a while getting this all. set up. • And we got very little reaction® The answers we did get back were not filled in completely and we got very few back.' My point is that we are still - undercover - trying tolet them know we are available. Commissioner Shrader- We found out just from that one endeavor alone that the majority of the owners of apartment houses live out of town and are not subject to our rules and the things going on in towno Mayor Gleckman. ghat we are discussing here now we could probably go on and. on discussing. I think the question from the Council to the Commission and you can reverse it - would be in what'areas can we better explain or define what we expect from you the Commissioners other than what we have discussed here and now where do you intend to take this conversation; as our Commission? Commissioner Shrader'. I would like nothing more than.an expression that you think a Commission of this type has future value for this community and allow -the Commission ..to,react to the comments made. I would not recommend additional. authority. .I would not recommend a full-time man at this time, however I would like the Council to think about additional..staff on an as needed basis if this thing progresses and keeping in mind Al Jordon's suggestion that this will be a vital consideration of the Covina Fair Housing Council, for a full. -time • permanent human relations co-uncil. Councilman Nichols.- I would respond that when you folks get so involved that you :need help I will 'be involved enough to vote you that help. Commissioner Shrader'. Councilman Lloyd. - I would like to hear, if you are so inclined, whether you think there is a continuing need for. the Commission. I have already made my stand - emphatically "Yes." Councilman.Gillum.- I would have to refer to my previous comments to Mr. Nichols when he was elected 'to form the Resolution f or this Commi.,ssion and say what I said to him then "what the hell are you trying to do now?' And then my comments to the Commiss.oii,at the last joint meeting we had, that my feelings, my opinion', everything had changed. I may be. -critical. of you at times and not in agreement with you, but I do feel there is a strong need for this in our community. My personal, strong feeling is that we cannot stick our heads in the sand and this one problem could destroy our nation and whatever we can do as a Council i and a Commission to change the direction or forestall. a direction, we will all benefit in years to come. This Commission really has no guidelines or :rules or regulations. We can't say you have to do this or that because you are dealing with human beings. I would go along with Mr. Nichols statement, if I am still on the Council and • you needed support, l would give it. Mayor Gleckman.- I feel the feeling is that there is a need. I would like to see you develop your own. program, so to speak, and expand in the areas o.f.B and Co But I would like to 'see it limited to our community,` that doesn't mean not to bring in name speakers, but just to :relate the speakers to the people in our community. When you get involved in -the areas outside of our community, maybe at that time what Councilman Nichols and Councilman. Gillum said would be needed and would then be considered. - 12 - ADJ. REG. C.C. 5-12-69 Page Thirteen JOINT MEETING - Human. Relations Commission - Continued Commissioner Shrader: I get literature every now and then with regard to Human. Relations conferences maybe as faraway as Chicago or San Francisco, which. I think have value. Why couldn't the Chairman. or someone from the Commission attend one of the conferences? Would Council go along with that? • Mayor Gleckman- I think'again when you reach. that particular area where you are groping and it is necessary for this - for th.e Commission to seek additional information, we would consider it, but I don't think the necessity could be justified for sending someone to Chicago or San. Francisco at this particular time. That doesn't mean we are saying 'no.' Maybe at some other particular time it could be justified. Commissioner Shrader: T am trying to get across the point that this be done so that we don't. continue to grope in our own ignorance. Councilman Lloyd: I appreciate the Mayor's comments, but I don't totally agree with that. If it is important for your Chairman or 'some'on.e to go to San Francisco or Sacramento or within a reasonable area for a conference I would agree with that, any place within California. This is speaking for myself. Councilman Nichols: My first -reaction was that I think the first thing you ought to do, this month in fact;- if .you, know of some activities that go on on an annual basis and you would like to request some sum of money for this, that you get with it. These spur of the moment requests get turned down all over the City - suddenly something looks good and you ask for money and there is no money. I think the "yes' and 'ono' from your Council will depend on the judiciousness of your request. (Explainedi2 detail.) Commissioner Shrader: I didn't intend to ask per se only if it would be given consideration. Mayor Gleckmano Yes it -would. b) INFORMATION CENTER Chairman Beem:' As far as what we discussed before on the Information Center, I believe we can. cut this off pretty short. Generally speaking for the Commission, I think the Information Center is what it should be called instead of Rumor Control Center. There are many aspects to it and it ,becomes quite involved and there is no way that I as a Commissioner feel I am capable of setting this up for the .future use of the City. I can't go -over there and say this is the way it has to 'be laid out,etc. I don't think we want a gal sitting there strictly for human relations, I don't think, we want a telephone by itself 24 hours a day for human. relations, I feel somewhere along the line the future of this use should be set up. I think we have 'to have some place where when. something breaks in the City, not only race .riots 'but anything, where -they can call in and that call can be serviced. Basically what we are after is an. Information Center where people can call and be advised where to go, what is happening, whom to seek out, etc. etc. I talked wi..th Mr. Aiassa about this the other day and now realize the problem it is to set up such a Center. Also we would need qualified help to answer that phone for 24 hours each day, and I doubt that volunteer help would work out. Also Mr. Aiassa advised me that it will be another twelve to fourteen months before we get the bank of telephone numbers that would alto? --for the consideration of this and then we would need regular help, 24 hours a day, not just the.regular switchboard gal but specific help would be needed.. f 13 m. +ADJ. REG. C.C. 5-12-69 Page Fourteen JOINT MEETING -Human Relations Commission.- Continued Mayor Gleckmana I think you will have to go into much more detail. I suggest it be turned over to staff and'let them gather the information and make a report back to you and see which way you fellows think you can go and then come back and make the request of us. • Chairman Beema Fine, but we have to have someone to work on it that knows something about this, not us. We have all kinds of literature on it from Chicago on a Rumor Control Center and this is something they could look into and maybe apply some of it to our -City. Mayor Gleckmano Turn it over to staff and let them service this for you. 0 01 Commissioner Shradero West Covina is a changing City and we too are in tune with the fact that it is changing. The School District is planning for possible problems in the District by high school students. Each school is supposed to come up with a possible plan in case of emergency and one of the things that should be implemented is a Rumor Control Center and it states in there that the Schools will not be able to do it alone, The City should also help evolve this Information. Center. The literature says the community and the schools should get together on this one aspect. I would like to recommend to the Council that they think about this aspect. Mayor Gleckman: Commissioner Shrader. Mayor Gleckmane what actually did happen had happened. So you are I think we are thinking about it - this is also in line with what we are thinking about on the Narcotics Committee. For example - the Tribune recently on the rumble at Mount San Antonio College. Yes - last week I walked into Stark's and found out there were two kids killed, etc. ( detailed ) .And it was amazing to find out at Mount San Antonio College to what I heard right in that respect. Commissioner Overholt- Briefly,, to the Rumor Control. Center - this was my thought when I suggested.to the Commission that Council be appraised of the value of the Rumor Control Center, because we, had a new Civic Center that, it should be considered now for future use. This was brought to our Commission last August and it has grown way out of proportion to what it probably is worth. But if. we can't feel free to digest the kind of information we get,like this on the Center and think that it is valuable to us and talk about it in terms of consideration while the Civic Center was under construction so it could be put in - well then I don't know how we function. 'We felt it was extremely important. Mayor Gleckmano, It is but it should go to staff first. It may be something we want but none of us here are qualified to say this or to know that we can have it because we want it. Commissioner Overholt- I got the implication that it came back to us from staff. Mr. Aiassao Center - suppose we accepting calls on to human relations, on the phone? That because Mrs. Doe or Two points. The first point was,that the per se Center that Human Relations Commission brought up for operation from our Communications did install a special phone and had someone that phone, suppose we got a special request with regard to whom would we send it to after we received this means someone somewhere has to do something with it Mrs. Brown, called il . and asked. I don't have the l� - , ADJ. REG. C.C. 5-12-69 Page Fifteen JOINT MEETING - Human Relations Commission - Continued staff for it but we would have to have someone to turn the call over to. Chairman Beem: This is where we need the professional - someone that can tell us. But what we want to know now before we even delve any further is your thinking on this as a Council. If you think it is going to warrant the action. or not, before we go to staff and go to all this trouble. Councilman Nichols: I don't think that we can float this kind of an operation.' What might b.e desirable would bea blending of this function you have reviewed with our.inhouse capabilities and a'program of instructing our own people to mechanize and establish such service as recommended in our.own inhouse program. If you are talking in terms of a 24 hour service period with three operators in the Information Center it is beyond the practicalities of our budget and our system. I think there are ideas in there that should be commended to staff for review and possible implementation. What we really are maybe talking about is to get our own people to realize the value of being better informed. Commissioner Mount: I think,, as,rro.Overholt said, that we have blown thisall out of concept to what has to be done internally, it might eventually get to something like we are talking about but Mr. Peacock°s report to this Commission dated January 22nd and forwarded to the City Council and City Manager on February 20th is very simple in outline in implementing something like this and I don`t, think.. it needs to go any further. In the future if it goes further - fine, but there is a simple method of implementing it for the present and it is not costly and it falls within the present layout of the Communications system, (Mayor Gleckman thanked the Commissioners for attending this meeting.) Motion by Councilman Nichols, seconded by Councilman Gillum, and carried, that at 5:40 p.m. this meeting adjourn. l ATTEST: �l -c APPROVED: MAYOR - 15 -