City of Kalamazoo - October 1, 2025 Civil Rights Board Meeting

Updated about 5 hours ago

The now full Board reviewed updates from the Education and Ordinance Review subcommittees. The Education Subcommittee shared their progress on community engagement efforts, including plans for flyers and events to inform the public about civil rights resources. The Ordinance Review Subcommittee discussed improvements to the complaint intake process to better filter relevant cases and reduce the workload on city staff. Public comments emphasized the need for inclusive community involvement and collaboration with local organizations. The meeting highlighted ongoing efforts to refine the board's processes and engage more effectively with the community.

Chapters

Welcome and Call to Order (00:00:38)
The meeting was called to order and opened with a welcome from Director Hewitt Smith.

The meeting began with a welcome from Director Hewitt Smith, who called the meeting to order and set the tone for the evening's agenda.
Roll Call (00:00:54)
Roll call was conducted with several directors present, and some noted as excused.

Director Hewitt Smith conducted a roll call. Present were Chair Faison, Director Deba Dauer, Director Sly, Director Calderone, Vice Chair Luman, and Commissioner Hoffman. Director Doyle and Director Burpee were excused.
Approval of Agenda (00:01:31)
The agenda for the meeting was adopted after a motion and a second, with no objections.

Director Hewitt Smith requested a motion to adopt the agenda. Vice Chair Luman made the motion, which was seconded by Director Deba Dauer. The agenda was adopted unanimously with no opposition or abstentions.
Approval of Minutes (00:02:33)
Minutes from the previous meeting were reviewed and adopted with noted corrections.

The board reviewed the minutes from the previous meeting. Corrections were noted, including a misspelling in Director Debo's name and an incomplete sentence on the back page. After discussion, the minutes were adopted with the corrections.
Public Announcements (00:04:06)
There were no public announcements made at this time during the meeting.

Director Hewitt Smith opened the floor for any public announcements, but there were none forthcoming from the attendees.
Education Subcommittee Updates (00:04:21)
The Education Subcommittee provided updates on meetings, goals, and community engagement plans.

Updates from the Education Subcommittee included details of their biweekly meetings, goals for community involvement, and plans to create educational materials and events. The subcommittee is working on engaging community members and creating marketing materials to raise awareness.
Ordinance Review Subcommittee Updates (00:17:29)
The Ordinance Review Subcommittee discussed updates on complaint forms and board capabilities.

Director Sland provided updates on the subcommittee's work, including improvements to the complaint form to better filter relevant cases. The subcommittee is exploring the board's role in complaint processes and looking at other boards for ideas.
Public Comments (00:28:27)
Members of the public provided comments, focusing on community engagement and collaboration.

Public comments were made by Maggie Adams and Charla Davis, who emphasized the need for inclusive community engagement and collaboration. They stressed the importance of involving those directly impacted by civil rights issues in discussions and decision-making processes.
Board Comments (00:34:49)
Board members made comments regarding subcommittee meetings and community participation.

Board comments included announcements about upcoming educational subcommittee meetings and invitations for community involvement. Director Luman encouraged community members to join the educational subcommittee's efforts to enhance community engagement.