|
| | | |
| | | |
|
Not available
|
|
| | 1. | | Call to Order
Minutes note: This meeting was Called to Order at 4:05 pm. | | | |
|
Not available
|
|
| | 2. | | Roll Call | | | |
Roll call
|
Not available
|
|
| | 3. | | Approval of Previous Meeting
Minutes note: A motion to Approve Previous Meeting brought up by Commissioner Cook and seconded by Commissioner Johnson with no objections. So, it moved. | | | |
|
Not available
|
|
| | 4. | | Welcome from Chair
Minutes note: Chair's Welcome Remarks
Delivered by Chair Tony Snell-Rodriguez
• Chair Tony Snell-Rodriguez opened the meeting and welcomed all Commissioners and attendees.
• Noted that there would be a report from the Communications Committee and a community member during the meeting.
• Acknowledged and reminded the group that Cinco de Mayo celebrations would be observed earlier this year.
• Expressed appreciation for everyone’s presence and continued participation in the work of the Commission.
| | | |
|
Not available
|
|
| | 5. | | Communication from Office of Equity and Inclusion Staff
• Omar Barberena – Equal Rights Specialist
• Ramona Ramos – Equal Rights Complaints Liaison
• Fatima (Tima) Guled – Department of Administration
• Jason Ostrowski – ADA Coordinator
Minutes note: Office of Equity and Inclusion (OEI) Updates
•Omar Barberena (Equal Rights Specialist) provided updates on behalf of the OEI.
o Chief Officer was unable to attend due to prior commitments but expressed strong support for the Commissions’ work.
o Introduced the Commissioners Corner newsletter (internal) to keep commissioners and staff informed.
? Requested feedback for improvements.
? Developed in collaboration with the OEI team.
o Milwaukee.gov email transition:
? All members should now have access.
? Issues with the Outlook portal were noted (Rae Johnson reported it as non-functional).
? Emphasized the importance of using official emails over personal accounts.
o Human Rights State Planning Committee:
? First meeting scheduled for the upcoming Friday.
? Open to community participation (contact: Obarbe@milwaukee.gov).
Ramona Ramos (Equal Rights Complaints Liaison) – Updates
•Backlog Organization:
o Reviewed and sorted pending complaints to determine jurisdiction.
o Redirected non-ERC cases to appropriate agencies.
•IT Support System Development:
o Creating a more efficient complaint-tracking system with case numbers for better documentation.
•Ad Hoc Complaints Committee:
o Members: Jacqueline Cook, Alexandria Staubach, William Crawley, Megan & Carnda Dupree (Fair Housing Council).
o Focus areas:
? Refining the online complaint form.
? Improving referral processes to meet the 300-day deadline for complaints.
Tima Guled (Department of Administration) – Was not able to make it
Jason Ostrowski (ADA Coordinator) – Announcement
•35th Anniversary of the ADA (proposed date: July 22, 2024):
o Proposed collaboration with Independence First for a luncheon/presentation.
o Seeking Commission support to engage alders and council members.
o Event planning in preliminary stages; potential larger City Hall event in 2025.
Additional Discussion
1.Swearing-In of New Commissioners
o Elle Halo and Alexandria Staubach to be sworn in via phone with the City Clerk ahead of the June meeting.
o Ceremonial swearing-in planned for the June meeting.
| | | |
|
Not available
|
|
| | 6. | | Communication from City Attorney
Minutes note: City Attorney’s Office – Andrea Fowler
• No formal report was presented.
• Attorney Fowler attended in a supportive capacity to ensure legal compliance, including adherence to open records laws.
• Requested to be removed as a standing agenda item unless legal consultation is specifically required.
• Offered to attend future meetings on an as-needed basis.
• Note: Attorney Fowler excused herself early from the meeting due to illness but remains available for legal review outside of meetings.
Action Item:
• The Commission will adjust future agendas to include the City Attorney’s Office only when legal counsel is requested or anticipated.
| | | |
|
Not available
|
|
| | 7. | | Communication from Legislative Reference Bureau
Minutes note: 1. Legislative Reference Bureau (LRB) Update (Dave Gelting)
o Currently tracking local/state legislation on facial recognition technology (FRT); no new bills filed yet.
o Will expand research to:
? Wisconsin cities (beyond Madison) using or banning FRT.
? Peer cities (e.g., Minneapolis, Indianapolis) for comparative policies.
o LRB maintains a list of comparable cities based on demographics/population for analysis.
2. Commissioner Requests
o Data on racial disparities in FRT use (e.g., false arrests of Black/Hispanic individuals).
o Clarity on complaint jurisdiction: Whether FRT-related discrimination complaints could fall under ERC’s purview (pending legal review).
3. June Meeting Planning (Discussion)
o Testimony slots:
? 15 minutes each for MPD and Fire & Police Commission (FPC).
? 30 minutes for public comment (3 minutes per speaker).
o Outreach:
? E-notify and social media to solicit community input.
? Encourage testimony from advocacy groups (e.g., ACLU, NAACP, Planned Parenthood).
| | | |
|
Not available
|
|
| | 8. | | Communication from Governance Committee
Minutes note: Governance Committee Meeting Highlights (May 14, 2024)
Attendees: Nathan (Chair), Omar Barberena, Commissioner Paul Smith
Key Discussion Points
1. Commissioner Recruitment:
o Final Vacancy: Actively seeking to fill one remaining seat, prioritizing demographic representation (e.g., underrepresented communities).
o Process: Revisiting past applicants, leveraging professional networks/chambers, and accepting new recommendations.
2. Commissioner Matrix:
o All commissioners to complete the skills/demographics matrix to assess expertise, backgrounds, and capacity for ERC initiatives.
3. Committee Structure:
o Communications Committee: Proposal to transition the ad hoc group to a standing committee (vote required).
? Focus: Social media, annual reports, and public outreach.
o Budget Planning: Ad hoc committee to review 2024 funds and plan for 2025 (e.g., International Human Rights Day events).
4. Annual Report:
o Deadline: Submit to the mayor by end of July 2024 (originally due January 2024).
o Template: Using Nathan’s pre-approved format to streamline data collection (e.g., complaint stats, accomplishments).
5. New Commissioner Onboarding:
o Handbook Update: Revising to reflect current processes (e.g., roles, meeting schedules).
o Team Building: Opportunities for commissioners to collaborate and align on priorities.
| | | |
|
Not available
|
|
| | 9. | | Communication from Communications Ad Hoc Committee
Minutes note: Communications Committee Update
Key Discussion Points
1. Transition from Ad Hoc to Standing Committee:
o Charge Development: Commissioners Rae Johnson and Elle Halo will draft a formal charge for a standing Communications Committee (to be voted on in June).
o Scope: Oversee ERC’s public-facing materials (website, social media, event flyers) and ensure consistent messaging.
2. Immediate Priorities:
o Website Revamp:
? Update bios/photos of new commissioners.
? Simplify language (e.g., replace bureaucratic jargon with community-friendly content).
? Add QR codes for dynamic resources.
o Event Outreach:
? Finalize flyers for Pride Fest (June 6–7) and Juneteenth (June 19).
? Recruit commissioner volunteers for booth shifts (sign-up sheet in Commissioners Corner newsletter).
3. Operational Challenges:
o City Email Access: Ongoing IT issues prevent some commissioners from accessing official accounts (Omar to communicate with IT and resolve issue).
o Protocols & On Boarding: New commissioners need clarity on processes (e.g., approving content changes, event protocols).
| | | |
|
Not available
|
|
| | 10. | | Community Announcements
Minutes note: Community Testimony – Emilio De Torre (Milwaukee Turners)
Key Concerns Raised:
1. Racial Bias & Civil Rights Risks:
o Facial Recognition Technology (FRT) has documented inaccuracies, disproportionately misidentifying Black, Asian, and darker-skinned individuals (e.g., false arrests in Detroit, NJ).
o MIT/NIST studies show error rates up to 100x higher for people of color.
2. Federal & Foreign Surveillance Risks:
o Data could be accessed by federal agencies (e.g., ICE) or foreign-owned companies (e.g., Biometrica’s parent company, fined for bribery).
o Integration with existing systems (Flock cameras, drones, social media) enables mass surveillance.
3. Lack of Local Control:
o No safeguards prevent misuse or federal overreach.
o Milwaukee Police Department (MPD) already uses FRT without SOPs and seeks to expand via a $2.5M contract trading biometric data of arrestees (75% unconvicted).
4. Peer City Precedents:
o Madison, San Francisco, Boston, and others banned FRT; ACLU-WI recommends a 2-year moratorium.
Supporting Evidence:
•Wrongful arrests (e.g., Robert Williams, Porcha Woodruff).
•Flock cameras/Nova AI amplify real-time tracking risks.
•11 of 15 Milwaukee alders oppose FRT.
Commission Discussion & Next Steps
1. Immediate Actions:
o Request written testimony from MPD, Fire & Police Commission (FPC), and Mayor’s Office for the June 18 meeting.
o Invite public comment and community stakeholders (e.g., ACLU, NAACP).
2. Policy Recommendations:
o Draft a resolution supporting:
? A moratorium on FRT use by city agencies.
? Creation of a Community Tech Advisory Board for oversight.
? Mandate transparency audits and council approval for surveillance tech.
3. Research Requests:
o Legislative Reference Bureau (LRB) to compile:
? Peer city ordinances (e.g., Madison’s FRT ban).
? Best practices for surveillance tech regulation.
4. June Meeting Agenda:
o Dedicate significant time to FRT testimony/deliberation.
o Distribute Emilio’s full testimony, ACLU moratorium language, and Flock camera maps to commissioners.
Action Items
•Staff/Omar: Contact MPD, FPC, and Mayor’s Office for June testimony.
•LRB: Research model ordinances and legal frameworks.
•Commissioners: Review materials and prepare draft resolution for June vote.
Goal: Formalize a commission recommendation to the Common Council and Mayor by July 2024.
| | | |
|
Not available
|
|
| | 11. | | Adjournment
Minutes note: Motion: Commissioner Bowling moved to adjourn; seconded by Commissioner Cook.
Time: Meeting adjourned at 5:35 PM. | | | |
|
Not available
|
|
| | | |
| | | |
|
Not available
|
|