APPT-2024-14 : Appointment of Jay Stapp, 21 Berwick Street, to the Melrose Human Rights Commission, for a three-year term to expire on the last day of February 2025.

Transcript (~7 min @ 1:45)

Speakers identified by voice; unnamed voices are numbered within this recording. Auto-caption text — verify against the video.

▶ 1:41 Manjula Karamcheti: Tonight we have two orders, which are two appointments. Our first appointment is the appointment, uh, it's appointment 2024 dash 14, appointment of Jay Staff 21 Berwick Street to the Melrose Human Rights Commission for a three year term to expire on the last day of February, 2025. Representing Mayor Grita is Lauren Grek, our chief of Staff, and she's here to present this candidate. At this time, I will motion by unanimous consent to suspend the rules.

▶ 2:16 Speaker 1: Seeing no objection, the rules are suspended. Welcome, Councillor Jamal.

▶ 2:26 Manjula Karamcheti: Okay. Thank you for being here tonight. Yes. Uh, Ms. I will turn it over to you to introduce this candidate for

▶ 2:33 Speaker 3: The Rights Commission. Well, thank you very much. Um, I'll point out that, um, um, Mr. Staff's appointment first came down from former Mayor Broder, um, but it was at the end of his term. Um, but Mayor Gregor has, um, met with him and endorsed the appointment as well. And so now it is, um, she's sending it down. He's also been endorsed by members of the Human Rights Commission. So, um, given sort of his background and his work, um, in social justice in particular, we think that he'd make an awesome addition to the Human Rights Commission. So.

▶ 3:03 Speaker 1: Great. Uh, Mr. Stab, you're welcome to share any information

▶ 3:06 Manjula Karamcheti: or any insights, um, regarding your, uh, desire to be on the Human Rights Commission.

▶ 3:13 Speaker 4: Yeah, so I grew up, um, in an environment where we were very focused on intercultural learning and social justice and that sort of thing. Um, from there, that led me in my career to focus on social justice. So I led, um, a Pride Alliance Employee Resource Group at my company for three years. And I really enjoyed that work. Um, and I wanted to kind of do that, do similar work in my local community, which is what led me to, um, seek this opportunity out.

▶ 3:46 Speaker 1: Great. Thank you so much.

▶ 3:48 Speaker 5: Any questions from counselors? Go ahead.

▶ 3:50 Kimberly Vandiver: Um, yes, I, I've read your resume and it's, it's really impressive. And, um, so, uh, congratulations. I guess in advance, I just wanted to clarify, um, the order says, um, that it's a three year term, but it also says to expire in February, 2025. So I just wanted to clarify the length of the term. Yeah, it should be a one year term. 'cause it's filling a vacancy. Okay. That was left by someone, um, else, so, okay, great. So maybe that's something we can amend. Um, yeah. Great.

▶ 4:20 Speaker 3: Yeah, Thanks.

▶ 4:29 Speaker 1: Got it. Any other questions? Go ahead, president.

▶ 4:33 Leila Migliorelli: Merely thank you for joining us tonight. Um, just wanted to hear a little bit more about what your thoughts are about the commission, what you would like to, um, bring to it, specifically as we're in this, um, very, uh, sort of crucial moment of, um, you know, human rights and social justice issues. Um, having served on the commission prior to being on the council, it's a, uh, commissions near and dear to my heart. So I'd just like to hear more about, um, what you think you might wanna bring to the commission specifically.

▶ 4:59 Speaker 4: Yeah. Um, it seems like the commission is in a time of flux where they're, um, looking back at their charter redefining. Um, and I think that that is work that I'm really excited to help with. Um, I've done similar things in my work at Land O'Lakes as an employee resource group leader. Um, and I think that I'll be able to bring some organization, some thoughts and ideas that will help move the commission where they're seeking to go. Great.

▶ 5:24 Leila Migliorelli: Thank you. Just a point of clarification too on, um, Councillor Van. Dever Mark is, was this perhaps a three year term that was set to expire in 2025? So it's, I don't know if they count if the order needs to be amended, if even though it's just one remaining year, like it's not a three year term. I don't know. I just remember this coming up before, so I just wanna make sure Okay. Or if we do need to amend it to a one year term to expire on the last day of 2025.

▶ 5:59 Maya Jamaleddine: I, Go ahead. Yeah. In my experience that this, the language of this order is referring to the three year terms of,

▶ 6:07 Kimberly Vandiver: um, previous vacant. Yeah. The person that was vacant. The order is,

▶ 6:12 Speaker 5: um, is, you know,

▶ 6:13 Manjula Karamcheti: So it, if I'm understanding what you're saying, the order itself actually is fine the way that it is because it is filling the term was three years. Yes.

▶ 6:24 Speaker 5: It's worth it correctly.

▶ 6:27 Speaker 1: Yeah. Got it. Thank you for that.

▶ 6:31 Manjula Karamcheti: Um, I just have a question. First, thank you so much for your willingness to step up and being on the Human Rights Commission. I enjoyed looking at your resume and your interest and some of the work that you've done. Is there any one thing that you would really love the Human Rights Commission to work on or think about in relation to Melrose and our sort of wanting to be one community open to all?

▶ 6:57 Speaker 4: Yeah. Um, I'm really excited for the, the change in focus that the commission is having, moving away from event planning, more to strategic human rights, looking at those concerns in the community. Um, and so I think I'm fully on board with the mission of this commission and moving that forward, um, and pursuing that however I can, a specific passion of mine is, um, L-G-B-T-Q rights, and that's something that I'm excited to help further in our community.

▶ 7:31 Speaker 1: Great. Thank you so much. So at this time, I ask what the will of the committee is? Yes.

▶ 7:38 Maya Jamaleddine: Council, I would make a motion to recommend to the full council.

▶ 7:42 Manjula Karamcheti: Okay. We have a motion to recommend made by Councillor Aldine.

▶ 7:47 Speaker 1: Second. Sorry, I have a Oh it a second. By Council Rio, uh, on discussion.

▶ 7:56 Manjula Karamcheti: All in favor? Aye. Any opposed? Okay. This motion carries. Thank you for being here tonight. Uh, this motion will be moved onto our full council. You do not need to appear at that time. Um, but of course you are welcome if you would like to be. Um, and just thank you for stepping up. Yeah. Thank you all. Need people like you volunteering for things in the city.

▶ 8:18 Speaker 4: Thank you. Take care.

▶ 8:25 Manjula Karamcheti: Okay, next, we're moving on to appointment 2024 dash 15, the appointment of Morris Sullivan, 3 93 East Foster Street to the Melrose Council on Aging for a three year term set to expire on the last day of February, 2027.