Council mulls Human Relations Commission

NORTH WALES >> Should North Wales Borough should look into setting up a human relations commission, and if so, what should it look like?

Those are questions council continues to consider, and look likely to do so for at least another month.

“It would be similar to Lansdale’s, but there would be a lot more in it. We’re looking at adding a few things, and if we’re going to have one, it should be allencompassing,” said borough Solicitor Greg Gifford.

Throughout 2018, council members in Lansdale discussed and debated whether to establish a local human relations commission to hear and arbitrate complaints of discrimination against local residents, business customers or visitors, with decisions from that body that could then be appealed into the court system. Lansdale ultimately named five residents to their commission

in December 2018, after lengthy discussion and debate on how those members should be chosen, what qualifications they should have, and how they should have been vetted and interviewed.

A similar conversation in North Wales began last month, according to Gifford, with council eyeing the rules and regulations now in place in Lansdale, and still early in the process of deciding whether something similar could be adopted.

“It should include more, not less, and that’s what I

think we still need to discuss at length,” he said.

Borough Manager Christine Hart said during council’s June 25 meeting that she had heard earlier that day from council President Jim Sando, who did not attend the meeting, that Sando had been in contact with a member of Governor Tom Wolf’s LGBTQ Affairs Commission, and could have that member attend a council meeting in July to discuss the idea further.

“I found it prudent to table this until we have that person here,” Hart said.

Gifford added that is continuing

to research a question raised by councilman Sal Amato as to whether such a commission should be set up by resolution or by ordinance, and which would make more sense for North Wales to consider — and hear what the state representative has to say.

“They may know some other municipalities that did that,” Gifford said.

Resident Andrew Berenson asked if a draft ordinance or resolution was ready for council and the public to review. Gifford replied that neither are that far along yet.

“That’s what we’re looking into — as to if it can be done by resolution, if anybody else would need to join, or the way in which it can be done,” he said.

“That’s the kind of thing we’re currently researching, and then if council wants to go the ordinance route as opposed to a resolution route, then an ordinance will be prepared for discussion,” Gifford said.

Hart added that once a draft is developed by staff, it will be put on council’s agenda for at least one meeting as a discussion item, so further feedback

and discussion can be held before it is presented for formal consideration and a vote. She and Gifford said talks will likely continue during the council meetings currently scheduled for July 9 and 23, with action unlikely before the meetings scheduled for Aug. 13 or 27.

North Wales Borough Council next meets at 7 p.m. on July 9 at the borough municipal building, 300 School St.