The Human Relations Commission consists of a minimum of 18 members and a maximum of 25 members appointed by the Mayor, not requiring City Council approval, for a three year term. The Human Relations Commission shall comprise a cross-section of the community at large.

While members are to be representative of many racial, religious, civic, business, labor and private groups, they should be independent of these groups and selected only after consultation with persons broadly representing the community interests. All commissioners shall be committed to the philosophy of equal opportunity or and fair treatment of all people, without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, handicap, age or ancestry.

Goals and Objectives

The general goals of the Human Relations Commission in carrying out its powers and duties shall assure:

1. Equal protection of the law and full rights and privileges of citizenship for all people;
2. Full equality of opportunity in the total economic, political and cultural life of a community;
3. Improved communication, understanding and cooperation between all racial, ethnic and religious groups; and
4. Equal employment in all departments and levels of government and equal services to all residents.

The objectives of the Human Relations Commission shall be:

1. To strive to eliminate the artificial barriers and controls which deny the residents of this community the right to choose their own homes.
2. To seek through conciliation to wipe out discrimination in public accommodations, services and law enforcement powers the ordinances of the City may from time to time provide, assist, direct and/or the complaining party or group to such State or Federal enforcement groups that might be available.
3. To help develop programs that assure equality in educational facilities and which provide for all children according to their potential and varying needs.
4. To implement programs with the Chief of Police to create a knowledgeable and meaningful understanding of the special sensitivities of minority groups by all police officers.
5. To stimulate the business and civic community to become actively involved in the social program and particularly in employment problems that produce wide gaps between the majority and minority citizenry.
6. To develop ways of anticipating, preparing for and relieving community tensions arising from racial differences.
7. To act as an interpreter and conciliator in those instances where tensions erupt into social disturbances and offer recommendations to hasten the necessary social change which may deter the recurrence of a similar social disturbance.
8. Be concerned with inequities in the criminal justice system, including correctional institutions.
9. To secure and maintain an adequate, factual basis for sound planning and action.
10. Make recommendation to initiate, develop modify and facilitate legislation and programs with community groups, both public and private, to obtain a better adjustment between EEO, Civil Service Commission, community resources and human relations needs.
11. To develop public support of, and participate in, human relations problem areas requiring attention and action.

Powers and Duties

The Human Relations Commission shall:

The Commission shall report to directly to the Mayor, and through the Mayor to Council, its advise and assistance in seeking solutions to the many problems compromising the urban crisis, to assist and recommend methods for creating and maintaining harmony and mutual respect in metropolitan Mansfield.

The Commission shall communicate to the Mayor present and future causes and sources of tension of disorder in any part of the community; and in order to do so, conduct fact finding activities about such causes and disorders, and arrange direct communications between various resident groups, organizations, and the City administration or any combination of them.

The Commission shall audit and review the human relations aspect of the City administration, including, but not limited to, equal employment practices, the contract compliance program, the efficient and productive processing of resident complaints against the City departments or operation, and fair and equitable distribution of services to the residents.

The Commission shall recommend to the Mayor programs of action and constructive change which will correct those causes of intergroup tension and disorder which underlie the urban crisis including, but not limited to, the elimination of intolerance and unjust conditions of bias, discrimination and prejudice against minority groups, and programs to insure equal enforcement of law and equal protection of law for all minorities.

Upon specific request of the Mayor the Commission may conduct hearings, or may hear complaints or inquiries from any resident or group of residents submitted through the staff or otherwise, and shall conduct hearings upon specifc request of the Mayor.

Support a comprehensive educational program in cooperation with the Board of Education and other administrative agencies of the City, for the students of the public schools of this City and for all other residents thereof, designed to eliminate prejudice on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, handicap, age or ancestry in this City, to further good will among such groups to emphasize the origin or prejudice against such groups, its harmful effects, and its incompatibility with the principles of equal protection of the law and and the full rights and privileges of citizenship.

Issue such publication, pamphlets, reports and such results of investigations and research as in its judgement will tend to promote good will and minimize or eliminate discrimination because of race, color, sex, national origin, handicap, age or ancestry.

Formulate policies to effectuate the goals and objectives of this chapter and make recommendations to the administrative offices and legislative body of the City to effectuate such policies.

The City shall be the prime funding agent of the Commission, and its fiscal operation shall be subject to review and analysis by the City; the Commission shall keep an accounting of its receipts and expenditures which shall be available at any time for examination by the proper officers of the City.