Minutes

Commission for Diversity, Inclusion, & Community Relations · from the Town's website · 2 pages · 138 KB
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CDICR Minutes – Town Hall, Room 2, First Floor. April 13, 2022 6:00 PM 
(Commission for Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Relations) 
Attendees: Andrea Baez (chair); Walter Connelly (sec); Suza n ne Martucci - Gallo; John Morgan; 
John Bentley , Anthony Williams ; Joined by Committee on Committees: Councilors Rogerio, 
Belcher and Flockhart . Public commenters : Bybiose (Bee) Larochelle 
1. Roll Call 6: 00 PM 
2. Minutes from February and March meetings 
 Minutes of February meeting passed by roll call vote. 
 Minutes of March meeting passed by roll call vote. 
3. Committee on Committees (Councilors Rogerio, Belcher & Flockhart) 
 Here to convey the Council’s decision to include non - voting members on Commission to 
represent the Town Manager, the School Department and the Police Department. 
 Commission had previously re ques ted the equivalent as “liaisons”. Anita Preble had been 
appoi nted by Superintendent Howard to represent the School Department. Commission 
welcomed the development and voted unanimously to accept the proposal. 
4. New members needed for Commission at the annual appointment in June. 
 Suggestions can be made to the TC President whose decision i t is to appoint members. 
 The application is “buried” on the Town website. There is a “fillable” PDF version. 
5. Non - Binding Resolution on LGBTG Youth. 
 The commission endorses Councilor Honan’s non - binding resolution as a mean of re - 
iterating the community’s support for transgender youth; and requests that it be added to 
the next Town Councilor agenda. 
6. Anti - Italian questioning o f Town Manager candidate by Councilor Flockhart. 
 Councilor Barbara Flockhart agreed to stay for a discussion of her questioning of the 
candidates. 
 Councilor Flockhart explained the backstory of how she came to repeat the anti - Italian 
trope in questioning the candidate on his past temper in the workplace. She admitted that 
it was mistake to quote the bi ased expression and did not intend to malign the candidates 
Italian ethnicity. 
 Councilor Flockhart did not believe that Italians needed to be protected. Commissioner 
Connelly cautioned that her comment could be taken as a further insult and a micro - 
aggres sion at the very least by the Italian community. Commissioner Baez added that all 
members of the community needed to be treated equally and respectfully, not just 
minorities. 
 Commissioner Baez reminded her that the community expects their elected leaders t o 
treat everyone with fairness.

 Commissioner Connelly recognized that members of the community have every right to 
request her resignation. H owever, h e was more concerned that Councilor Flockhart make 
her decision freely without pressure from any group, including those who would urge her 
to stay to preserve a perceived balance of power. 
 Commissioner Bentley stressed that demeaning comments should not be repeated. 
 The Winthrop Transcript had asked for d etails of April’s meeting. Commissioners Baez 
and Connelly said that the Minutes could not be released until approved by the following 
meeting, but a summary would be issued. 
 CDICR issues the following statement: 
During official questioning of the Town Manager candidates, Councilor Barbara 
Flockhart employed an anti - Italian trope. The question was heard by many as an ethnic 
slur, and by any accounting it constituted a micro - aggression. It was plainly 
unacceptable, especially coming from an elected official. The Commission for Diversity, 
Inclusion and Community Relations does not condone any commentary, questioning or 
behavior that disparages any group, race, religion, nationality, sexual or gender identity. 
As a com mission and as community, w e cannot pick and choose when we advocate for 
equity and fairness; equity is for all. We believe that Councilor Flockhart spoke in 
ignorance, not realizing her unconscious bias and the hurt she caused . And so, the 
Commission reco mmends the following: 
1. Unconscious Bias training for the Town Council 
2. The Town Manager work with HR to craft an interview protocol . 
7. DEI Website for School Dept. 
 Agenda item had been kicked to April meeting due to Anita Preble’s absence, and will be 
kicked further to May for same reason. 
8. Panel Discussion as suggested/requested by Lee Foley and Suzanne Leonard a t last meeting. 
 If the purpose is to educate, Commissioner Bentley suggested we begin with something 
more manageable like an Information Pa cket that can be shared. 
 All commissioners want to avoid creating an event that will attract on the “converted”. 
 The Commission will NOT take the lead or responsibility for this proposal, but will 
gladly continue discussions on the topic. 
9. Public Commen t 
 Bee Larochelle re panel discussion and like matters: encouraged linking to existing 
educational opportunities online. A volunteer commission cannot create resources on its 
own. 
 Bee also concerned with Councilor Flockhart’s persisting bias and believed it was in her 
best interest to release a written apology/statement. 
Submitted by Walter Connelly, Secretary of CDICR