Laserfiche WebLink
(a) There is hereby created the City of Lakewood Human Rights <br />Commission, hereafter referred to as "the Commission," to be comprised <br />of three (3) members. One member shall be the Director of Planning and <br />Development or his or her designee for the City. The second member shall <br />be appointed by the mayor. The third member shall be appointed by <br />majority vote of council. Each member of the Commission shall serve a <br />term of three years and until his or her successor has been appointed and <br />qualified for office. With the exception of Director of Planning and <br />Development or his or her designee, members of the Commission shall be <br />ineligible to be reappointed to succeed themselves for more than one <br />additional three -year term, unless the member is completing a term for <br />which he or she was appointed to fill a mid -term vacancy. Every member <br />shall have been a resident of the City for at least one year prior to <br />appointment and shall continue to be a resident so long as he or she shall <br />serve as a member of the Commission. In the event of a vacancy a <br />replacement will be chosen by the appropriate appointing authority of that <br />seat and will serve out the remainder of the vacant term. <br />(b) The Commission may create and modify rules regarding its <br />meetings and procedures. The Commission may create and appoint task <br />forces and committees it deems appropriate to carry out its functions. <br />(c) The work of the Commission shall be managed by the <br />Department of Planning and Development. <br />(d) The responsibilities of the Department of Planning and <br />Development include managing Commission records and accounts, <br />developing public education programs as needed, providing training for <br />Commission members, managing citizen complaints, facilitating <br />Commission scheduling and communication, and any other tasks needed <br />to effectuate the functions of the Commission. <br />(e) In addition, the Commission may use the services of attorneys, <br />hearing examiners, clerks and other employees and agents who are city <br />government employees, except in those cases in which the city <br />government is a party, and in which case the Conmrission may seek the <br />city attorney's approval to engage appropriate counsel. <br />(f) In the enforcement of this chapter, the Commission shall have <br />the following powers and duties: <br />(1) To receive, initiate, investigate, seek to conciliate, hold <br />hearings on and pass upon complaints alleging violations of this <br />chapter; <br />(2) To cooperate with relevant federal and state authorities; <br />(3) To present an annual report to the mayor and city <br />council setting forth the number of complaints received during the <br />prior year, as well as the disposition of the complaints, and the <br />number of convictions for violation. The Commission shall publish <br />this report and make it available in some format to the general <br />public; <br />FIVa <br />