Filling Human Relations Commission in Peekskill Sparks Debate
Appointing members to the Human Relations Commission in Peekskill dominated discussion at last week’s Common Council meeting even though the resolution had been removed from the agenda.
The Council had collected resumes from interested residents and some councilmembers said a list of nine names had been agreed upon during a recent work session, but those names apparently were changed by Mayor Frank Catalina, who has the authority to fill the commission with the blessing of the Council.
The Human Relations Commission was first enacted in 1964 but has been inactive during about the last three years with the 11-member body reduced to only two individuals.
“Nobody thinks it’s a bad thing,” Catalina said at the meeting. “I did not personally interview these people so I’m not ready to certify these people. Anybody who submits a resume will get a fair hearing.”
According to the city’s General Municipal Law, which the Council amended in December, the purpose of the Human Relations Commission is to “foster mutual respect and understanding among all racial, religious, age, disability, gender, sexual orientation and nationality groups in the community.”
In addition, the Commission can “inquire into incidents of tension and conflict among or between” groups and “conduct and recommend educational programs as, in its judgment, will increase goodwill among inhabitants of the community and open new opportunities into all phases of community life for all inhabitants.”
After being elected in 2015, Councilman Andre Rainey encouraged residents to join the Human Relations Commission to revitalize it to promote diversity in the community and “fight for people with issues of discrimination, and acts of racism and hate.”
“Bringing it to Peekskill would only enhance what we are already developing here, unity in this community,” Rainey said.
Ken Martin, who ran for mayor in 2015, said the Human Relations Commission would be beneficial to the city.
“The Human Relations Commission is about values. It’s about what we in Peekskill believe,” he said. “There are problems in this community. This will help Peekskill. This will help the values of Peekskill.”
However, Councilman Vincent Vesce, who maintained Rainey had vehemently objected to one of the names listed on the resolution that was removed, expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of the Commission, contending last time it was meeting on a regular basis members didn’t get along and it became “a public relations nightmare for the City of Peekskill.”
“What has changed in the City of Peekskill in the last three years that is so dire and pressing that we need to fill this board?” Vesce asked.
Councilwoman Vivian McKenzie explained it was never the intention of the Council to get rid of the Commission, saying, “We wanted it to be something else; a committee that would foster goodwill in the community.”
Catalina said he was looking for residents to serve on the Human Relations Commission that were “active in the community,” and “had experience dealing with problems and solving them outside the government structure.” He encouraged anyone interested to email him a resume.
One of the individuals who was listed on the removed resolution was James Cairl of Elm Street, who spoke about his desire to serve.
“I reached out to Councilman Rainey because I want to help,” said Cairl, who noted he served as mayor for a day under former Mayor George Pataki when he was a scout leader. “I want to make this town better and this opportunity came up.”
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