Commission on Human Rights

City of Albany, Common Council
CALL FOR APPLICATIONS

Commission on Human Rights

The Albany Common Council is seeking applications from qualified residents of the City of Albany for the following position:

Title of Position: Member, Commission on Human Rights.
Term of Appointment: Three years for a term ending 8/21/14.
Appointees are eligible for reappointment at the end of their term to an additional term of three years. No member shall serve for a period which exceeds two consecutive terms or six years.
Qualifications of Members: Members shall reside in the City of Albany and possess a reputation for fairness, integrity and responsibility and have demonstrated an active interest in public affairs and service. The Mayor and the Common Council shall reflect community diversity in their appointments, including, but not limited to, income level, race, religion, ethnicity, age, gender and sexual orientation. Officers and employees of the City of Albany are not eligible for appointment.

Position Responsibilities/Duties: The Commission on Human Rights is a nine member body jointly appointed by the Mayor (5 members) and the Common Council (4 members). It meets no less than six times per year and has the following func-tions, powers and duties:
-- To foster mutual respect and understanding among all persons and racial, religious and nationality groups in the community;
-- To make such studies in any field of human relationship in the community as in the judgment of the Commission will aid in effectuating its general purposes;
-- To inquire into incidents of tension and conflict among or between various racial, religious and na-tionality groups, and to take such action as may be designed to alleviate such tensions and conflict;
-- To conduct and recommend such educational programs as, in the judgment of the Commission, will increase goodwill among inhabitants of the community and open new opportunities into all phases of community life for all inhabitants;
-- To report complaints to the New York State Division of Human Rights alleging unlawful discrimi-natory practices under article 15 of the NYS Executive Law;
-- To receive, accept and expend public grants for the purposes of effectuating the purposes of the Commission;
-- To make recommendations as necessary and appropriate to the Mayor and the Common Council to effectuate the goals and purposes of the Commission.
The Commission also has the following general obligations:
-- To receive and resolve complaints of alleged discrimination filed in accordance with Albany’s Omnibus Human Rights Law, the Commission may seek the active assistance of the State Division of Human Rights in the resolution of such complaints, but shall not abdicate its responsibility for reso-lution of complaints filed with the Commission;
-- To hold conferences, and other public meetings in the interest of the constructive resolution of ra-cial, religious and nationality group tensions and the prejudice and discrimination occasioned thereby;
-- To issue such publications and reports of investigations as in its judgment will tend to effectuate the purposes of the Commission;
-- To enlist the cooperation and participation of the various racial, religious and nationality groups, community organizations, industry and labor organizations, media or mass communication, frater-nal and benevolent associations and other groups in an educational campaign devoted to fostering among the diverse groups of the community mutual esteem, justice and equity and opening new opportunities into all phases of community life for all individuals; and
-- To encourage and stimulate City of Albany agencies and departments to take such action as will fulfill the purposes of the Commission.
Statutory Authority:
The Commission on Human Rights is established in accordance with Part 36 of Chapter 42 of the Code of the City of Albany (sections 42-361 through 42-367), as added by Local Law A of 2005.

Application Requirement:
Applicants are requested to submit a letter of interest describing qualifications and a current resume to:
Cashawna Parker, Senior Legislative Aide
Albany Common Council – Room 202, City Hall, Albany, NY 12207
Tel: 434-5087 / Fax: 434-5081 / e-mail: parkerc@ci.albany.ny.us

Applicants will be interviewed by a selected committee of the Common Council prior to appointment.

Deadline for Applications: Close of Business, Tuesday, July 5, 2011.

Policy Statement
The Common Council is committed to assuring that its appointments to city boards, authorities or commissions is represen-tative of the diversity of Albany’s population. Consistent with the City of Albany Human Rights Law, it is the policy of the Common Council to prohibit discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, age, disability, marital or domestic partner status in all aspects of its personnel policies, programs, practices and operations.