Framingham City Council Lowers Membership of Human Relations Commission

FRAMINGHAM – Upon a request by the Mayor, the Framingham City Council voted to lower the membership of the Human Relations Commission from 13 to 9 members.

The Human Relations Commission has been struggling, due to a lack of quorum at its meetings. With a 13-member Commission, at least 7 members must attend for the meeting to take place.

The Commission currently only has 8 members, and had five vacancies.

“The purpose of the Commission shall be to deal with the causes of intergroup disunity which underlie the urban crisis, including, but not limited to, the elimination of conditions of bias discrimination and prejudice against minority groups, and to establish affirmative action programs to ensure equal enforcement of the law, and equal protection of the law, for all groups regardless of race, color, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender identity, age, disability, sexual orientation, genetics, status as an active member of the armed forces of the United States, or any other protected class recognized under state or federal law (“protected class status”),” according to the City’s website.

Mayor Sisitsky’s administration made the request on December 1.

The City Council approved the request on Tuesday night, January 3.

The change takes effect immediately.

Members on the Commission serve 3-year terms, appointed by the Mayor, and approved by the City’s legislative branch (City Council).

The Commission meets the second Thursday of each month (with the exception of July) at 7 p.m.

The Commission has not filed any meeting minutes for 2022, in the City’s meeting portal.

In fact, no minutes have been filed since March of 2021. Minutes for the April, August, September, October and December 2021 meetings are not on the City’s meeting portal.

Minutes are missing from two meetings in 2019 and two meetings in 2019.

Minutes are missing from 6 meetings in 2018.

Commissions, Boards, & Committees in the City of Framingham are required to take minutes and file them with the City.