2021-04-27 Minutes
AGENDA
New Hanover County/City of Wilmington
Community Relations Advisory Committee
Zoom Virtual Meeting
April 27, 2021 @ 5:30pm
Committee members present: Lori Wainright, Kimberly Gieger, Kathy King, Scott Whisnant, Jen
Johnson, Florence Warren, Liz Carbone, Megan Mullins
Staff present: Suzanne Rogers, COW; Erica Jacobs-Graham, COW; Melissa Huffman (City
Attorney), COW; Crystal Williamson, COW; Clayton Roberts, COW; Erris Dunston, COW;
Tony McEwen, COW; Linda Thompson, NHC
Public present: Jean, Anne Eitelman, Virginia Hager
Absent: Evelyn Bryant, Courtney Horton
I. Call to order
Committee Member Lori Wainright called the meeting to order at 5:33 pm. Roll Call was
taken. A quorum was established
II. Approve Agenda
Motion: Kathy King; second Florence Warren to approve the agenda.
Upon vote, the motion carried unanimously.
III. Approve Minutes
Motion: Scott Whisnant; second Florence Warren to approve the minutes.
Upon vote, the motion carried unanimously.
IV. Introduce Clayton Roberts, Assistant Director City of Wilmington HR
V. Update on ongoing projects
Jen spoke on meeting with the City staff members in March and introduced staff members:
Tony McEwen, Asst. to City Manager for Legislative & Community Affairs; Erris Dunston,
LGBTQ+LGBTQ++ liaison, City; Clayton Roberts, City.
Tony shared his screen in regard to letter from the City to CRAC. The Mayor and Erris have
been in conversation with Equality NC for about a year about HB182. Municipal Equality
Index score was a 15 and has risen to 29. They foresee an increase in the MEI in the future.
Erris spoke on communicating more to employees about LGBTQ+ in the City. The City
generated and made available a newsletter from HR and received feedback about receiving
communication from LGBTQ+ advocates in the City.
Tony spoke on the expansion of medical benefits for LGBTQ+ employees, staff resources
and identifying best practices. There have been ongoing discussions; last Friday met with
Equality NC about the LGBTQ+ efforts. Gotten the ok/green light to go forth with all efforts
to ensure equal rights with LGBTQ+.
Clayton reported the Harassment and Discrimination policy has been revised. The City is
providing transition coverage as part of the insurance coverage. This coverage began on
January 1. Added a new mental health benefit provide free mental health care sessions.
There is space on monthly newsletter to receive more info about LGBTQ+ initiative. Next
month the efforts will be mentioned in the newsletter.
Lori asked Jen if she will she be meeting with Erris, Clayton, Tony regularly. She responded
that they keep in contact regularly.
Jen reported that there is no City Ordinance yet to address LGBTQ+ discrimination, but
conversations continue in an effort to work towards local policy action. Another positive
development is that Erris is now involved with Resiliency Task Force, Equity and inclusion
Committee.
Jen provided an update on meetings with members of the NHCS Board regarding the letter
from CRAC re: LGBTQ+ students. Several conversations with NHCS staff in the Title IX
office to learn more about their efforts and explore setting up a meeting with CRAC and
NHCS to work with Title IX and support efforts to address discrimination against LGBTQ+
and mental health of LGBTQ+ students. She also wants to align with NHCS and various
community organizations working on LGBTQ+ issues to ensure hear from community
advocates and members that are directly impacted.
Scott reported he has reached out to Tony McEwen and Tim Buckland about when they can
set up a meeting. They are setting a time to meet tomorrow. Waiting on that meeting to
update his presentation to see if anything has changed. Reached out to James Ford of
CREED (Center for Racial Equality in Education). Scott is looking for an expert in the field
to address testing difference in African American students vs Caucasian students. Wants
feedback from other areas that have Neighborhood Schools as a districting challenge and
learn what has been done to resolve or improve. He wants the presentation to be evolved to
reflect more research and best practices.
Jen asked if he has talked to anyone on NHCS Title IX committee?
Megan asked if Scott is still pursuing the possibility to have the three parties meet. She
thinks Scott may get further feedback from the schoolboard if they don’t do presentations
and rather get schoolboard and community opinions and best practices. Possibly meet with
each individually (City and county) rather than ask for the three parties to meet and let
elected officials discuss amongst themselves.
Megan also mentioned the article that speaks about where the federal funds the county
received are going to in the schools because mental health needs to be addressed.
Linda confirms that Therapists will be put in every school funded by the government funds
that are available. Also wants to clarify that CRAC’s tasks are to bring up issues to the table
and make it recognizable.
Liz spoke on Rise Up/Renaming Initiative & Master Calendar CF Collective. The meeting
she attended was about creating policy. Master calendar needs pricing, she is waiting on
Patrick Brien, CFC for this and will bring up at next meeting.
Lori/Suzanne spoke on Workforce Housing Advisory Committee, Suzanne spoke about
important outcome of meeting, clarity on forthcoming recommendations. Housing that’s
affordable should include everyone in the community. The current by-laws for the WHAC
effectively exclude anyone earning $18/hour or less, this is not tenable and the City Council
and NHC Commission agreed that recommendations should address households earning 0%
AMI to 120% AMI.
Reddgo spoke on updates on youth engagement. Plans to pilot an idea to include a youth
talk show to include influential people in the community. Possibly having a talk show
during mid-day in June to get started with it. Working on a permanent plan for show and
getting influential people in the community involved.
nd
Linda spoke on Poverty Task Force 2 meeting. The Task Force was created to look at
strategies to prevent and reduce poverty in the community. Also, to address the main cause
and discuss systems that work and don’t work. Task Force consists of 10 individuals on a
panel. Next 6 meetings will involve interviewing individuals who have overcome poverty
or are in poverty. Last meeting, they interviewed 2 people. One person was raised in poverty
and the other was incarcerated. Next meeting is in 3 weeks.
Lori brought up how people felt about talking about inequity and racial issues that are
uncomfortable but need to be talked about. Jen thinks it starts with us as individuals and we
become more educated about how to decrease inequity and racial issues by completing more
trainings.
VI. New project for consideration:
Facilitating conversations on controversial issues & partnering with Resiliency Taskforce
VII. Announcements: April is national volunteer month
VIII. Public Comment: Virginia Hager-attorney lived in Wilmington 31 yrs. She is Chair of
the Frank Harr Foundation. She recalled efforts in the community to support LGBTQ+
such as the AIDS memorial quilt. She wanted to applaud and state that she appreciates
CRAC for the support of LGBTQ+ community. Also, wanted to recommend the City and
county to become involved with the Nondiscrimination ordinance.
IX. Adjourn: Meeting adjourned at 7:04