HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021_10_25 Racial Equity Taskforce Minutes
Minutes of the Racial Equity Task Force of the Town of Mamaroneck
Held October 25, 2021 at 7:30 pm, Town Center Conference Room A
Present: Jeffery King, Christina Battalia, Sabrina Fiddelman, Helen Horsham-Bertels, Andrew
Tannenbaum, Gonzalo Zeballos
Chairman King opened the meeting.
New Business
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The Task Force discussed future meeting dates. Meetings will be held on the 4 Monday of each month
at 7:30 pm unless a specific change is made. The Task Force discussed the November and December
dates in light of the holiday season. It was agreed to meet on November 22, as planned, and to move
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the December meeting to the 20. Ms. Battalia will research whether we can hold in person meetings
and Zoom one or two attendees in, if necessary based on their schedules.
It is the hope of the members to become a permanent Town Committee vs. the current status as ad hoc
Task Force. Mr. King has approached the Supervisor and Town Board with this request. He reported the
Board seemed amenable to this change. He asked the members of the Task Force to look at the Mission
Statement which is posted on the Task Force page on the Town’s website and come to the next meeting
with suggestions on how it may be amended to better align with a more permanent mission.
We broadly discussed the number of members, term length and diversity of the membership of the
future committee.
The Task Force discussed renaming that might occur when the Task Force transitions to a permanent
committee. There seems to be agreement that Committee for Racial Equity, Diversity and Inclusion is
the appropriate name. The Task Force is cognizant that there are other organizations in Town whose
mission is similar. The Task Force would like to fill a niche that is action oriented.
Mr. King shared Town Administrator Meredith Robson’s email to the Town Board outlining forward
actions the Police Department is suggesting based on the Police Reform Report. As this was the first
time the Task Force had seen the email, the discussion was general and several follow up questions
were asked. The Task Force would like more information on Accreditation, the process, what it entails
and what the benefits to the Police Force, the municipality and its residents are. Ms. Fiddelman will
speak with Ms. Robson to get additional information.
Mr. King suggested we might want to partner or offer our assistance to other organizations in the
community who may be celebrating Black History Month and Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday.
Members will reach out to CURE, REALM, the Mamaroneck School District Equity Task Force and Joe
Liberti, the Original Civics Research program teacher at Mamaroneck High School.
Report of Minutes
Minutes of the July 14 meeting were approved.
The next meeting of the Racial Equity Task Force is currently scheduled for Monday, November 22 at
7:30 pm. Meeting place is to be determined.
Mr. King adjourned the meeting.