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<br />MINUTES Page 10 <br />City of San Leandro City Council, San Leandro Redevelopment Agency and San Leandro Economic Development <br />Agency Joint Meeting-February 7, 2005 <br /> <br />By consensus, the City Council approved this recommendation. <br /> <br />Councilmember Santos noted that no faith-based community members were <br />in attendance at the Human Relations Committee (HRC) meeting, and he <br />expressed concern as to why they are not participating. He stated that it was <br />his understanding that when the HRC was established, the intent was to <br />work with the faith community on human relations issues. Councilmember <br />Santos suggested that perhaps the committee is no longer needed. <br /> <br />Mayor Young stated that when she came on the Council in 1996, she <br />understood that the original committee was formed as an outgrowth of the <br />issues at the high school. The HRC was later re-formed to include the faith- <br />based groups. <br /> <br />As chair of the HRC, Councilmember Grant stated that members of the <br />faith-based community have not attended because there is no issue for them <br />to unite around. She noted some of the issues for which they have come <br />together in the past: tensions at the high school, 9/11 and study circles. <br />Councilmember Grant indicated that until there is a situation which requires <br />their attention, they will likely not see a value in meeting with the HRC. <br />She asked if the faith community members still receive meeting notices. <br /> <br />Community Relations Representative Kathy Ornelas stated that after the <br />faith community's attendance dropped off, it was the consensus of the <br />committee to discontinue sending meeting notices to them <br /> <br />Councilmember Santos noted that when he served on the HRC, there was <br />considerable interest by the faith community in working with the City on <br />various issues. He recalled that Councilmember Garry Loeffler was a strong <br />advocate of the committee working with the faith community. <br /> <br />Councilmember Grant noted that the two issues on which Councilmember <br />Loeffler wanted the City and faith community to partner were homelessness <br />and hunger. The April Showers program was created as a result of that <br />partnership and has been continued by the faith community. <br /> <br />Councilmember Grant offered to personally contact the members of the faith <br />community that have worked with the committee in the recent past to gauge <br />their interest in working with the HRC. She noted that the members of the <br />clergy that had previously worked with the HRC now seem more focused on <br />economic development than human relations issues. <br /> <br />Vice Mayor Badger observed that the HRC had stopped having regular <br />meetings because there were few issues to discuss, and perhaps the faith <br />community stopped attending for the same reason. He recalled the last issue <br />