Dormont Human Relations Commission Meeting

The Dormont Human Relations Commission (HRC) met on March 17, 2026, at 7:00 PM. Members present included Opal, Rosa, Melinda (borough staff), and Council Representative Kate Fabus. The meeting focused on updating meeting procedures, planning Pride and Porchmont events, and improving community outreach.

Consent Calendar

• Approved previous meeting minutes after discussion on improving format for public clarity. Melinda provided guidance on minute-taking best practices.

Discussion Items

Meeting Procedures & Agenda Transparency

• Melinda and Kate advised that the HRC, which makes recommendations rather than binding votes, can discuss items not on the agenda under “Discussion Items” but should avoid formal decisions. The commission agreed to err on the side of including more agenda items for transparency.

Pride Event Planning (June 28, 2026)

• Opal presented a budget proposal: $60–$100 for candy, stickers, and temporary tattoos. After discussion, the group amended to $150 to allow flexibility for additional fun items. Kate noted that booth fees are typically waived or donated by council members.
• Motion to allocate $150 for Pride passed unanimously.
• Opal and Kate discussed volunteer needs; members interested in helping were invited to contact Opal.

Newsletter & Social Media

• Rosa proposed ideas for upcoming posts: a spring cleaning/porch preparation post and a May post promoting Pride and Porchmont. Melinda suggested connecting posts to council proclamations (e.g., Pride proclamation).
• The group decided Rosa would create a content calendar spreadsheet for the year, including both newsletter and social media concepts, to be reviewed at the next meeting.

Resource List Project

• Lisa was absent. The chair reported that Lisa is compiling a database of community resources relevant to the HRC’s scope (housing, employment, social services) for potential use on the borough website.

Porchmont Planning

• The commission reviewed goals: 75 porches (up from 54 last year), more diverse participation, better outreach to apartment residents and older neighbors, and increased accessibility.
• Date selection: Options were August 29 (last Saturday of August) or September 26 (last Saturday of September). September 12 was ruled out due to Rosh Hashanah consensus. The group decided to survey past Porchmont hosts via email to choose between the two dates, rather than a public poll.
• Branding & art: Discussed using Canva for consistency, potentially commissioning a local artist (Josh) for a series of porch paintings, and/or a community contest for a new image. The group agreed that a separate logo and an annual poster could be developed.
• Outreach assignments:
  • Opal volunteered to lead apartment outreach in high-density areas, including posting flyers inside building entrances.
  • The chair will draft an email to other boards, commissions, and organizations (Dormont Arts, DCDC, etc.) to invite participation.
  • Melinda offered to raise the library’s potential engagement (e.g., hosting a porch at the library parking lot) at the library board meeting.
  • Rosa will take charge of nailing down design files, font from last year’s artist (Annie), and creating sample Canva color schemes.
  • Accessibility strategy: A member expressed interest in leading this; the group noted it would be assigned to either Joanna or Lisa for development.
• Block parties: Discussed a social media campaign promoting block parties. The chair asked if the borough could sponsor a few block party permits (cost = forgone revenue), but Kate and Melinda cautioned that borough budget constraints may make this difficult. The group agreed to present a list of low-cost requests to council in April, framing them as items that do not require new spending.
• T-shirts & merch: Kate will explore a print-on-demand model with Catman Doo (Capmandu) for Pride and Porchmont gear, to avoid leftover inventory. The group supported including Porchmont in those conversations.

Key Outcomes

• Vote: $150 allocated for Pride (approved unanimously).
• Decision: Porchmont date will be determined by survey of past hosts (August 29 vs. September 26).
• Assignments:
  • Opal: apartment outreach.
  • Chair: outreach email to community organizations.
  • Rosa: design files and Canva mockups; content calendar.
  • Kate: explore print-on-demand with Catman Doo.
  • Accessibility strategy lead: to be finalized (Joanna or Lisa).
• Next steps: Rosa to circulate content calendar before next meeting; Opal to work with Melinda on survey for Porchmont hosts; accessibility plan to be drafted; block party proposal to be refined for council presentation in April.
• Meeting adjourned at approximately 8:12 PM.