OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Human Relations Commission Board Meeting – April 22, 2026

City Council — Wednesday, April 22, 2026
BodyEvansville, Indiana
SessionCity Council
DateWednesday, April 22, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 39:41

Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

For Donovan and Watez, we've got a quorum.

0:03

I'm going to wait about a minute.

0:04

Ruby's not here today.

0:06

I'm going to go ahead and run the meeting, but this is the two minute warning.

0:10

We'll get started in two minutes.

0:18

Wednesday, April 22nd of 2026.

0:22

This is the start.

0:24

Okay.

0:36

Wendy, you good?

0:38

This meeting is being transcribed and summarized.

0:42

So let me call us to order.

0:44

The date is Wednesday, April 22nd, 2026, and this is the Human Relations Commission board meeting.

0:55

Let me ask, are there any agenda requests?

1:01

Hearing none, I'll move to roll call and I'll go to those that are joining us on the web.

1:14

Donovan Phipps.

1:22

Turnisha Brooks.

1:24

Dan Carwile.

1:26

Gina Robinson Ungar.

1:27

Samantha Bente.

1:30

You have, I think, in your packet the minutes from our meeting of March 25th.

1:36

Are there any changes or corrections to those minutes?

1:43

Hearing none, I'd accept a motion to approve.

1:50

This Trenisha, I make a motion to approve the minutes from March 25th, 2026.

1:56

We've got a motion.

1:57

Is there a second?

1:58

I second that motion.

1:59

And Regina seconds it.

2:01

Any further discussion.

2:04

All those in favor signify by saying yes.

2:07

Yes.

2:08

Yes.

2:09

Yes.

2:10

We'll show those passes.

2:11

We'll show those passed.

2:12

Thanks, everybody.

2:14

We do have uh some new business.

2:16

I think there is a follow-up on a J.D.

2:19

Scheff Foundation sponsorship request.

2:24

And then Donovan, you may have to help us on mothers holding it down.

2:29

But let's start with JD Sheff, and I'll have Diane give us a background on that.

2:33

We'd ask them to come back.

2:35

We tabled that at our last meeting.

2:38

Okay.

2:38

I did speak with uh Ms.

2:41

Sheff and explain to her that we were interested in supporting this event, but uh would like to know if the proceeds could go you know directly for the renovation.

2:54

Uh we would forego any tickets to the event.

2:58

But we were very much interested in still having the social media presence.

3:03

Um and if we could modify the amount to 500.

3:08

Um we were I I believe the request was 600.

3:11

She was fine with that, more than glad to accommodate uh that she uh certainly uh would welcome that that uh donation at 500 and with those modifications.

3:25

Any questions now that we've had that follow-up from the group?

3:34

Is there anyone that would offer a uh motion to contribute $100 to the cafeteria renovation to the J.D.

3:44

Sheff Foundation?

3:45

I'll make that motion.

3:47

Thank you.

3:48

Do we have a second?

3:50

Second, right?

3:51

I'll show Juatez as the second.

3:53

Any further discussion?

3:56

All those in favor signify by saying yes.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural████████████████████████████████32%
Community Engagement█████████████████████████████29%
Public Engagement█████████9%
Racial Equity████████8%
Personnel Matters██████6%
Affordable Housing█████5%
Historic Preservation█████5%
Fiscal Sustainability███3%
Pending Litigation██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Human Relations Commission Board Meeting – April 22, 2026

The Human Relations Commission convened in regular session on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, with a quorum present. The meeting covered approval of prior minutes, two sponsorship requests, a recap of the Fair Housing Summit, planning for the annual dinner, updates on police community relations and strategic planning, an investigator report, and community announcements.

Consent Calendar

  • Minutes Approval: The minutes from the March 25, 2026 meeting were approved unanimously (motion by Turnisha Brooks, second by Gina Robinson Ungar) with no corrections.

Discussion Items

  • J.D. Sheff Foundation Sponsorship: Diane reported follow-up with Ms. Sheff. The original request was $600. After discussion, the commission agreed to a reduced contribution of $500, with no tickets but with social media presence. A motion to contribute $500 passed (motion by a commissioner, second by Juatez).
  • Mothers Holding It Down Sponsorship: Commissioner Donovan Phipps reported on the program, which serves about 200 youth, is free for participants, and runs through June. He initially moved for a $1,000 sponsorship. After Diane noted limited funds (approximately $5,000 remaining in the donation account, with no new funds until October), Phipps amended his motion to $500. The motion for $500 passed (second by Samantha Bente).
  • Fair Housing Summit Recap: The summit was held Thursday, April 16, 2026. Diane shared HMDA data for the county showing disparities in mortgage applications and originations by race and ethnicity, with especially low numbers for Black, Hispanic, Asian, Pacific Islander, and Native American applicants. Commissioners noted low audience engagement during a lengthy virtual legal update; suggestions included breaking up presentations and setting expectations for audience interaction. Survey results are pending.
  • Annual Dinner Planning: Diane announced that a firm offer agreement for speaker Reverend Barber was approved by BPW. Two dates are available: October 2 or October 30, 2026. Commissioners discussed conflicts (e.g., First Friday, NAACP state conference, other galas). Many favored October 2, though Commissioner Ungar noted she could not attend due to First Friday. No formal vote was taken; staff will check availability with the speaker.
  • Police Community Relations: Diane reported a meeting with Chief Smith about engaging RAN Corporation; the police department lacks overtime funds. Options include requesting city council funding or seeking other sources.
  • Strategic Plan: Diane has a meeting scheduled April 27 with Tad Dickel to discuss a potential strategic planning engagement, possibly in June or July 2026. Commissioners will be informed of preparatory steps.
  • Investigator Report: Ted Zemer reported five or six ongoing matters. He held a monthly meeting with Diane's investigative team for the second consecutive month to improve efficiency and responsiveness.
  • Diane's Monthly Report: Seven new complaints were filed in March. Four cases were transferred to the EEOC for lack of jurisdiction. Nine cases were closed with no probable cause; four were administratively closed. Four settlements/conciliations totaled $29,500. One withdrawal was processed. At end of March, 55 cases remained open. Staff are focusing on timely processing, especially for housing complaints (100-day requirement).
  • Community Events: Commissioner Donovan mentioned River City Pride parade on June 6, 2026 (registration deadline May 23). The commission has a banner but no funding request. Commissioner Juatez announced a walking tour of Historic Baptist Town on May 16 at 1 PM at the Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library. Dan Carwile noted a presentation by Professor McLeod on Reverend J.M. Caldwell. Commissioner Bente announced Mental Health Matters Evansville event on May 30 at CK Newsome Center. Commissioner Ungar reminded about Haitian Flag Day on May 18.

Key Outcomes

  • Vote: Approved minutes of March 25, 2026 (unanimous).
  • Vote: Approved $500 sponsorship for J.D. Sheff Foundation (unanimous).
  • Vote: Approved $500 sponsorship for Mothers Holding It Down (unanimous, amended from $1,000).
  • Decision: Aim to schedule annual dinner with Reverend Barber on October 2, 2026, subject to speaker availability.
  • Direction: Staff will explore alternative funding for police community engagement with RAN Corporation.
  • Next Steps: Diane will meet Tad Dickel on April 27 to advance strategic planning; survey results from Fair Housing Summit will be shared with commissioners.

Meeting Transcript

For Donovan and Watez, we've got a quorum. I'm going to wait about a minute. Ruby's not here today. I'm going to go ahead and run the meeting, but this is the two minute warning. We'll get started in two minutes. Wednesday, April 22nd of 2026. This is the start. Okay. Wendy, you good? This meeting is being transcribed and summarized. So let me call us to order. The date is Wednesday, April 22nd, 2026, and this is the Human Relations Commission board meeting. Let me ask, are there any agenda requests? Hearing none, I'll move to roll call and I'll go to those that are joining us on the web. Donovan Phipps. Turnisha Brooks. Dan Carwile. Gina Robinson Ungar. Samantha Bente. You have, I think, in your packet the minutes from our meeting of March 25th. Are there any changes or corrections to those minutes? Hearing none, I'd accept a motion to approve. This Trenisha, I make a motion to approve the minutes from March 25th, 2026. We've got a motion. Is there a second? I second that motion. And Regina seconds it. Any further discussion. All those in favor signify by saying yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. We'll show those passes. We'll show those passed. Thanks, everybody. We do have uh some new business. I think there is a follow-up on a J.D. Scheff Foundation sponsorship request. And then Donovan, you may have to help us on mothers holding it down. But let's start with JD Sheff, and I'll have Diane give us a background on that. We'd ask them to come back. We tabled that at our last meeting. Okay. I did speak with uh Ms. Sheff and explain to her that we were interested in supporting this event, but uh would like to know if the proceeds could go you know directly for the renovation. Uh we would forego any tickets to the event. But we were very much interested in still having the social media presence. Um and if we could modify the amount to 500. Um we were I I believe the request was 600. She was fine with that, more than glad to accommodate uh that she uh certainly uh would welcome that that uh donation at 500 and with those modifications.

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