Happy Friday, Local Human and Civil Rights Agencies,
Attached please find a letter and numerous attachments, included the Council Bluffs Civil Rights Commission’s (“CBCRC”) signed 2013 Cooperative Agreement (“2013 Agreement”) with the Iowa Civil Rights Commission (“ICRC”). As you know, the CBCRC had and has a myriad of issues with the ICRC in regard to the 2013 Agreement, and preferred to not enter into same; however, we have very reluctantly endorsed the 2013 Agreement and as you will see in the attached letter, have suggested a good-faith negotiated contract between the ICRC and all local agencies for the 2014 fiscal year, with negotiations beginning this summer.
We continue to hope that our working relationship with the ICRC will improve, but a recent event just this week regarding a missing EEOC # on one of our closed cases makes me doubt that we will achieve the goal of a mutually-satisfying relationship with the ICRC in the near-future. Nevertheless, we continue onward, serving those who suffer from discrimination, and striving through education and outreach to prevent discrimination from occurring.
Keep up the good work, and I hope to see many of you at the Spring League of Iowa Human and Civil Rights Agencies Meeting, to be held in Des Moines on Tuesday, April 23rd, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Lunch will be provided.
Cordially,
Tamra
Tamra L. Walz-Madsen
Assistant City Attorney
Director, Civil Rights Commission
209 Pearl Street
Council Bluffs, Iowa 51503
