Human Relations Commission
The Normal Town Council established the Normal Human Relations Commission in 1969 in order to:
- Foster and promote better understanding and relations between all persons in Normal; Promote actively better conditions among all persons with respect to housing, employment, recreation, health and other quality of life services; >
- Encourage participation by various groups who share these purposes;
- Achieve these ends through education, consultation, and cooperative planning; and
- Protect the human and civil rights of all citizens and endeavor to "make whole" those persons unlawfully wronged.
To attain these laudable goals the Normal Town Council created this advisory committee of seven persons. Six members are Normal citizens appointed by the Mayor and approved by the Town Council. The seventh member is the Illinois State University Student Government Association Vice-President.
Staff
The Human Resources Director and Assistant are the primary staff to the Commission. The Town's Legal Department provides legal advice to the Commission.
Meetings
The Normal Human Relations Commission normally meets every third Tuesday of the month at 5:15 p.m. except during the months of June, July and December. The Commission does not typically meet during June and July. The December meeting is usually held during the second week. Commission meetings are held at Normal City Hall, 100 E. Phoenix Avenue, and are open to the public.
Unlawful Discrimination
Under Chapter 24.1 of the Municipal Code, the Town of Normal
has made it unlawful within the corporate limits of the Town to
discriminate against any person in employment, financing, or public
accommodation, due to race, color, religion, sex (including sexual
harassment), sexual orientation, marital status, ancestry, national
origin, age, disability, or matriculation. Further, the Municipal
Code has made it unlawful within the corporate limits of the Town
to make housing decisions using to race, color, religion, sex (including
sexual harassment), sexual orientation, marital status, ancestry,
national origin, age, disability, matriculation, or familial status.
The first of its kind in Illinois
- It is now considered disorderly conduct in the Town of Normal
when a person knowingly burns a cross with the intent to
intimidate another person within the corporate limits of Normal.
“Intimidate” means threaten death or bodily harm or place a person
in reasonable apprehension of death or bodily harm. A violation
of this SEC. 17.1-2(H) shall be punishable by a fine of not less
than $1,000 nor more than $2,500 for each occurrence. The first
in Illinois, Normal became proactive after several recent U.S. Supreme
Court decisions fashioned a constitutionally legal avenue for local
and state government to act against cross burnings within their
boundaries.
Mayor Chris Koos with chairperson Evelyn
Young