Downtown Task Force
Naperville City Council made changes to two city boards at its meeting on December 15.
First, the council passed an ordinance “decommissioning” the Downtown Advisory Commission with the intent to reorganize as a task force. Several members of DAC also belong to other organizations that deal with business downtown, like the Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce, Naperville Development Partnership, and Downtown Naperville Alliance. Because city commissions are adherent to Illinois’ Open Meetings Act, that can put those commissioners in violation of the OMA if a majority of a quorum attend a meeting of one of those organizations.
Task forces are not subject to the OMA, though the ordinance reads that the Downtown Task Force will keep meetings open to the public and promoted online beforehand to increase awareness. The task force will choose its members independently and city staff will not have a hand in the administration of the group.
Human Rights and Fair Housing Commission
Council also made changes to the Housing Advisory Commission, which will now be known as the Human Rights and Fair Housing Commission. Alongside that change, the fair housing ordinance was replaced with the human rights and fair housing ordinance. The commission will take on new responsibilities, including adjudicating unlawful discrimination complaints and engaging with the community on fair and equitable housing.
City staff researched similar commissions in benchmark communities across the countries in the process of creating the ordinance.
The city is in the process of hiring a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion manager who will partner with the commission to incorporate current housing initiatives.
You can watch the full City Council meeting on the city’s website.
Naperville News 17’s Casey Krajewski reports.
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