Human Relations Commission — Boone, NC
Date: 2025-09-24

Town of Boone
 Human Relations Commission
 Meeting 6:00 PM July 16
 Planning & Inspections Offices
 680 W. King Street

I. Call to Order

II. Moment of Silence

III. Tentative Agenda Adoption

IV. Announcement of HRC Board Vacancies

V. Public Comment

VI. Approval of June 18, 2025 Minutes

VII. Online Complaint Form – Drew Finley
 ● Approved by Town Council 6.25.25

 ● Ready to be created on www.townofboone.net

VIII. Disability Pride event – Sean Morris
 ● Saturday July 26 10am - 2pm

 ● Budget approved by Town Council 7.9.25

IX. Learn How Local Government Works event – Kirstin Morgan
 ● Update

X. Work Session

XI. Adjournment

Town of Boone Human Relation Commission Meeting: July 16, 2025
 Members Present: Todd Carter, Kirstin Morgan, Drew Finley, Sean Morris, Trevor Moody,
 Jack Yordy, Tori Rodriguez
• Meeting began at 6:04pm
 o All members present in person except for Joanne Pullati and Dalton George, both of
 whom were absent

• Moment of silence observed

• Tentative agenda adopted
 o Kirstin Morgan motioned to adopt
 o Trevor Moody seconded
 o Vote: approve 7, against 0, abstentions 0

• HRC vacancies announcement by Todd Carter
 o 3 available slots, 1 of which is for current college student

• Opened for public comment at 6:07
 o Closed at 6:07 as no members of the public open

• Approval of June 18, 2025 minutes
 o Move to approve minutes by Trevor Moody
 o Seconded by Kirstin Morgan
 o Vote: approve 7, against 0, abstentions 0

• Online complaint form approved by Town Council at 6-25-25 meeting after healthy
 discussion about protections for LGBTQ+ citizens as it relates to housing
 o Nicole Harmon will add to town website
 o Everyone agreed with this next step
 o Todd Carter is reaching out to Mr. Troy re: merging protections in housing without
 having to become a Fair Housing agency
  Durham and Greensboro both enacted a Fair Housing ordinance, which means
 meeting federal standards and hiring additional staff
  Put a pin in that for now while exploring the exact language

• Disability Pride Event
 o 35th anniversary of ADA
 o Event at July 26, 10am-2pm, Agricultural Conference Center
  Welcome @ 10am w/ reading of proclamation and brief overview of ADA
 protections
  11am and on will be a festival style event where people can check out the
 vendors and get food
 o Sean Morris having issues reaching a few agencies
  Watauga Opportunities, Special Olympics, and need someone with Title IX
  Kirstin Morgan will find out who at AppState manage ADA compliance or
 potentially a professor who can speak to ADA compliance – goal is to have a
 table with information on what they do and how they enforce compliance with
 ADA
 o Sean Morris asked about including artists in the event so it was not just a non-profit
 event
  The commission offered recommendations for finding artists via social media,
 Watauga Arts Council, High Country Emporium
 o Budget approved by town on 7-9-25, Todd Carter explained process for spending and
 reimbursement
  Flyers can be printed at town council chambers
  Food budget transferred to Sean Morris
  Keep all receipts to give to town upon completion of event
 o Town of Boone will make social media post now that flyer is done

• Learn How Local Government Works event update
 o Sept. 27 or Oct. 4
 o Kirstin Morgan reviewed her ideas and asked for feedback
 o Kirstin Morgan stated goal is to present this as a “what can your government do for
 you?”
 o Have in evening or Saturday afternoon – about 2 to 3-hour event
  Budget for light refreshments and space; thinking Ag Center or Town Hall
 o Have 1 faculty tentatively committed to moderating panel on how local governance
 works
  Short workshop on overview of local governance in NC and relevant laws,
 with printouts for participants of governance overview and organizational
 chart
  Panel w/ elected town and county officials
 o Options for second half
  2-hour vendor fair style with representatives from local govt agencies to
 answer questions
  OR a second panel with those representatives to discuss what their agencies
 do and can’t do, laws, etc
 o Each panel 1-1.5 hours w/ Q&A for each panel of no longer than 30 minutes
 o Feedback from commission
  Todd Carter stated that if people could just know what state statutes limit what
 local govt can do that would help
  Topics that will come up: AppState, parking, roads, new development and
 planning, traffic
  Drew Finley asked should we include any state folks, like from DOT?
 •  Kirstin Morgan worries if we include the state the scope will become
 too big
  Sean Morris said we should get complaints of things that people want resolved
 and we can brainstorm what to do?
 • Several commission members pointed out how quickly this could get
 out of hand as we would need to follow up on each request for help
  Todd Carter wanted to have information about the town commissions at the
 event and Kirstin Morgan agreed this is a great idea
  Todd Carter pointed out people need to understand the very different rules,
 regulations, and processes between town and county
  Jack Yordy asked about including BOE, which Kirstin Morgan said she was
 not likely to do because only have so much room on panel
  Drew Finley suggested including information on things the town is doing with
 sustainability
 • Kirstin Morgan thinks it will be important to relate it to how it affects
 everyone’s lives as folks don’t always see that
 o Drew Finley offered to help plan, so he and Kirstin Morgan will have updates next
 meeting

• Work Session
 o Trevor Moody has event suggestion
  World Aids Day is Dec. 1, and there is a documentary package that can be
 shown in remembrance of the day
  Would need to get App Theater to show and panel afterwards
  Todd Carter and Sean Morris mentioned ALFA, an organization providing
 HIV/AIDS support and based out of Hickory – could be for panel
  Is a Monday this year, so likely nothing at theater already
 o Todd Carter shared email from Mr. Troy
  Fair Housing symposium in Charlotte on Aug. 18
  Another in Wilmington on Oct. 30 sponsored by NC Human Relations
 Commission

• Meeting adjourned at 6:59pm
 o Kirstin Morgan motioned to adjourn
 o Sean Morris seconded
 o Vote to adjourn unanimous