With meeting quorum being a recurring problem, the Belmont Human Rights Commission will vote next month on a revised charge, reducing the maximum number of members from nine to seven.
“The larger our group, the harder it is,” said Human Rights Commission Chair Kimberly Haley-Jackson. “A lot of people sign up — they want to help and have awesome intentions, but sometimes they can’t make it.”
Haley-Jackson said the commission, which meets monthly, was unable to reach quorum five or six times in 2025. After a series of resignations — largely tied to changes in people’s personal lives, such as school or family obligations, she said — the commission has just three active members: Haley-Jackson, Laura Guzman-Hosta, and Sarah Calkins.
“People have lives,” she said. “I get it, but it puts a strain on the other members, too, when we still have work to do.”
The discussion to reduce the number of members was first presented to the Select Board at its April 13 meeting. According to Haley-Jackson, Select Board member Taylor Yates agreed to draft a revised charge, setting seven as the requisite number of members and four as a quorum. Members will serve three-year terms. After the Select Board considers it at its next meeting, the commission plans to discuss and vote on the charge at its May meeting, she said.
At least one membership application is pending approval by the Select Board, she said, which she expects to be considered in July.
“It’s interesting; the most active we have been was during the pandemic, which makes perfect sense,” Haley-Jackson said. “There was a lot going on, not only nationally but locally. People really wanted to get involved.”
According to Haley-Jackson, the role of the local Human Rights Commission is mainly to “support the community,” but also to educate. Most recently, the commission held a workshop on immigration rights; it has also co-sponsored racial healing workshops and served on various committees, such as the Diversity Task Force, to draw attention to issues, particularly where the community could be more equitable.
“We’re here for everyone in the community,” she said. “So if someone feels like their rights have been violated … — it could be about your religion, your ethnicity, your social economic status, your gender identity — we’ve dealt with various complications through the years.”
The work of the commission “runs the gamut from having awesome things like the MLK Breakfast and co-sponsoring the Pride Parade … all the way to going to court with someone because they need assistance.”
Haley-Jackson said she wishes people would understand the “human” part of human rights.
“We’re really here at the service of Belmont citizens, or even people who pass through,” she said.
If people are interested, they can contact the commission at belmont.hrc@gmail.com.
