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Saturday, April 26, 2008

Farmington Race Relations Committee Not Yet Formed


Associated Press
      
    FARMINGTON — A new race and cultural relations committee proposed after a summer of racial tension in 2006 still needs one more member.
    The Community Relations Commission is charged with addressing and preventing racial or cultural tensions. Its membership reflects Farmington's demographics: three members are American Indian, three are Hispanic and one is black.
    The idea for the committee arose after 21-year-old Clint John of Kirtland was shot to death by a Farmington police officer and another Navajo man was beaten by three young Anglo men in the summer of 2006.
    Mayor Bill Standley appointed the eight members and is searching for the ninth.
    Commission members include an attorney, a businessman, a Navajo medicine man and a representative from the faith community. Standley says he would like the last member to be from the youth community.
    The commission will hear complaints from people, develop educational programs, manage statistics about race and provide mediation.

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