WAITE PARK — City Council members in Waite Park have voted against participating in a regional Human Rights Office.

The vote, taken during a council meeting Monday, was 3-2.

Waite Park City Administrator Shaunna Johnson said in an e-mail that a vote to approve the effort failed 2-3 earlier in the meeting. Concerns include a continued financial commitment given tight budget times.

A regional office was suggested in 2008 with the support of St. Cloud, Waite Park and St. Joseph. The plan was to create a regional human rights office and a human rights commission to provide services to area cities that support the effort.

St. Cloud is requesting $70,000 from Community Development Block Grant funding to launch the office. St. Cloud Housing & Redevelopment Authority distributes the grant money in St. Cloud for housing and community development efforts. The grant comes from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

St. Joseph City Administrator Judy Weyrens said that city’s council will discuss support for the regional effort at a 7 p.m. meeting Feb. 18. It was an agenda item at the council’s Feb. 4 meeting, but council members wanted more information on how the office would work and the city’s contribution, Weyrens said. A St. Cloud official is slated to attend the Feb. 18 meeting.

Times reporter Kari Petrie contributed to this report.


(2010/02/10-SCTIMES)