[Added 2-19-2002 by Ord. No. 02-05; amended 6-16-2008 by Ord. No. 08-26; 3-2-2015 by Ord. No. 15-07]
The Bloomfield Commission on Civil Rights be and is hereby created pursuant to N.J.S.A. 10:5-10.
A. 
The Mayor and Council of the Township of Bloomfield find and declare that practice of discrimination against any of its inhabitants, because of race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, age, sex, gender identity or expression, affectional or sexual orientation, marital status, familial status, liability for service in the Armed Forces of the United States, disability or nationality, are matters of concern and that such discrimination threatens not only the rights and proper privileges of the inhabitants of the Township but menaces the institutions and foundation of a free democratic society.
B. 
The Mayor and Council of the Township of Bloomfield further declare its opposition to such practices of discrimination when directed against any person by reason of the race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, age, sex, gender identity or expression, affectional or sexual orientation, marital status, liability for service in the Armed Forces of the United States, disability or nationality of that person or that person's spouse, partners, members, stockholders, directors, officers, managers, superintendents, agents, employees, business associates, suppliers, or customers, in order that the economic prosperity and general welfare of the inhabitants of the Township may be protected and ensured.
C. 
The Mayor and Council of the Township of Bloomfield further find and recognize that, because of discrimination, people suffer personal hardships and the Township suffers a grievous harm. The personal hardships include economic loss; time loss; physical and emotional stress; and in some cases severe emotional trauma, illness, homelessness or other irreparable harm resulting from the strain of employment controversies; relocation, search and moving difficulties; anxiety caused by lack of information, uncertainty, and resultant planning difficulty; career, education, family and social disruption; and adjustment problems.
D. 
The Mayor and Council of the Township of Bloomfield opine that all persons should have the opportunity to obtain employment and to obtain all the accommodations, advantages, facilities, and privileges of any place of public accommodation, publicly assisted housing accommodation, and other real property, without discrimination because of race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, affectional or sexual orientation, familial status, disability, nationality, sex, gender identity or expression or source of lawful income used for rental or mortgage payments, subject only to conditions and limitations applicable alike to all persons. This opportunity is recognized as and declared to be a civil right.
E. 
The Mayor and Council of the Township of Bloomfield further declare its opposition to such practices of discrimination when directed against any person by reason of a present or previous limitation based upon a handicapped condition.
F. 
The Mayor and Council of the Township of Bloomfield further declare its opposition to such practices of discrimination when directed against any person based upon a condition or limitation created by a pregnancy or because a person is recovering from childbirth.
G. 
As such, the Mayor and Council of the Township of Bloomfield establish the Bloomfield Commission of Civil Rights to foster goodwill and cooperation throughout the community by holding events, educational programs, educational campaigns, recommending policy initiatives, and like-minded activities.
[Amended 4-24-2017 by Ord. No. 17-21]
The Bloomfield Commission on Civil Rights shall be composed of nine members appointed by the Mayor; seven representative citizens serving without compensation who shall be entitled to vote, and two liaisons, one of whom shall be a member of the Township Council and another who shall be a member of the Police Department, who shall be nonvoting members. These appointees shall be called "Commissioners." The Mayor shall also designate the Chair.
All appointments to the Commission on Civil Rights shall be for a term of three years, excepting that, upon the original organization of the Commission, each Commissioner shall be appointed and continued in the term that they are presently serving. In the event of the death or resignation of any Commissioner, their successor shall be appointed to serve for the unexpired term for which such Commissioner had been appointed. Each Commissioner shall serve until their successor is duly appointed and qualifies. The Commission shall select one or more Vice Chairs and a Secretary from its numbers and fill such other offices as it may determine. It is empowered to adopt rules for the government of its business and for its procedure as it may determine consistent with law.
A. 
The enactment hereof shall be deemed an exercise of the police power of the state for the protection of the public safety, health and morals and to promote the general welfare and in fulfillment of the provisions of the Constitution of this state guaranteeing civil rights. The duty and function of the Commission shall be to foster, through community effort or otherwise, goodwill, cooperation and conciliation among the groups and elements of the inhabitants of the community and to make recommendations to the Mayor and Township Council for the development of policies and procedures in general and for programs of formal and informal education that will aid in eliminating all types of discrimination based on race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, affectional or sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, familial status, disability, nationality or sex. Specifically, the Commission is charged with fostering goodwill and cooperation throughout the community by holding events, educational programs and educational campaigns, recommending policy initiatives, and participating and organizing like-minded activities to educate the public and teach acceptance of all individuals.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
B. 
The Commission shall cooperate with the other units of government or any other agencies concerned with the purpose of this article, particularly the Division on Civil Rights in the New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety.
The Commission shall make an annual report of its activities to the Mayor and Township Council and shall periodically make such recommendations as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this article.