The City of Middletown and Mayor Benjamin D. Florsheim are announcing today that nominations are open for a new city task force, the Mayor’s Permanent Task Force on Anti-Racism, which was officially authorized by the Common Council in July.
The Task Force, which will advise the administration and promote the adoption of anti-racist policies and initiatives within the City of Middletown, will consist of twelve members of the public and three members of the Common Council, for a total of fifteen members. The Task Force will be comprised of volunteers and will have access to city staff for support on projects and initiatives.
The Task Force was born out of an extensive multiyear effort by the City of Middletown’s Human Relations Commission to study race relations in the community. The HRC partnered with a national consultant, the National Conference for Community and Justice (NCCJ), which released its final report last month recommending action in several specific areas, including education, health equity, economic justice, and policing. The work of the Task Force will be shaped and informed by this work, with the overall goal of expanding the depth and breadth of the HRC’s efforts to bring anti-racism to the forefront in the Middletown community.
In accordance with rules governing boards and commissions that conduct official city business, Task Force members must be electors of the City of Middletown, and no single political party may be over represented on the Task Force beyond a bare majority (eight out of fifteen seats). Task Force members will serve for a term of four years, beginning in September of 2020.
Anyone interested in being considered for the Task Force may self-nominate by completing the application form at this link: https://www.middletownct.gov/FormCenter/Sitewide-Forms-13/Antiracism-Task-Force-Application-82
The deadline to receive nominations is Wednesday, August 26, at 5:00 pm. Mayor Florsheim will review the nominations and present recommendations to the Common Council for approval on Monday, September 1, 2020.
Questions may be directed to the Mayor’s Office at (860) 638-4801.