Cities Still Committed To Human Right Issues Plan To Hire Coordinator Disclosed Earlier Unchanged

The Idaho Association of Cities still plans to hire a human rights coordinator to help change Idaho’s image as a harbinger of hate.

Coeur d’Alene Mayor Steve Judy said Friday that the association and the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy at Harvard University still have plans to hire one, and possibly two, people to handle human rights issues for the state.

The plan was first announced in March. No time frame has been given for when that hire will be made.

“The last conversation we had (in June) was there is still an intent to hire a person for North Idaho,” Judy said of his discussions with other city leaders. “The person just won’t be as dedicated to Coeur d’Alene issues as originally thought.”

Judy talked with local human rights officials and business leaders this spring before drafting a one-page job description for the position.

The position would pay between $35,000 and $45,000 and be administrated through the cities association.

However, association and human rights officials thought the job description was too narrow, Judy said.

“I think their concern was if it was too focused on Aryans that it would not serve the entire state,” Judy said.

The city’s plan was to provide an office for the human rights coordinator at city-owned Harbor Center offices next to the Spokane River.

“Our commitment to house the person is still there,” Judy said. “The person may still be based here.”

The only thing that has changed during the entire process is the job description, Judy said.

“It’s the full intention of the association and the Carr Institute to hire a person,” Judy said.