jrn 300 meeting 1 rewrite

7/27/2019 JRN 300 Meeting 1 Rewrite

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Towing

Feb. 11, 2013

JRN 300- Spring

500 words

By MEGAN LAWRENCE

Staff Writer

WATERBURY-The Human Rights Commission is a board working to eliminate

discrimination through civil and human rights law. The commissions, Chairman Rev.

Thomas Mallory, discussed at the meeting the latest significant complaint that the HRC

received in the spring of last year; a complaint that towing companies in the city were

being distributed jobs unfairly because of donations or contributions that they may have

made to the city.

According to Mike Gilmore, who was invited to become part of the HRC by Rev.

Mallory and is president of the Housing Authority, when cars needed to be towed for

incidents like accidents, if he person didnt have a specific place they wanted their car

towed it was the police who would choose what company got the job.

Some towing companies felt that this was not fair and filed a complaint against

the city about this practice, and a towing association was created in the city.

Now the towing association handles all calls and the city doesnt get involved,

said Gilmore.

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Rev. Mallory explained how the towing association came about because of the

complaint received by the HRC, and the investigation that followed.

What constitutes a complaint is only an allegation, said Mallory.

The allegation that towing companies were being discriminated against was

investigated by an investigator from outside the city and the end of last year and was

found to lack sufficient evidence that this practice was happening.

Although it was found to be untrue, a towing association was set by the city and

now call are answered on rating bases of 8-10 companies that are part of the

association. This is the first in the city of Waterbury, and it came out of a complaint to

the HRC.

Now the towing association handles all calls, and the city doesnt get involved,

said Gilmore.

Rev. Mallory explained that after a complaint is received and filed, that if it has

enough grounds to warrant an investigation, that both parties are spoken to and have

the right to say their side of what may have happened.

We dont automatically side the person who came in and lodged the complaint,

said Mallory, we also take have to get the other side of the story to make sure that we

are informed about the situation as a whole.

After the complaint has been filed the paper work is then turned over to the

Corporation Counsel for investigation. The Corporation Counsel represents the city in all


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lawsuits and provides legal advice to city boards and departments and public officials.

Once the investigation has taken place, a decision is then made as on behalf of one

party or another or it could be dismissed completely due to lack of evidence.

The HRCs goal is to achieve equality for all through advocacy and education, no

matter race, creed, color, sex or religion. Rev. Mallory said that he and the other

members work hard on every case that the commission receives.

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jrn 300 meeting 1 rewrite

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