Human Rights Committee – Feb 12, 2026

CITY of BEVERLY

HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE

191 Cabot Street Beverly, Massachusetts 01915 Phone (978) 921-6000

Mayor Michael P. Cahill Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Director Wangari Fahari Chairperson Purvi Harley

Members Alyssa Rayman-Read (Vice-Chair) Mindy D'Ippolito (Secretary) Eric Knudsen Gabrielle Montevecchi Chief John LeLacheur Carole Rein

MINUTES

Meeting Location:

Feb 12, 2026 7:00-8:30 PM, Beverly Public Library, 32 Essex, Barnett Gallery

1. Members present: Purvi Harley, Carole Rein, Eric Knudsen, Gabrielle Montevecchi, John LeLecheur, Mindy D'Ippolito, Alyssa Rayman-Read (late) Others present: Councilors Flowers, Housman, School committee president Visnick (late), community members - Community members intending to introduce topics not already on this agenda (during Open Forum) should share their intentions at this point to ensure enough time is allotted
2. Approve previous minutes: Jan 2026 motion to approve, motion passes 6-0, motion to approve December 2025, motion passes 6-0
3. Administration (Purvi) - City Council Meeting Recap: Glad to have the forum, felt that key points were communicated, glad that request for city council was already addressed and Councilor Flowers was assigned the liaison. Requested that the quroum based on filled vs. available seats, emphasized need more members and described the skills matrix HRC created for Mayor to use. Heard from State Rep Bowen and some others expressing appreciation for HRC's work.
   • Discussion: Still don't have a youth member. Junior or Sophomore is preferable to a Senior for continuity-Purvi to share written remarks to City Clerk who will distribute to rest of City Council. There were some questions about the City Council liaison role, mostly for communication between City council and HRC.
   • Spring 2026 HRC – planning ahead: Purvi unable to attend/lead the next three months, March 12- HRC will not meet, but subcommittees can meet if needed. Future meetings scheduled for April 9 (Barnett Gallery), May 14, June 11. Discussed potential for a planning meeting instead of voting meeting, but would need to still post agenda for OML, but may not need a quoroum. Houseman excused himself (in abundance of caution) in deference to OML question about he and Councilor Flowers are both participating.
   • Updated member status: Mindy (final term), Carole, Purvi, Alyssa all on Flowers' list of terming out 2026. Purvi to email the city clerk for definitive list. Chief may not expire.
4. Subcommitee Updates - Events
   • Recap of MLK Day Breakfast (Gabrielle). Despite terrible weather, great turnout! Shout out to Beverly Public School grounds to make everything accessible. Jazz band, student speakers all excellent. Good connection among group conversations. General sense among planners was more of the planning needs to be handed over to the youth.
   • Active Bystander Pilot (Carole/Eric): went well, great feedback from participants, realized need to hold more emotions than was expecting, pre-post questions show that the training increased knowledge and confidence of being an active bystander. Feedback was to spend more time at the beginning to get to know each other, wanted a 'reunion', wanted group agreements. Groups of 3 took turns playing each role of (target, 'bully', bystander), loved the roleplaying. Eric and Carole provided summary of feedback to HRC. Next training isMarch 14th and will be open to the community. Discussed possibility of using the community room at the BPD. The hope is to strengthen ties with community and police. They are looking for support and help for the next event. Alyssa motioned to use HRC funds to reimburse Carole the approximately $80 or the amount she spent on snacks. Motion approved 6-0. Mindy motioned to reimburse Eric the approximately $40 for snacks he purchased. In the future we should create a budget and approve ahead of time.
     • Report & Recommendations provided. Learning and confidence improved, some feedback about more introductions of participants, more group agreements.
5. Discussion re: ICE –Mayors office, city council, and school committee released joint resolution. Per Flowers, heard from the community and have seen what was happening so was important to talk about how the city would respond. The joint group looked at what the city policies were, previous declarations, looked at Governers executive order to determine was actionable and actionable by whom. Declaration (Mayor only as executive) and Resolution was done by the larger group. Governer's EO only pertained to state property. 2017 resolution that school committee passed related to not giving data, since the district does not collect immigration data, therefore cannot report. Resolution language was careful as they did not want to say things that were not enforceable (such as not allowing ICE in the city) that would give people a false sense of safety. HRC asking questions about how decisions were made, how Beverly fits in how Cities are responding (per Flowers, seems to be in line with other Cities). Chief pointed out that interfering with a federal official is a federal felony, even if the civilian does not use any violence or assault.

Per Visnick: there is training in the schools and a protocol even if ICE shows up with a warrant. There is no such thing as a federal felony for minors. State legislation effectively eliminates this but Beverly wanted to be explicit anyway because the community was asking for action about this. Proclamation done by the mayor but then invited to sign on. Per Chief: border patrol has a custom office in for the port of entry in Gloucester in the cummings center, so some have expressed concern about seeing vehicle. Schools in MA Dept of Education is getting commissioners guidance and referring back to state guidance. Superintendent released strongly wording in message that went out to district. Schools are guided by Gov Healey's administration. School rep Montevecchi brought up that there are families that do not want to sign special education agreements. They don't need or collect any documentation; discussion about the need more transparency and information. Parent's rights document say that it is a federal document so some parents don't want to sign. Discussion about how the city can be thinking about how data may be obtained and used and think about a strategy. 6. Incoming considerations for HRC support, next steps as appropriate. - Events - review the 'ask' of HRC, discuss/determine participation - Amplifying Voices Festival (Mar 12-13 @ Cabot) - Possible Screening of Ain't No Back 7. Open Forum - Updates from DEIB office -DEIB director not present. - Community Open Forum (at-large community discussion if/as needed; no committee deliberation/votes) Neil Levine probing interest Screening of Ain't No Back, a film from the civil rights movement. He reached out to temple, north shore NACCP. Money & staff are issues. 650 up to 200, 800 higher, director and filmmaker, $3,000 might be negotiable. 8. Adjourn 8:57

This meeting takes place on the unceded ancestral lands of the Naumkeag and Pawtucket bands of the Massachusett Tribe, from whom the Commonwealth of Massachusetts took its name. With deep respect and gratitude, we acknowledge the Indigenous caretakers of these lands and waters who have lived here for thousands of years—and who live here in diverse Indigenous communities today.