Portland Observer, July 27, 1983, Section I, Page 3 METROPOLITAN Controversy continues: New MHRC Chairman picked by Robert Lothian Even though its budget has been cut by two-thirds and its staff by over half, the Metropolitan Human Relations Commission can still play a positive role, according to the commission's new chairman. Bea vtrton attorney Vincent Deguc. " W e have a tremendous momen­ tum,** said Deguc, 33, who has served on M H R C since 1976 and who describes himself as one o f the "o ld guard" on the commission. " I think there was a considerable breakdown in communication,** said Deguc, referring to the cuts. " W e feel that for one reason or an­ other, she (commissioner Margaret Slrachan) received a lot o f misinfor­ mation. W e’re trying to resolve that now I'm optimistic that things can be worked out.*’ In the 1983 budget, the city com­ mission cut M H R C funds from $300,000 to $100,000 and staff from 11 to 4. M H R C ’ s neighborhood me­ diation program was transferred to the O ffice o f Neighborhood Associ­ ations, and the fair housing pro­ gram into the city's housing office. Deguc said responsibility for the "massacre” o f M H R C cannot be laid entirely at Strachan's feet. " I t didn't take one vote to create the current M H R C problem, it took three, .it's the city’s commitment to civil rights,” he said. " W e go back and look at the bud­ get process. There was no discussion in terms o f policy as to why the fair housing and neighborhood media­ tion programs were divested.” Deguc described the mediation service as "an excellent program, a program that we created, that had phenomenal success. That was a direct service function the commis­ sion had. It was M H R C 's baby. All of a sudden, zappo-bango, guess what, folks, this thing you have nur­ tured all along is no longer yours.” For the fair housing program, the scenario was similar, he said. Deguc questions whether neigh­ borhood mediation and fair housing will be able to maintain quality pro­ grams " in house.” " W e see some watering down there. W e have at least a question as to whether they will be able to maintain the level o f sensitivity,” he said. M H R C is sponsored jointly by the city and county, with seven members from Portland, seven from M ultnom ah County, and one at-large member. Task forces cover equal justice, employment, housing and handicapped issues. M H R C 's staff does research on local civil rights issues, including police-com­ munity relations. The commission has been recog­ nized as an independent body be­ cause o f its sensitive role in civil rights issues, according to Deguc. M H R C is too strong, even with its reduced capacity, for independence to be an issue, he said. "T h e com­ mission is not willing, even in its dis­ cussions with Margaret Slrachan, to discuss its independence. In order to be effective, it must maintain its in­ dependence in making policy deci­ sions. I t ’s not going to be anybody's political fo otb all,” he said. "W here we are losing it ," said Deguc, "is in our ability to initiate new programs. W e have lost a lot o f capacity to address new issues.” The area o f "com parable w o rth ," or equal pay for equal work for men, women, minorities and non- minorities was something that M H R C had wanted to look into, but which will now be neglected, he said. In spite o f obvious need, "th at's a research issue we simply can’ t get in to ,” said Deguc. Slrachan recommended the cuts to make M H R C more efficient. “ The M H R C hasn't been as active, effective and visible as I'd like them to be in the com m unity,” she said. But according to Fred M ilto n , chairman o f the Comm ittee for Restoration o f M H R C , the cuts and transfers “ effectively gutted” the city's civil rights program and were "a n insult to our intelligence and an insult to the com m unity,” he said. Critics charged Slrachan with staging a power play to take control o f M H R C away from staff members with whom she had conflicts, and that whe was trading votes with M ayor Ivancie. (M H R C reportedly was unpopular with the M ayor for its support o f Ballot Measure 51, which asked for creation o f a citi­ zen's auditing commission to review police-community disputes.) The Comm ittee for Restoration of M H R C , an ad hoc coalition o f 30 community groups, agreed unani­ mously at its July 20th meeting to press for a full city council hearing to air their grievances publicly and demand the restoration o f M H R C to its original budget, staff and pro­ grams. The committee can be reached at 248-1816. Deguc, a third-generation Pole, is one o f the few Polish- and Russian- speaking attorneys in the area. He is often called upon to defend Russian farmworkers in Clackamas County. From 1975-77, he served as a V IS T A attorney with the Urban Indian Council. As far as his personal motivation for civil rights work is concerned, " I would like to have our community and our world be a better place to live in for my kids than it was for me,” he said. Children playing with fire were the probable cause of this one-alarm fire at 6254 N. Williams lest week. Damage to the home was esti­ mated to be 846.000. One firefighter was Injured In the blaie. (Photo: Richard J. 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