Meets: Fourth Wednesday, 7:00 pm

Mission Statement:

The Human Relations Commission shall work toward eliminating discrimination and unlawful harassment and fostering greater understanding, inclusion, and justice for those who live, work, study, worship, travel, and play in the Borough of Doylestown.

About Us:

The Human Relations Commission is comprised of seven to fifteen members appointed by the Borough Council after application and interview. All Commission members are either residents of Doylestown Borough or work within its boundaries. Our current Commission comprises men and women from diverse backgrounds and fields: law, education, finance, sales, business, the arts, and social services. Commission members serve on a volunteer basis for three years and receive no compensation.

Current Members:

  • Stephen Albert
  • Christopher Baccash
  • John Fraser
  • Maxine Katz
  • Stefanie O'Mara
  • Nancy Reilly
  • Freda Savana
  • Frederick Stanczak
  • Doreen Stratton
  • Thomas O'Reilly (Student Member)

The Human Relations Commission:

Doylestown Borough's policy is to foster the employment of individuals in accordance with their fullest capacities and to afford equal opportunities for employment, housing, and the use of public accommodations within the Borough.

In 2010, Doylestown Borough Council passed an ordinance establishing the Doylestown Human Relations Commission to ensure that all people who live, work, or visit in Doylestown are treated fairly and equally. Our ordinance extends illegal, discriminatory acts to include those based on actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, and marital status. Subsequent ordinances were passed protecting the right to breastfeed in public accommodations and defining gay conversion therapy as a form of discrimination.

The Human Relations Commission advocates for and takes positive action toward eliminating discrimination and unlawful harassment, fostering greater understanding, inclusion, and justice for those who live, work, study, worship, travel, and play in the Borough of Doylestown.

If you have questions or feel that you have been aggrieved by an unlawful discriminatory practice within the borders of Doylestown Borough, please call Borough Manager John Davis at 215-345-4140.

Background:

The Human Relations Commission was established by the Doylestown Borough Council in 2010 under an ordinance based on the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act. The Doylestown Borough ordinance extends protection from illegal discriminatory acts to include those based on actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, genetic information, and marital status. At that time, Doylestown became the 17th jurisdiction in Pennsylvania to extend these civil rights protections. Since then, more Pennsylvania jurisdictions have passed similar measures.

The Commission hopes that it will never have to hear a complaint of illegal discrimination in the Borough of Doylestown; however, the Commission stands ready as a local alternative to the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission and with additional areas of protection.

Doylestown Borough's policy, through the ordinance, passed and the Human Relations Commission is to ensure that all people who live, work, or visit Doylestown are treated fairly and equally. We also foster the employment of individuals in accordance with their fullest capacities and afford equal opportunities for employment, housing, and the use of public accommodations.

Resources:

Contact Us:

For questions or further information, please contact John Davis, Borough Manager, at 215-345-4140.