Weakley County Forms Civil Rights Board

BY JASMINE WILLIAMS

jasmine@dresdenenterprise.com

DRESDEN (August 10) — Weakley County is forming the first-ever Civil Rights Board, which is an expansion of the county’s existing Title VI board.

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects workers from discrimination based on race, color, and national origin. A Title VI compliance plan is required of any entity that receives federal money.

As early as last year, Weakley County representatives began building a Title II compliance plan, which would cover the Americans with Disabilities Act. Both programs will be combined and expanded under the Civil Rights Board to include all aspects of the Civil Rights Act.

Director of the board Ray Wiggington said Weakley County is combining the two boards and expanding. The Title II and Title VI boards are necessary by the state to any governing bodies that accept money from the state.

Weakley County Civil Rights Board members are Director Ray Wiggington, Deputy Director Danny Browning, and Representatives Erica Moore, Aldo Aguilar, Morgan Robertson, Ann Marie Norrid, Alex Britt, and more to be named at a later date.

The Weakley County Civil Rights Board will initially serve the employees of the Weakley County government to prevent and investigate any accusations of discrimination as defined under the Civil Rights Act, with an emphasis on voluntary compliance. Although Weakley County hasn’t had a Civil Rights complaint in at least the last decade, the board is to ensure no complaints occur through education and giving people every opportunity to correct issues before they become an issue. Eventually, the board hopes to be a guidepost to the public and disseminate information relevant to them regarding any civil rights issues or information they may need.