The Commission is composed of nine members, all bona fide residents of the City, who are appointed by the Council for terms of three years. Members hold office until their successors are appointed and qualified. Any vacancy resulting from a cause other than expiration of term shall be filled only for the remainder of the term. Members shall not succeed themselves after serving a second full term without an intervening period of one year, and appointment for more than half of the unexpired portion of a term shall be considered as appointment for a full term.

The Commission elects a Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson and secretary at the first meeting of each Commission. The terms of office shall be three years, unless removed for cause or by resignation. The secretary shall be a member of the Human Rights staff. In the absence of the Chairperson or vice-Chairperson at any meeting, the commission shall elect a temporary Chairperson to serve at the meeting. 

The Commission holds regular meetings at least once each month unless there is not sufficient business to warrant a meeting, but no more than ninety days shall expire without a regular or special meeting.

Special meetings of the Commission may be called by the Chairperson. Notice shall be given verbally or in writing and delivered personally to each member or left at his residence not less than forty-eight hours prior to the time of the meeting; provided, that the minimum time period for notice to a member may be waived by such member if he/she is present at the special meeting.

The Commission must also cause written notice of the special meeting, stating its general purpose, to be posted at the door of its meeting place, to be mailed or delivered to each news media, and/or person(s) who has filed a request for notice with the City Clerk's Office, at least forty-eight hours before the special meeting.

All meetings are held in the Melvin Municipal Office Building, except when adjourned to another location, and all meetings are open to the public. Nine members constitute a quorum, and the concurrence of at least a majority of those regular members present shall be required for any official action. 

The commission has the following duties:

a. To study and make recommendation concerning problems in any or all fields of human relationship and encourage fair treatment and mutual understanding among all racial and ethnic groups in the city;
b. To anticipate and discover those practices and customs most likely to create animosity and unrest among racial and ethnic groups, and, by consultation, seek a solution as these problems arise and are anticipated;
c. To make recommendations to the City Council designed to promote goodwill and harmony among racial and ethnic groups in the city;
d. To appoint, at its discretion, sub-committees to concern themselves with specific Human Rights problems. These sub-committees shall be composed of bona fide adult residents of the city but need not be members of the Commission, except that the Chairperson of each sub-committee must be a bona fide member of the Commission. Provided, however, a multicultural committee created by the Commission may include adults who are not residents of the city nor is the Chairperson of this committee required to be a member of the Commission;
e. To serve as a citizens advisory committee for the purpose of coordinating, studying and making reports concerning citizen involvement in the various projects under the workable program for community improvement;
f. To seek and enlist the cooperation of various groups in the city in order to fulfill the purposes of this article;
g. To receive general statistical reports and studies from the Human Rights director concerning complaints involving discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin, and to appoint members to the complaint review committee to assist the Human Rights director in the complaint review process;
h. To cooperate with federal, state, county and city agencies in developing presentations in public and private schools, public libraries, museums and other suitable places, on techniques for achieving harmonious intergroup relations within the city;
i. To enlist the cooperation of the various racial, religious and ethnic groups, community organizations and other groups in the city, in programs and campaigns devoted to eliminating group prejudice and discrimination;
j. To hold such meetings as the Commission may deem necessary or proper to assist in carrying out its functions;
k. To perform such other duties as may be assigned it from time to time by the City Council.