New Des Moines civil rights director named
Timothy Meinch
tmeinch@dmreg.com
Des Moines City Manager Scott Sanders named Joshua Barr the city's next director of civil and human rights Thursday afternoon.
Barr, of South Carolina, was selected from among 60 applicants and four finalists. He will receive a salary of $90,000 to lead Des Moines' Civil & Human Rights Commission and the respective city department charged with investigating local cases and educating the public on matters related to civil rights violations and discrimination.
Barr holds a law degree from the University of South Carolina and currently works as fair housing director and staff counsel for employment with the state of South Carolina's Human Affairs Commission.
At a candidate forum last month, Barr said his ultimate goal as Des Moines' director of civil and human rights would be unification and inclusion across the community.
"I want to unify the various community organizations in the Des Moines area," Barr said at the event.
"Inclusion (means) all persons in your city — all representatives within different groups and different communities and different income levels — are being brought to the table and being included … I think the future of the Civil and Human Rights Commission is that."
Barr is scheduled to start with the city Oct. 12. He will supervise three employees, two of them human relations specialists and the other an administrative assistant position that will be filled after his arrival.