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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 12 - Creation of a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task ForceItem 12 GtT Y Ofi rn O Council AgendaReport CIS O Department Name: Administration Cost Center: 1001 For Agenda of: July 7, 2020 Placement: Business Estimated Time: 20 Minutes FROM: Derek Johnson, City Manager Prepared By: Victoria Tonikian, Interim Executive Assistant to the City Manager/Fiscal Officer SUBJECT: CREATION OF A DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION TASK FORCE RECOMMENDATION Adopt a Resolution to create a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force and define its term and responsibilities. (Attachment A). DISCUSSION The City Council has expressed a commitment to making San Luis Obispo a welcoming, inclusive, and safe community for everyone, and to promoting free thought and speech, while condemning racism, hate speech, bigotry, violence, and prejudice. In order to address this commitment, staff is recommending creating a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force (DE&I-TF). The purpose of the DE&I-TF will be to advise the City in developing recommendations to further the advancement of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the City of San Luis Obispo as defined in Attachment A. Background As a part of the adoption of the City's 2019- 2021 Major City Goals, the City Council set a vision of a dynamic community embracing its future while respecting its past with core values of civility, sustainability, diversity, inclusivity, regionalism, partnership, and resiliency as a guide to approaching the work of the Major City Goals. This vision has been a guide over the past year as the City approaches each project through the lens of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Although the City has committed to this decision -making framework, we recognize that there is always more work to be done to sharpen and to bring into focus that lens. At the June 2, 2020 City Council meeting, the City Council approved the 2019-21 Financial Plan Supplement and 2020-21 Budget Appropriations. As part of the adoption of the 2020-21 Meta Goal, the City Council adopted eight guiding principles to help guide the implementation of the tasks outlined in the Meta Goal. The eighth principle reads: "The city recognizes that social and economic inequality is embedded in our systems and culture, and that recovery must integrate deep structural transition to support the well-being and empowerment of marginalized communities. " Packet Page 145 Item 12 The proposed resolution and creation of the DE&I-TF for Council's consideration makes a commitment to this eighth guiding principal by affirming the City's recognition of the need to systemically address and integrate structural change and the opportunities for growth to support the well-being of our marginalized communities in San Luis Obispo and that of our community as a whole DE&I Task Force Membership Task force members shall serve at the pleasure of the City Council and may, by a majority Council vote, be appointed, dismissed, or replaced and the term of members shall conclude upon the completion of work as outlined in Attachment A or until January 1, 2021 whichever occurs first. Policy Context This recommendation is supported by the City Council's commitment to core values of civility, sustainability, diversity, inclusivity, regionalism, partnership, and resiliency as adopted as part of the City's 2019-2021 Major City Goals. Public Engagement In the last month, the City Council has received over 1,500 pieces of correspondence regarding the need to address the systemic racism that has manifested itself most recently in the tragedies against George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Sean Reed, Tony McDade, Meagan Hockaday, and others and the ensuing activism, advocacy, and protests that have developed across the country. Additionally, staff has been in contact with R.A.C.E Matters SLO and the NAACP of SLO County regarding community partnerships to address systemic injustices in our community. In soliciting applications for the DE&I-TF, additional public engagement and outreach will be conducted to ensure that a diverse and well-rounded group of individuals are afforded the opportunity to apply to the Task Force. CONCURRENCE This approach and methodology have been approved by Mayor Heidi Harmon and Council Member, Erica A. Stewart, ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW The California Environmental Quality Act does not apply to the recommended action in this report, because the action does not constitute a "Project" under CEQA Guidelines Sec. 15278. Packet Page 146 Item 12 FISCAL IMPACT Budgeted: Yes Funding Identified: Yes Budget Year: 2021 Fiscal Analysis: During the FY 21 Supplemental Budget Process, the City Council directed staff to appropriate an additional $140,000 to go towards the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiative. This $140,000 is in addition to an existing $20,000 that had already been approved during the 19-21 Financial Plan Process. Funding Sources Total Budget Available Current Funding Request Remaining Balance Annual Ongoing Cost General Fund $160,000 $0 $160,000 $0 State Federal Fees Other: Total $160,000 $0 $160,000 $0 One of the objectives and roles of the DE&I-TF, as outlined in Attachment A will be to determine the most appropriate use of the $160,000 to advancement Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the City of San Luis Obispo. ALTERNATIVES 1. The City Council could choose not to create a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force. This is not recommended as a Task Force with the single focus of DE&I is the most appropriate model for the City to participate in community partnerships to create systemic and tangible change within our community. 2. The City Council could choose not to approve the scope of work of the DE&I-TF as outlined in Attachment A. This is not recommended as the scope of work has been methodically derived using best practices and concurrence from City leaders and community members. Attachments: a - Draft Resolution Packet Page 147 Item 12 RESOLUTION NO. (2020 SERIES) A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO, CALIFORNIA, CREATING THE TASK FORCE FOR DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION AND DEFINING ITS TERM AND CHARGE WHEREAS, the City Council has expressed a commitment to making San Luis Obispo a welcoming, inclusive, and safe community for everyone, and to promoting free thought and speech, while condemning racism, hate speech, bigotry, violence, and prejudice; and WHEREAS, as a part of the adoption of the City's 2019- 2021 Major City Goals, the City Council also set a vision of a dynamic community embracing its future while respecting its past with core values of civility, sustainability, diversity, inclusivity, regionalism, partnership, and resiliency as a guide to approaching the work of the Major City Goals; and WHEREAS, as part of the adoption of the 2020-21 Meta Goal, the City Council adopted eight guiding principles to help guide the implementation of the tasks outlined in the Meta Goal. The eighth principle reads: "The city recognizes that social and economic inequality is embedded in our systems and culture, and that recovery must integrate deep structural transition to support the well-being and empowerment of marginalized communities"; and WHEREAS, during the June 2, 2020 City Council Meeting, in recognizing the need to continue efforts of systemic recovery, the City Council approved a budget of $140,000 to supplement an existing $20,000 towards the advancement and efforts of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the City of San Luis Obispo; and WHEREAS, during the June 2, 2020 City Council Meeting, Mayor Heidi Harmon and Council Member Erica A. Stewart volunteered to assist City Staff with the creation of a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity Task Force. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of San Luis Obispo that a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force is hereby created with a composition, term, charge, ground rules and staff support as follows: SECTION 1. DE&I-TF. The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force shall be comprised of representatives to be appointed by the Council. The Task Force shall be comprised of an odd number of participants. SECTION 2. ACTION 1. Direct Staff to provide notice and solicit applications and resumes to serve on the DE&I-TF to be submitted to the City Clerk by August 15, 2020. 17 Packet Page 148 Item 12 Resolution No. (2020 Series) Page 2 2. Task force members shall serve at the pleasure of the City Council and may, by a majority Council vote, be appointed, dismissed, or replaced and the term of members shall conclude upon the completion of work as outlined in Exhibit A or until January 1, 2021 whichever occurs first. 3. The DE&I-TF is hereby established until January 1, 2021 at which point it will no longer be an ad -hoc committee with the possible extension of this term to be considered by the City Council prior to that time. 4. The purpose of the DE&I-TF is to advise the City in developing recommendations that further the advancement of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the City of San Luis Obispo as defined in Exhibit A. 5. The DE&I-TF shall select a chair who will be the primary spokesperson for the DE&I-TF. The Chair shall speak for the DE&I-TF at public hearings or other meeting as authorized by the DE&I-TF. 6. The City will provide staff support to the DE&I-TF, with the City Manager to be primarily responsible for providing this support, to include preparation of agendas, and minutes, compilation of material for discussion at DE&I-TF meetings, and assistance with public outreach efforts. 7. The DE&I-TF shall conduct all meetings in compliance with the Ralph M. Brown Act governing open meetings for local government bodies. 8. The DE&I-TF shall strive to act by consensus and shall promote full and open discussion of all matters and shall abide by the regional Code of Civility which seeks to 1) Listen first, 2) Respect different opinions 3) Be courteous, 4) Disagree constructively and 5) Debate the policy not the person. 9. An audio recording of meetings shall be posted on the City's website following each meeting. No formal minutes shall be recorded for review. 10. Subcommittees may be formed to focus on issues or subjects meriting more detailed discussion and are not legally required to be noticed or posted per the Brown Act. 11. DE&I-TF members are not considered to be "public officials" as defined in §82048 of the California Government Code and therefore are not subject to the state Political Reform Act and its disclosure provisions (Government Code § § 81000 et seq.) Nevertheless, DE&I-TF members shall remove themselves from all discussions and votes on matters in which they have any direct personal financial interest, or where the member's professional allegiance and/or personal bias cannot be set aside to allow for the member's fair consideration of the issue(s) at hand. 17 Packet Page 149 Resolution No. (2020 Series) Item 12 Page 3 12. DE&I-TF members shall conscientiously follow high ethical standards and put the public interest ahead of any personal interest and/or bias and to abstain from all discussion and votes where this is not possible. 13. Specific legal issues are to be directed through the City Manager to the City Attorney for a response. Upon motion of , seconded by and on the following roll call vote: AYES: NOES: ABSENT: The foregoing resolution was adopted this day of Mayor Heidi Harmon ATTEST: Teresa Purrington City Clerk APPROVED AS TO FORM: J. Christine Dietrick City Attorney 2020. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the official seal of the City of San Luis Obispo, California, on Teresa Purrington City Clerk 17 Packet Page 150 Resolution No. (2020 Series) Item 12 Page 4 Exhibit A Overview Background This Council action stems from the work that began in June 2019, and is propelled by increased xenophobia, the Black Lives Matter protests, and the problems of systemic racism suffered by many, in many forms. We acknowledge that biases also adversely affect other marginalized groups in SLO. This Task Force is a commitment by the City to take local action on these longstanding problems by making recommendations to the City Council as outlined in this charter. Vision We envision a San Luis Obispo that is welcoming, inclusive, and safe. Our city values diversity, promotes equity and belonging, actively denounces systemic racism, and actively works toward racial justice. Charter Advance diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) in San Luis Obispo by engaging community leaders and change agents to: 1) Focus on activities that support marginalized racial, ethnic, and cultural groups. 2) Collect information and insight about advancing DE&I in San Luis Obispo. 3) Develop a notice of funding availability (NOFA) to support the DE&I work of proven organizations and best practices for change. 4) Provide guidance and a foundation for creating a potential 21-23 DE&I- focused Major City Goal. 5) Strengthen the focus and role of the City's Human Relations Commission (HRC) to support the City's vision. Outcomes 1) Support the work of DE&I Providers with directed funding for proven or promising impactful, sustainable projects. 2) A framework / potential scope for a 21-23 DE&I-focused Major City Goal. 3) Provide a recommendation on the role and function of the HRC in relation to DE&I efforts. Guiding SUPPORT DE&I efforts and organizations; the City is not a subject matter Principles expert. Research should incorporate work and input already done in this region and not burden people from unnecessarily retelling their stories and lived experiences. Community members and organizations can provide 17 Packet Page 151 Item 12 Resolution No. (2020 Series) Page 5 critical expertise and play a vital role in terms of leadership and give perspectives to fund systemic change in diversity, equity, and inclusion. COMMIT our resources to support efforts that have the potential for the highest impact. We acknowledge that MEANINGFUL and SUSTAINABLE change will happen over time; the City will support radical incrementalism for the long- term. FLEXIBILITY is needed; the initial charter may be modified in response to what is learned and to maximize impact. Approach A Task Force of approximately 9-13 members with diverse community and organization representation, and varied perspectives, will work with City leadership to: 1) Further understand DE&I issues and what people are experiencing in SLO. Learn what is happening, what people are experiencing, how to be more inclusive, and how to make improvements towards a sense of welcoming and belonging. Understand issues, concerns, what is missing, and what is desired. 2) Determine target areas and priorities - the needs and gaps that the City should and could begin to address and improve, in partnership or otherwise support through funding. 3) Oversee a grant process focused on targeted areas and priorities. Create a NOFA and administer the application and award -selection process. 4) Assist City staff in developing a scope of work for DE&I Major City Goal for 21-23 Financial Plan. Proposed July 7, 2020 City Council Review and Authorization Timeline July 8 Aug 15, 2020 Task Force recruitment Discovery - learn needs, gaps, strengths Draft NOFA Sept 1 — Oct 15, 2020 Task Force convenings Discovery, continued Determine target areas, priorities, areas City can most impact Finalize NOFA Sept 15 — Oct 15, 2020 Release NOFA Oct 16 — Nov 1, 2020 Review grant applications; make selections Nov 17, 2020 Grantee recommendations to Council Funds awarded 17 Packet Page 152 Item 12 Resolution No. (2020 Series) Page 6 •Task Force Development Committee [Mayor Heidi Harmon, Councilwoman Erica Stewart, Derek Johnson, project facilitator Dale Magee] clarifies purpose, end goals, process, expections, etc. •Focus: Racial, ethnic, cultural inequity and injustice •To Council for approval July 7, 2020 •City Clerk to oversee the recruitment process •Seeking members with expertise and/or lived experience, can help City understand the gaps/needs •Obtain recommendations for members from those in the field •Applicants recommended to City Council by Mayor and Councilmember Erica A. Stewart •Grants could be used for small -medium -large efforts, short term -medium term -longterm projects; and a variety of approaches. 2. • •Adopt "best fit" criteria: intersection of need x resources x impact Creation •Admin to release NOFA •Task Force reviews input, information learned •Determine priority populations and impact areas - e.g. welcome, inclusion, belonging, equity, awareness, allyship - to fund •Potential option committee •Select grantees/awards; Grantees recommended to City Council •Task Force reviews progress from grantees •Evaluate overall impact of the funding needs and priorities Task Force members as the grant 111 Packet Page 153 Item 12 Page intentionally left blank. Packet Page 154 Creation of a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force Derek Johnson, City Manager July 7, 2020 CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION EXTERNAL PLANNING TIMELINE Today COMMUNITYTASK FORCE �2021 11/17/2020 Council Avsrd Grants Recommendation 1. Adopt a Resolution to create a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force and define its term and responsibilities (Attachment A). Background 1. This recommendation stems from the work that began in June 2019 and has been propelled by increased xenophobia, the Black Lives Matter protests, and the problems of systemic racism suffered by many. 2. This Task Force is a commitment by the City to take local action in these longstanding problems by making recommendations to the City Council. Purpose 1. The purpose of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force (DE&I-TF) will be to advise the City in developing recommendations to further the advancement of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the City of San Luis Obispo. Scope The DE&I-TF will work to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) in San Luis Obispo by engaging community leaders and change agents to: 1) Focus on activities that support marginalized racial, ethnic, and cultural groups. 2) Collect information and insight about advancing DE&I in San Luis Obispo. 3) Develop a notice of funding availability (NOFA) to support the DE&I work of proven organizations and best practices for change. 4) Provide guidance and a foundation for creating a potential 21-23 DE&I focused Major City Goal. 5) Strengthen the focus and role of the City's Human Relations Commission (HRC) to support the City's vision. Members 1) A Task Force of approximately 9-13 members with diverse community and organization representation, and varied perspectives, will work with City leadership. 2) The members will apply during the recruitment process and will be recommended to the City Council for appointment by the Mayor and Council Member Erica A. Stewart. Questions for the City Council: 1) Do members need to live within the City limits? 2) Do members need to be registered voters? Proposed Timeline 1 iunc - — - CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION EXTERNAL PLANNING TIMELINE Today COMMUNITYTASK FORCE 11/17/2020 Council Award Grants 2021 Recommendation 1. Adopt a Resolution to create a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force and define its term and responsibilities (Attachment A).