AGENDA ITEM #10
TOWN OF FAIRFAX
STAFF REPORT
April 6, 2022
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: Lorena Barrera, Administrative Analyst
SUBJECT: Receive report on work completed to date on the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Initiatives for Fairfax
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RECOMMENDATION
No action is required. This item is for information only.
DISCUSSION
At the October 6, 2021 Town Council meeting, Council held a discussion on several racial equity and social justice initiatives proposed by staff for Council consideration. From the proposed items, Council directed staff to begin working on a handbook for recruiting, a training program for Town employees, Council, and members of boards, commissions and committees and also on a community survey that would include questions related to police services and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in the Fairfax community.
With the direction from Council, staff began with the community survey since the idea was that the results from a survey would be a guide on the community’s perspective on law enforcement and DEI. Rather than creating a platform to self-create a community survey, staff searched for public opinion research firms that provide comprehensive research services by using quantitative and qualitative research techniques. The idea behind this is that the research firm would create a survey that is unbiased and not persuasive and then the community would have a better understanding of the perspectives of others in Fairfax after seeing the results collected and analyzed by the professional firm.
Staff submitted requests for information to four different research firms that have developed surveys on these topics in other cities throughout California. Staff inquired with three firms within the state and one out of state. Staff scheduled meetings with three of the firms and requested quotes and scopes of work from the firms. To date, staff has received information from two firms and is waiting for information from a third firm to be received before the end of March. The fourth firm has not responded to the request.
From the information gathered to date, staff believes there is enough information to move forward with one of the firms. The next step would be to schedule a meeting with the firm, Town Manager and the working group members: Council Member Goddard and Vice Mayor Cutrano, in order to understand how the survey will be conducted in Fairfax. Based on discussions with representatives from the firms, the estimated time it will take for conducting the survey and analyzing the results is between 10 to 12 weeks. This time frame would include a presentation 2 of the survey results to be given at a Town Council meeting so that the community can get a first-hand explanation of the survey results.
While the survey is being developed and conducted, staff plans to begin the development of a training manual and human resources handbook for staff use. Staff will work closely with the working group and Town Manager throughout this process as well.
FISCAL IMPACT
The estimated cost of the statistically significant survey will be less than $25,000.
ATTACHMENTS
None.