CITY OF SAN MATEO
1 0
0 3
3 CITY OF SAN MATEO
Agenda Report
City Hall
330 W. 20th Avenue
San Mateo CA 94403
www.cityofsanmateo.org
Agenda Number: 11 Section Name: {{section.name}} Account Number: 10-1311 File ID: {{item.tracking_number}} TO: City Council
FROM: Alex Khojikian, City Manager
PREPARED BY: City Manager's Office
MEETING DATE: April 1, 2024
SUBJECT:
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force Accomplishments – Update RECOMMENDATION:
Recognize the accomplishments of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Task Force and direct staff on next steps to reach the City’s external DEI objectives.
BACKGROUND:
The City of San Mateo prides itself on being a vibrant and diverse community that is committed to equity and inclusivity.
To formalize this commitment, in its fiscal year 2021-22 Strategic Plan, the Council directed staff to form a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force (“DEITF”) and staff obtained direction from the Council on the proposed composition and initial focus of the DEITF. During a study session on July 19, 2021, the Council directed staff to bring together representatives from a variety of local community organizations, including non-profits, neighborhood associations, faith- based coalitions, and partner government entities. Rather than appoint members, the Council opted to have staff identify the participating organizations who would then each designate their own representatives. The purpose of the DEITF, once convened, would be to focus on building partnerships, sharing resources, and identifying ways to increase community participation and engagement in hard-to-reach sectors of the community. After completing extensive outreach to local community organizations, staff convened the DEITF in January 2022, with the participating organizations listed below:
•San Mateo Pride Center
•Samaritan House
•PAL Board
•Self Help for the Elderly
•Home Association of North Central San Mateo
•Peninsula Family Services
•Chamber of Commerce
•San Mateo Foster City School Board
•Bay Area Community Health Advisory Council
•San Mateo Union High School District
•Center for Independence of Individuals with Disabilities The DEITF expressed an interest in City Council providing clearer direction on their intended objectives and was directed to participate in developing an Internal DEI Strategic Plan. The Council later delegated specific work intended to meet the engagement objective, such as reviewing and making recommendations about Boards and Commissions and advising Council on its equity art project, to the DEITF. The DEITF met monthly from January 2022 to May 2023 and then transitioned to meeting bi-monthly until its last meeting on January 19, 2024. The DEITF’s completed accomplishments
CITY OF SAN MATEO
1 0
0 3
3 include:
•Suggested and provided guidance on the development of a DEI Strategic Plan & Implementation Framework •Recommended key considerations to diversify the Boards & Commissions, which included an increase in compensation for City Council, a stipend for those on Boards & Commissions, and removing the citizenship/voter registration requirements to participate on a Board or Commission. •Provided key input on the designs and community outreach conducted for the Racial Equity Art Project. •Reviewed and provided input for consideration on policy documents such as the draft Housing Element and General Plan.
These accomplishments demonstrate how the DEITF was able to successfully complete the objectives directed by Council and set forth in the DEITF charter. With this, the City Council’s 2021/22 priority has been completed and removed from their list. However, staff believes, based on input from the DEITF, community, and Council, there is still a need to continue to impart a DEI lens in the City’s work. Therefore, staff is seeking Council direction on how to achieve this.
To identify best practices, staff collected information from different jurisdictions about their equity boards, commissions, subcommittees, etc. (Attachment 1). What we found is that this topic is new for local government and there is not yet a best practice, or any real pattern. Rather, cities have taken a highly varied approach to meeting their DEI goals, which are also varied. Below is an overview of some insights we heard about DEI-focused entities and examining their structures, membership, challenges, successes, and overall impacts that could add value to this discussion.
Overview of DEI Entities in Other Cities:
Structures:
Cities adopted a range of structures from subcommittees focused on equity and social justice to full-fledged human rights commissions. The scope, membership, and objectives of these entities vary widely, influenced by local needs, demographics, and political landscapes.
Membership:
Membership typically includes City Council members, community members, and at times, city staff or external consultants with DEI expertise. Members are often appointed by Mayors or City Councils, with terms varying from one year to permanent appointments. Successful models emphasize diversity in committee composition, including race, profession, and lived experience.
Challenges:
Common challenges include defining clear goals and objectives, scheduling and member availability, budget constraints, political resistance, and the need for DEI training for members. Additionally, defining the scope of work, balancing event planning, policy advisement, and community engagement all pose significant challenges.
Successes and Impact:
Despite challenges, many committees have positively impacted their cities by guiding DEI efforts, influencing policy, enhancing community engagement, and promoting cultural events. Key successes include the restructuring of culturally insensitive events, establishment of DEI-focused training and policies, and improved community-police relations.
Based on the information provided above, staff recommends the City Council consider the following three options:
Option 1:
Appoint a subcommittee of the City Council to review and advise on DEI matters and make recommendations to the City Council.
Option 2:
Assign social impact and DEI initiatives to the Community Relations Commission (CRC). If current DEITF members are invited to apply to become commissioners, then residency requirements (within the City) and citizenship requirements (unless the City Charter is amended) will limit who can and will apply. This option provides a more structured and
CITY OF SAN MATEO
1 0
0 3
3 transparent way of addressing equity concerns than an ad hoc committee. Cultural competency training could be provided for commissioners and staff. This option will require additional staff resources to staff and prepare for the meetings, which would be anticipated to be held more regularly, and to arrange and participate in trainings. Trainings may also incur some added expense. If Council chooses this option, staff would return and seek direction on CRC membership and changes in their scope of work for the next two years.
Option 3:
Take no additional action and allow DEI work to be embedded in the regular work of staff and standing boards and commissions.
Staff Recommendation:
Staff suggests the Council discuss the three options and provide direction on how to move forward, noting Option 2, with direction from Council at the onset and at two-year intervals, is staff’s recommended option.
BUDGET IMPACT:
No budget impact for this discussion. If Council wishes to move forward with one of the options mentioned above, staff will bring forward a more defined action plan with budget impacts, if applicable.
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION:
This discussion is not a project subject to CEQA, because it is a government fiscal activity which does not involve any commitment to any specific project which may result in a potentially significant physical impact on the environment. (CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(4).)
NOTICE PROVIDED
All meeting noticing requirements were met.
ATTACHMENTS
Att 1 – DEI Research Matrix
STAFF CONTACT
Denise Garcia, Management Analyst II
[email protected]
(650) 522-7277