Agenda Item #4.1
For Council Meeting of: February 4, 2025
CITY OF SANTA ROSA
CITY COUNCIL
TO: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
FROM: DOMINIQUE BLANQUIE, HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR
SUBJECT: SEED COLLABORATIVE EQUITY PLAN IMPLEMENTATION APPROVED STRATEGIES AGENDA ACTION: STUDY SESSION
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended by the Human Resources Department that the Council hold a Study Session to receive a report on the final City Equity Plan. This item is provided for Council’s information and no action will be taken except for possible direction to staff.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In support of City Council’s goal of creating an environment that supports staff and operational excellence, promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion, and reliably delivers outstanding services to the community, SEED Collaborative and Human Resources Department will present a summary report of the City Equity Plan approved implementation strategies.
BACKGROUND
In December 2020, the City partnered with SEED Collaborative to create three equity plans related to equity, inclusion, diversity and belonging. Phase II involved staff interviews, focus groups, and a survey. The survey results were presented to Council in June 2021. Phase II work also resulted in the development of recommended strategies and was presented to Executive Leadership for approval. The final implementation strategies are now being presented to Council.
PRIOR CITY COUNCIL REVIEW
SEED Collaborative provided Council updates in June 2021 and October 2021, which consisted of work plan and task force updates. Study sessions were also held providing further updates to Council in March 2022 and January 2023.
ANALYSIS
The final City Equity Plan recommendations and strategies are based on data collected from City staff, leadership, and the community, as well as best practices research. In Phase II, City leadership approved twenty-nine (29) implementation strategies designed to put the City on a pathway to creating a culture of belonging.
The City Equity Plan recommendations and implementation strategies focus on three primary areas of transformation:
Creating an organizational culture of belonging.
Employee well-being and sense of belonging.
Community engagement and communications that support an environment of belonging.
Implementation
City departments were tasked with assessing their respective departments and implementing an equity strategy.
City employees have formed the VIBE Committee (Voices for Inclusion, Belonging, and Equity) which was created to monitor and report on implementation activities and initiatives.
The City provides an opportunity for every employee to take a leadership role in creating a culture of belonging by:
Identifying opportunities to collaborate with colleagues to break down silos.
Creating safe spaces to have difficult conversations that bridge differences based on position, age, cultural background, gender, sexual orientation, and/or location.
Showing patience with the process with the understanding that transformation takes time.
FISCAL IMPACT
Approval of this action does not have a fiscal impact on the General Fund.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15378, the proposed action is not a “project” subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because it does not have a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment. In the alternative, the proposed action is exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3) because it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the project may have a significant effect on the environment.
BOARD/COMMISSION/COMMITTEE REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Not applicable.
NOTIFICATION
Not applicable.
ATTACHMENTS
Presentation
PRESENTER
Francheasca Roberson, DEI/EEO Officer
Paul Hudson, Co-Founder of Seed Collaborative
SEED COLLABORATIVE EQUITY PLAN IMPLEMENTATION APPROVED STRATEGIES PAGE 3 OF 3