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HomeMy WebLinkAboutStudy Session Agenda Packet 10-26-20 - Special SPECIAL STUDY SESSION AGENDA CITY COUNCIL CITY OF WHEAT RIDGE, COLORADO 7500 W. 29th Ave. Wheat Ridge CO October 26, 2020 To commence at the conclusion of the Regular City Council Meeting This meeting will be conducted as a VIRTUAL MEETING. No members of the Council or City staff will be physically present at the Municipal building for this meeting; the public may not attend in person. The public may participate in these ways: 1. Provide comment in advance at www.wheatridgespeaks.org (comment by noon on October 26, 2020 ) 2. Virtually attend and participate in the meeting through a device or phone: • Click here to join and provide public comment • Or call +1-669-900-6833 with Access Code: 990 1756 6706 3. View the meeting live or later at www.wheatridgespeaks.org, Channel 8, or YouTube Live at https://www.ci.wheatridge.co.us/view 4. Individuals who, due to technology limitations, are unable to participate in the meeting virtually (via the Zoom platform) or by calling in on the telephone may contact Danitza Sosa, Assistant to the Mayor and City Council, at 303-235-2977 by noon on the day of the meeting. Arrangements will be made for those individuals to access City Hall during the meeting to view the meeting and provide public comment if desired. These comments will be heard and seen in real time by members of Council and City staff. Individuals accessing City Hall must practice social distancing, wear a mask or other facial covering and be free of COVID-19 symptoms. Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to participate in all public meetings sponsored by the City of Wheat Ridge. Contact the Public Information Officer at 303-235-2877 or wrpio@ci.wheatridge.co.us with as much notice as possible if you are interested in participating in a meeting and need inclusion assistance. Citizen Comment on Agenda Item 1. Race and equity committee application process 2. Staff Report(s) 3. Elected Officials’ Report(s) ADJOURNMENT Memorandum TO: Mayor and City Council THROUGH: Patrick Goff, City Manager FROM: Marianne Schilling, Assistant to the City Manager DATE: October 26, 2020 SUBJECT: Race and Equity Task Force On September 21, City Council discussed the creation of a Race and Equity Task Force. The goal of the Task Force is to carry out a thorough review of City policies, services, and ordinances to identify policies and practices that contribute to discrimination. The Task Force will provide updates to City Council and will report recommendations, including ways in which success will be measured toward becoming a more inclusive and responsive community. During the previous City Council meeting, Staff was asked to return with a draft of the Race and Equity Task Force application. This draft application has been provided for City Council review and feedback. It should be noted that a pdf copy of the application will also be available in Spanish once it is finalized. The web-based application will be available in over 100 languages through Google Translate. Additionally, consensus was reached by City Council in September for staff to begin the development of this task force. The makeup of the task force was determined to include the following: •No more than 20 individuals •Two representatives for each district with the remainder at-large •Four individuals appointed by the Mayor •One at-large representative per district Wheat Ridge for Equity has since reached out to City Staff with additional considerations for City Council to review. These suggestions have been emailed to City Council by Wheat Ridge for Equity in advance of the October 26 meeting and they have been included in the meeting packet as an attachment. City Council may consider updating both 1) how the task force is formed and 2) how the applicant review process should be managed. Staff is asking City Council for feedback on the draft application as well as consensus on the development and review process of the Race and Equity Task Force. Item No. 1 Race and Equity Task Force October 26, 2020 Page 2 ATTACHMENTS: 1. Draft Race and Equity Task Force Application 2. Memo from Wheat Ridge for Equity Application for Race & Equity Task Force Overview: The City of Wheat Ridge seeks applicants to serve on a Task Force focused on advancing racial equity. The Task Force will be advisory to the City Council through February 2022, or as extended by City Council. Application Period: Monday, November 2, 2020 to Thursday, December 31, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. Applications will be reviewed in January 2021 and meetings will begin by February 2021. Requirements: To qualify as a member of the Race & Equity Task Force you must: •Be a Wheat Ridge resident •At-Large members: Have a connection to the city of Wheat Ridge •Be able to participate in bi-monthly meetings (virtual initially, may be in-person at a later date) About the Task Force: The Task Force is directed to carry out a thorough review of City policies, services, and ordinances to identify policies and practices that contribute to discrimination. The Task Force will provide quarterly updates to City Council and will report recommendations, including ways in which success will be measured toward becoming a more inclusive and responsive community. Members will be expected to serve for at least one year. Applicants will be evaluated based upon merit and experience. Application Submission: By email: Send electronic copy of application and any relevant attachments to Marianne Schilling at mschilling@ci.wheatridge.co.us In-person: Fill out or drop off application at City Hall, located at 7500 W. 29th Ave. Wheat Ridge, CO 80033 By mail: Attn: Marianne Schilling, 7500 W. 29th Ave. Wheat Ridge, CO 80033 Online at: https://www.ci.wheatridge.co.us/ Applicant Information: Name: Address: Email: Phone: What is your connection to Wheat Ridge? If applicable, what District to you live in? ATTACHMENT 1 Are you a member of one of the following communities? (Check all that apply) Questions: 1.Why do you want to be appointed to the Race & Equity Task Force? 2.What unique experience, perspective or expertise would you bring to the Task Force? 3.In your opinion, what are two of the most important racial equity and/or inclusion issues in Wheat Ridge? 4.What are your top one or two ideas for improving equity and inclusion in Wheat Ridge? 5. We are looking for Task Force members to have strong connections with the community in Business Faith Non-profit Education Other: order to expand our outreach efforts. Are you a member of any community or civic organizations or would be able to contribute in a different way? Please explain. 6.Is there anything else about yourself and/or experiences related to race and equity that you'd like to share? Voluntary Information: This section is not required. The City is using information provided in this section for the limited purpose of assisting it in the selection process for the Race & Equity Task Force. All applications for the Task Force shall be reviewed and assessed based on merit. 1.Gender Identity: _____________ ☐ Prefer not to answer 2.Age: __________ ☐ Prefer not to answer 3.Household size (including yourself): ____________ ☐ Prefer not to answer 4.Education Level: _______________ ☐ Prefer not to answer 5.Race/Ethnicity: _______________ ☐ Prefer not to answer 6.Sexual Identity: _______________ ☐ Prefer not to answer 7.Religion: _______________ ☐ Prefer not to answer Please contact Marianne Schilling at mschilling@ci.wheatridge.co.us with any questions about the Task Force or the application process. MEMO TO: City of Wheat Ridge elected officials and staff FROM: Wheat Ridge for Equity members including Alex Goldsmith, Shannon Kishel, Diana Lopez, Milly Nadler, Jeff Richards, Morgan Richards, Jenny Snell, Elise St. Peter DATE: Oct. 19, 2020 RE: Recommendations for formation of and application to the Equity Task Force We representatives of Wheat Ridge for Equity recommend the application, selection and structure of the task force as most similar to the Sustainability Committee. Overcoming 500+ years of marginalization and systemic inequities is best served with a thoughtful and a community collaborative approach. Application ● Wheat Ridge for Equity would like to review and give our comments on the application before it is implemented. ● Open city-wide to: ○ Residents ○ People who own businesses in Wheat Ridge ○ People who have a connection to Wheat Ridge, as has been asked in previous applications like WR101 and NRS. ● Application ought to remain open until at least 12 seats are filled, with a minimum of 60 days. Selection ● We recommend that the selection of the task force be done by a selection committee to be comprised of: ○ Two city staff members ○ Two elected officials - one (1) at-large and one (1) city council representatives ○ Two members of Wheat Ridge for Equity ● Our Wheat Ridge for Equity members are an asset in this process because of our direct or daily witnessed lived experience, number of hours of equity training and/or professional experience. ● One at-large elected official is an asset to this selection committee because our three at-large officials represent the entire community. ATTACHMENT 2 ● Because one applicant may represent more than one segment of under- represented community members of Wheat Ridge, we recommend that at least 12 members, with a maximum of 20, be seated on the task force and that additional members can be added annually using the same process as recommended here. ● The City Council will then be presented with the committee’s recommended slate of applicants. ● The Equity Task Force is not a committee where there is a diversity of opinion about whether or not underrepresented people are marginalized. ● We affirm that no more than 25% of the task force may come from Wheat Ridge for Equity members. Task Force ● We advise the task force is supported by a professional facilitator for one (1) year and that they be: ○ Local ○ Certified equity trainer/facilitator ○ Wheat Ridge for Equity would like to review facilitator consideration list ● Initially the task force will meet 2x a month. ● Two focus areas for task force: ○ Review City of Wheat Ridge Code of Laws, City Charter and administrative policies and practices 1) that contribute to discrimination, 2) for opportunities to assure diversity, equity and inclusion implementation and tactics, and 3) to be a resource for future changes or additions. ○ Identify and suggest ways to improve our community culture so that Wheat Ridge is safe and welcoming for all people ● The Equity Task Force will help formulate its own work and approaches as the Sustainability committee did. ● Task force ought to be able to devise a process to replace members if members have to phase out for any reason. ● Task force provides quarterly interim reports and an annual longer report. ● At the end of two years, the task force will include in their annual report a recommendation to the City Council about the continuation of their work. ● Wheat Ridge for Equity intends to continue to work with the city and the task force on equity issues, as well as offering affordable to free equity training and learning talks and training to our residents. Our hope is that the task force, elected officials and city staff will help amplify these offerings. Our initial list of under-represented community members not in order of importance or ranking and is not necessarily comprehensive: 1. Elder 2. Teen or young adult 3. Teen or young adult 4. Homeless person 5. LGBQ+ person 6. LGBQ+ person 7. Person who is transgender 8. Black person 9. Asian person 10. A person who self identifies as living at or below the poverty line 11. A person who is a long-term renter in Wheat Ridge 12. A member of the Mosque at Sheridan and 35th Avenue 13. Latinx person 14. Latinx person 15. Latinx person 16. Latinx person 17. Latinx person 18. Immigrant 19. A person with a different ability 20. A member of a local indigenous tribe Rev. 10/19/2020 3:11 p.m.