HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-12-16 - Special Study Session Agenda PacketSPECIAL STUDY SESSION AGENDA
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
CITY OF WHEAT RIDGE, COLORADO
Monday, January 12, 2026
6:30 p.m.
This meeting will be conducted as a virtual meeting, and in person, at: 7500 West 29th
Avenue, Municipal Building, Council Chambers.
City Council members and City staff members will be physically present at the
Municipal building for this meeting. The public may participate in these ways:
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noon on January 12, 2026)
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Click here to pre-register and provide public comment by Zoom (You mustpreregister before 5:00 p.m. on January 12, 2026)
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YouTube Live at https://www.ci.wheatridge.co.us/view
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PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEMS
1. Equity Audit
2. Staff Report(s)
3. Elected Officials’ Report(s)
ITEM NO. 1
Memorandum
TO: Mayor and City Council
THROUGH: Patrick Goff, City Manager
FROM: Marianne Schilling, Deputy City Manager
Carli Seeba, Manager of People and Culture
DATE: January 12, 2026
SUBJECT: Equity Audit
ISSUE:
This study session agenda item is at the request of Councilmember Snell with
consensus from City Council to discuss and consider actions items to gain an understanding of the needs in the Wheat Ridge community through the
implementation of an equity audit.
PRIOR ACTION:
During the October 27, 2025, City Council meeting, following the adoption of the 2026
Budget, Councilmember Snell requested that staff return at a future study session to discuss an equity audit. Consensus was provided by City Council.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Staff anticipates that an equity audit will cost between $60,000-$125,000, depending on the scope of work and level of community engagement.
BACKGROUND:
The Race and Equity Task Force was created in Fall 2020 and then appointed by City
Council in February 2021 with the direction to carry out a thorough review of City policies, services, and ordinances to identify policies and practices that may contribute
to discrimination. The task force began its work in March 2021, concluding in April 2023
with a final recommendation report to City Council. The recommendation report included over 100 recommendations in 11 focus areas and general recommendations
that did not fit within a specific focus.
One of the general recommendations in the report was to transition the Task Force into
an ongoing advisory committee, and subsequently, the Inclusivity, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) Committee was created by City Council. Members were first
appointed in August 2024, and Councilmember Jenny Snell was appointed as the City Council Liaison to the IDEA Committee.
Special Study Session Memo – Equity Audit
January 12, 2026
Page 2
In September 2025, concerned community members alleged behaviors at Happiness
Gardens were racist and prejudicial. In response, during the October 27, 2025, City
Council meeting Councilmember Hultin proposed an amendment to the 2026 Budget for
$35,000 to engage a consultant to provide cultural awareness training, work with the
Parks and Recreation Department on strategic partnerships for land access and food
sovereignty, develop sustainable relationships with tribal partners, and develop a
community garden strategic partnership and operations plan. The 2026 Budget was
then adopted to include this $35,000 amendment.
Following the adoption of the budget, Councilmember Snell proposed that staff also
look into completing an equity audit as a City in an effort to gain a greater
understanding of where IDEA-related gaps may exist both internally and externally
within the City and asked for City Council support to bring this topic back to a future
study session for discussion. Consensus was provided by City Council.
DISCUSSION:
Equity Audit Overview
The City is committed to the pursuit of inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility
for all members of the community. An equity audit is a systematic examination of
the City’s policies, practices, and culture to identify disparities and biases that
may be affecting certain groups of employees or community members.
Additionally, an equity audit would provide a comprehensive understanding of the
City’s equity landscape, identify areas for improvement and “blind spots”, and
inform strategies for promoting greater equity and inclusion. Finally, an equity
audit helps to ensure legal compliance, cultural competence, and strategic
alignment with the City’s mission, values, and strategic goals.
An equity audit can help identify inequities, benchmark best practices, and create
a roadmap to facilitate change. Oftentimes, equity audits involve key
stakeholders, ensuring all groups are heard and are involved in the identifying
issues and finding solutions. Equity audits traditionally involve taking a close look
at policies and procedures, the decision-making process, representation and
diversity, support and access, and Human Resource practices.
This equity audit would build upon the 2023 Race and Equity Task Force
Recommendation Report that was created by volunteer task force members over the course of two years. The scope of work would be more robust, and the
recommendations would establish baseline metrics to measure and benchmark
progress. Additionally, it would mimic a similar pathway that the City’s Sustainability Committee went through by first completing a committee-created action plan in 2018,
and following it up with a more formal, consultant-created five-year action plan in 2024.
Special Study Session Memo – Equity Audit
January 12, 2026
Page 3
Draft Scope of Work
Staff is seeking direction from City Council on the draft scope of work for an equity
audit. As written, the draft scope of work recommends four components: 1. Evaluation,
2. Public Engagement and Outreach, 3. Report and Presentations, and 4. Recommendations.
1. Evaluation
Collect, organize, review, analyze, interpret, and assess policies, programs, and
practices that directly or indirectly impact City staff and residents regarding their race, ethnicity, gender, national origin, color, disability, age, sexual orientation,
gender identity, religion, or other socio-culturally significant factors. Please
describe in detail the approach to this process.
The equity audit will include the review of the following, but not limited to:
• City policies, practices and trainings (including Personnel/Human Resources)
• Municipal code
• City services
• Organizational structure
• Protocols
• Initiatives
• Community engagement
• Community programming
• Internal and external communications
• Program funding and expenses
• City staff demographics
2. Engagement and Outreach Conduct community research and implement a series of public engagement
efforts including an open house, and engagement and/or interviews with elected
officials, key staff, the IDEA Committee and community members.
3. Equity Audit Report and Presentations Prepare formal presentation of findings to stakeholders including City Council,
City Staff, and the Community. The data should be comprehensive and identify
the current state of the organization, and any organizational trends.
4. Recommendations Develop a final report of recommendations and insights including the equity audit
evaluation data. This report should identify strengths, gaps, and best practices
for the desired level of IDEA success; establish a baseline from which to measure
and benchmark progress; determine IDEA priorities, strategies, objectives,
programs, and initiatives; ascertain aspects of employees’ experience and where
Special Study Session Memo – Equity Audit
January 12, 2026
Page 4
attention should be focused in the future; and pinpoint policies, programs, and
practices that may be inhibiting IDEA success in key organizational areas.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Staff is seeking direction from City Council on the draft scope of work for the equity
audit. Additionally, Staff is seeking consensus to move forward with the equity audit
and to return to City Council with a budget appropriation request and contract approval.
ATTACHMENTS:
None