HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem B: Race Issues Action PlanEUGENE CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY
Work Session: Race Priority Issue Action Plan
Meeting Date: June 13, 2005 Agenda Item Number: B
Department: Human Resource and Risk Services Staff Contact: Lauren Chouinard
www. cl. eugene, or. us Contact Telephone Number: 682-5663
ISSUE STATEMENT
The purpose of this work session is to review the proposed action plan for the City Council
priority issue on race. Developing a council position on race issues was identified by the council
as one of eight priority issues. The council is asked to approve or modify the proposed action
plan.
BACKGROUND
In February, the City Council met to develop priorities for the community. Out of that session
emerged eight priority issues. The priority issues and executive leads for each issue are:
1. Launch neighborhood initiative - Public Works
2. Conclude discussion on City Hall/Police Building - Assistant City Manager
3. Facilitate the development of a hospital in Eugene's central core - City Manager
4. Complete and consider Police Department reviews and implement appropriate changes -
Police Department
5. Push arts and outdoors as a theme for Eugene - Planning and Development Department
6. Re-staff Fire station #9 - Fire and Emergency Services
7. Develop City Council position on racial issues - Human Resources and Risk Services
8. Develop a strategy to help the homeless in Eugene - Library, Recreation and Cultural
Services Department
The expectation from the council was that the City Manager would develop recommended action
plans for each priority issue and return to the council sometime this summer for discussion,
input, and adoption of the plans. Subsequent to the council's identification of these issues, a
template was developed by the Executive Managers for use by each project team in developing
specific action plans.
An action plan was developed by a staff team and is included in the template format as
attachment A. This action plan identifies outcomes for the priority, progress to date, action
steps, resources needs, and an option for evaluation.
RELATED CITY POLICIES
Issues of race in the community are related to the "Safe Community" Council Goal which
emphasizes a safe community where people feel secure and respected.
L:\CMO\2005 Council Agendas\M050613\S050613B.doc
COUNCIL OPTIONS
The council is asked to provide direction on the Race Priority action plan. The council may
approve or modify the proposed action plan. Approval or modification of the action plan would
give staff direction to assist the council with implementation of the action plan.
CITY MANAGER'S RECOMMENDATION
None.
SUGGESTED MOTION
Move to approve the proposed Race Priority Issue action plan.
ATTACHMENTS
A. Race Priority Issue Action Plan
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Staff Contact: Lauren Chouinard, Human Resource and Risk Services Director
Telephone: 682-5663
Staff E-Mail: lauren, d. chouinard~ci, eugene, or. us
L:\CMO\2005 Council Agendas\M050613\S050613B.doc
ATTACHMENT A
Council Priority Issue on Race
Action Plan
A. Planning Horizon and Focus
Although this action plan is developed for a 3-5 year horizon with a specific focus on the
first 18-24 months, working on race relations is a long term, ongoing commitment where
progress is measured in decades versus a few years.
By acknowledging and illuminating instances of bias in the community and making a
commitment to change, the City Council is in a unique position to set the tone for race
relations in Eugene and the broader metropolitan area. This plan outlines actions that the
council as a body, and the mayor and councilors as individuals, can engage in to build a
better understanding of race issues among themselves and improve race relations in the
community at large.
B. Priority Issue Outcomes
3-5 year outcomes:
Enhanced council and community awareness of race issues
Increased understanding by council and the community about the affect race
relations has on community members' perception of safety and quality of life
Effective race relations becomes a priority the whole community will actively
embrace
People of color in the community feel they are respected, engaged, and have a
voice in community affairs
> Issues of race are engaged proactively versus reactively in time of crisis
> Eugene will begin to forge a national reputation as a community that actively
supports an environment that is viewed as welcoming by all races and cultures.
18-24 month outcomes:
Informed and educated mayor and councilors on the nature and status of race
relations in the community
Mayor and councilors articulate their collective philosophy and commitment
regarding race, racism, and race relations
Mayor and councilors act collectively and swiftly against acts of racism in the
community
> Mayor and councilors enhance existing, and forge new, relationships with
communities of color and other race relations allies in the community
> Mayor and councilors explore areas of personal growth related to issues of race
C. Progress to Date
There are several focal points for past and ongoing work regarding race and race relations
in the community. The following are examples of several initiatives:
Human Rights Commission (HRC) - As an appointed committee of the City Council,
the HRC has been working on race related issues for many years. The work of the HRC
can be separated into three broad categories, advising city government, educating the
community, and responding to incidents of discrimination and harassment. In its current
efforts, the commission and its staff respond to discrimination through the work of the
Human Rights Support System (HRSS). HRSS responds to an average of 75 cases per
year with approximately half the cases being race-related. HRC staff coordinates City
and community response to hate activity. Eugene experiences an average of 20 bias
crimes per year and has about 40 hate incidents per year that don't rise to the level of a
crime.
In the category of community education, the commission sponsors and co-sponsors a
number of educational forums and community celebrations. The International Human
Rights Day celebration and the Eugene Celebration store front with its neighbor and
family photography exhibits are examples of some of the celebrations. The "War on
Memory" public forum and the Oregon Diversity Institute Conference workshop are
examples of educational efforts.
Regarding the program's role in advising government, staff and commissioners regularly
work with City departments as well as with the mayor and individual councilors. Such
work might include reviewing Federal and State legislation, advising the city on how best
to respond to incidents of racism or commenting on City policies regarding the use of
Social Security numbers or the Eugene Police Department's complaint process.
Day of Acknowledgement Proclamation - On International Human Rights Day,
December, 10, 2002, the City Council adopted a proclamation for a Day of
Acknowledgement which resolved to increase public awareness of racial discrimination
and extend the work of the Human Rights Commission to strive for the full participation
of people of color in all aspects of the community.
Diversity and Human Rights Consortium (DHRC) - The DHRC, which currently
represents 11 local public sector organizations, has been in existence since 1999, and has
it roots in the Metro Leaders Task Force going back to 1991. Representatives of the
DHRC are the CEOs of each of the organizations who meet twice each year to discuss
issues. The DHRC's mission, in its broadest sense, is to work together and with its
respective organizations and constituencies "to foster a welcoming, hospitable
community." The DHRC's staff group, the Interagency Diversity and Equity Consortium
(IDEC), meets regularly to plan and implement strategies for uniting the member
organizations' efforts to educate employees, build and enhance welcoming work place
environments, and increase both recruitment and retention of all employees with a special
emphasis on employees of color. The IDEC group drafted a memorandum of agreement
that members of the DHRC signed and committed to in 2000 and reaffirmed in 2005.
The memorandum outlines several goals that each of the organizations agrees to strive to
achieve. Currently, the DHRC is reviewing climate surveys for a number of agencies as
well as coordinating employee recruitment, selection and retention strategies. In
addition, the DHRC has developed and is sponsoring a six-hour institutional privilege
training.
Racism Study Circles - Sponsored by the City Club, and cosponsored by the DHRC and
the Eugene Human Rights Commission, an experimental, grass roots, initiative to educate
community members on the issues of race and racism was undertaken in early 2005.
Over 70 people from across the community as well as several City employees
participated in a pilot project of small group community dialogues. The City Club
recently published the results of the pilot and plans are being made to broaden
participation for a second round of dialogues. Over 200 community members have
signed-up to participate.
2
Racial Profiling Task Team - From 2000 to 2003, the Eugene Police Department
worked with community members to address concerns associated with "racial profiling."
A task group comprised of community and police department representatives designed a
data collection program to gather statistics on vehicle stops involving EPD officers with a
focus on identifying and discussing differences between racial/ethnic groups in terms of
law enforcement practices. Analysis of the data collected as part of the study was
conducted by a doctoral candidate with the University of Oregon Sociology Department.
Preliminary results of the data collection study were released in the Spring of 2003. The
final report, containing information on 36,011 vehicle stops occurring between January 1,
2002 and December 31, 2003, was delivered in September of 2004.
City of Eugene Diversity Program - The City organization embarked on a
comprehensive diversity initiative in 1999 with a goal of educating and building the skills
of City employees in many broad areas of diversity including race. The program has
focused training on workplace environment, diversity awareness, and cross cultural
competencies. The overall goals of the program are to establish and maintain respectful
work environments, increase recruitment and retention of employees, and enhance
service effectiveness to the increasingly diverse community we serve. We recently
commissioned an assessment of our diversity efforts by a nationally renowned workplace
diversity consulting firm. That assessment will be used to fine tune our efforts.
Communities of Color Annual Meeting - Originally conceived by former City
Councilor Bobby Lee in 1999, the City's Executive Directors, and staff involved in
diversity work, have met annually with representatives from the communities of color.
The meeting provides one forum for attendees to give the organization feedback and
input on the effectiveness of our diversity efforts, as those efforts impact service to that
segment of our community. We did not hold a meeting in 2004, but plan to meet later on
in 2005 after we fill the vacant Diversity Manager position. In 1989 and 1990, Mayor
Jeff Miller held a number of forums that brought together city leadership with leaders in
the communities of color.
Ongoing Communities of Color Support - Individual councilors, the mayor, and City
staff attend a number of fund raising and community events organized by ethnic and
cultural segments of our community. Examples include the Asian Celebration, Fiesta
Latina, LCC's Native American Powwow, the NAACP Freedom Fund dinner, Centro
Latino's Noche Cultural fund raising dinner and the Asian American Foundation's annual
fund raising dinner. Attendance at these events provides direct access to members of the
communities of color and helps strengthen relationships.
D. Action Plan
Action Steps - The following action steps have been divided into short term and mid to
long term items:
Short Term: (6 to 9 months)
1. Facilitated Dialogue on Race - Hold a facilitated session on race with the City
Council. One outcome of this session would be a Council Resolution stating the
council's collective perspective and commitments on race. Council would
contract with a skilled facilitator for this event.
2. Racism Response Plan - Develop an integrated, rapid response plan outlining
actions to be taken by council when acts of racism happen in our community.
3. Endorse Current Race Initiatives - Communicate endorsement of the work of the
DHRC, racism study circles, and other race related work in the community.
4. Continue Mayor One-on-Ones - Continue to locate the mayor's one-on-one
meetings in various neighborhoods of the community and invite comments on
issues of race relations.
5. Direction to Human Rights Commission - Direct the HRC to continue its efforts
to respond to discrimination and harassment as well as educate the larger
community. Utilize the annual work session with the commission to assess
community needs and focus the commission's work.
Mid to Long Term: (9-24 months and beyond) 1. Meet as a full council with community ally leaders on race issues.
2. Meet individually with communities of color members (other than leaders) to
better understand their issues.
3. Add race relations as an ongoing topic of joint elected officials meetings.
4. Identify opportunities for joint public/private forums for working on race issues
within area organizations.
5. Attend awareness and skill building trainings as they are offered locally and
regionally.
6. Bring up the topic of race, and discuss the Council's Resolution on race, when
meeting with individuals and groups of constituents such as neighborhood
groups.
The lead staff for all action steps will include Human Rights staff, Human Resource
staff, and the Council Coordinator, in collaboration with the mayor and councilors.
E. Resource Needs
The mayor and councilors will need to devote some work session and individual time to
meet the commitments of the action plan. Staff time will also be needed to coordinate
some of the activities. The cost to hire a qualified facilitator, and expenses for attending
awareness and skill building training, are estimated at $3,000 to $5,000.
F. Monitoring and Evaluation
It will be critical to revisit the workplan on a semi-annual basis. This could be
accomplished through a work session discussion. Further evaluation of outcomes may be
accomplished by engaging feedback from community stakeholders.
4