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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018/06/04 - ADMIN - Minutes - City Council - Study SessionSt. Louis Park MINNESOTA I>,rPcricncc. WFF6 in Ih& Park The meeting convened at 5:36 p.m. Official minutes City council special study session St. Louis Park, Minnesota June 4, 2018 Councilmembers present: Mayor Jake Spano (arrived at 6:30 p.m.), Tim Brausen, Mayor Pro Tem Steve Hallfin, Rachel Harris, Anne Mavity, Thom Miller, and Margaret Rog. Councilmembers absent: None. Staff present: Deputy City Manager/Human Resources Director (Ms. Deno), Management Assistant (Ms. Carrillo Perez), Racial Equity Coordinator (Ms. Sojourner), and Recording Secretary (Ms. Pappas). Guest: None 1. Advancing racial equity update and council discussion Ms. Sojourner stated the presentation and discussion will be about reflection and conversation, not about "doing" at this time. Ms. Sojourner gave an overview of the racial equity framework of St. Louis Park, including a summary of staff activities, an overview of diversity, racial equity, and inclusion assessment plan. She also noted learning opportunities currently being conducted with staff and future opportunities which will be coming up for council as well. Ms. Sojourner stated she is currently conducting the first phase of a baseline assessment of city staff using two different tools to look at intercultural issues. These tests are the MCOD and IDI assessments. She noted all assessments will be looked at through the racial equity lens at all times, and the council will participate in the IDI assessment. Ms. Sojourner explained through these inclusion learning opportunities, there will be observation and ways to learn how racial equity can best support the work of the council in making policy and decisions. Ms. Sojourner noted various areas of concern to explore and discuss including the following learning opportunities: • Sense of urgency— looking through a white normative cultural lens makes it difficult to be inclusive, especially when moving at too rapid a pace, and when there is no opportunity for pause. • Can frequently result in sacrificing potential allyship for quick or highly visible results, which allows whites to share their need for urgency, sacrificing the interests of people of color in order to win victories. She noted the concern here is trusting a source that is not representative of first-hand persons who are navigating the situation. Study Session Minutes -2- June 4, 2018 • Either/or thinking—this includes thinking that is either good/bad, right/wrong, with us/against us, racial equity/not racial equity. Here Racial Equity should be the fabric of how decisions are made, vs. trying to simplify complex things. There is no quick fix, and no time to encourage or consider alternatives. Mayor Pro Tem Hallfin asked the council for their feedback. Councilmember Harris stated she appreciates Ms. Sojourner's report and comments and is open to exploring this further. She invited everyone on the council to start thinking in this way, adding she has to change her own thinking. She invited others to come with her, and noted the "sense of urgency" issue, stating she would be happy slowing things down a bit. Councilmember Mavity added she does feel the urgency piece and appreciates Ms. Sojourner's comments. She stated she is an impatient person, and feels like the council has been doing this work for a while, so she would like to see action; however, added the council cannot let perfect be the enemy of good. She stated she is frustrated by not having more community conversations on this, adding she does not want to wait too long to start having more public conversations. Councilmember Brausen stated in interactions with the HRC, there were frustrations, and the council is learning as well. He noted the council feels obligated to continue to move this work along, but he does understand that much like democracy, this is a messy process with no clear- cut solutions. He agreed with Councilmember Mavity that the council has been pushing for results, adding he would like to see more people of color on the council. Councilmember Miller stated he is also reflecting on those 500 years of oppression. He asked what sort of framework is there for the council to pause and reflect, adding the council's work seems small and like there should be more urgency in this area. Councilmember Rog concurred with the other councilmembers, adding she is interested in what Ms. Sojourner is saying, and is curious and open to it. She noted she is excited for this work, Ms. Sojourner's expertise, and asked about evidence or measurements on racial equity work, that might be available for the council to review. Mayor Pro Tem Hallfin stated he is honored to be on this city council, and involved in this conversation, while having Mr. Sojourner present and informing the council on these issues makes him emotional. He stated these conversations were not happening 3 years ago, and St. Louis Park is moving faster than the communities around it. He noted working on these issues is a marathon, not a sprint, and the council is in this for the long haul. He added every single day that Ms. Sojourner is here working on this, and the council is talking about mistakes of the past and what can be better in the future, makes it a better day. Ms. Sojourner noted the council can slow things down and make decisions fast at the same time, while being cautious of the intent vs. the impact. Study Session Minutes -3- June 4, 2018 Ms. Sojourner explained how the IDI assessment looks at cultural competency. She added the assessment will look at skills and tools to shift cultural perspective and adapt behavior to cultural commonality and difference. She noted she will meet with each councilmember individually after they complete the assessment, get their results, and help coach each councilmember. Each councilmember will have an individual plan and all assessments are confidential and will not be shared. Ultimately, there will be individual feedback sessions and a group feedback session with the councilmembers. Ms. Sojourner added there is no wrong or right place to be on the continuum of cultural competency, and by doing the assessment, it will help the council gain the skills to navigate cultural differences. Mayor Spano arrived at the meeting at 6:30 p.m. Ms. Sojourner noted the online assessment will be sent by email to the council during June 11— lune 27 and individual feedback sessions will occur June 18 —July 18, with the group feedback session in late summer/early fall of 2018. Ms. Sojourner added city staff is in the process of doing the assessment and will start the feedback session on June 11, adding the whole process for city staff will be a five-year phase out plan. Ms. Sojourner also pointed out this work will include creating an affirming environment for Trans* individuals as well. Councilmember Rog noted she has a friend, who has a Trans* son, and who has done work on this topic with the St. Louis Park School District. She noted several areas that she would like to explore for future discussion including: 1. Advocate to change paperwork for gender 2. Signage with non-discrimination policies 3. Basic environment changes and changes on how people are addressed Councilmember Harris asked about signage on bathrooms in city buildings adding she would like to see this brought forward. Ms. Deno stated there is signage now in all city buildings, and there are now all -gender restrooms available as well. She noted city staff is working with Ms. Sojourner on all city signage, and in the schools as well. Ms. Deno added this is an area where hearing the voices of those involved in these issues is important, instead of hearing from others. Mayor Spano noted he would like to explore policy for the larger community and look at education opportunities for the community. Study Session Minutes -4- June 4, 2018 Ms. Sojourner stated she appreciates the council's patience on this and is looking forward to meeting with each councilmember individually, adding the council is doing great things. She noted she appreciates the real and honest, sometimes hard conversations about racial equity, adding that not every community or council in the Twin Cities are having these hard conversations, and she encouraged the council to continue their journey. Board and commission council discussion Due to lack of time, this topic will be discussed at a future study session. The meeting adjourned at 7:15 p.m.