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1.
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Introductions |
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Chair Glover convened the meeting at 9:00 a.m., introducing himself and Vice Chair Gioia and requesting that Vice Chair Gioia provide an explanation of the mission of the Committee, which was given. Vice Chair Gioia noted the Hiring Outreach Oversight Committee had been renamed by the Board of Supervisors and given the scope of oversight of the Office of Racial Equity and Social Justice, in addition to its previous work. Gilbert Salinas, Chief Equity Officer for Contra Costa Health Services, was recognized for being in attendance. |
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2.
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Public comment on any item under the jurisdiction of the Committee and not on this agenda (speakers may be limited to three minutes). |
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Caller was concerned about the renaming of the Committee from Hiring Outreach Oversight, suggesting that hiring would be inequitable and discriminatory if based on advancement for one race. Christy Lam-Julian noted this Committee makes her heart happy and wanted to know how to get more involved and connected, indicating that anti-Asian hate was still being experienced. Latrece Martin thanked the Committee and attendees for doing the work and noted that equity was not giving everyone a shoe but a shoe they can fit. |
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3.
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DISCUSS and PROVIDE DIRECTION on the outreach and hiring process for Co-Executive Directors for Office of Racial Equity and Social Justice.
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Kerby Lynch of Ceres Policy Research, representing the Core Committee of the ORESJ planning process, provided a PowerPoint presentation to the Committee (attached) "Considerations for the ORESJ Community Driven Process for Hiring," noting a draft position description for the Co-Directors had been provided earlier for the ideal candidates. (This was included in the agenda packet as Attachment A.) Research into salaries of similar positions in other agencies had also been provided by the Core Committee (Attachment B of the agenda packet). Ms. Lynch went through the PowerPoint presentation and noted a working group of the Core Committee would be established to assist the County in the hiring process.
Ann Elliott, the County's Human Resources Director, indicated the material was an amazing start and expressed gratitude for what had been provided. She noted a County Ordinance amendment would be the first step in the process, to exempt the positions from the Merit System. The question was raised as to whether there would be separate job classifications for each Co-Director position, and Ms. Elliott indicated that two different job descriptions/classifications would be warranted. Vice Chair Gioia noted the salaries would be the same, but the positions would serve different roles. Ms. Elliott noted the job specifications could be in development while the Ordinance change was in motion. Compensation would be addressed after the job specifications and minimum qualifications were determined. Vice Chair Gioia indicated that recruitment brochures for the County Administrator, Public Defender, EHSD Director, and County Counsel could be useful in the process, preparing the brochure using the Core Committee material as a framework and incorporating the material of other brochures in terms of explaining the County, region, structure of the organization. Ms. Elliott clarified that the recruitment brochure is an accumulation of earlier steps in the process.
Public comments included a Caller expressing concerns about hiring a Language Equity Coordinator that she felt was an "illegal" position infringing on her rights. Mariana Moore thanked Ms. Elliott for the collaboration and wanted to know about the timeline for hiring in terms of the soonest the community could expect a hire and the outer range of dates. Edgar Martinez wanted to share his experiences with the Committee members via email. Kimberly Barnes wanted clarification on the Language Equity Officer role. Solomon Belette suggested an agreement of expectations of the Core Committee and County roles in the process. Chair Glover asked Ms. Elliott to respond to questions raised. She responded about the timeline by indicating that the ability to work on the job description and salary will keep things moving while the Ordinance amendment is underway. After 30 days, they should have additional pieces like the brochure ready to go out, but the timeline on that would depend on how long the Committee wanted to keep it posted, so she requested feedback on that, indicating 30 days is usual practice. The process for interviews would also drive timing, as community involvement can add a couple of weeks to a couple of months. The usual appeal process also adds time, and this proces could warrant a longer appeal period. Chair Glover indicated this was a unique and different situation and requested more information at the next Committee meeting. Vice Chair Gioia indicated the Language Equity Coordinator was not being hired at this time; it would occur after the Co-Directors were hired.
Vice Chair Gioia appreciated the Core Committee's provided information and suggested that having the Core Committee work with HR in a collaborative process to put together the hiring process for the Co-Directors, using their draft as a foundation for the recruitment brochure as well, may be the best way to proceed. He requested the salary range be provided at the next Committee meeting to review and approve. Ms. Elliott responded that she would be glad to work with a subcommittee of the Core Committee. Chair Glover recognized CAO Nino who inquired about the timing of taking this to the full Board of Supervisors. Vice Chair Gioia responded that the Equity Committee would recommend details to the full Board but wanted to know how much detail would be required in the Ordinance amendment. Ms. Elliott responded that the job spec doesn't need to be finished to proceed with the Ordinance change; the primary purpose of the job would be needed, and that material is available now. HR would be ready, at the end of 30 days--after Ordinance introduction, to go back to the full Board with full details. Vice Chair Gioia asked her about her sense of having a draft brochure for the Committee's consideration. Ms. Elliott responded that HR Manager, Nicole Bilich, and herself would be working directly with the subcommittee of the Core Committee, and timing would be dependent on their progress.
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Attachments: |
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Attachment A: Draft ORESJ Co-Director Position Description from Community Core Committee
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Attachment B: ORESJ Comparative Salaries
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Attachment C: Contra Costa County Department Heads Salaries
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4.
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PROVIDE direction to staff of the Equity Committee on agenda items for future Committee meetings in 2023.
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Vice Chair Gioia noted that what would be helpful to the Committee is a summary of existing DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) efforts in County departments. He requested that each department explain their current practices and efforts at future Committee meetings. Chair Glover requested that this be spread over time and included as a standard agenda item for the Equity Committee.
A caller expressed disappointment that her question about what a Language Equity Coordinator is hadn't been answered (earlier). She then asked what the Directors would be doing all day. She expressed that this doesn't look like a "legitimate committee," and that this was "illegal" and "out of your jurisdiction," and "you have no right to regulate my speech." Isabel Lara thanked the Committee, noting she was a taxpayer as well and wanted to be part of the solution for systems that she had been hurt by.
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5.
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ACCEPT the resignation of Mark Pighin (Disability seat) on the Advisory Council on Equal Employment Opportunity (ACEEO) and recommend that the Board of Supervisors DECLARE a vacancy on the ACEEO with the term expiration date of November 30, 2022.
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Vice Chair Gioia requested a brief explanation of the nature of the "Disability" seat, and suggested that outreach should be conducted for the seat through press releases and engagement with the Board offices. Antoine Wilson explained "Disability" in terms of mental or physical challenges. (Staff subsequently determined that this item did not need to be declared Vacant by the Board of Supervisors because the term of the seat had already concluded. Outreach could commence directly.) |
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6.
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Recommend that the Board of Supervisors on their February 28, 2023 consent calendar reappoint Roosevelt Gibson, Jr. to the Education Seat and Eric Maldonado to the Community Seat #3 on the Advisory Council on EEO. The terms for these seats will end on November 30, 2025.
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The Committee expressed their approval of the recommendation for both appointments. |
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Attachments: |
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ACEEO Roster
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Gibson Reappointment
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Maldonado Reappointment
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7.
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The next meeting is currently scheduled for Monday, March 20, 2023 at 10:30 a.m. The Equity Committee is scheduled to meet the third Monday of each month from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. |
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No change to the meeting schedule was proposed. The meeting was adjourned at 10:10 a.m. |
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8.
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Adjourn |