HomeMy WebLinkAbout1999-027-03/16/1999-ADOPTING A REVISED CITY OF FORT COLLINS DIVERSITY PLAN RESOLUTION 99-27
OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS
ADOPTING A REVISED CITY OF FORT COLLINS
DIVERSITY PLAN
WHEREAS, the City of Fort Collins is strongly committed to building a community that
fosters, promotes, and enforces an environment of mutual respect for all people; and
WHEREAS, on September 7, 1993, the City Council approved Resolution 93-134 which
adopted a City of Fort Collins Diversity Plan; and
WHEREAS, the City has utilized this Diversity Plan as a guide to actively promote an
environment of mutual respect for all people; and
WHEREAS, the City now desires to update its Diversity Plan so that it will continue to
provide guidance for the City's ongoing efforts in the area of diversity; and
WHEREAS, the City's internal diversity team has proposed a revised Diversity Plan after
seeking input from the City's management and non-management employees.
NOW,THEREFORE,BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE FORT COLLINS,
COLORADO,that the Council hereby adopts the City o f Fort Collins Diversity Plan attached hereto
as Exhibit A and incorporated herein by this reference.
Passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the Council of the City of Fort Collins held this
16th day of March, A.D. 1999.
ay err �
ATTEST:
City Clerk
EXHIBIT "A"
City Of Fort Collins
Diversity Plan
A Guide For Ongoing Efforts in the
Area of Diversity
City of Fort Collins Diversity Team:
Becca Austin
Lori Clements-Grote
Laurie Fonken-Joseph
Suzanne Jarboe-Simpson
Diane Jones
Blair Leist
Rebecca O'Donnell
Lilly Tellez-Garcia
Greg Tempel
March 1999
March 5, 1999
City of Fort Collins
Diversity Plan
Introduction
The City of Fort Collins strives to honor and respect the diverse values, beliefs, life
experiences, and contributions of one another and the community we serve. This
Diversity Plan outlines the City's roles and responsibilities as a leader, service provider,
and employer. By implementing this plan, it is our intent to support the vision of a
community that "fosters, promotes, and enforces an environment of respect for ALL
PEOPLE."
Background and History
The City of Fort Collins, in 1992, was one of the founding organizations of the
community-wide Cultural Diversity Task Force (CDTF). After a thorough assessment of
the Fort Collins community and the needs of our multi-cultural, multi-ethnic and multi-
racial citizens, the CDTF made recommendations to various entities in Fort Collins which
would help us create "A community that fosters, promotes, and enforces an environment
of mutual respect for ALL PEOPLE."
Because the City shared in this vision, a diversity team was established in 1993 and this
group drafted a Diversity Plan which was approved by City Council and implemented by
the City organization that same year.
In January 1998, an assessment of the accomplishments made by the City in the area of
diversity was completed. This assessment revealed that a great deal of work has been, and
continues to be, done in the area of diversity and inclusiveness. The assessment also
served as a tool for the diversity team as it reviewed and revised the Diversity Plan. The
result of this review is a Diversity Plan which has been created to guide the City in its
ongoing efforts to work together internally, as well as with the entire Fort Collins
community, to create a place which is welcoming, inclusive and respectful of all people.
Challenges
In the course of defining values and implementing actions that underscore and support
diverse ideas, perspectives and approaches, it sometimes seems counter to the values and
needs related to organizational consistency, equality and uniformity. Yet, in a public
organization like the City, both concepts - diversity and uniformity—are necessary. The
challenge is how to appropriately balance these so that individuals who work in an
organization feel valued and respected while at the same time the organization operates
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effectively with policies and procedures that assure employees are addressed with
consistency, equality and in ways that are similar to other employees. It is a challenge
that is never ending yet one that we feel is well worth the effort.
How To Use This Guide
In viewing our role toward achieving this vision, a Diversity Plan has been developed to
guide us in the achievement of our commitment. As a City, the goals and actions related
to diversity continue to be carried out in three major areas:
1. Leadership: As elected officials and public employees, we believe we are
responsible for providing community leadership that fosters and promotes a
community that supports diversity and cultivates an environment that is welcoming
and inclusive of all people.
2. Service Provider: Through the many services the City provides the Fort Collins'
community, we believe we should provide and deliver services that address the
diverse needs of our customers, both internal and external. At the same time,
recognizing that customers are likely to have differing values and needs that may
impact the services provided, we consider those values and differences when offering
services.
3. Employer: As a major public employer, we believe it is our responsibility to monitor
the City's work force and establish recruitment action plans to better support and
reflect the diversity of relevant labor markets in all job categories and to create an
awareness, appreciation and ability to work witli the diversity in our work force.
The attached Diversity Plan is a guide for ongoing efforts in the area of diversity. The
action steps in each of the three major areas are to be used as suggestions for
organization-wide efforts as well as individual sery ice areas and departments. It is
anticipated that each service area will expand and modify the actions steps to address
their specific needs. The diversity team will work with individual departments on the
implementation of decided actions.
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LEADERSHIP
Goal: To foster and promote a community that supports diversity and cultivates an
environment that is welcoming and inclusive of all people.
Strategy A: Develop a concise statement on behalf of the City government that
reflects the City's values, beliefs, and goals regarding diversity.
Action Steps:
1. Establish a joint work group between staff and a City Council
representative to prepare a statement that would be considered by the
City Council for adoption.
2. Once adopted, distribute the statement to all employees, to entities
throughout the community, and to the citizens at large.
Service Area/Department Action Steps:*
1.
2.
3.
Strategy B: City elected officials and City employees will take an active role in
ongoing diversity efforts in the community.
Action Steps:
1. Periodically "tap" the community for ideas and advice in creating a
community that respects and appreciates the diversity of all people
within our community.
2. Sponsor and/or co-sponsor opportunities for community dialogue,
education and resolution of public problems on diversity-related
issues.
3. Design, participate in and publicize activities and events that examine,
explore and celebrate the diverse perspectives that make up our
community. Encourage participation at all levels to show
organizational commitment to such programs.
4. Partner with other public and private entities to develop and carry out
initiatives that will help create a safe, welcoming and more inclusive
community.
Once the Diversity Plan is adopted, Service Areas will identify action steps relative to this as well as other
goal and strategy sections throughout this plan.
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5. Partner with other public and private entities to provide diversity
training and educational programs for local leaders, employees of
entities, and citizens.
6. Work with neighborhoods to develop and implement programs and
activities that help cultivate an environment that is safe, welcoming
and inclusive.
7. Regularly publicize to the community activities and incentives the City
is doing to promote diversity issues both within the City organization
and throughout the community.
8. Provide all City Council members with a diversity "briefing" and
information about the City's vision, policies and programs regarding
diversity.
Service Area/Department Action Steps:
1.
2.
3.
Strategy C: City policies,programs and services will be sensitive to and
consider the diverse needs of City staff and the citizens that make up our
community.
Action Steps:
1. Develop and advocate policies that take into account and address the
needs of a diverse community.
2. Formulate policies that reflect a value for diversity and the diverse
needs of the citizens of our community. Over the next five years,
policies that pertain to housing and the process for handling human
rights' complaints will be a particular focus.
3. Formulate and implement internal policies which foster inclusion
within the organization.
4. Advocate and promote membership on boards and commissions which
is representative of and reflects the diversity of the community.
5. Ensure an equitable placement and distribution of public facilities
throughout the community. This includes recreational and cultural
facilities as well as basic service facilities.
6. Develop a city-wide diversity recognition award.
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Service Area/Department Action Steps:
12.
3.
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SERVICE PROVIDER
Goal: To be an informed provider of services to all customers, both internal and
external; demonstrate a willingness to include all those who will be affected by
the service, or think they will be affected; and understand that the customer may
have different values, which may impact the service provided and be willing to
consider those values when offering services.
Strategy A: Assess the needs for services, evaluate ways services are provided,
and work to meet the needs of Fort Collins' diverse community.
Action Steps for Accessibility of Information and Services:
1. Provide key written materials in a variety of languages.
2. Provide options for spoken or signed translations at community
meetings, when requested.
3. Provide staff with multi-lingual skills, or services with multi-lingual
capacity, to assist customers in those departments whose role is
primarily customer contact.
4. Schedule public meetings for times and locations that encourage public
participation.
Service Area/Department Action Steps:
1.
2.
3.
Strategy B: Be clear about the organizational position on diversity both within
the work force and in the community at large.
Action Steps for Corporate Values
1. Define and publicize corporate values, including ones on inclusion,
respectful treatment and so on.
2. Define and publicize employee behaviors that support corporate
values.
3. Use corporate values to measure success in programs, for funding
decisions, and so on.
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Service Area/Department Action Steps:
1.
2.
3.
Strategy C: Foster awareness of diversity through education and promote
representative inclusion of members of the community on boards and
commissions.
Actions Steps for Community Education:
1. Actively participate in community education efforts that support
inclusive, respectful behaviors and environments for all.
2. Partner with one or two entities to design and implement programs or
products that reinforce inclusive, respectful behaviors and
environments.
Service Area/Department Action Steps:
1.
2.
3.
Action Steps for Board and Commission Membership
1. Conduct training programs on Board and Commission responsibilities.
2. Review recruitment and selection processes for Boards and
Commission members in light ofinclusive values.
3. Conduct training programs for staff liaisons to Boards and
Commissions in light of inclusive values.
Service Area/Department Action Steps:
1.
2.
3.
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EMPLOYER
Goal: To monitor the City's internal work force and establish recruitment and retention
action plans to better support and reflect the diversity of relevant tabor markets in all job
categories. To create an awareness, appreciation and ability to work with the diversity in
our work force.
Strategy: Review and improve recruitment, training, retention, staff
development, promotion, discipline, and performance evaluations.
Action Steps for Recruitment:
1. Review recruitment and retention process to ensure consistency with
diversity values.
2. Encourage interview boards to reflect a diverse panel of gender,
ethnicity and professional categories.
3. Routinely place advertisements for recruitment in markets to advise
potential minority applicants of employment opportunities.
4. Design and implement creative outreach programs to gain access to
qualified applicants that are not traditionally applying for vacant
positions.
5. Continually provide equal opportunity employment to the general
public by advertising and creatively promoting available openings,
such as the Seasonal and Temporary Employment Job Fair.
6. Work toward developing a mentoring program in partnership with
Colorado State University, Front Range Community College, and/or
Poudre School District.
Service Area/Department Action Steps:
1.
2.
3.
Action Steps for Training:
1. Review and prioritize City training needs with suggested revisions
consistent with a diversity focus to include interviewing skills, how
people work together, respect of different work styles, gender issues
and ethnic diversity.
2. Provide training and development opportunities with managers'
support.
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Service Area/Department Action Steps:
1.
2.
3.
Action Steps for Retention/Staff Development:
1. Create and implement clearly stated values, policies and procedures
regarding behavior and treatment of others.
2. Work toward developing and promoting mentoring, career path
planning and shadow training opportunities for employees interested in
gaining management insight and skills toward advancement in the
organization.
3. Identify and address obstacles to successful employee development.
4. Conduct performance appraisal training and review performance
criteria. Reinforce behaviors that are respectful of others, apply City
policies to any circumstances involving harassment or discrimination,
and take prompt and consistent corrective actions where necessary.
Incorporate the City's diversity goals as part of performance appraisals
as appropriate.
Service Area/Department Action Steps:
1.
2.
3.
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