DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION COMMITTEE
JOHNSON COUNTY DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION COMMITTEE
MONTHLY MEETING
Tuesday, August 17, 2021 9AM-10AM
Beatty Sass Conference Room and Zoom Meeting
MEETING MINUTES
Members Present: Ines Beltre, Gary Boseneiler, Brandon Davis, Keshia Fields, John Hannaford, Lakeshia Jackson, Ben Symonds (for Fiona Johnson), Kate Klefstad, Annie Nugent, Kyle Phillips, Jordan Plath, Lynn Rose, Lora Shramek, Ana Studt, and Kelly Weston
Next Meeting Date and Time: Tuesday, September 21, 2021. September’s meeting will be at Kent Park Education Center.
Ice Breaker: Jordan. Which of the 7 dwarves are you?
Budget Balance: $14,219.44
Cultural Assessment: 9/13-9/24. Keshia has been meeting with all Dept heads and elected officials to talk about assessment. There will be incentive items for participating. Meals, gift cards, ear buds, bluetooth speakers, etc.
Welcoming Week: Friday 9/10 – Friday 9/17. Each department/office will get a tote with items in it. Events each day to participate in. On 9/17 there will be a drawing for gifts.
Language Pay Differential: https://www.portlandoregon.gov/oehr/article/783992
Kate Klefstad proposed that it is important to have staff who can connect with the community we serve especially through language. These staff should be compensated for the extra skills they bring. We would test staff for language skills. We have to determine a pay differential. There are some state collective bargaining agreements that have a language pay differential. Ines will research.
Juneteenth as a County Holiday: This holiday will be effective in 2022. Maybe a CR African American Museum event. Maybe a series in JoCo Weekly about Juneteenth. Maybe Black Lives Matter school. Keshia will check into.
ARPA: Will update next meeting.
Non-Discrimination Policy Update: Inez presented to Board of Supervisors in June. They wanted some changes. She will present again to BOS on 9/1 work session.
*ACTION ITEMS*
JoCo Weekly Article Sign up
August –Annie – Women’s Equality Day, will be posted in the August 26 JoCo Weekly
September (Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Labor Day, Ethiopian New Year, Native American Day) – Donna, John.
October (National Indigenous Peoples Day, Black History Month in UK, Ireland and The Netherlands,World Mental Health Day, National Coming Out Day, Canadian Thanksgiving, All Hallows’ Eve) Jordan, Lynn.
Upcoming Events:
Coralville Pride – September 5
Cultural Assessment – September 13-24
Welcoming Week-September 10-19
Iowa City Pride – Oct 1 -2
Other items not on the agenda:
Keshia and Lynn attended a story telling training. There were 2 sessions of 2 hours each. Both liked it. Brandon is attending soon. We can use stories of county staff helping the public to promote inclusion, diversity, cultural competency, etc.