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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-10-13 Policy & Services Committee Summary MinutesPOLICY AND SERVICES COMMITTEE FINAL SENSE MINUTES Page 1 of 6 Regular Meeting October 13, 2020 The Policy and Services Committee of the City of Palo Alto met on this date by virtual teleconference at 7:03 P.M. Present: Cormack, Filseth, Kou Absent: Oral Communications None. Agenda Items 1. Staff Recommends the Policy and Services Committee Recommend the City Council Accept the Status Updates on Recommendations From the Community Services Department Fee Schedule Audit. Monique leConge Ziesenhenne, Assistant City Manager introduced Jazmin LeBlanc and Kristen O’Kane from the Community Services Department (CSD) who presented the item to the Policy and Service Committee (Committee). Jazmin LeBlanc, Community Services Assistant Director reported that in February 2017 the City Auditor’s Office conducted an audit that reviewed all of Palo Alto’s (City) Revenue-Generating Programs in the CSD. Three recommendations came out of that audit, two were approved and one remained outstanding. The outstanding recommendation advised the department to reconfigure the department’s Systems and Applications and Data Processing (SAP) as well as Cost Center to ensure that expenses and revenues lined up. Throughout several budget cycles, the department was able to do clean up items and satisfy the recommendation. Kristen O’Kane, Community Services Director disclosed that since all recommendations have been satisfied she recommended that the audit be closed. Council Member Filseth asked if other City services were legally allowed to recover more than the Cost of Service. FINAL SENSE MINUTES Page 2 of 6 Policy & Services Committee Meeting Final Sense Minutes: 10/13/2020 Molly Stump, City Attorney answered that City services that were required to be administered by municipalities were limited to the cost of providing the service. Other City-provided services were optional services and those were able to exceed Cost Recovery levels. MOTION: Council Member Kou moved, seconded by Chair Cormack to recommend the City Council accept the Status of Audit Recommendations resulting from the City Auditor’s Community Services Department Fee Schedule Audit. INCORPORATED INTO THE MOTION WITH THE CONSENT OF THE MAKER AND SECONDER to close this audit. MOTION AS AMENDED RESTATED: Council Member Kou moved, seconded by Chair Cormack to recommend the City Council accept the attached Status of Audit Recommendations resulting from the City Auditor’s Community Services Department Fee Schedule Audit and to close this audit. MOTION AS AMENDED PASSED: 3-0 2. Discussion Regarding the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) as a Component of Citywide Diversity and Inclusion. Monique leConge Ziesenhenne, Assistant City Manager presented a high-level overview of the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) to the Policy and Services Committee (Committee). In April 2001, the Human Relations Commission (HRC) discussed the item which then moved to City Council (Council) in 2002 and Council approved a Resolution. In 2016, Council approved another Resolution that was also reviewed by the HRC that was titled Reaffirming Palo Alto’s Commitment to a Diverse, Supportive, Inclusive, and Protective Community. After that, the HRC continued to work on a Report around gender issues in the community, and in 2018 Council received that Report which included recommendations from the HRC. Council has continued to work on components of the CEDAW measure in their Ad Hoc Committees. Chair Cormack suggested a 5-minute break so that Staff could work out some technical issues. The Committee took a break at 7:22 P.M. and returned at 7:27 P.M. Chair Cormack asked Ms. Ziesenhenne to present her presentation again and then opened public comment. FINAL SENSE MINUTES Page 3 of 6 Policy & Services Committee Meeting Final Sense Minutes: 10/13/2020 Valerie Stinger clarified that she was a Commissioner on the HRC but was speaking for herself. She requested that race and gender receive individual attention as the Council proceeds with their discussion. Cheryl Spencer announced that she was a member of the Palo Alto Branch of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom and the coalition called Cities for CEDAW. She clarified that no Gender Analysis was conducted and that a Gender Analysis was the first step in writing an Ordinance. Helen Young was delighted that the Committee was discussing CEDAW. Steven Lee summarized that CEDAW was a recommendation unanimously supported by the HRC and unanimously referred to the Committee by Council. Many coalitions, groups, and individuals within the community supported CEDAW. He encouraged the Committee and Council to move along in the process speedily. Roberta Ahlquist wanted to see action taken to implement a CEDAW Ordinance within the City. Council Member Kou questioned if CEDAW would protect women if Proposition 16 was passed. Molly Stump, City Attorney explained that Proposition 209 banned the practice of municipalities using race and gender as a factor when hiring employees or contractors. Proposition 16 returned that practice. CEDAW in an umbrella looked at barriers for girls and women in a variety of different ways. Council Member Kou asked what was involved in starting a Gender Analysis Study. Ms. Stump emphasized that it depended on what was being studied and how broad that study was. Ms. Ziesenhenne confirmed that was correct and the City needed to hire a consultant to carry out that Study. Council Member Kou inquired if the School District was a potential partner. Ms. Ziesenhenne acknowledged that Staff could ask. Council Member Filseth affirmed that Council was grappling with how broad CEDAW was and how to focus it. One issue was a problem within the City and City Hall and the other issue was that the United States had not recognized the United Nations Convention. He wanted to hear more about what work the Council Ad Hoc Committee was working on. FINAL SENSE MINUTES Page 4 of 6 Policy & Services Committee Meeting Final Sense Minutes: 10/13/2020 Chair Cormack agreed that there were two components; the City as an employer and the City as a provider of programs and services. She advised as a first step to do a Gender Pay Analysis. In terms of the City as a provider of services, a first step was for the Community Services Department (CSD) to analyze how much money was being spent on programs for girls and women and how much was being spent for boys and men. The Ad Hoc Committee was working on how the City provided a great place for everyone to work regardless of who they were, how much money was spent on services that were provided to the community and City behavior. She asked if there was any work that Staff was working on that they wanted shared with the Committee. Kristen O’Kane, Community Services Director noted that a substantial amount of work was completed by the Human Services Office. Minka Van der Zwaag, Manager of Human Services of Community Services Department reported that she was researching CECAW, educating colleagues on what CEDAW was and options of what the City was able to do to accommodate CEDAW. In terms of a Gender Analysis, she recommended that a template be drafted to implement each year for specific City departments or City programs or topics. She encouraged the Committee to understand what the situation was for girls and women in the community before moving forward with initiatives. Council Member Kou asked if any of the suggestions were able to be accomplished under Edge. Ms. Van der Zwaag clarified if that was the company that did gender equity certification. Council Member Kou confirmed that was correct. Ms. Van der Zwaag mentioned that no other City at the time had used that program for their Gender Equity Certification. She noted that the City of Berkeley, which was the closest City to Palo Alto’s size, did not do a Gender Equity Survey when they initiated their CEDAW Ordinance. Council Member Kou inquired if Santa Clara County was involved. Ms. Van der Zwaag mentioned that Santa Clara County set up a Community Committee and have identified six topics that they discussed at their meetings, which were held twice a year. FINAL SENSE MINUTES Page 5 of 6 Policy & Services Committee Meeting Final Sense Minutes: 10/13/2020 Council Member Filseth advised the City to identify projects and try to tackle those under the umbrella of CEDAW as opposed to doing a Gender Equity Study. Ms. Van der Zwaag disclosed her ideas which included looking at the CSD’s recreational programs or looking at individual areas of the City. Council Member Filseth wanted to know if there were any gaps in data that the City was able to work to fill in. Ms. Van der Zwaag noted that there were items within the Human Resources Department (HR) that State law has already addressed in terms of hiring. Ms. O’Kane added that the Parks and Recreation Commission (PARC) was also interested in understanding if the CSD was providing equal opportunities in the recreation programs and classes. Chair Cormack envisioned two directions that the City could go. One direction was to continue the Item to next month and that Staff come back with a range of options for the next steps. Another direction was to determine if CEDAW fits within the diversity and inclusion work that the City Manager’s Office was working on. Council Member Filseth wanted to move forward and start projects. Chair Cormack felt that the item needed to be continued. Council Member Kou agreed with Chair Cormack’s statement. MOTION: Chair Cormack moved, seconded by Council Member Kou to recommend the Council direct Policy and Services Committee continue discussion of this item; direct Staff return in a month with a range of options for next steps, including cost and time frames, reconciling this work with the work of the Ad Hoc Committee on Diversity and Inclusion, such as specific areas to focus on, to consider the first format, such as a summit, an audit, a subcommittee or another partner such as a university; and to have Staff connect with Palo Alto Unified School District. Chair Cormack restated that the item did need to move forward and would benefit from a more thought out approach. Council Member Kou agreed. Council Member Filseth requested that Staff gather the work that the HR did on the topic. FINAL SENSE MINUTES Page 6 of 6 Policy & Services Committee Meeting Final Sense Minutes: 10/13/2020 Council Member Kou asked if positions were left vacant because the City was looking for equality within a department. Ms. Stump answered no, the positions were not filled that way. CEDAW focused on what barriers were able to be removed so that both genders felt welcome to apply for a position. MOTION PASSED: 3-0 Future Meetings and Agendas Monique leConge Ziesenhenne, Assistant City Manager announced that the Audit Workplan was going to be coming forward next meeting, as well as the Legislative Priorities and Recommendations to make to City Council for 2021. CEDAW and the process for Priority Setting for Council’s retreat was to be brought forward as well. Chair Cormack requested that the Federal Lobbyist be present at the meeting to answer any questions regarding Legislative Priorities. Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 8:26 P.M.