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Wednesday, October 22, 2025

6:00 PM · 1h 17m
Topic tracked across meetings:
Update on Equity Framework 2/2
Section
Topic
3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
3a
Minutes of September 3, 2025 meeting
5 min · packet pp.5–7
Staff report:
APPROVAL OF MINUTES a) 09-03-25 Equity Board Minutes Page [0000] CITY OF ISSAQUAH Equity Board 6:00 PM Steelhead Room, 235 1st Ave. September 3, 2025 MINUTES SE, Issaquah
4. CHAIR REPORT
4a
Opening Question
5 min · Lesley Millender-Irwin, Equity Board Chair
5. STAFF REPORT
5a
Updates since the September 3, 2025 meeting
5 min · Gillian Straub, Management Analyst
6. AGENDA ITEMS
6a
Equity Assessment RFP Review
Discussion · 30 min · Gillian Straub, Management Analyst · packet pp.9–18
Topics: Equity
Staff report:
Issaquah Equity Visioning and Assessment Submit Proposals to: Advertisement Date: Attention:
6b
Update on Equity Framework
Discussion · 15 min · Lesley Millender-Irwin, Karthik Kashinath, Quan Palmer, Chris Ziade - Equity Framework Subcommittee
Topics: Equity
7. OTHER BUSINESS / ANNOUNCEMENTS
7a
Deferred Review of Equity Criteria for City Transportation Projects
5 min · Gillian Straub, Management Analyst · packet pp.19
Topics: TransportationEquity
Staff report:
To: Equity Board From: The Administration Date: October 22, 2025 RE: Deferred Review of Equity Criteria for City Transportation Projects
7b
2026 Issaquah Climate Action Plan Update and Equity Board Engagement
5 min · Gillian Straub, Management Analyst · packet pp.21–23
Topics: ClimateEquity
Staff report:
Office of Sustainability 130 E. Sunset Way | P.O. Box 1307 Issaquah, WA 98027 Issaquahwa.gov
0:02 meeting of the equity board at 6:03 p.m.
0:06 And um we have a quorum this evening,
0:08 Julian.
0:09 >> Yes, we do.
0:10 >> Fantastic. Uh would you like to call the
0:13 role?
0:13 >> Yeah, I would love to.
0:15 >> Thank you.
0:15 >> All right. If you're present, please say
0:18 so. Um Leslie Millinder,
0:21 >> present.
0:22 >> Harsh.
0:23 >> Heather Youngs,
0:25 >> present.
0:28 Vicky Moody Pan here. Varnica.
0:32 Laura Gilmore. She has an excused
0:34 absence tonight. Um Chris Sadi
0:40 >> present.
0:41 >> Okay. Oscar Montana
0:43 >> present.
0:43 >> Juan Palmer,
0:45 Kelly Mun,
0:46 >> present.
0:47 >> Nisha Nair,
0:49 and Kunal. All right.
0:52 >> Great. Fantastic. And this is the part
0:55 of our meeting this evening where um we
0:57 are open for public comments. So do we
1:00 have any members of the public that
1:01 would like to speak at this evening's
1:03 meeting?
1:04 >> Yes. I am Victor and I am a member of
1:08 the community
1:10 for many years. is a sculpture artist
1:12 and
1:14 just someone who cares about um
1:18 transportation and the safety of the
1:20 kids getting back and forth with their
1:22 new hot rod electrical vehicles that are
1:26 speeding and having fun. [laughter]
1:30 So yeah, I'm just here to see if I can
1:33 help anyone here.
1:34 >> Perfect.
1:35 >> Wonderful. Thank you so much for joining
1:37 us, Victor. Thank you for that.
1:39 >> Victor, could I have your last name just
1:41 for the record?
1:42 >> White.
1:42 >> White. Okay.
1:43 >> Thank you.
1:44 >> Everybody calls me the moss man.
1:48 >> Let me stick around long.
1:50 [laughter]
1:55 >> Fantastic. All right. Our next um agenda
1:57 item would be the approval of the
1:58 minutes from the September 3rd, 2025
2:01 equity board meeting. So, they're inside
2:03 of your u meeting packets. If everyone
2:06 would like to take a moment to review
2:08 the minutes and let me know if you have
2:10 any comments, changes, additions
2:56 >> [clears throat]
3:04 >> Okay. Were there any comments or
3:06 corrections to the minutes of September
3:08 3rd?
3:11 Okay. Looks like there are not. So, may
3:14 I ask for a motion uh to approve the
3:16 minutes of September 3rd, 2025 of the
3:18 equity board?
3:20 >> I can make a motion to approve.
3:22 >> Fantastic.
3:24 >> Second.
3:24 >> All right. Any discussion?
3:29 Okay. Guess we can um call for the vote
3:32 to approve the minutes.
3:35 >> I think if there's no discussion, I
3:36 think they're just approved by
3:37 >> Oh, just approved. Okay. I'm doing my
3:40 meetings at my meeting. Go ahead. You're
3:41 good. Okay.
3:46 >> All right. Fantastic. So, uh, the chair
3:49 report. So, uh, opening question. I
3:51 thought we could have a fun question
3:53 tonight, which is, if you could have any
3:55 supernatural power just for Halloween
3:58 night, what would it be?
4:01 So, if you could have any supernatural
4:03 power just for Halloween night, which I
4:06 do believe is next week, what would it
4:09 be? So, who' like to start?
4:16 And I think we should start with the
4:17 folks on Zoom.
4:20 >> Yeah, I'll go ahead. Um, probably
4:23 flying. I like flying and travel, so I
4:25 think it'd be perfect to kind of like
4:27 take that opportunity and just like jet
4:30 all around to different places, you
4:33 know, with the flight ability. And yeah,
4:37 >> that sounds fun.
4:39 [clears throat]
4:40 Awesome.
4:45 Let's see.
4:45 >> I'll go next.
4:49 >> Just piggy backing off of that. Yeah,
4:52 teleportation would be great. Um, skip
4:55 the lines, travel. Um, can go anywhere I
4:58 want.
5:05 >> What about Dale?
5:08 Oh my gosh, what a good qu. I I have to
5:10 agree with Chris. Immediately flying
5:13 came to mind. Um being able to zip
5:16 around, get to get to the next the next
5:19 house or the next neighborhood uh
5:22 quickly would be uh key.
5:25 [laughter]
5:33 Let's see. And we have Misha
5:38 So Nisha,
5:39 >> hi everyone. I'm sorry to be late.
5:43 >> No worries. So the question, the opening
5:46 question for tonight is, if you could
5:47 have any supernatural power just for
5:50 Halloween night, what would it be?
5:55 >> Oh, that's good.
6:00 I think also I think I think the travel
6:04 I think the ability to go from every
6:06 single house to get candy
6:09 in the world would be incredible.
6:12 >> Oh, that's sweet. In the world.
6:15 >> In the world. Go big or go home.
6:17 [laughter]
6:21 [clears throat]
6:22 >> Think we got all of our our zoomers. Um,
6:25 who wants to go next?
6:26 >> Uh oh. time travel. I would love to see
6:29 my family in the past and in the future.
6:31 >> You took my answer.
6:34 [snorts]
6:35 >> Very cool.
6:35 >> I'll go next. Um, I'm going to have to
6:39 say teleportation. That was the one that
6:41 I thought about today. That would be so
6:42 neat to go anywhere in minutes and then
6:45 come back and then go again. So, yes.
6:50 >> Very cool. I can go next.
6:52 >> Um, to be able to create whatever treat
6:55 anyone wants instantly.
6:58 >> yeah.
7:01 >> Um I would say something along the lines
7:04 like like the Flash being able to run
7:07 everywhere to see us get as much candy
7:09 and see [laughter] as many haunted
7:11 houses as I possibly could.
7:14 >> So Corfix was very kind. I would be
7:17 going the opposite direction. I was
7:18 thinking being invisible so I could
7:20 totally sneak up and scare people for
7:22 real. [laughter]
7:24 Real Halloween.
7:28 Victor, do you want to share?
7:29 >> Oh, I thought this was just for y'all.
7:32 >> Oh, you're here with us. So, if you
7:34 could have any supernatural power for
7:36 just for Halloween, what would it be?
7:39 >> Hercules. Hercules.
7:42 >> I [clears throat] would like
7:44 Hercules power. That way I could lift up
7:48 anything for one night and I would be
7:51 moving
7:53 a lot of things that are kind of
7:55 blocking the salmon from doing their
7:57 thing, blocking the people and doing
8:00 their thing just for one night just to
8:03 help out the nature and and people.
8:07 >> All right.
8:08 >> Very nice, Michael.
8:10 >> Well, thank you guys. I love all these
8:12 great responses.
8:14 Fantastic.
8:21 >> Jeff, I don't know who
8:22 >> I know who Jeff is. I
8:23 >> was gonna say
8:24 >> he might be uh a relative. [laughter]
8:28 Yeah. And he might be there with my uh
8:30 father. So, um, so, um, uh, Jeff Irwin,
8:35 the question, our opening question for
8:37 this evening is, if you could have any
8:40 supernatural power just for Halloween
8:41 night, what would it be?
8:45 >> Question.
8:46 >> Yeah, she's asking she's asking me that
8:48 question. It would be to breathe
8:49 underwater.
8:51 >> Cool.
8:52 >> I've scuba dived and it's like a whole
8:54 different world down there.
8:57 >> Okay. Very cool. And yet and yes, your
9:00 father is here. [laughter]
9:03 >> Hello, Les Father.
9:07 >> Hello.
9:07 >> We have a special guest, Les Millinder,
9:09 visiting from California.
9:14 >> Thank you guys. It's great answers.
9:18 >> All right, it looks like our next item
9:20 on the agenda is our staff report from
9:21 Jillian.
9:22 >> Thank you. All right, so I have a couple
9:24 of updates for you all. So, um I think
9:28 you'll recall that at our last meeting
9:30 there was a lot of prep for culture
9:31 fest. Um and then that happened that
9:34 week. Um council president, deputy
9:37 deputy council president D. Michelle had
9:39 interest in using that equity versus
9:41 equality um sign board at the farmers
9:43 market. It didn't end up happening
9:44 because of like space at the at the
9:47 booth. Um but I think there might be
9:48 interest in using it at future events.
9:50 So it's stored at city hall and I'll
9:52 make sure that Dale knows where that is
9:54 at. um for you all or if council wants
9:57 to use that um because I think that went
10:00 really well.
10:01 >> Thanks.
10:01 >> All right. Um so this meeting was
10:04 originally scheduled to be a joint
10:05 meeting with the transportation advisory
10:07 board. There are two purposes to this
10:08 meeting. The first was going to be to
10:11 discuss refining the equity
10:12 considerations in the city's
10:14 transportation projects and to discuss
10:17 the Isco climate action plan update with
10:19 the transportation advisory board. So
10:21 the transportation portion of this um is
10:24 going to be deferred until next year. Um
10:27 we we adopt an annual transportation
10:29 improvement plan or TIP. Um but it's
10:32 actually adopted uh every two years as
10:34 part of the larger capital improvements
10:36 plan which includes capital projects for
10:38 our parks facilities
10:40 um you know sewer, storm water, our
10:43 different utility projects. So, we
10:45 thought that if we were going to uh
10:46 potentially look at the equity
10:48 considerations, we should do it with all
10:50 city projects in mind and not just this
10:52 narrow set of um of transportation
10:55 projects. So, the next CIP will be the
10:57 20 will kick off the CIP process in
11:01 2027. So, next year we'll likely review
11:05 um some of the transportation some of
11:08 the equity criteria for the capital
11:10 improvement plan. So, that's been
11:11 deferred. it hasn't been um taken off
11:14 the list. There's a memo in the I think
11:16 maybe other business portion of your
11:18 agenda that explains that u from the
11:20 administration and I'm happy to answer
11:22 any questions about that. Um the IAAP
11:24 update was deferred until November 19th.
11:27 Um at that meeting uh the sustainability
11:30 program manager will come and provide an
11:32 update on where they're at with their
11:34 IAP update efforts. Um and they'll be
11:36 asking for one or two of you to join
11:38 their metrics committee to review um
11:41 selected metrics from the IAP plan for
11:43 equity in mind. Um this was removed from
11:46 the agenda just because it made more
11:47 sense to talk to equity board about
11:49 equity related items and talk to TAB
11:51 about the transportation portion of the
11:53 IAP. So that's why it's no longer a
11:56 joint meeting and just a regular meeting
11:58 um of the equity board. Are there any
12:00 questions? Yeah.
12:01 >> What is IP?
12:02 >> Oh the is climate action plan. Okay.
12:05 Sorry, [laughter and gasps]
12:07 >> I have a related comment.
12:09 >> Okay.
12:09 >> The um King County strategic climate
12:12 action plan was just approved by county
12:15 council
12:16 >> maybe yesterday and so I don't know if
12:18 there's an opportunity for the high cap
12:21 for them to explore aligning with that
12:24 regional impact.
12:25 >> Yeah, our sustainability division is
12:27 awesome and I'm sure they're already
12:29 aware, but I'll ping them and let them
12:30 know.
12:36 All right. And then you all see Dale
12:38 Murphy Crimp on the line. She uh she is
12:41 back in action. So she'll be your
12:43 liaison starting November 19th. Um and I
12:47 won't be your liaison anymore. Um I do
12:49 just want to say thank you. Um I'm been
12:51 a liazison for for an Isiqua border
12:54 commission and you all were really
12:55 patient um with me and I just I really
12:58 appreciate the opportunity to work with
12:59 you all and to work on equity items. I'm
13:01 sure I'll be back in front of you with
13:02 the equity assessment and any number of
13:04 other things, but you'll see Dale in
13:06 this chair starting in November.
13:08 >> We want to thank you for all of your
13:11 tireless work, your patience with uh a
13:14 lot of us newbies here and the guidance
13:17 and uh just the the the positive energy
13:21 that you've brought to the role. Um I
13:23 appreciate you and I want to thank you
13:24 very much for everything you've done.
13:26 So, thank you.
13:27 >> Thank you. Thanks a lot. You're here.
13:30 >> [laughter]
13:30 >> ask that question.
13:32 >> Yeah.
13:32 >> Um the the role as a liaison, but I'm
13:36 new to these types of meetings. What? I
13:40 don't know.
13:40 >> Yeah. So, our city advisory boards and
13:43 commissions advise the mayor and her
13:45 administration on different policies and
13:48 things like that and the liaison role
13:49 facilitates that advising. So brings
13:51 topics to to the board to consider,
13:54 responds to to board interest in
13:56 different topics, and does some like
13:58 administrative things like this is a
13:59 public meeting, so take a few minutes
14:00 and that kind of a thing.
14:02 >> Yeah. Um, speaking of the fact that Dale
14:05 will be back for the November 19th
14:07 meeting, you all have a request from her
14:09 to see which date works better for your
14:11 December meeting, either December 10th
14:13 or 17th. So if you haven't emailed her
14:15 already about what date works better for
14:17 you, um, you all won't be meeting on
14:19 December 3rd. So, just let her know
14:21 which date works best.
14:24 All right. And that is all I've got.
14:36 So, we're going to go to I guess our
14:37 next agenda item, and that's the um
14:39 equity assessment RP review.
14:42 >> Yes. And and this is me as well. All
14:44 right. [snorts]
14:46 Let me go ahead and share my screen.
14:49 Uh the RFP is in your pocket for those
14:52 of you who are in the room or the link
14:54 is there um for those of you joining.
14:59 Um and I'm here to to talk to you a
15:01 little bit about it and to get a little
15:02 bit of feedback from all of you on the
15:04 draft RFP. And then we'd also like for
15:06 one or two of you to serve on the
15:08 selection committee for consultants. So
15:10 I'd also like to understand um your
15:12 interest in doing that as we gear up for
15:14 that.
15:16 So, we'll have four questions to discuss
15:18 tonight. Um, it's just broken out this
15:19 way so that we can have a targeted
15:21 discussion on all of these. So, the
15:23 first question is, is the proposed
15:25 community engagement sufficient
15:27 considering both budget and need? And
15:28 we'll talk a little bit more about what
15:30 that means? If not, what is missing? Are
15:33 the proposed touch points with the
15:34 equity board the right ones? Are there
15:37 other places where this board thinks it
15:39 should be involved?
15:41 Okay. Um, and then
15:45 are the proposed deliverables the right
15:47 ones? If not, what's missing from our
15:49 deliverables list? And then are there
15:51 one or two of you who'd like to assist
15:53 with consultant selection? So, just for
15:56 a little bit of background, the last
15:57 touch point with you all on this um just
16:00 on the equity assessment as a whole was
16:02 actually in September 2024.
16:04 Um, I think you all remember that I was
16:06 in front of you a fair few times in the
16:08 last year with the Evans team. that
16:11 group was really focused on city boards
16:12 and commissions and taking a bite out of
16:14 some of the um some of the assessment
16:17 work there. Um this is the larger all
16:20 city programs evaluation that we're
16:22 talking about now. So when we last
16:24 talked about this RFP as a whole, some
16:27 of the some of the feedback that I had
16:28 gotten from you all was the importance
16:30 of data. Um where to point staff to it,
16:33 how to use it in evaluating our programs
16:35 for equity. Um, also I remember uh a lot
16:40 of importance on getting community
16:41 agreement on what the goals are are,
16:44 what equity means in Isiqua, noting that
16:46 sometimes there's confusion in these
16:48 conversations among staff, among other
16:50 boards and commissions, among community
16:52 members, among electeds. So really
16:53 getting everyone on the same page with
16:56 what equity is going to mean here for us
16:57 and what our goals are. Uh, and then you
17:00 all had a fair bit of interest in equity
17:02 board involvement. Also, you can shut
17:05 the door if you want to.
17:08 [laughter]
17:09 [clears throat]
17:11 >> Um, so you all had interest in
17:13 participating perhaps in some of the
17:14 community engagement. We really want to
17:16 lean into you all um some of the experts
17:18 in the community and people who care a
17:20 lot about this. So, this is one of the
17:21 places where I'm going to ask for your
17:22 feedback on the draft RFP. So, this was
17:25 drafted by the equity team over the
17:27 course of the summer. Um, that's that
17:28 internal staff team that works on equity
17:31 items. Um, and it was it probably went
17:34 to them four or five times just because
17:36 this is a little bit tricky to um,
17:38 navigate given the budget that we have
17:40 for this. So, we spent a lot of time
17:41 talking about what actually made it into
17:43 this RFP and how to get there with the
17:45 funds that we have. Um, it then went to
17:47 our staff leadership team and the mayor
17:50 for review and they've signed off on
17:52 what you see in front of you today. So,
17:54 you all are the last stop before um,
17:56 before publication.
18:01 Okay, so overall we have $50,000. Um,
18:05 and what we want to do with that
18:07 $50,000, actually let me back up for a
18:09 second. We've talked about this project
18:10 in three phases. Goal setting, equity
18:13 program evaluation or assessment, and
18:16 then an equity action plan. We want to
18:18 get through all of phase one with this
18:20 $50,000 and take a bite out of phase
18:23 two. So really look at creating an
18:25 assessment tool that we can use to
18:27 evaluate our programs and have the
18:30 consultant do a pilot review of one or
18:32 two programs um so that we can uh we can
18:37 see how it works. We can build a little
18:38 bit of staff capacity to continue work
18:41 in phase two. Phase two won't likely be
18:43 complete at the end of this um at the
18:46 end of this um but we know that we want
18:49 to make progress and we know that we
18:50 want to do more than just visioning um
18:52 and goal setting. So that was really
18:54 important to staff.
18:56 So let me walk through the deliverables
18:58 a little bit. So phase one goal setting
19:01 is really focused on getting community
19:05 input on what equity means in ESQA. So
19:08 the deliverables I'll read them briefly
19:10 here because I want your feedback on uh
19:13 on the public touch points and on the
19:14 touch points with all of you. So we're
19:17 asking for one meeting with staff on a
19:20 staff developed community engagement
19:22 plan. This is something that I would
19:23 envision bringing to the equity board to
19:25 get you all get your sign off, get your
19:27 input on. Um, but we just know with our
19:30 budget that we probably can't have the
19:31 consultant design that plan. Rather,
19:34 we'd like to have them give give
19:35 feedback on it, make sure it works for
19:37 the their goals, um, and the work that
19:39 they are going to need to do. Um, but
19:41 really have staff take on the brunt of
19:42 that work. Um, we also would like one or
19:46 two facilitated meetings with community
19:48 leadership. We think this is where we
19:49 can get kind of the most bang for the
19:51 buck for the consultant knowing that
19:53 they can be the experts to facilitate
19:54 conversations with our council with all
19:57 of you with other community leaders on
20:00 what equity is and get us to those e
20:02 like getting get us to those really
20:04 broad equity goals. Um we don't think
20:06 that maybe staff is best equipped to to
20:09 do that.
20:11 >> Yeah. Uh so when you say equity goals
20:14 and community engagement, is it to um
20:19 to rise up and find out what people want
20:22 us to do with equity or is it to find
20:25 out where everybody is on equity?
20:28 >> It's to find out what they want us to do
20:30 with equity. Where should we be going
20:32 with equity essentially? Um, and I think
20:36 a part of this conversation and backing
20:38 up from the deliverables for just a
20:40 second, really the goal of phase one is
20:42 to understand what level of trade-off is
20:45 the community okay with in order to
20:47 reach our equity goals because some of
20:48 them will require tradeoff, right? Um,
20:51 so really having those conversations to
20:53 set a baseline knowledge. Um, and then
20:56 creating some some pretty broad goals.
20:58 Um phase two is more of that where is
21:01 everyone at compared to where we want to
21:03 be.
21:03 >> Okay.
21:05 >> Okay.
21:06 Um so following those a couple of
21:08 meetings with community leadership to
21:10 understand where we want to be
21:12 understanding our tolerance for some of
21:13 those tradeoffs. There's going to be a
21:15 summary report on those meetings. We are
21:18 going to ask the consultant to co-create
21:19 presentation m uh materials and then
21:22 we're going to ask um that they come
21:24 back to do a follow-up with the goal
21:26 setting findings because the consultant
21:28 won't be engaged in every part of the
21:30 public engagement. Some of that will be
21:32 undertaken by staff. We need to make
21:34 sure that we bring it all together um
21:36 for council for other elected leaders at
21:38 the end. So that's what that um fifth
21:39 bullet is really referring to. and then
21:42 we'd ask for their help in drafting the
21:44 communitydriven
21:46 uh goals and vision for equity work. I'm
21:49 going to pause here and see if there are
21:51 any questions about the phase one
21:52 deliverables just to clarify.
21:56 >> I have a question. Mhm.
21:58 >> So
21:59 you're saying the consultant would be
22:02 leading one or two meetings with
22:05 community leadership and then not seeing
22:08 what the bigger community engagement
22:11 plan is because it's I'm not it's not
22:13 been developed yet. And um
22:17 I think
22:19 in in previous like meetings and
22:21 conversations we've we've there's kind
22:24 of a sense that people are all over the
22:26 place in terms of their understanding of
22:28 equity.
22:31 So to get to like community consensus or
22:35 some sort of level of agreement around
22:37 goals could be really hard and
22:39 challenging. you know, if we have a, you
22:41 know, come y'all types, you know, those
22:43 types of community meetings. Yeah.
22:45 >> So,
22:47 >> um I'm I'm trying to think it might be
22:49 uh important to sequence the meetings.
22:53 So, I don't know whether the ones with
22:55 the consultant with like community
22:56 leaders should come first to start
22:59 >> framing out the shape of it, seeing how
23:02 they frame up equity before uh it goes
23:05 out to the broader community. Yeah, it's
23:07 just something because I think that
23:10 could take a while and um one of the my
23:13 takeaways from the um the fair or the
23:17 the culture best was that the youth
23:21 really have a great handle on what that
23:23 mean is and I'm not quite sure if our um
23:26 >> older you know adult population do. So
23:29 just
23:31 >> I mean I don't know if that belongs to
23:33 the RFP but just something to think
23:34 about with the community.
23:36 Yeah, I think we've been really focused
23:38 on getting to this RFP. We haven't
23:41 really turned our attention to the
23:43 engagement plan. Um, but that's
23:45 something that we know we'd like to
23:46 bring back.
23:50 >> One of the questions that I had was the
23:52 second bullet, which is um the one to
23:54 two meetings with community leadership.
23:56 Have we identified, I guess, our our our
23:59 leaders within the community that would
24:01 be invited into this process?
24:04 >> We haven't. We know it at minimum will
24:05 include city council. Um could you
24:08 nothing. Thank you. Um
24:11 [clears throat] but we haven't decided
24:12 how big to cast that net in part because
24:16 we need to
24:18 we need to make sure it is targeted
24:20 because there can be too big a groups
24:23 >> um to like you said to have productive
24:27 conversation. Um so at minimum council
24:31 um we know that there are organizations
24:33 that we also need to to bring into the
24:35 fold. Um
24:36 >> but that's probably an effect ultimately
24:38 how
24:39 >> phase one kind of is born out before we
24:42 move to phase two in that the feedback
24:44 from those individuals. I think it's
24:46 very important that we're very
24:49 thoughtful or council is very thoughtful
24:51 about um who these community leaders
24:54 are.
24:55 >> Okay.
24:59 Sorry, if I could add on to Leslie's
25:01 comment, um
25:05 I think the recruitment, the outreach
25:07 for these events is really undergoing
25:09 and we would want the voices who aren't
25:13 normally showing up in those rooms.
25:15 >> And so, yeah.
25:24 Anyone online have any questions about
25:26 the phase one deliverables?
25:32 >> Okay, awesome. Oh, yeah.
25:36 >> How much of the work that's done by the
25:37 board or other
25:39 related work that's done in the city
25:41 that could be leveraged for some of this
25:43 or it feels like some of this is
25:45 starting from scratch. Mhm.
25:47 >> Is there work that's already been done
25:49 by the board or um that could already be
25:53 used in in this process?
25:56 >> I'm not as certain about work that's
25:58 already been done by the board. I think
25:59 I might turn that back question back to
26:01 you all um once we kind of get there. Um
26:05 I think this is something that we've
26:06 been thinking about particularly that
26:08 recruitment and outreach question. I
26:09 know that's on our communications team
26:11 mind at all times and that's always the
26:14 ask right to make sure that folks who
26:16 haven't been at the table can be um so I
26:20 think it's there's I can't point to
26:22 anything definitively in terms of what
26:24 what we can build on yet but
26:40 Get back to my shared screen.
26:44 >> Would the council be observers or would
26:47 they be participants?
26:49 >> They would be decision makers
26:51 ultimately.
26:52 >> Okay.
26:53 >> Yeah.
26:59 Okay.
27:01 Um I guess decision makers, just to pick
27:04 up on Kelly's question. So,
27:09 it brings up a concern in my mind. Is
27:11 this a foregone conclusion in terms of
27:13 where they want this process to go if
27:16 they're and I understand that, you know,
27:18 they're quoteunquote writing the check.
27:19 So, therefore, but
27:22 um phase one seems like it should be an
27:25 open-ended process that's going in out
27:27 loud. participation,
27:28 um, hearing different voices, that level
27:31 of engagement that gets us to whatever
27:33 the natural end result's going to be.
27:37 >> And so if they're a decision maker, what
27:40 does that look like?
27:43 >> I think without getting into the weeds
27:45 of a hasn't been created, when I think
27:47 about public participation, I really do
27:49 think about the I don't know if you all
27:50 are familiar with the AP2 scale. Um and
27:53 it kind of walks through different kinds
27:55 of public engagement, different tools
27:57 you can use and what level of engagement
28:00 beyond your electeds can you really um
28:03 zero in on. So in something like uh like
28:07 for example like an open house um that's
28:10 a little bit of back and forth but
28:12 mainly like the the people who are
28:14 making the decision are just answering
28:15 questions. Um they're mainly trying to
28:17 inform everyone who attends. I think
28:20 we'd like to structure this to be a
28:21 little bit more intensive on the on the
28:24 community engagement side of it to
28:26 elevate the the p people who are in the
28:29 room beside the elected officials. And
28:31 that takes some like some deafness,
28:33 right? To be able to say, "Council, I
28:35 know that you're decision makers. I know
28:37 that this is like this is going to be a
28:40 city project. Um, but we invited these
28:44 people in to provide input. We can't
28:46 just disregard it. They have to be
28:48 involved. that thing. So,
28:52 >> there's there's ways that you can
28:54 definitely do that and structure it and
28:56 message it. So,
28:57 >> okay.
28:58 >> And I think that's what it drives the
28:59 the importance of the community leaders
29:02 that are being um reached out to. And I
29:04 think Kelly and um Briti both are really
29:08 kind of touching on that because that's
29:09 what my concern is is that
29:12 >> different voices are heard and that
29:13 their feedback is, you know, as as
29:16 wholesome as it's going to be, it's
29:17 going to kind of be utilized by
29:19 ultimately by our decision makers. It
29:22 sounds like a touch point for me is
29:24 going to be to come back to you all with
29:26 who should some of those community
29:27 leaders be uh and how to best invite
29:31 them in if they haven't participated in
29:32 something like this before.
29:37 >> I still have a question. as um council
29:41 members, they are the decision makers
29:44 and in a room of people who are going to
29:47 be giving community engagement.
29:50 If they're part of that discussion,
29:55 then it biases the room immediately
29:58 because the more distance you are from
30:03 uh usually talking to power, thank you,
30:06 the less likely you are to say things.
30:08 So it really I'm just going to say that
30:10 straight out. They should be listening.
30:12 That's it. They because they're going to
30:14 decide anyway.
30:16 >> So they get to listen. They get to ask
30:18 questions. They get to clarify
30:20 >> is the way I see it.
30:21 >> Yeah. I think we want
30:24 >> Yeah. I think we want to try and leave
30:26 space in the RFP to both hear from
30:29 community leadership beyond elected
30:31 officials, but also make sure that
30:33 council is bought in enough, right? and
30:35 that they have their own deliberation
30:37 time, whatever that looks like, whether
30:38 it's coming or not, right? Um to make
30:41 sure that they are bought into the final
30:43 product, right? Um to these to these
30:46 equity goals.
30:47 >> So, we need to we need to leave space in
30:49 the RFP for both of them. Does that make
30:51 sense?
30:54 >> Yes.
30:58 They they're asking us to do this. This
31:01 is the engagement process. we're we're
31:04 all going to work together on. So, it's
31:06 not about them buying in. It's about
31:08 them being in the process. And the
31:11 process is they're asking for advice.
31:14 >> Because if the process is they get to
31:17 tell people, that's not community
31:19 engagement. That's telling people.
31:22 >> Yeah.
31:22 >> Right. That's I'm like,
31:24 >> I used to work in community engagement.
31:26 That's why this is sensitive.
31:27 [clears throat]
31:28 >> Okay. I think within this process, the
31:30 space that we're really holding is for
31:32 the community leaders that are coming in
31:35 and having these conversations.
31:38 Um, I think that I mean they ultimately
31:40 have the opportunity council to make the
31:43 decisions. I agree 100% with Kelly that
31:46 their their role is important, but the
31:49 listening aspect and making space for
31:51 all of the community leaders to really
31:54 get that information to make sure that
31:56 this this process is really going to
31:58 work. It's not going to be replicating
32:00 what we may have already gotten, but
32:02 it's it's new. It's different. And it's
32:05 going to be hearing all of these these
32:07 people that have not been involved
32:08 before and perhaps some that have been,
32:10 but just in a different way. And I I
32:13 know I participated in a focus group a
32:15 couple of weeks ago and an executive of
32:18 my company was there and I am convinced
32:20 that she affected the ability of people
32:23 to talk honestly, openly and just I mean
32:27 without feeling like they had to tow
32:29 some type of line. So that kind of
32:31 popped in my head when Kelly made her
32:32 comment. And it's not to be negative or
32:35 think that there's not a support from
32:37 city council. Yes. But it's that their
32:39 very presence can in fact
32:41 >> um inform
32:43 how people communicate how willing
32:47 willing to be open that they are. So I
32:49 think it's a consideration.
32:52 Let's return to this when we get to the
32:54 question about deliverables. In part
32:56 because when staff have talked about
32:57 this, our concern and our focus was
33:00 ensuring that the the consultant, the
33:01 subject matter experts could really be
33:03 there to facilitate a discussion with
33:05 city council. That's where we felt like
33:07 we needed some of their like expertise
33:10 and ability to have a third party do
33:13 that. So, I want to make sure I want to
33:15 look at that list of deliverables and
33:16 say that if we're adding more to this
33:18 list, where can we take away to make
33:20 sure that we can have maybe a separate
33:23 like keep those two groups separate city
33:25 council and other community leaders.
33:28 Yeah. So just want before you move on by
33:30 I the two takeaways I'm hearing is one
33:34 there's a lot of energy and interest in
33:37 the equity board to definitely hear what
33:40 the to to provide feedback on the
33:42 community engagement plan that you all
33:45 come up with and I think the
33:48 conversation that we've all been having
33:51 is something that should be part of your
33:54 evaluation in terms of how the the
33:58 consultant would design
34:01 and uh their component of the
34:04 engagement. How do they talk about it
34:06 with uh understanding power dynamics,
34:09 who hasn't been in the room, all of
34:11 those things should should be things
34:13 that uh are recognized as part of the
34:16 the points, you know, process.
34:20 >> Okay.
34:28 I'm just taking some notes to add that.
34:30 I don't know that that is a different
34:32 deliverable. I think that's more like as
34:34 we explain
34:37 >> through the right consult.
34:39 >> Yeah.
34:41 >> Okay.
34:43 >> Okay. That makes a lot of sense. Okay.
34:55 Okay. Um then moving on to explaining
34:59 phase two.
35:01 So after we have these really like quite
35:05 broad community goals around equity.
35:08 These are not specific enough to
35:09 necessarily be you know targeted right
35:12 at you know the parks and wreck uh
35:14 classes or IPD stops or anything else.
35:17 These are these are pretty broad.
35:18 There'll probably be a few of them just
35:20 to encompass all the different kinds of
35:21 things that the city does. Um, but it'll
35:24 tell us where we're going. The next step
35:26 is to evaluate a couple of programs
35:29 against those goals. And that'll
35:31 probably mean creating a couple of
35:32 smaller sub goals that are more tailored
35:34 to those areas. Just to give you a sense
35:36 of where we're going. So, in order to
35:38 get there, we'd like the consultant to
35:41 create an equity program evaluation
35:43 tool. They can adapt one that's already
35:46 existing. um but but they have to create
35:49 one in some way. We'd like them them to
35:52 evaluate two community programs using
35:54 the tool, provide us with
35:55 recommendations on how to refine it. Um
35:59 and then recommendations on how to build
36:00 staff capacity to use the tool because
36:02 that's ultimately the goal is we don't
36:03 want to have to like contract with
36:06 someone every time we want to do one of
36:07 these evaluations. We want to be able to
36:09 to bring it in house, especially knowing
36:10 that we might not have budget to do to
36:13 do a ton with this in future years.
36:14 getting the most out of it while we can.
36:17 Um, and then we'd like to involve the
36:20 equity board to provide feedback on the
36:22 proposed tool. So, before it's even
36:24 used, but once it's drafted,
36:26 come to you all and say, "This is what
36:28 we're proposing. How do you think this
36:30 will work?" Um, we'd like you all to
36:32 recommend some programs for evaluation.
36:34 I think that some of this will come up
36:36 in phase one as well, but we'd like to
36:38 get your input on of all the city
36:40 programs, uh, what would you prioritize?
36:43 Um, and we'd like the consultant to
36:45 return to you or maybe staff return to
36:47 you um, with the results of the
36:50 evaluation so you all can see how it was
36:53 used, what next steps are, that kind of
36:55 a thing. [snorts] We'd like them to
36:57 provide a written report um, and we'd
37:00 like them to present to city leadership,
37:02 and in this case we mean city council on
37:05 the report findings because this is when
37:06 we're narrowing in to city programs. um
37:09 and so that they can report to city
37:10 council and say this is what we came up
37:12 with and this is what we think the next
37:14 steps are for these programs but also
37:16 broadly for um for this work.
37:20 This is written as a phased RFP. So we
37:23 have the ability we'd like the ability
37:24 to revise the scope in phase two
37:26 depending on what phase one shows us
37:28 just because we think we maybe need a
37:30 little bit of that flexibility.
37:33 All right. So I will pause there and see
37:36 if there are any questions if I can
37:38 clarify anything about the phase 2
37:39 deliverables.
37:47 >> Okay. Okay.
37:49 I don't want to speak too much. Um just
37:53 a couple
37:56 I my question is what do you cons like
37:58 what fits as a priority?
38:02 Some of that will be based on available
38:04 data frankly. Um and then probably the
38:09 level of like touch points with the
38:11 community like thinking about the things
38:12 that came through the equity framework
38:14 process with you all. Some of those were
38:17 more internally focused. I think we
38:18 could evaluate those but I think this is
38:20 really about how our programs and
38:22 services reach the community. So it
38:25 should probably be a little bit more
38:26 outwardly focused than that.
38:28 >> Okay. Um
38:30 would it be things like maintenance
38:33 parks, infrastructure or um summer
38:38 programs? Like just all of those things
38:40 to kind of fit. So some maybe ongoing
38:42 operational work as well as more
38:44 distinct
38:46 >> Yeah. And I think we we wanted two
38:49 programs to be evaluated so we could
38:51 have some level of contrast there so we
38:54 weren't evaluating two very similar
38:55 things but we can make sure that this
38:56 tool works for kind of different yeah
39:00 >> programs. And then my other
39:03 I'm just wondering about Brandy. So when
39:05 I think about evaluation that's usually
39:09 after something's done right you see how
39:11 well it worked things like that. And so
39:14 I just I think that
39:17 we also need to be thinking like
39:18 perspectively like not only recapping
39:23 what it was but making sure that the
39:26 report out of it is really clear on what
39:28 needs to happen next to move us forward.
39:31 >> Okay.
39:31 >> Yeah. just to me I know valuations from
39:35 a retrospective and so something that
39:37 feels a little bit more future looking
39:54 >> okay any other questions maybe folks
39:55 online or
39:58 in the room
40:01 Just a clarifying question what this
40:03 tool might look like.
40:05 >> I don't we don't know what this tool is
40:08 at the moment, but do we have a sense of
40:10 what that could look like? Are there
40:12 examples from other disciplines?
40:14 >> Uh there are examples from other cities.
40:16 So when I came to you all in September,
40:18 I provided a couple of examples. Two
40:20 from Minnesota, one from Oregon, and
40:24 then one from California, but I cannot
40:26 remember where. Um in California. and
40:29 they all look quite different in terms
40:31 of what they evaluate. Um, and I think
40:34 at that time we'd had this discussion
40:35 about what's the appropriate scope. Um,
40:38 and so we're we're really scoping it to
40:41 city programs and not wider like
40:44 community indicators, right? Um, so
40:47 there are tools out there that we might
40:48 be able to adapt. Um, it's just kind of
40:51 an opening question right now of what
40:53 will work well for a situ.
40:59 Okay, with that,
41:06 okay, so next step. So,
41:09 um,
41:11 we're here on the yellow dot, which is
41:13 you all reviewing
41:15 the RFP. Um, we'd like to, this might be
41:18 optimistic, we'd like to put it out in
41:20 November, uh, before the holidays, um,
41:24 to be open with our responses and like
41:26 to use December and January to select
41:28 consultants. Um, that leaves us with a
41:30 little bit of slack, but I think the the
41:32 ultimate goal is to really get a
41:33 consultant on board by the end of Q126.
41:37 Um, so I think that leaves a fair bit of
41:38 time for that. So
41:42 that's all of my presentation. Um let's
41:46 if it's okay with well maybe I can defer
41:48 to the chair and see what questions we'd
41:50 like to start with tonight. Um because
41:52 we have quite a few of them.
41:53 >> No, I think I think your questions as
41:55 prepared are are excellent
41:57 [clears throat] and a a good I guess
41:59 space for us to have some discussion on
42:02 some next steps.
42:04 >> Awesome. Okay. So then I' I'd ask all of
42:08 you what do you think of the proposed
42:09 community engagement considering both
42:11 budget and need? if not what is missing.
42:14 So what I have from our discussion
42:15 already is that we need to add a little
42:17 bit of that to the criteria to make sure
42:19 that the consultant is adept at working
42:21 with both elected leaders and community
42:25 leaders, but maybe folks who haven't
42:26 been brought in yet and can find and
42:28 recommend maybe ways to bring folks um
42:31 and who haven't been involved in the
42:33 past. Did I capture that? Okay.
42:37 >> Yeah. And I think their application
42:39 should be scored based on their
42:43 the level of expertise they show.
42:46 >> Oh yeah. Be added to the evaluation
42:48 criteria. Okay. Yeah.
42:57 >> What else on community engagement?
43:03 I think our discussions covered it in in
43:05 terms of where I think we want to focus
43:08 ultimately to make sure that we remove
43:10 as much uh influence or or bias that
43:14 could be exercised by our um decision
43:16 makers within uh the process because
43:19 that's going to affect ultimately what
43:21 we're going to get as part of phase one.
43:23 >> Okay.
43:29 Um, I wonder if the mode of engagement
43:32 should be not just maybe a meeting where
43:35 people have to show up and speak up
43:37 because maybe not everyone's comfortable
43:40 expressing their opinion in that format,
43:42 but maybe having a way to maybe send a
43:45 letter or write something
43:47 >> on on a on a website, something.
43:49 >> Yeah, that's definitely something we're
43:51 considering once we build like community
43:52 engagement plan is surveys. How can we
43:55 get it to people electronically, not
43:56 electronically? What are different
43:58 language needs? Like that'll be
44:00 something that we're we're talking about
44:02 for sure. Yeah.
44:04 >> Yeah. I think that was something we
44:06 talked about in our um our our chair
44:08 meeting which was u what are um new
44:11 communication methods that we can use to
44:12 increase you know just uh engagement
44:15 responsiveness. So, [clears throat]
44:21 >> all right. Question two is, are the
44:23 proposed touch points with the equity
44:25 board the right ones? Um, you'll recall
44:27 that most of the touch points are really
44:29 in phase two, although of course and
44:31 it's not in the RFP because that's not
44:33 quite the right place to put it, but we
44:35 bring that community engagement plan for
44:36 phase one to you all, but you all would
44:38 interact with the consultant really in
44:40 phase two.
44:45 Folks online, do you have any thoughts
44:47 on that one?
44:57 >> Okay, folks in the room,
45:02 >> sorry, maybe you already mentioned this,
45:04 but are we involved in choosing who this
45:07 consultant or company might be? Yeah,
45:09 we're gonna ask for one of one or two of
45:11 you to serve on the committee. Um, yeah.
45:15 So, you'll work with staff. Um,
45:18 yeah.
45:28 >> Oh, this is
45:29 >> Sorry. I know you're
45:34 like
45:36 it.
45:38 Sorry, I'm never sure how many to print
45:41 a big packet to [laughter]
45:43 to print
45:50 >> when the uh form is created for
45:55 evaluating consultants,
45:58 >> do we see it? Do we have feedback on it
46:01 or is that
46:03 >> independent?
46:04 >> I think
46:07 I think because it's going to follow the
46:08 criteria that's in the RFP, there
46:12 probably won't be a ton of room for
46:14 review, if that makes sense. So, if you
46:17 have any feedback on the criteria that
46:19 you'd like to give, it'd be good to give
46:20 it now.
46:27 And I can pull up that section if we
46:29 want just want to take a quick look at
46:30 it. Would that be helpful?
46:31 >> Yeah, that would be okay.
46:40 I have a question.
46:42 Since we have a the a small subcommittee
46:46 of the equity board working on updating
46:49 the equity framework, it appears to be a
46:52 bit of a interesting overlap between the
46:56 work that we're doing and what our to be
46:59 named at a later point consultant is
47:01 doing because they were using part of
47:03 our work product as far as the current
47:06 um equity framework that we're updating
47:09 now. So, and because my understanding is
47:12 that that group has set a March deadline
47:15 and the consultant might not be fully on
47:18 board till the end of Q1 that hopefully
47:20 these two things dovetail. Okay?
47:22 >> Or at least we can provide them with a
47:24 draft equity framework so they have a
47:26 sense of where the the kind of like the
47:28 pre pre-planning work that we're going
47:29 to staff to do before they do new
47:32 programs, before they site a project,
47:33 whatever it is. um that they can have a
47:35 sense of what that's actually going to
47:37 look like beyond like the question list
47:39 that we have right now.
47:42 >> Let me grab that criteria really quick.
47:50 Okay,
47:52 a good block of text. Okay, so criteria
47:57 one is responsiveness of the proposal um
48:00 and clearly understandable work to be
48:02 performed.
48:03 Um,
48:07 criteria two is demonstrating an
48:09 understanding of the budget.
48:13 Three is qualifications of the person
48:15 assigned to this project. Um, we're
48:17 looking for people who have worked or
48:19 firms who have worked with local
48:20 government clients who have equity
48:22 inclusion experience, experience working
48:24 with diverse groups, um, and public
48:26 engagement and facilitation expertise.
48:28 So this is where I think we'll add in
48:30 that other thing um that you had
48:33 mentioned.
48:37 and then criteria four is product
48:39 management and ability to meet the
48:40 timeline.
48:43 So, so one one thing I'm noting in the
48:47 review criteria um
48:54 I mean I think I like the way the the
48:56 points are distributed
48:58 >> I think so some of the project
49:00 management like the words used you know
49:03 critical path diagram QAQC
49:06 >> oh yeah it is
49:07 >> they're very technical okay and um
49:10 >> it might
49:12 discourage
49:14 >> some very capable presence.
49:16 >> Yeah.
49:17 >> So, I would be mindful of that. And um I
49:21 think there's just
49:24 [clears throat] being hopeless that the
49:26 process has been creating more barriers
49:28 to like smaller consultants who um
49:36 >> have more experience working with the
49:39 very people we're trying to serve.
49:41 >> Yeah. I mean I think that's the priority
49:43 versus having so much experience with
49:45 local government and things like that.
49:47 like I would definitely rely on the
49:51 experience with the populations versus
49:54 their experience working with local
49:56 government for example. So just kind of
49:59 >> staying true to the intent of this
50:01 somehow.
50:02 >> Okay.
50:07 >> And then aligned with sustainable and
50:09 equitable purchasing guidelines. you
50:12 know, like part of me is like who who's
50:15 got the luxury to do that? I don't know.
50:18 We're going to privilege certainly
50:20 consultants and you know, organizations,
50:22 companies.
50:24 >> Yeah, that was ultimately we went back
50:27 and forth a lot on and we ended up
50:29 landing on a place where that's not part
50:31 of the formal evaluation criteria.
50:34 >> That's a like tiebreaker almost. Um,
50:38 >> like we we have these criteria or we
50:40 have these guidelines. it would be
50:42 really nice to use them for an equity
50:44 based RFP proposal. How can we do it in
50:47 a way that isn't too burns burdensome?
50:51 So, but I'll review it again to make
50:53 sure that it's clear how it'll be used.
51:12 >> So,
51:13 >> yeah. [snorts] Um,
51:16 is it considered the lynch pin of the
51:18 project that we get quality community
51:21 engagement
51:23 or is that one step along the road?
51:28 >> We we made a very conscious decision to
51:31 not spend $50,000 on community
51:33 engagement, which I think we all know we
51:35 very well could have. Yes.
51:37 >> Right. So, we need good quality
51:38 engagement, but we need to be able to
51:40 evaluate programs out of this RFP as
51:43 well. So, I mean, it's it's both and
51:47 it's it's not the end all be all. I
51:50 don't think I don't think we have the
51:51 luxury of making it that.
51:55 >> I don't think that's what I'm asking.
51:57 And what I'm asking is
52:00 I'm looking at the re review criteria.
52:03 >> 30 points goes to the responsiveness of
52:05 the proposal and clearly understanding
52:07 the work.
52:09 is the work understanding
52:12 public engagement in Isaka and putting
52:16 in a framework where we can
52:20 improve and and our whole system can
52:22 rise up. Is that what this what we're
52:25 trying to accomplish? And if it is, do
52:28 we need more weight on their experience
52:32 with community engagement?
52:36 >> If I'm understanding you right, so let
52:38 me know if I'm not. I think we're
52:39 actually because we are going to be
52:42 asking staff to really develop that
52:44 community engagement plan and likely do
52:46 a lot of it, right? Design the survey,
52:48 figure out how to send out mailers, who
52:50 to send those to, what groups to engage
52:52 with. I I think that the community
52:55 engagement portion of it is really
52:57 limited to those few places where we're
52:59 going to ask the consultant to have that
53:01 face-to-face interaction in meetings or
53:04 whatever kind of setting that that looks
53:06 like.
53:09 So it's community engagement in service
53:12 of creating the tool and the goals.
53:23 how does the community engagement fit
53:25 into what you just said?
53:29 >> I think I'm getting
53:31 I mean I what I'm hearing you're saying
53:33 is that the majority of the work is not
53:35 the consultant. The majority of the work
53:36 is staff. What I'm trying to rise up is
53:41 that
53:42 with community engagement,
53:47 we all hear it in different ways,
53:50 >> right? We all process it in different
53:52 ways. And then it can the more it gets
53:56 dissected by people who are not involved
54:00 in at that level, it can completely
54:03 change. So I'm trying to sort out what
54:07 level what import what the community
54:10 says has on a process that has that is
54:15 basing it appears to me is basing all
54:18 this work on and that maybe it needs to
54:21 be a little more focused on the not more
54:24 community engagement just more
54:27 rising up that the consultants
54:30 experience with community engagement is
54:32 important. You see what I'm saying?
54:35 I do
54:37 I think I think staff was rightfully
54:41 nervous that this is not a lot of budget
54:45 to do almost like even just community
54:48 engagement on something like this with.
54:51 >> So that's why like I don't think
54:54 ideally we would have had more had the
54:58 consultant weigh in more and use their
55:00 expertise more to craft a community
55:02 engagement plan. Right. with the help of
55:04 staff, with the help of the equity
55:05 board,
55:07 but I think we distributed it a little
55:10 bit differently to make sure that the
55:11 consultant could really weigh in on the
55:13 creation of the tool um and really lead
55:16 that process.
55:19 >> So, let me just I'm kind of a processor,
55:22 so let me think for a second. [laughter]
55:24 >> Um
55:26 >> I think we're in agreement on that.
55:28 >> I think we say it differently, so I
55:29 think we're in agreement on that. I am
55:31 literally talking about the criteria for
55:33 picking the consultants and I don't
55:35 think I'm being clear.
55:36 >> Okay.
55:36 >> So I am saying that it looks very small.
55:40 >> It is part of a 100 points. It's all
55:44 rolled into a big category called
55:46 responsiveness of the proposal and
55:48 clearly understanding the work. That's
55:50 where the consultant is correct
55:52 >> or am I confused? So it also like the
55:55 community engagement that we are going
55:57 to ask the consultants to do is also
56:00 rolled into the qualifications of
56:02 persons assigned to the project. Their
56:04 ability to facilitate to work with
56:06 diverse groups also appears there in
56:09 that point category which to be fair
56:12 does include a lot of other things but
56:14 is also one of the one of the two
56:16 highest scored point categories. Would
56:19 you like are you asking for it to maybe
56:21 be called out separately? I think I'm
56:24 asking yes that may be what I'm asking
56:26 for is
56:30 >> if we build it and we don't build it to
56:32 the people
56:34 >> what's the point
56:35 >> okay
56:36 >> so I want to make sure the engagement
56:38 part is worthy and centered in this
56:42 >> right
56:48 >> kind of the the garbage in garbage out
56:50 if we have poor community engagement
56:53 that we are setting city goals on.
56:57 >> Yeah.
57:00 >> Unless we have that critical represented
57:04 community engagement.
57:05 >> Okay.
57:08 >> Okay.
57:10 >> I'll think about it a little bit more. I
57:12 don't know that it'll get called out as
57:14 its own criteria.
57:17 Um, I'm wondering if the way we think
57:18 about building the evaluation form and
57:20 like the questions we ask staff and EB
57:24 members to be looking out for
57:26 >> if that's where that's like best suited
57:28 to to make sure that we're reading the
57:30 proposals with an eye for
57:34 like quality and experience in community
57:36 engagement.
57:38 I think being more explicit in these
57:40 criteria like for the qualifications,
57:43 depth of experience in community looking
57:47 you know like
57:48 >> okay so that way people who are you know
57:51 whoever are reviewing the proposals are
57:54 clearly
57:55 looking at the application against the
57:58 qualifications of community engagement.
58:00 >> Okay.
58:01 >> And yeah
58:01 >> how they speak. the criteria a lot how
58:05 how skillfully they talk about community
58:07 engagement and it's like
58:14 it's kind of varied up there.
58:16 >> Okay.
58:23 >> Okay.
58:29 Okay. So, I have it to to really call it
58:31 out more in both criteria one um and
58:35 criteria three to really make it more
58:38 explicit there. Okay.
58:41 >> Thanks for your patience as
58:43 >> and your and your patience.
58:44 [clears throat]
58:46 >> All right. Um
58:50 what's the timeline like this plan to be
58:53 created?
58:55 uh for what for the consultant to like
58:58 evaluate the goal. I think
59:00 >> we'll see how long community engagement
59:02 takes. We haven't even the community
59:04 engagement plan yet. Um but I I mean I
59:08 think we are looking to certainly get
59:10 through community engagement in 2026. Um
59:15 and we would like to at least probably
59:17 start phase 2 in 26 if we can as well.
59:20 It'll be really instructive how long
59:22 this like solic solicitation takes, I
59:24 think.
59:33 All right. Um, okay. So, I think we left
59:37 off on question three. Are the proposed
59:40 liver bills the right one? If not, what
59:42 is missing?
59:44 I think we touched on this a little bit
59:46 throughout our conversations as well.
59:50 Ask a quick clarification on Brian.
59:55 >> is there a quick way to see where the
59:57 touch points are right now for the
1:00:00 board?
1:00:00 >> Yeah. So, where it's formalized in the
1:00:02 RFG, which is what a consultant is going
1:00:05 to be looking at. We're definitely going
1:00:06 to staff is going to come back to you
1:00:08 all with that community engagement plan
1:00:09 like we've talked about to review um the
1:00:12 consultants with one or two of you. Um
1:00:15 but we'd like the consultant to work
1:00:16 with you all. Um, we've identified two
1:00:19 meetings is what we've kind of set
1:00:20 aside, I think, with the equity board.
1:00:23 One to actually, I don't know why I'm
1:00:25 trying to say it, uh, from memory, it's
1:00:27 right here. So, we'd like you to provide
1:00:30 feedback on that draft tool before it
1:00:32 ever goes out and evaluates a program.
1:00:34 And at that same meeting, recommend
1:00:36 programs for evaluation. That'll
1:00:38 accompany staff recommendations as well.
1:00:41 Um, and then we'd like the consultant to
1:00:44 return to you all with the results of
1:00:46 the evaluation and of the tool. Um,
1:00:49 because it's not just like, hey, how are
1:00:51 our WCK programs doing? I think we'd
1:00:52 like them to return to you all with
1:00:54 here's where the tool worked well,
1:00:56 here's where it didn't, here's where
1:00:57 we'd recommend changing it, that kind of
1:00:59 a thing.
1:01:01 >> So, those are the two touch points that
1:01:03 we've outlined for the consultant to
1:01:04 have with you all.
1:01:05 >> Got it. Okay. So after those two
1:01:08 meetings with the board, there's an
1:01:09 opportunity to revise the tool and take
1:01:12 the feedback from us and and the work
1:01:15 that they've done.
1:01:16 >> Yeah.
1:01:18 >> That's our that's our hope is that we
1:01:19 can we can do that. It might be staff
1:01:21 that reworks the tool, right? Like it
1:01:23 might just be that they make the
1:01:24 recommendations for how to change it and
1:01:26 we we actually rework it. Um, we'll see.
1:01:45 how do you all feel about those touch
1:01:46 points?
1:01:48 >> I don't know why it's flickering.
1:01:52 Okay.
1:01:53 >> Yeah, it looks good.
1:01:54 >> Okay. Awesome. folks online, you're
1:01:57 you're still with us.
1:02:00 >> Yeah. Okay.
1:02:02 >> I had a question real quick if it was
1:02:04 possible. Um I didn't have that project
1:02:08 proposal or I couldn't access it in my
1:02:10 emails. I wasn't sure if that or the
1:02:12 PowerPoint if it could be possible for
1:02:14 it to be sent out or shared just to kind
1:02:17 of review it because I'm myself
1:02:19 sometimes a slow processor. So I'm like
1:02:22 I know I can make sense of this. Um but
1:02:26 um might be helpful just to kind of like
1:02:28 review and then like kind of let it
1:02:30 percolate a little bit.
1:02:32 >> No problem. How about I'll send it out
1:02:34 again after the meeting along with the
1:02:35 PowerPoint which I know is not in your
1:02:37 packet. Um and maybe just give you all
1:02:39 like a week or a week and a half to get
1:02:41 any feedback to me. How does that sound?
1:02:44 >> Thank you so much.
1:02:45 >> Great.
1:02:46 >> Awesome.
1:02:48 >> Okay. It sounds like the touch points
1:02:50 with the board are okay. Um, and we're
1:02:53 on to the last question. Are there one
1:02:56 or two of you um who would like to
1:02:58 assist with evaluation and selection of
1:02:59 a consultant? That'll probably happen in
1:03:02 like December to January um of this year
1:03:06 of 25 and 26.
1:03:10 And that'll involve Okay, sorry. Let me
1:03:12 um so that'll involve reading all of the
1:03:14 proposals that come in um and then
1:03:17 scoring them against the criteria that
1:03:18 we talked about, discussing it with
1:03:21 everyone. um likely selecting one or two
1:03:24 if there are kind of two people that
1:03:26 stand out or two firms that stand out um
1:03:29 bringing them through maybe an interview
1:03:31 process. Um I think for something with
1:03:33 this much engagement we want to talk to
1:03:35 that to those people and see how how we
1:03:38 match and how they'll do um evaluate
1:03:41 those interviews and make a
1:03:42 recommendation. So that's what's
1:03:44 involved there. Um okay the preview is
1:03:47 interested. Okay.
1:03:50 Is anyone else interested in in
1:03:54 reviewing or sorry in assisting with
1:03:56 selection of the consultant?
1:04:00 >> I will if no one else wants to.
1:04:02 >> Okay. Okay.
1:04:06 Okay. So, I have Kelly and Preview down.
1:04:08 If you all take the next week and a half
1:04:10 and you read it and you're like, I'm
1:04:12 dying to be a part of this, then I'll
1:04:13 kind of triangulate with the people who
1:04:15 are involved
1:04:15 >> and I can I'll step away if somebody
1:04:17 else wants to.
1:04:18 >> Yeah. Yeah. I Okay, awesome.
1:04:23 Okay,
1:04:24 that is all I had for you all. Thank
1:04:27 you. Um I'll be revising this. Um the
1:04:30 version you all that I'll send out to
1:04:31 you all will be the same that's in your
1:04:33 packet. Um so I'll make some of the
1:04:35 changes that we made today. Um but it'll
1:04:38 just be a little bit of the version. Um
1:04:42 and then yeah, hopefully publication
1:04:44 soon and I'll be back in front of you
1:04:46 all. That's all I've got.
1:04:48 >> All right.
1:04:50 >> Excited you're doing it.
1:04:51 >> Yeah.
1:04:53 Thank [laughter] you.
1:04:56 >> All right.
1:04:57 >> Perfect. That was great discussion on
1:04:58 that item
1:05:02 >> Yeah. I just I thank you for letting me
1:05:05 sit in the meeting and see the process
1:05:08 of how
1:05:10 responsible members in the community
1:05:12 have resolved. I I don't sometimes I I
1:05:16 don't look at consultants.
1:05:19 I look at the peers in the community,
1:05:23 people that are out there as mentors or
1:05:29 um philanthropists that are funding
1:05:33 their own I guess campaign to make a
1:05:37 difference in their community. So when I
1:05:40 when I hear the term consultant,
1:05:43 I I kind of get PTSD
1:05:47 >> because
1:05:48 many many millions and millions of
1:05:52 dollars have gone to consulting with no
1:05:54 results and no resolve and then it gets
1:05:58 passed on to the next generation. And
1:06:00 the same thing at the same time
1:06:03 [clears throat] the consulting firms get
1:06:06 fat and the community gets too skinny.
1:06:10 So I'm I'm saying just as a as an
1:06:16 observer uh and I'm very critical. I'm
1:06:19 an artist. I dissect everything and how
1:06:23 things work. And what I've seen so far
1:06:26 is uh you guys are tighter than a tick
1:06:29 on a coonail's back. [laughter] Okay, I
1:06:32 put it bluntly. Now, this is awesome for
1:06:36 for me to experience this when I was
1:06:39 getting a little bit PTSD on saltine
1:06:42 firms and seeing what's going on in
1:06:45 North Bend and Snamami and Ball City and
1:06:49 and the outskirts and in Isakloth.
1:06:54 seeing people who genuinely care and are
1:06:58 real has been very helpful to me. So,
1:07:01 thank you.
1:07:02 >> Thank you.
1:07:03 >> Thank you.
1:07:04 Thank you.
1:07:14 >> Hey, it looks like our next agenda item
1:07:16 is an update on the equity framework. Um
1:07:20 uh I am in uh the the good company about
1:07:22 everyone in this room but um with the
1:07:25 subcommittee members for the updating of
1:07:28 the equity framework and that's myself
1:07:30 uh Caric Quan Chris that are uh working
1:07:34 on the updating of the framework. So I
1:07:36 just wanted to go over at a high level
1:07:39 um what we've done uh thus far. So um I
1:07:43 just introduced uh you all to who the
1:07:46 subcommittee members are. So, we've had
1:07:48 two meetings and um first meeting was on
1:07:51 October 6th. The second one was um
1:07:53 yesterday on the 21st. Um we have
1:07:56 regularly scheduled meetings every other
1:07:59 other Monday at 7:00 p.m. on um Google
1:08:02 Meet. And we've determined that the
1:08:04 points of contact in terms of reporting
1:08:06 out what we've done as a subcommittee um
1:08:09 would be myself and Caric. Um our
1:08:12 deadline to present the revised equity
1:08:14 framework to the full equity board for
1:08:16 your review and approval is in March of
1:08:18 2026.
1:08:20 Um so thus far we've reviewed and
1:08:23 discussed the previous equity board
1:08:24 feedback on the framework from September
1:08:28 uh 2025 as well as January 2025. Um the
1:08:32 subcommittee is currently gathering
1:08:34 information using a spreadsheet. Thank
1:08:36 you very much Chris for your amazing
1:08:38 work on that document. So, we're using a
1:08:40 spreadsheet to identify questions city
1:08:43 staff would consider as part of their
1:08:45 use of the equity framework. And we kind
1:08:47 of drill down into four areas, which is
1:08:50 types of inequity, um internal versus,
1:08:54 um external processes, um desired
1:08:56 incomes, and then outcomes, excuse me,
1:08:59 and then uh qualitative versus
1:09:01 quantitative. So our overall goal is um
1:09:05 with using this particular spreadsheet
1:09:07 is to develop these questions to
1:09:10 maximize the usability of the framework
1:09:12 by city staff. We had a lot of
1:09:14 conversation during our first meeting on
1:09:16 the 6th about making sure that um we're
1:09:19 not just feeding a document, but we're
1:09:21 creating a document that's going to have
1:09:22 a high level of usability and utility
1:09:25 for the city departments that really
1:09:27 want to interject equity in their
1:09:30 deliberations and their work, whatever
1:09:32 that might be.
1:09:35 So, um did anyone else have anything
1:09:38 that you'd like to add on the
1:09:39 subcommittee that I did not cover?
1:09:45 Um maybe maybe one thing to add is yeah
1:09:48 thank you.
1:09:49 >> Um I mean you already captured some of
1:09:51 this which is we're trying to respond to
1:09:52 some of the feedback around the
1:09:54 framework is a bunch of really great
1:09:56 questions but it's not easy to use by
1:10:00 various different departments. So I
1:10:03 think we've subsected two or three areas
1:10:05 that we wanted to focus on as well which
1:10:08 trying to see if I've got the notes here
1:10:10 but um
1:10:14 one is we're trying to do we don't know
1:10:16 yet if this might be the final outcome
1:10:18 but we might create a workflow that
1:10:20 helps guide people through the series of
1:10:23 questions so it doesn't turn out to be
1:10:25 another long list of questions that
1:10:27 everyone needs to go through. And then
1:10:30 um I think we're also if if time permits
1:10:34 and I think if we have enough momentum
1:10:36 we'll try to provide some guidelines
1:10:38 around data as well. So how to how to
1:10:41 gather data, how to use it, how to
1:10:42 distill it, what do you do if you don't
1:10:44 have any data, other ways to find
1:10:46 proxies, other clever techniques to use
1:10:49 otherwise etc.
1:10:51 >> So yeah,
1:10:52 >> absolutely.
1:10:53 >> Thank you.
1:10:57 >> I have to go. Um, I don't want to miss
1:11:00 this last.
1:11:01 >> No, don't do that.
1:11:03 >> But thank you for letting us in.
1:11:05 >> Thank you for joining us. Good night.
1:11:07 >> Is there a way I can get one get in
1:11:10 touch with you folks? How do I get in
1:11:13 touch and see if through follow through
1:11:14 with this?
1:11:15 >> Yeah, I can write down I don't have a
1:11:17 business card on me. Um, but I can write
1:11:20 down my contact info and I'll share some
1:11:22 information on how to stay
1:11:25 >> connected to the equity board.
1:11:28 Oh, yeah. Is that okay?
1:11:31 >> Um, I know you're interested in
1:11:33 transportation, too. So, it's going to
1:11:34 be some fun.
1:11:38 >> Thank you.
1:11:39 >> All right. Have a good night.
1:11:41 >> You too. Take care.
1:11:44 Does anyone have any questions in terms
1:11:47 of what we've done thus far on the uh
1:11:49 framework
1:11:51 that we can chat about or any insights
1:11:54 as to what um I shared as far as our
1:11:56 current work.
1:12:02 Okay.
1:12:04 Just a just a reminder that the
1:12:06 subcommittee will come back to every
1:12:07 meeting you all have just to make sure
1:12:09 that um they're touching base and you
1:12:12 all are praised of what they're doing
1:12:14 and so they can ask you questions about
1:12:16 what they should do next if they've got
1:12:21 >> Just a clarifying question at some point
1:12:23 maybe maybe not in the next few weeks
1:12:25 but I say I guess we're only meeting
1:12:28 once a month. um either in November or
1:12:31 in December, would it make sense for the
1:12:33 subcommittee to kind of show some of the
1:12:35 preliminary work so we can kind of get
1:12:37 feedback with bit of show and tell?
1:12:40 >> I have to imagine this board would be
1:12:42 very interested in that.
1:12:44 [clears throat and laughter]
1:12:46 >> That's an excellent question. Would that
1:12:47 be something um that we could probably
1:12:50 do and maybe we should talk to the other
1:12:52 committee members to see if in uh
1:12:55 November if you think we'd be ready to
1:12:58 kind of do a prelim show of our work?
1:13:02 >> November is a little bit of a funky
1:13:04 meeting. It's a joint meeting with human
1:13:05 services. So you guys will probably meet
1:13:08 anyway on just ED items, but you might
1:13:11 have a little bit more time and space at
1:13:12 the December meeting. So,
1:13:16 >> I like that. Okay. December it is.
1:13:19 >> I think Dale,
1:13:23 >> that's what I was going to say.
1:13:24 December. December would be probably a
1:13:26 better fit.
1:13:28 >> Thank you.
1:13:29 >> Good deal. Thanks, Dale.
1:13:39 >> It looks like our next item, we're at
1:13:41 number seven. Um, other business
1:13:42 announcements. Jillian.
1:13:44 >> Yeah. So, this is what I covered in my
1:13:46 like staff report. Um, so these are the
1:13:48 two memos. Um, the first one is about
1:13:51 the transportation projects equity
1:13:52 criteria and selecting them. So, give
1:13:54 that a read through and happy to answer
1:13:56 any questions that you all have as you
1:13:58 read through it. Um, you can always
1:14:00 reach out. And then the second one is
1:14:02 the Isiqua climate action plan update
1:14:04 and equity board engagement. So, that'll
1:14:07 come back to you all in November. So,
1:14:09 you'll have an opportunity to really dig
1:14:10 in on that at that time. And that's all
1:14:13 I have for other business, but I think
1:14:15 maybe there was another item. Okay.
1:14:19 >> Yes. Um, actually, let me pull it up.
1:14:22 So, thank you, Kelly, for reminding um I
1:14:26 guess us to talk about this, but um I
1:14:29 think last week King County launched a
1:14:33 stop hate topline.
1:14:35 And um I think it's a particular not
1:14:39 only the topic but uh as one of our work
1:14:41 plan items maybe two or three years ago
1:14:45 we really wanted to uh create an
1:14:47 opportunity. We talked about it within
1:14:49 Isiqua. How do we lift up uh incidences
1:14:53 of hate that or bias that have been
1:14:56 showing up in our community and um
1:15:00 especially those things that fall short
1:15:02 of a kind. and it didn't feel
1:15:05 appropriate to like direct or ask you
1:15:08 know is police to like field all of
1:15:10 those calls and incidences and uh we
1:15:13 were looking at what other um resources
1:15:16 were available for this and at the time
1:15:18 there wasn't really anything that was
1:15:20 functioning very well and so there is
1:15:22 now a stop hate hotline that was
1:15:24 launched um and so I sent Jillian and
1:15:28 Dale the information so maybe rather
1:15:31 than me saying it out loud we could
1:15:33 probably to circulate it. Actually, I'll
1:15:35 say it out loud in case anyone wants to
1:15:37 review the notes, but the the phone
1:15:39 number is 833
1:15:43 H as the letter H,
1:15:46 the number eight, and the number one,
1:15:50 which is so 8337867481.
1:15:55 It's a toll-free hotline, non-emergency.
1:15:58 And uh I talked to the the the office
1:16:02 that is running this hotline. And what I
1:16:05 learned was that it's anonymous. And so
1:16:07 they're not going to ask for names of
1:16:10 people. Uh they they would want the
1:16:12 details. They'll they'll capture some
1:16:14 details about what the incident is. And
1:16:17 they are very interested in getting some
1:16:19 geographical information. So, an
1:16:22 intersection, an address, a zip code,
1:16:25 whatever, you know, whoever's calling is
1:16:27 comfortable to provide
1:16:30 um because they want to see where
1:16:31 patterns are emerging, which locations
1:16:33 across the county, and so they can start
1:16:37 understanding where these incidences
1:16:39 are. They don't have to be crime. It
1:16:41 could be someone, you know, yelling,
1:16:43 something hateful, slurs, you know,
1:16:46 things like that. and you just want a
1:16:47 place to announce it, you know, to to
1:16:49 notify someone because the the idea is
1:16:53 that these things may escalate and
1:16:54 become more. And I know in Isla there
1:16:57 has been some issues that have come up
1:16:59 and so it seems like um something that
1:17:02 we would want to circulate and so um
1:17:06 just wanting to make everyone aware.
1:17:07 Thanks, Kelly. Thank you. Okay.
1:17:10 >> Thank you.
1:17:18 Okay. Well, if there is no other
1:17:20 business in front of the equity board
1:17:22 this evening, I think we can call this
1:17:24 meeting, we can adjourn this meeting at
1:17:27 7:21 p.m.
1:17:30 Okay, one minute behind our agenda. Well
1:17:33 done.
1:17:38 >> Thank you. Thank you everyone on Zoom.
1:17:41 The great.