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Item 2.Staff Report with Exhibits.JEDI Plan PREPARED BY: Holly Young Senior Management Analyst 110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● (408) 354-6832 www.losgatosca.gov TOWN OF LOS GATOS PLANNING COMMISSION REPORT MEETING DATE: 03/22/2023 ITEM NO: 2 DATE: March 17, 2023 TO: Planning Commission FROM: Laurel Prevetti, Town Manager SUBJECT: Provide Input for the Draft Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Plan. RECOMMENDATION: Provide input for the draft Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Plan. BACKGROUND: On August 17, 2021, the Town Council unanimously voted to authorize the Town Manager to enter into an agreement for JEDI consultant services with American Leadership Forum Insi ghts (ALFI). ALFI was selected to address the Town’s external JEDI goals through Town partnerships with local organizations and the broader community. ALFI specializes in external engagement and dialogue and leveraging community partnerships. Exhibit 1 contains ALFI’s final Discovery Report documenting their approach, high level findings/themes, and recommendations. ALFI engaged with community leaders and Town partners, including the Chamber of Commerce, faith-based organizations, business owners, local school districts, and others in a series of listening sessions to assess the level of understanding of the current JEDI efforts and identify barriers and opportunities. The recommendations were organized under the following topics: • Collaborative on-going engagement; • Develop safe spaces; • Build capacity for the work; • Connect this work to the vibrancy of the Town economy; • Intentionally engage school districts and youth; and • Continue to build affordable housing. PAGE 2 OF 3 SUBJECT: Input on the Draft Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Plan DATE: March 17, 2023 BACKGROUND (continued): On September 6, 2022, the Town Council unanimously voted to direct the Town Manager to work with ALFI on the development of a formal JEDI Plan. The Plan would fold in the individual recommendations from the Discovery Report and include specific long and short-term goals, action items with timelines, and metrics. The overall goal is to co-create with the community an actionable Plan for the Town of Los Gatos to become a more inclusive place and where all community members feel welcome and a sense of belonging. In addition, the Town’s recently adopted 2040 General Plan includes a Racial, Social, and Environmental Justice Element that includes definitions, goals, policies, and implementation programs (https://losgatos2040.com/images/docs/LGGPU_02_EJ.pdf). The JEDI Plan is intended to function in concert with this Element. DISCUSSION: ALFI and Town staff are taking a multipronged approach to gather input on the initial ideas for action items to be included in the JEDI Plan (Exhibit 2). These items are based on the recommendations in the Discovery Report and other related Town work. Some of these items are already underway and Exhibit 2 includes updates on all the items. Feedback on the Potential Action Items is being sought from Town Boards, Committees, and Commissions; and the greater Los Gatos community. At least one community workshop will be held in Spring 2023 to garner additional public input. Town staff also will be reflecting on the organization internally in terms of how the Town can foster a more diverse workforce, strengthen procedures to protect staff from uncivil behavior, and be more welcoming for all. All of this input will be synthesized into a Draft JEDI Plan and the Town Boards, Committees, and Commissions will have another opportunity to provide comments. The input of the Town’s Boards, Committees, and Commissions is an important piece of the development of the JEDI Plan. To guide the discussion, please reflect and comment on the following: 1. Overall input on the Potential JEDI Plan Action Items in Exhibit 2. 2. How should we define “inclusion” and “belonging” in Los Gatos? 3. How do justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion intersect with the work of your Board/Committee/Commission? 4. How can your Board/Committee/Commission help to increase equity and inclusivity in Los Gatos? 5. How can we measure success? 6. Other ideas for how the Town Government organization as a whole can work toward a more equitable and inclusive Los Gatos. PAGE 3 OF 3 SUBJECT: Input on the Draft Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Plan DATE: March 17, 2023 CONCLUSION: Staff looks forward to the Board/Commission/Committee’s feedback. ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT: This is not a project defined under CEQA, and no further action is required. EXHIBITS: 1. ALFI Discovery Report 2. Potential JEDI Plan Action Items This Page Intentionally Left Blank DISCOVERY R EPORT ALF INSIGHTS ALFALFINSIGHTS™ EXHIBIT 1 Town of Los Gatos Discovery Report We can leverage our pride and use the JEDIJEDI plan to build upon the best of Los Gatos. Dave Watermulder, Town of Los Gatos Interfaith Group American Leadership Forum Insights 1 ALFI was hired to accomplish the following phases of work: Phase I Goals: Discovery Engage community partners, through meetings with individuals and groups, in order to ascertain their understanding of the jedi plan as well as gather input on equity and inclusion efforts in the Town. Phase II: Summary and Recommendations Summarize themes and ideas and provide back a set of recommendations about gaps in the current plan, suggestions for additions and deletions as well as points of clarity and to offer a process for on-going community engagement. WHAT WE DID: PROCESS OVERVIEW ALFI held a total of 18 Discovery sessions with 27 individuals spanning community members, business owners, nonprofit leaders, faith groups and education administrators. Please see the full list of who participated and their affiliation in Appendix D. Each individual or group was asked the following questions. -What are the opportunities that you see for the Town as they move forward with their equity work ? -What are you feeling most hopeful about? -What are you most concerned about? -What in your mind creates an inclusive community? -jedi Plan thoughts and feedback? Are you willing to engage in the jedi process in the future? In what context? WHAT WE LEARNED: HIGH LEVEL THEMES The work of grappling with race and systemic inequities is hard and are not quickly resolved. It requires courageous and brave leadership, of- ten in the face of strong opposition. Through the discovery process, alfi heard the following themes across all of those we spoke to. It should be noted that of all those we interviewed, everyone was will- ing to be engaged in the on-going work. THE TOWN of Los Gatos over the past couple of years has worked diligently to create their Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Plan (JEDI) with the intent of lifting that work up into Town processes and policies as well as the community. The Town engaged ALF Insights (ALFI), the consulting arm of American Leadership Forum Silicon Valley (ALFSV), which is committed to bringing groups of people together in spaces of productive tension in order to build deeper relationships that lead to the creation of powerful community impact. As a neutral convener of cross sector leaders, alfi has the ability to emerge new frameworks for how an organization or network manages change and embraces dynamic processes that use tension as a vehicle to bring their work to the next level. Town of Los Gatos Discovery Report 2022 2 Opportunities Overall participants saw many op- portunities for the Town’s continued commitment to the jedi Plan: -The opportunity for the Town government to create initiatives, policy, action and tone setting around the jedi work. -The opportunity for community learning centered around events, specific programs and dialogue in order to create awareness and enlightenment. -The opportunity for the Town to engage and leverage the energy and voices of youth. -The opportunity for businesses to promote inclu- sive practices. -The opportunity to address this work through affordable housing which would impact the de- mographics of the Town and shift the definition of who is welcome. -The opportunity to leverage the energy of the Town and the pride the community holds for the Town. Hope The process and plan created a sense of hope for those that alfi spoke to. -Previous and current efforts to address race eq- uity brings hope. -The new ideas and possibilities that are centered in creating a new future for the Town. -The participation and voices of youth through their school campuses, the March Against Hate and participation in government. -The open acceptance of the lgbtqia+ community through physical and visible solidarity such as public art displays. -The interfaith work happening in the Town. -That the jedi Plan was created and being dis- cussed openly and woven through the policies and practices of the Town. Inclusion Being an inclusive Town, while defined differently by the participants, mattered to every- one. For some that was about wanting everyone to be comfortable in the Town and for others it was about ensuring that business is supported and cre - ating a place that folks want to visit. An inclusive Town was defined as: -A place in which there is open and visible sup - port for all people. -A place that is safe where people do not have to worry about being discriminated against based on their race, gender or sexual preference. -A place with a diverse population in terms of race and economic background that provides for shared community experiences. -A place that creates a true sense of belonging and seeks to create spaces without judgment. -A place that can tolerate a diversity of viewpoints and in which its residents are able to engage in civil discourse across differences. -A place that the community in Los Gatos has pride in and that those outside of the Town want to visit. Concerns Along with the opportunities and hope that discovery participants felt, there are also real fears and concerns about the on-going jedi work. -Fear about engaging in the work and how that might impact the personal safety of participants. -Fear that this work will reflect negatively on the Town, that it will keep people away from the Town, impacting businesses or will have neg- ative fiscal impacts. -Concern that the Town, and the larger commu- nity, lacks the capacity or knowledge to do the work. Who will own this work and ensure that it gets done? -Concern that some residents do not agree with the Town doing this work and the resulting im- pact that has on individual leader’s ability to stay engaged with the work. -Concern that the Town will not go deep enough or far enough with the jedi work to make a lasting impact. How do we ensure authentic versus per- formative action? -Concern that the jedi work may derail other criti- cal work of the Town. JEDI Plan Discovery participants had various lev- els of knowledge about the jedi Plan in its current form and the following feedback. -Ensure that the community is a part of creating and iterating the plan so that there is collective and coordinated energy to support the imple- mentation of plan objectives. -Ensure that the plan works in conjunction with the other work happening across the school, American Leadership Forum Insights 3 We are Los Gatos. We are working towards an authentic and accurate depiction of the people who live in the Town. Catherine Somers, Los Gatos Chamber of Commerce business and nonprofits communities. -Stay invested in the work and provide the sup - port and infrastructure for that to occur. -Create more specificity and accountabili- ty in the plan itself to ensure that the plan is not performative. -Commit to this process for the long-term. RECOMMENDATIONS As the Town moves forward with the jedi plan and its resulting work products, we believe that the fol- lowing recommendations will aid them in staying the course in creating a Town that is inclusive and safe for all. Collaborative, On-going Engagement Instead of different groups working individually to address the issues of race equity, the Town of Los Gatos should provide the infrastructure and funding for those groups to work together long- term. Additionally, as these organizations will be doing the work, their voices should be a part of the design and implementation of the work in order to ensure the authenticity of the process. >RECOMMENDATION: Form a facilitated, commu- nity working group that will come together to build relationships and develop a deeper under- standing of jedi concepts. Use this group to iterate Town of Los Gatos Discovery Report 2022 4 The town is starting to awaken now and we have to do something collectively to bring about change. Kareem Syed, Former Resident; Peacemaker during BLM and other protests and how they will be adjusting their work in sup- port of the jedi Plan. Intentionally Engage School Districts & Youth One of the places where issues related to race and anti-semitism have shown up the most publicly has been on school campuses. In addition, there are many young people that are deeply engaged in jedi work as the March Against Hate demonstrated. >RECOMMENDATION: Ensure that the school dis- tricts and youth have an intentional and con- nected voice to the jedi work as it moves forward. >RECOMMENDATION: Reaffirm to the school dis- tricts that they are not alone in handling these incidents. Create space for them to work collab- oratively with the Town to brainstorm solutions to these problems. Continue to Build Affordable Housing Across all the participants alfi spoke with, housing was brought up at least once in each of the discov- ery sessions. Ensuring economic diversity through affordable housing was seen as a critical piece in the jedi puzzle. >RECOMMENDATION: continue to build and support affordable housing through the General Plan and Housing Element. and deepen the jedi plan that includes short and long-term goals as well as a timeline of activities. >RECOMMENDATION: Develop a statement of what inclusivity and belonging mean to the Town as a part of the jedi Plan. Develop Safe Spaces In order for people to be willing to publicly engage in this work, there needs to be a commitment to the physical safety of those who participate. >RECOMMENDATION: Create guidelines for safety that allow working group and community mem - bers to develop solidarity and commitment to seeing the process through. >RECOMMENDATION: Ensure all threats to personal safety will not be tolerated through clear policies and practices. >RECOMMENDATION: Utilize art and community en - gagement with art as a path to create safe spaces for learning and expression. Build Capacity for the Work In order for the jedi plan to be effective, there needs to exist a baseline of knowledge and understand- ing of historical inequities and how those impacts show up currently. Specifically the following con- cepts: intersectionality, color-blindness, econom- ic disparities, historical inequities and the work of reconciliation. >RECOMMENDATION: Provide spaces for members of the community to learn and be in dialogue together. >RECOMMENDATION: Emphasize that the jedi work benefits everyone and detail how and why this is the case as they engage in these community dialogues. Connect the Work to the Vibrancy of the Town Economy Often there is a concern that engaging in jedi work might negatively impact the public perception of the Town and the people who live there. In fact, the willingness to be “front and center” on the work of addressing historical and current inequities can in fact be a boost for the Town and its public image. >RECOMMENDATION: Develop a public facing cam - paign about what the Town is doing in regards to its jedi work along with its plan. Ensure that there is transparency about what the Town is learning American Leadership Forum Insights 5 APPENDIX A: QUESTION SUMMARIES Discovery Question #1: What are the opportu- nities that you see for the Town as they move for- ward with their equity work? “In a world moving more and more toward a global way of thinking, the Town would be better served with the addition of a Unity Commission made up of diverse groups – ages, backgrounds, etc. – to be the eyes and ears of the Town and who bring more vitality to the community. Ex- isting partnerships in the Town should be leveraged and synergies explored. Orga- nizations such as numu, Los Gatos Library, Chamber of Commerce, Rotary, awo, and others can work together to center, pro- mote, and celebrate diversity.” — Folake Phillips Overall, participants felt that opportunities exist. Most communicated that the Town government can be leveraged as conveners, supporters, or initiators of the equity work. Collaboration was mentioned as a key ingredient to the success of this work and that the Town officials should fos- ter environments for multiple sectors to work together. Business was a key sector discussed along with Community Based Organizations (cbo’s). Although collaboration was discussed most, the need for support and leadership from the Town government, financial, organizational, and other- wise, was recognized as well. Often mentioned as initiators of events and programs that community leaders could then take over or amplify the work of cbo’s that is already happening. Some partic- ipants also stated that large businesses want to recruit skilled workers from all backgrounds and having an inclusive and diverse Town aids in the process. Events, dialogues, and programs centered on community awareness and learning about jedi were also seen as an opportunity. These occasions create space for various experiences and perspec- tives to be acknowledged and valued. The events should focus on elevating voices that are often marginalized, helping to make the Town inclusive and safe for all. Some direct ideas were, music festivals, economic investments in departments to push the work forward, ongoing equity curric- ulum, and opportunities to learn of the Town’s painful past. A focus on youth in this process was also sug- gested. The thought is to have similar opportuni- ties as mentioned above for students to lead and participate. Including jedi into the school curricu- lum was also highlighted. Affordable housing was another notable topic. The idea that diversity, equity, and inclusion de - pend on who can ‘afford’ to live in Los Gatos was at the heart of these suggestions. Town of Los Gatos Discovery Report 2022 6 Discovery Question #2: What are you most hopeful about? “I’m hopeful with the direction of this dei process and am glad that it has begun. I’m proud of how the Town is handling these challenges and of the steps they have taken to prioritize their dei efforts. I have listened to a few council meetings and am impressed by how the youth in this community have spoken up about their feelings and how articulately they were able to get their points across. Due to this involvement of the town’s youth I think it would be a great opportunity to engage with the Town’s youth commission.” — Dominic Broadhead Participants were most hopeful regarding past and/or current events. Events like the March Against Hate, student-led initiatives at the high school and visual representations, such as rain- bow sidewalks, were repeatedly mentioned. Some participants mention the existence of a jedi plan and the surveying afli was conducting as signs of positive movement. Participants also mentioned that the town leadership bringing the jedi conver- sation to the forefront was encouraging along with hearing and seeing so many other residents look- ing to create change. Participants also expressed hope about fu- ture events and projects. There were numerous ideas communicated that had participants excited and engaged. Many discussed the opportunity for people to engage each other as people and not ideological groups. The space for human connec- tivity through dialogue, storytelling, music, and the arts was highly regarded and a source of hope for many participants. Participants mentioned hope in new people hired/elected to important roles within the Town i.e., new police chief and mayor. Participants also discussed student engage- ment as a source of hope. Past events and the de- sire to create more opportunities for young people to influence policies, share ideas, and learn more about equity and inclusion seemed to come from participants across the board. Other things to explore: Participants men- tioned that the beginning of this work may be tough but believe the overall community will come along with time. Some believe the Town can handle the challenges ahead, but officials need to keep moving the ball forward. To change will require the development of new skills and a high- er capacity to hear and understand one another. Another thing that was notable is how infrequent- ly the topic of the Town’s police department was mentioned. This is a potential place of hope since policing, by and large, has shown up a lot in other cities and communities regarding jedi work. Discovery Question #3: What are you most concerned about? “Neither the Town nor the school district can solve this issue on their own. It is a community problem and to address it effectively, we need to find ways to work collaboratively across sectors to find solutions.” — Dr. Michael Grove The overwhelming response to this question, along with it being mentioned throughout our interviews, was fear. The trepidations of many participants centered on the response of resi- dents who may be resistant to the work. Although negative interactions were not expected from most residents, the strong and vitriolic nature of a small segment of residents weighed heavily on the minds of everyone we spoke with. Concerns about personal safety, alienation, and retaliation were consistently brought forward. Concerns about safety need to be addressed for the Town to get strong buy-in from the community. Addressing this issue will increase who and how long people stay engaged. The next issue of concern is the efficacy and capacity to make change. Participants questioned the long-term commitment the Town has toward equity work. It was mentioned that the General Plan should reflect jedi concerns to help it properly move forward. There was also concern that some people with influence and power will impede any progress either because change is hard or holding the status quo is preferred. Participants, acknowl- edging the large scope of the work and the chal- lenging political climate, questioned if the Town possessed the knowledge and ability to create a more equitable and inclusive community. Other things to consider in addressing American Leadership Forum Insights 7 participant concerns are affordable housing, train- ing and education for youth, and accessibility to resources to increase the community’s knowledge around equity work. Discovery Question #4: What in your mind creates an inclusive community? “I’d like to be able to see a black, lesbian developer come and live comfortably in Los Gatos and attend her synagogue.” — Jon Hicks When participants were asked to imagine what an inclusive community looked like they painted this picture: A community that is safe and welcoming to those who do not fit the norm, empathy and compassion exhibited between neighbors, vi- brancy that is attributed to diversity, new voices welcomed at decision-making tables, and a deep sense of belonging that crosses the boundaries of gender, culture, race, sexual preference, and so- cio-economics. It was acknowledged that some of these characteristics may not be measurable, but the feeling would be recognizable. Participants stated that an inclusive commu- nity has jedi dialogues, addresses unconscious bias, educates people on the history of the indigenous people, creates intentional spaces and opportuni- ties for residents to come together and celebrate differences. The inclusive community creates and highlights role models for the next generation to emulate, helping them be even better informed and aware of jedi issues. Participants stated that representations of diversity in business ownership, government officials and teachers would be part of an inclu- sive community. Community policing standards should be employed, where all residents are treat- ed fairly no matter race, religion, or sexual orien- tation. Affordable housing should be part of an inclusive community. Other topics to note, questions about the cur- rent demographics of the Town were raised and concerns that perceived homogeneity of econom- ic backgrounds within the town may obscure the actual needs. Some participants mentioned the need for greater clarity regarding what the Town is communicating when it speaks of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion. Discovery Question #5: What are your thoughts on the jedi Plan? Are you willing to engage in the jedi process in the future? In what context? “I fully support the town’s jedi efforts. I think they’ll be strengthened by includ- ing reasons why this is good for Los Gatos and worth town expenditure. I’d like to add that the town staff needs to make clear to the community how and why the jedi efforts benefit everyone and harm no one.” —Amy Nishide Everyone who participated was open and will- ing to engage the jedi process in the future. Most were enthusiastic and excited to see the Town take these initial steps. There were some concerns about possible politicizing of the process and po - tential backlash. Participants were generally familiar with the jedi plan. Overall, participants thought the direc- tion was good, while expressing concerns about clarity of purpose, tangible deliverables, and the long-term commitment. Collaboration between the various sectors; government, business, educa- tion, and the community; was highlighted as a large need. The development of a Unity Commission was suggested as a step to keep the work moving forward. Despite all the positive feedback, fear regarding the perception and response of some residents was mentioned. Fear was one of the most expressed emotions along with the desire for progress. Participants suggested numerous ideas about how to engage the process. The majority fell into three categories: events/entertainment, dialogue, and training/education. Ideas such as movie view- ings, concert series and using the arts to bring peo - ple together around topics of diversity and inclu- sion were suggested. Creating spaces for open and honest dialogue to help residents learn from one another was referenced. Training and educational partnerships between cbo’s, schools and the gov- ernment were also highlighted. Previous events and groups were named as examples to build on; March Against Hate, the Anti-Racism Coalition and the Chamber of Commerce to name a few. Town of Los Gatos Discovery Report 2022 8 APPENDIX B: ALF INSIGHTS MODEL The work of emerging and building spaces for high quality dialogue within an organization is not a linear process but a cyclical one. The process of learning, creating, implementing, evaluating and iterating should become a cultural norm for an organization or network. When this process is built into the day to day ethos of an organization, it allows for growth, flexibility, nimbleness and responsiveness to the needs of employees, those served and the larger community. ALF Insights (alfi) knows, through its many years of working with diverse groups, that the creation and maintenance of relationships is critical for the success of any working group. In order for members of a group to begin to engage with the work at hand, they have to be able to successfully take risks with each other in order for the ultimate products to have full buy-in and be responsive to the community’s needs. The ability for members to authentically share their personal and profes- sional value propositions, and to seek common ground, is inherently connected to the quality of relationship within the team. alfi is focused on de- veloping a highly personalized program that will move both relationships and impact forward. It is important to note that this is not a linear pro- cess as vigorous, generative social-impact groups are a picture of evolving social relationships and a robust platform for sustained production and impact. DEEPENING RELATIO N S H IP S BUILDING KNOWLEDGEC R E A T I N G T O G ETH ERIMPLEMENTING & EVALUATINGONGOING LEARNINGALF Insights works with the organization to establish a structure of ongoing learning and development. Maintenance of generative teams is ongoing and emergent work. It is critical to have structures in place and natural leaders identified so that the organization can evaluate, learn and iterate as needed. A vital cornerstone of this work is the building of relationships and the creation of authentic dialogue and risk-taking. The work here is to create a container that is “stretchy” enough to handle productive tension and discord. ALF Insights works with the organization to develop knowledge and understanding of team culture, practices for effective dialogue, processes for managing and leveraging tension and the creation of impact. ALF Insights assists the organization in thinking together about how the wisdom gained and the relationships built can be leveraged into new structures, processes and systems for the organization. ALF Insights works with the organization to create a process of accountability at the staff, board and partner level in order to ensure fidelity to new structures. American Leadership Forum Insights 9 APPENDIX C: ALF INSIGHTS FACULTY For this project the following faculty members were engaged: Jenny Niklaus alfi Chief Facilitation Officer Jason Reynolds alfi Faculty Darcie Green alfi Faculty Allyson Paul alfi Executive Assistant APPENDIX D: LIST OF DISCOVERY PARTICIPANTS Rabbi Melanie Aron, Congregation Shir Hadash Father Ricardo Avila, Dave Watermulder, Erica Rader, Town of Los Gatos Interfaith Group Diane Fisher, Jewish Silicon Valley Kareem Syed, Former Resident; Peacemaker during BLM and other protests Jon Hicks, Netflix Catherine Somers, Los Gatos Chamber of Commerce Dr. Michael Grove, Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District Paul Johnson, Los Gatos Union School District Kristi Grasty, Los Gatos High School Kylie Clark, Jeffrey Suzuki, Amy Nishide, Ali Milano, Sandrine Chaumette, Rob Moore, Alicia Spargo, Los Gatos Anti-Racism Coalition Ami Davis, NUMU Karen Rubio, Plant Based Advocates Sasha Balasingham, Youth Commission Chair, Los Gatos High School Dominic Broadhead, Los Gatos-Saratoga Parks and Recreation Center Folake Philips, Varily Isaacs, AWO Teri Hope, Business Owner Susan Farwell, Business Owner Jim Foley, Business Owner Sobrato Center for Nonprofits 1400 Parkmoor Avenue, Suite 280 San Jose, CA 95126 Email: alfsv@alfsv.org Phone: (408) 554.2000 ALFSV.ORG 1 STATUS OF DISCOVERY REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS AND OTHER TOWN EFFORTS ALF Insights Town of Los Gatos Discovery Report: Recommendations Update 2/2023 Collaborative, On-going Engagement - RECOMMENDATION: Form a facilitated, community working group that will come together to build relationships and develop a deeper understanding of JEDI concepts. Use this group to iterate and deepen the JEDI plan that includes short and long-term goals as well as a timeline of activities. - RECOMMENDATION: Develop a statement of what inclusivity and belonging mean to the Town as a part of the JEDI Plan. - UPDATE: Both of these items are moving forward through the Community Working Group process. Develop Safe Spaces - RECOMMENDATION: Create guidelines for safety that allow working group and community members to develop solidarity and commitment to seeing the process through. - RECOMMENDATION: Ensure all threats to personal safety will not be tolerated through clear policies and practices. - RECOMMENDATION: Utilize art and community engagement with art as a path to create safe spaces for learning and expression. - UPDATE: The Town Council has adopted civility guidelines for all Council and Commission meetings, being clear that: - The Town embraces diversity and strongly condemns hate speech and offensive, hateful language or racial intolerance of any kind at Town meetings. - Town Council and staff are well aware of the public’s right to disagree with their professional opinion on various Town issues. However, anti-social behavior, slander, hatred, and bigotry statements are completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated in any way, shape, or form at Town meetings. EXHIBIT 2 2 - All public comments at the Town Council meeting must pertain to items within the subject matter jurisdiction of the Town and shall not contain slanderous statements, hatred, and bigotry against non-public officials. Build Capacity for the Work - RECOMMENDATION: Provide spaces for members of the community to learn and be in dialogue together. - RECOMMENDATION: Emphasize that the JEDI work benefits everyone and detail how and why this is the case as they engage in these community dialogues. - UPDATE: The Town is providing spaces for members of the community to learn and be in dialogue together, starting with programming through our Library on Affordable Housing and the intersection of environmental sustainability and equity. Connect the Work to the Vibrancy of the Town’s Economy - RECOMMENDATION: Develop a public facing campaign about what the Town is doing in regards to its JEDI work along with its plan. Ensure that there is transparency about what the Town is learning and how they will be adjusting their work in support of the JEDI Plan. Intentionally Engage School Districts and Youth - RECOMMENDATION: Ensure that the school districts and youth have an intentional and connected voice to the JEDI work as it moves forward. - RECOMMENDATION: Reaffirm to the school districts that they are not alone in handling these incidents. Create space for them to work collaboratively with the Town to brainstorm solutions to these problems. - UPDATE: The Town signed an agreement with the Los Gatos Saratoga Union High School District and Los Gatos Union School District to be part of a social norms effort. The Districts have been invited to participate in the Town’s JEDI Plan process. Continue to Build Affordable Housing - RECOMMENDATION: Continue to build and support affordable housing through the General Plan and Housing Element. - UPDATE: The 2040 General Plan adopted with its Racial, Social, and Environmental Justice Element on 6/30/22. The Housing Element with modifications was adopted by the Town Council on 1/30/23, finding it to be in substantial compliance with State law. The Town is continuing to address the detailed comments from the State, engaging with the community in that process. 3 Town of Los Gatos Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Work Plan Update 2/2023 JEDI Plan - UNDERWAY: Work with ALFI to prepare an actionable JEDI Plan with clear goals, timeframes, and measurable outcomes. Town staff will lead staff, general public, and other engagement in this effort. Town Operations - UNDERWAY AND ONGOING: Require all Town Departments to use a lens of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion in the: - Development of the Town budget, Capital Improvement Program, General Plan (see more information below), and other guiding documents; - Delivery of Town services; and - Creation of all new programs, projects, and policies. - UNDERWAY AND ONGOING: Examine all proposed policies and ordinances in the context of promoting, facilitating, and improving justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion in Los Gatos. This work is done by the Council Policy Committee, appropriate Town Boards, Committees, and Commissions, and the Town Council. Communications/Community Engagement - UNDERWAY AND ONGOING: Expand the Town’s community engagement to include more Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. - UNDERWAY AND ONGOING: Communicate actively on social media and in other forums to reinforce messages of inclusion, belonging, and welcoming. Town Boards, Committees, and Commissions - UNDERWAY AND ONGOING: Recruit Town Board, Committee, and Commission members to reflect diverse communities of color, identity, and backgrounds. - UNDERWAY AND ONGOING: Incorporate diversity, equity, and inclusion into the work of all Town Boards, Committees and Commissions and discuss these efforts with the Town Council and the public. - UPDATE: DEI training is scheduled for all Town Board, Committee, and Commission members on February 23, 2023. 4 Transparency in Government - UNDERWAY AND ONGOING: Expand access to Town records and information to further demonstrate the Town’s commitment to transparency in governmental operations. Police Reforms - UNDERWAY AND ONGOING: Biannual Reports to review progress at Town Council meetings on Police Reforms, including independent investigations, mental health/homeless support, traffic stop data, and options for non-emergency calls. - UNDERWAY AND ONGOING: Continue to strengthen the Police Department relationship with the County Behavioral Health services staff and Mobile Crisis Response Team. - UNDERWAY AND ONGOING: Work toward the Police Chief’s goal for all Department personnel to exceed the minimum number of hours of training in de- escalation and crisis intervention. - UNDERWAY AND ONGOING: Continuously review and update Department policies and procedures to ensure that it is employing the best practices for hiring, training, eliminating bias, and ensuring the public’s safety. Town Personnel - UNDERWAY AND ONGOING: Foster a more diverse workforce by updating job descriptions and minimum qualifications to encourage a broader set of candidates, promoting job opportunities using conventional and unconventional techniques to reach deeper into the talent pool, and encouraging professional development to expand skills and abilities. - UNDERWAY AND ONGOING: Strengthen procedures to protect employees from bullying, racism, and other uncivil behavior. - UNDERWAY AND ONGOING: Encourage justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion training for Town staff members and Departments.