Modesto council members commit to inclusive jobs, services under new diversity program

Jan. 27—Modesto City Council members voted unanimously Tuesday to create a program to diversify the city's workforce and make the services it offers more accessible to limited English speakers and those with disabilities.

Additionally, a citizens commission will be created to advise the city on matters related to the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion program.

Through the program's supporting Equity Employment Opportunity (EEO) plan, the city will strive to get its workforce to resemble the community's available labor market by increasing diversity, eliminating barriers to employment and creating equity in recruitment.

Councilman Tony Madrigal said the effort has been needed for some time. "We are not ignoring the fact that we need to look through the lens of race, equity, diversity and inclusion when we deliver public services that are paid for with taxpayer dollars," he said.

A report will be produced bianually to evaluate progress across nine job categories, including executive and senior level officials and managers, professionals with degrees or certifications, technicians, sales workers, administrative support workers, craft workers, operatives, laborers/helpers and service workers.

In Stanislaus County, the total workforce population is 244,900, and is slightly more (51%) female, according to county documents. Women are the majority of professionals (59.5%) and technicians (58.5%) in the county's labor market, yet are disproportionately represented in the city's workforce, making up 43% and 30.2%, respectively.

Women also are underrepresented when it comes to the city's executive and senior level roles, where they hold only a quarter of those positions despite representing 41.7% of that labor market in the county. Though white men represent 39.2% of the county's executive labor market, they hold over half (55.6%) of the city's executive positions.

Employment goals

Latino men make up about half of the laborers/helpers and craft worker market in the county, but respectively represent 21.4% and 20.8% of the city's workforce. Under Modesto's five-year plan, the goal will be to increase Latino representation in these fields by 6%.

The city also plans to increase the number of Latinas who are service workers and laborers/helpers by 3% and 5%, respectively. Currently, Latinas represent 27.8% and 22.3% of those labor markets in the county, but make up 4.7% of city service workers and are not represented in the laborers/helpers sector.

Another one of the city's jobs would be to boost the representation of women in the service worker sector by 6%. Currently, women make up 62% of the county's labor market for that sector, but only 15.5% among city employees.

Language access plan

The city plans to assist to limited English speakers by providing a translation component on its websites, which also will convert most documents into the language selected by the user.

City Council meetings will be broadcast with closed captioning to give participants the option to select the language of their choosing. Verbal translation through a software program that allows real-time interpretation will be used when residents attend City Council meetings, budget hearings and state of the city addresses.

Day-to-day interpretation will be provided by bilingual staff, who will need to undergo an annual competency assessment and will be compensated for providing those services. Signs stating the right to these services will be posted in locations visible to the public.

Accessibility for the disabled

The city conducted a self-evaluation and transition plan, which looked at how accessible programs, services and activities are for individuals with disabilities. Parks and other recreation buildings and facilities were surveyed and determined to be priority sites.

It will cost over $6 million to remove barriers from all bus stops and 56 buildings that were surveyed, and nearly $9 million to make the 1,468 curb ramps that have been surveyed.

The city must also develop grievance procedures in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, provide training for employees and post nondiscrimination notices on frequently used publications. City employees also recommended including a statement on the phone and TTD/TTY numbers about ADA coordinators' ability to provide accommodations if needed.

Renter aid, infrastructure needs

During public comment, one resident asked if the effort could include a renters board to help those experiencing housing insecurity and eviction. Christina Alger, the city's director of human resources, said her team would reconvene to discuss the different types of inequities and could consider adding a housing element to the effort.

Councilman Madrigal said he often hears from residents about seeing streets paved, but not theirs. He also hears complaints about trash piling up in certain areas of Modesto, so asked Alger if this is something the program and commission would be in charge of.

"That's part of this program as well," Alger said. "It's not only the internal components, but it's also the services that we deliver to the community, which include the allocation of resources."

As of now, however, no county documents show plans to address community infrastructure, other than improving accessibility for those with disabilities. There also is no mention of addressing housing.

Creation of equity commission

The city's Equal Opportunity/Disability Commission and Human Relations Commission, which fell dormant a few years ago, will be restructured into a single Equity Commission.

Modesto resident Emerson Drake expressed doubt about the commission during public comment Tuesday. He said the city has struggled to keep women in higher level positions and the previous commissions becoming dormant doesn't give him confidence that action will happen.

"This might be a great plan to follow through with ... but the track record doesn't show that," he said.

The City Council will appoint 11 residents to the Equity Commission, to serve four-year terms. An approximate date of when this will happen and how the appointments will be made have not been announced.

The Equity Commission will advise the city manager and council about matters related to the program, recommend policies, review practices and procedures and be informed about complaints and grievances submitted to the city in regards to employment opportunity, equity, inclusion and disability. City employees are barred from being members.

Modesto Mayor Sue Zwahlen said the commission would provide insight into the challenges Modestans face so that the council can then work to improve the quality of life.

"I look forward to hearing from this commission," she said.

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