Boards and Commissions Pilot with the Iowa Department of Human RightsCity of Dubuque
City Council Meeting
Consent Items # 020.
Copyrighted
November 7, 2022
ITEM TITLE: Boards and Commissions Pilot with the Iowa Department of Human
Rights
SUMMARY: City Clerk transmitting information regarding the City's participation in a
pilot for City boards and commissions applications with the Iowa
Department of Human Rights.
SUGGESTED Suggested Disposition: Receive and File
DISPOSITION:
ATTACHMENTS:
Description Type
Staff Memo Staff Memo
Agreement Supporting Documentation
THE C
DUj!B9kFE,
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
Dubuque City Clerk's Office
City Hall
50 W. 13`h Street
All-AmedeaEity Dubuque, IA 52001-4864
I I Iftl (563) 589-4100 office
(563) 589-0890 fax
ctyclerk@cityofdubuque.org
2007 . 2012 .2013 www.cityofdubuque.org
TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Adrienne N. Breitfelder, City Clerk
DATE: November 1, 2022
SUBJECT: Boards and Commissions Pilot with the Iowa Department of Human Rights
The State of Iowa utilizes an online platform, called Iowa Talent Bank, for receiving and
processing state board and commission applications. The state would like to expand
platform participation to cities and counties for their respective boards and commissions
application processes. Having all entities on the same platform can increase awareness
of board and commission opportunities at state and local levels of government and
increase cross -collaboration on outreach efforts. The Iowa Department of Human Rights
is overseeing a pilot program in which select cities across the state test out the
functionality of the platform at the local level before it is offered to all local entities. The
City of Dubuque has been invited to participate in the pilot program for city boards and
commissions applications.
Assistant City Clerk Trish Gleason and I have met with Kimberly Baxter, Senior
Consultant with the Iowa Department of Human Rights, to discuss the Iowa Talent Bank
platform and the process of participating in the pilot. The pilot program is estimated to last
about 18-months and will involve applicants applying to City of Dubuque boards and
commissions via the Iowa Talent Bank platform to ensure the platform successfully
functions and meets the needs of our application process. City of Dubuque board and
commission applicants currently apply via an online form on the city's website or through
a paper application. The city's online form will be disabled during the pilot and will be
replaced with a weblink that directs applicants to the Iowa Talent Bank website. The Iowa
Talent Bank website will have a webpage dedicated to the City of Dubuque that will
display all City of Dubuque boards and commissions and provide the link to apply. The
only data that will be accessible to the public on the Iowa Talent Bank website will be
current board and commissioners' names, appointment dates, and term lengths, all of
which is data currently published on the City of Dubuque website. We intend to maintain
the same application questions on the Iowa Talent Bank platform as our current
application, so while the layout of the application will look different, the content of the
application will remain unchanged. Applicants will continue having the option to submit a
paper application to the City Clerk's Office if they would prefer.
An agreement with the Iowa Department of Human Rights has been executed to formalize
the partnership and specify expectations on participation and data ownership. A copy of
that fully executed agreement is included as an attachment. A potential benefit of the City
Clerk's Office using Iowa Talent Bank is that automation is embedded in certain
processes, such as reminder emails for board and commission term expirations. As our
office seeks to be innovation in our processes, we envision the platform can achieve many
of our innovation goals.
There is no fee to participate in the pilot. State of Iowa representatives are still determining
if there will be a required fee to utilize the platform once it is ready for go -live. At the
conclusion of the pilot, our office will determine if we permanently transition to the Iowa
Talent Bank platform or revert to our online form on the city's webpage. If we decide to
transition to the Iowa Talent Bank platform, then an improvement package request will be
submitted via the budget process if a fee is required.
We will have additional meetings with Iowa Department of Human Rights staff and
platform developers in the next few weeks to discuss our application layout and process.
During those meetings, we will finalize the timeline for applicants to begin applying via the
Iowa Talent Bank website. Once the timeline is finalized, the City Clerk's Office will notify
current board and commission members and city staff about the pilot program via email
and will update the verbiage on our boards and commissions webpage to direct applicants
to the Iowa Talent Bank website to apply for City boards and commissions.
cc: Michael Van Milligen, City Manager
Crenna Brumwell, City Attorney
Cori Burbach, Assistant City Manager
Trish Gleason, Assistant City Clerk
Governor Kim Reynolds
Lt. Governor Adam Gregg
San Wong, Director
MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT
This Memorandum of Agreement (Agreement) is between the City of Dubuque (the City), City of
Dubuque City Hall, 50 West 13th St., Dubuque, Iowa 52001, and the Iowa Department of Human Rights
(DHR), 321 E. 12th St., Des Moines, Iowa 50319.
This Agreement establishes the terms and conditions under which the City will serve as a pilot city for
the Iowa Talent Bank. The Iowa Talent Bank (TB) is an online portal where Iowans can apply to serve on
specific boards and commissions in the state.
I. GOAL
The goal of this partnership is to enhance the work of both organizations in achieving mutual objectives
for increasing the number of Iowans participating in state and local government including and
encouraging more Iowans to seek appointments to their local boards/commissions and increasing civic
engagement among all Iowans, particularly those who are currently uninvolved or under -served.
II. AREAS OF COLLABORATION
To achieve this goal, DHR will provide one-on-one assistance in setting up the City's TB account including
ndividual Board/Commission pages, links to other content identified by the City, and creating
appropriate roles within the system for City staff; migrate the City's current Board/Commission data
onto the Talent Bank platform; provide guidance and a framework for testing the City's site to ensure it
yields the response you want; and provide training and serve as a Help Desk for the City's Administrator,
The City will agree to have its applicants use the Talent Bank system and create profiles in the system,
and use the TB and its application portal to apply to its boards and commissions. The City will determine
who will be the City's Administrator and other Administrators; provide copies of the City's
Board/Commission letters and notifications; provide details on the City's current system and process for
making appointments; submit needed Board/Commission information (including but not limited to
names and contact info for Administrators, Overview of each Board/Commission, existing Boards and
Commissions data, Board meeting information, and other Board details); provide the City Logo; provide
a message for the webpage; provide links to display; encourage new and existing Board/Commission
members to utilize TB to match their skills and interests with vacant or soon -to -be vacant
Board/Commission seats; assist DHR in drafting Best Practices; and provide a testimonial for use on the
website and other marketing materials.
Lucas State Office Building � 321 E. 12"` St, Des Moines, IA 50319 � 515-242-5655 � Fax 515-242-6119 � hops://humanrights.iowa.gov
III. Data
The City will submit data to DHR for the use and maintenance of the City's application process for
Boards/Commissions through TB. The data provided by the City to DHR is information related to
applications received for the City's Boards/Commissions. The data will be shared through a prescribed
Excel spreadsheet. All data transferred from the City to DHR shall remain the property of the City, and
following its initial upload and testing, the City will be responsible for maintaining this data within the
system. DHR will be responsible for the technical environment and database structure of TB that hosts
the data.
Data shall not include any personally identifiable information of any applicant.
The City will be able to view anyone with a profile who provides an address in the City of Dubuque. Any
county in the system will be able to view anyone with a profile who provides an address within that
county. The State of Iowa will be able to view anyone with a profile who lives in Iowa.
Both parties agree to comply with all applicable laws.
IV. Governing Law
This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the state of Iowa.
V. Termination
Either party may terminate this Agreement at any time and for any reason by giving 30 days prior
written notice to the other Party.
The individuals signing this Agreement on behalf of their respective entities represent and warrant
(without personal liability, thereof) that upon each signature, this Agreement shall have been duly
executed by the entity each represents.
City of Dubuque
Mike Van Milligen, City Manager
Iowa Department of Human Rights
Monica Stone, Deputy Director
[DATE]
10/20/2022
[DATE]
Lucas State Office Building 1 321 E. 12" St., Des Moines, IA 50319 � 515-242-56551 Fax 515-242-6119 I hltps://humanrights.iowa.gov