Equity and Human Rights Department RestructuringCity of Dubuque
City Council Meeting
Consent Items # 012.
Copyrighted
November 21, 2022
ITEM TITLE: Equity and Human Rights Department Restructuring
SUMMARY: City Manager recommending that the vacant Human Rights Intake
Specialist position be eliminated and that a new Equity and Human
Rights Specialist position be created.
SUGGESTED Suggested Disposition: Receive and File; Approve
DISPOSITION:
ATTACHMENTS:
Description
Equity and Human Rights Restructuring-MVM Memo
Memo regarding the restructuring of the Equity and
Human Rights Department
Equity and Human Rights Specialist Job Description
Type
City Manager Memo
Staff Memo
Supporting Documentation
THE C
DUjIBQTE
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Equity and Human Rights Department Restructuring
DATE: November 16, 2022
Dubuque
WAWca 914
ii
2007-2012.2013
2017*2019
Chief of Equity & Human Rights Dr. Gisella Aitken-Shadle is recommending that the
vacant Human Rights Intake Specialist position be eliminated and that a new Equity and
Human Rights Specialist position be created.
I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council
approval.
v
Mic ael C. Van Milligen
MCVM:sv
Attachment
cc: Crenna Brumwell, City Attorney
Cori Burbach, Assistant City Manager
Shelley Stickfort, Human Resources Director
Dr. Gisella Aitken-Shadle, Chief of Equity & Human Rights
To: Michael Van Milligen
From: Dr. Gisella M. Aitken-Shadle
CC: Shelley Stickfort, Kecia Dougherty
Date: November 141h, 2022
Re: Equity and Human Rights Restructuring
PROPOSAL:
To improve the performance of the Equity and Human Rights Department and to better serve the
public, I propose:
• Creating a second Equity and Human Rights Specialist position, in addition to the
position currently held by Collins Eboh (Organizational Equity Coordinator GE-34);
• Transferring the job duties related to the intake process for human rights charges from the
current Human Rights Intake Specialist position to the two Equity and Human Rights
Specialist positions.
• Eliminating the Human Rights Intake Specialist position (GE-27) and proposing
replacing it with the Administrative Assistant (GE-25) position through FY 24 budget
packet.
RATIONALE:
These proposed changes to the staff roles in the Equity and Human Rights Department would
improve the functioning of the department in the following ways:
• The former Human Rights Intake Specialist, Carol Spinoso, was on many days heavily
occupied by the duties associated with the intake process for human rights charges,
making it difficult to also complete the administrative tasks assigned to her. Transitioning
those intake duties to the two Equity and Human Rights Specialists and replacing the
Intake Specialist with an Administrative Assistant would allow the latter to focus on
administrative tasks.
• Carol Spinoso had unique experience and qualifications that enabled her to work with
individuals filing human rights charges and helping individuals through the complaint
process. These qualifications would be nearly impossible to find in applicants without a
bachelor's degree. Therefore, it makes sense to transfer these responsibilities to the
Equity and Human Rights Specialist position, who would be expected to possess at least
a Bachelor's degree, and would thus have the education and qualifications needed to
complete these tasks.
• The City of Dubuque's Intercultural Competency Committee has expressed that they
believe they are overcommitted and that they will not be able to assist the Equity and
Human Rights Department with Intercultural Competency trainings for both internal and
external audiences. This will increase the responsibility of the Equity and Human Rights
Department to provide these trainings. Adding a second Equity and Human Rights
Specialist would allow the Department to better perform this function while balancing
these responsibilities with intake for human rights charges and other responsibilities such
as community engagement and working with other City departments on equity initiatives.
• Under the current staffing levels, the Equity and Human Rights Department has found it
difficult to have staff members outside the office engaging with the community while
also maintaining a presence in the office to engage the public and fulfilling other
responsibilities like attending meetings and commission sessions. Having four staff
members in the department would enable the staff to spend more time outside the office
engaging with the public while also maintaining a presence in the office.
OTHER BENEFITS TO THE COMMUNITY:
The proposed changes would further benefit the Dubuque community in the following ways:
• Combining job duties related to the human rights charge intake process with those related
to community engagement would integrate these two functions of the Equity and Human
Rights Department in a way that is consistent with the department's overall philosophy
and that would better serve the public. It is important that the same people addressing
human rights complaints are also those who are engaging with the community to help
provide equitable services and access to community benefits. Having these two functions
performed by separate staff has made it more difficult to link individuals with needed
resources or to develop community -based solutions to problems contributing to human
rights complaints.
• If there is a sufficient number of Equity and Human Rights staff to both engage with the
community outside the office and maintain a presence in the office, the Department will
develop a stronger, more engaged relationship with the general public and create more
opportunities for the involvement of the public in the activities of the department.
BUDGET IMPLICATIONS:
Cost of hiring new Equity and Human Rights Specialist:
Equity and Human Rights Specialist (GE-34) salary: $61,297.60-$80,225.60
Human Rights Intake Specialist (GE 27-F) "Carol Spinoso's formal salary:
$55,182.40
Current budget items that can be reallocated to meet expenses of new position:
VISTA: $6,000
Intern: $10,000
Human Rights Intake Specialist (GE 27-F) salary: $55,182.40
TOTAL available for new position: $71,182.40
ACTION PLAN:
Once the proposal above is approved, next steps include:
• Moving forward with the hiring process to recruit and hire the Equity and Human Rights
Specialist by working with the Human Resources Department.
o Ideally the new individual would start by January 2"d, 2022
• Proposing a position for an Administrative Assistant full time in next year's budget as
part of an Improvement Package.
Equity and Human Rights Specialist
Classification: Organizational Equity Coordinator 3590
GE-34 $63,294.40 - $82,825.60
GENERAL SUMMARY: Serve as a primary liaison between underrepresented
and non native English speaking groups in the community and the City of Dubuque
for purposes of developing and implementing organizational equity plans; process
intakes, talk to people on the phones and meet with residents to address issues of
concern to them; design and conduct equity -related training and development
programs to improve individual skills and/or organizational performance; analyze
organizational training needs or evaluate training effectiveness; engage in skill
building, facilitation, dialogue, and conflict management towards the end goal of
systems changes to improve equity; and perform other duties as assigned.
DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF THE CLASS: Work in this class involves
responsibility for serving as a liaison between underrepresented groups and the
City of Dubuque for purposes of developing and implementing organizational
equity plans; and requires individual initiative, the exercise of independent
judgment and is performed with considerable independence. The employee in this
position reports to the Chief of Equity and Human Rights and work is reviewed
through reports, conferences, and results achieved.
WORK ENVIRONMENT: Duties may require working irregular hours and some
evenings, weekends, and holidays. Work is performed in a variety of settings
including offices, community meetings, businesses, classrooms, and homes in the
community. Frequent independent travel throughout the city may be required.
JOB DUTIES:
• Serve as a liaison between underrepresented groups and the City of
Dubuque for developing and implementing organizational equity plans; and
to departments/key partners for policy adaptation.
• Process intakes, talk to people on the phones and meet with residents to
address issues of concern.
• Assist departments and key community partners in analyzing and
developing solutions to structural and institutional barriers to social equity
while sustaining relationships with underrepresented groups; and in
engaging underrepresented groups to implement strategies for changing
systems and removing barriers.
• Model use of social equity strategies and race and equity tools to evaluate
programs, policies and practices with staff and key community partners.
• Develop programs, curriculum and workshops advancing understanding of
how justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion, accessibility and belonging
impact the experiences and outcomes of community members in
underrepresented groups at the internal and external levels of the City of
Dubuque.
• Work with underrepresented populations including non-English speaking
communities to enhance communication and access within the City of
Dubuque.
• Monitor and evaluate compliance with local equal opportunity laws,
guidelines, and policies to ensure that practices and contracting
arrangements give equal opportunity without regard to race, religion, color,
national origin, sex, age, or disability.
• Mediate intergroup disputes involving underrepresented groups.
• Educate staff and community members on handling difficult conversations
and conflict within and across cultural communities.
• Develop and coordinate cultural brokers from amongst members of
underrepresented groups to facilitate engagement of residents in identifying
contributions, needs, and barriers impacting their communities.
• Lead teams implementing equity plan priorities.
• Develop, build and maintain relationships with community organizations
engaged in work related to equity, inclusivity, diversity and human rights
priorities
• Identify collaboration and participation opportunities within the city
organizations in the community and beyond.
• Maintain and prepare program activity records and reports.
• Prepare annual and/or periodic reports and articles on the identification of
equity needs by underrepresented communities and on equity plan
implementation.
• Evaluate bias and discrimination trends.
• Raise awareness of equity issues and identify interventions.
• Explain regulations, policies, or procedures.
• Establish organizational guidelines or policies.
• Monitor organizational processes.
• Conduct surveys in organizations.
• Other duties as assigned by supervisor
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:
• Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management
principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources
modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of
people and resources.
• Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for
providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs
assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of
customer satisfaction.
• Organizational Systems and Structure Analysis — Knowledge of how
systemic and structural policies and procedures impact outcomes; and skill at
making recommendations to promote equitable and unbiased changes.
• Effective Communication Skills — Ability to communicate and mediate values
and conflicts using knowledge of communication styles and learning
techniques in a manner to promote understanding and useable information in
the promotion of diversity, equity and inclusion.
• Sociology and Anthropology - Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics,
societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their
history and origins.
• Active Listening and Learning - Listening to others, not interrupting, and
asking good questions; and figuring out how to use new ideas or things.
• Critical Thinking and Complex Problem Solving — Noticing a problem,
thinking about the pros and cons, and picking the best options to solve a
problem.
• Social Perceptiveness and Monitoring - Understanding people's reactions;
and tracking how well others are doing in order to make improvements.
• Judgment and Decision Making - Noticing a problem and figuring out the best
way to solve it.
• Inductive and Deductive Reasoning - Making or using general rules or
coming up with answers from lots of detailed information to solve problems.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
• Bachelor's degree with at least one year of professional work experience
in government, community or educational programs related to equity and
inclusion, and;
• Experience working with and advising underrepresented populations.
• Possession of or ability to obtain and maintain a valid Iowa Driver's License
or, the ability to travel independently throughout the community.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
• Master's degree in Communication, Business or Public Administration,
Political Science, Education, Sociology, Ethnic Studies or a related field.
• Related professional experience serving and working racially and ethnically
diverse populations.
• Experience working with non-English language speaking communities.
SUPERVISORY STATUS: Functional
RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT: Employee shall establish their principal place of
residence within thirty (30) miles of their place of employment as soon as
practicable after appointment, but within two years of appointment.
FLSA (OVERTIME) STATUS: Exempt
The City of Dubuque is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will receive
consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex,
sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status.
Revised 9/23/21 kd
8/15/22 kd
11 /8/22 kd