TITLE
Recommendation to request City Clerk to develop a training module for council-appointed members of City boards and commissions which includes, but is not limited to, training on the City’s 2030 Strategic Vision, current ethics standards, and the City’s Equity Toolkit.
DISCUSSION
As the Mayor begins the process of appointing new board members and commissioners for the 2023-24 legislative session, it is important that the City set up its appointees for success.
Long Beach has published a number of important documents in recent years that lay out principles and standards for conduct of those who represent the City, which should be utilized to better inform and prepare new commissioners and board members for their service on governing and advisory bodies.
Among these documents is Long Beach’s 2030 Strategic Vision, which affirms the City’s commitment to support Long Beach’s diverse communities and to work alongside them to create a future in which all residents experience Long Beach as a safe, clean and healthy place to live, learn, work, play and thrive. Understanding the guiding principles Long Beach has committed itself to and what its goals are for the rest of the decade is essential to fulfilling the role of a City commissioner or board member.
Second, the City’s ethics rules, which cover policies regarding gifts, conflicts of interest, financial disclosures, and political activities, as well as Brown Act and Public Records Act compliance, should be taught to all appointed commissioners and board members just as they are to other City employees and elected officials. Investing in ethics training will help ensure City commissions and boards can fulfill their policy and decision-making duties in full compliance with local, state, and federal ethical standards.
Finally, training on the City’s Equity Toolkit will help better inform commission and board members of the City’s norms around communication, resources available to committees including the City’s Language Access coordinators, and some current examples of policies Long Beach is pursuing to create a more equitable city. Commissions that center equity, inclusion, and racial justice in their discussions will able to foster a safer and more welcoming environment that honors the diverse needs and experiences of all Long Beach residents, and they will be better positioned to identify and root out systemic biases, prejudices, and blind spots that might otherwise influence their policy and decision-making.
FISCAL IMPACT
No fiscal impact report was conducted due to the urgency and time sensitivity of this item.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
REX RICHARDSON
MAYOR