December 31, 2020 by Philip Lewenstein

My City Should Focus on Inclusion and Equity

For the past 31 years, my family and I have lived in Vadnais Heights, a suburb of almost 14,000 people located north of St. Paul. We have appreciated many aspects of the community including timely snow removal, parks-and-recreation opportunities for young children, fire protection, well-kept streets, economic development, and relationships with two outstanding school districts.

Until the past few years, I had little direct interaction or communication with city officials. I knew our city government was in good hands under the exemplary leadership of Sue Banovetz who served 16 years as mayor and four years as a city-council member.

Starting four years ago, I encountered poor communication by some city staff who reneged on promises to address concerns about property adjacent to my house and demonstrated a “we can’t help” attitude on several requests rather than trying to listen, understand, and help. Several times, I have been told my requests are low priority.

This year, several items caught my attention: council approval of a controversial housing project near my house, passage of a resolution opposing the governor’s emergency measures to fight Covid-19, and lack of focus and urgency in promoting diversity, inclusion, and equity.

Events of the past year have highlighted the need for systemic reforms to achieve racial equity and social justice. Effecting reforms and valuing diversity, equity, and inclusion require participation by all levels of government, businesses, schools, colleges, and individuals.

In Vadnais Heights, we may not have protesters marching in the streets or overt cases of discrimination; but bias exists, and the city does have an important role to ensure equity and inclusion going forward as changing demographics influence diversity, and cultural and social changes occur.

The city has identified the importance of improved communication with an emphasis on “engagement” rather than “inclusion.” It is disappointing that the city is moving slowly and passively in focusing on diversity, equity, and inclusion. However, the city, if it chooses, still has an opportunity to focus on these priority issues in 2021.

The city last summer established a community-engagement committee, but it took several months to find members and get started. A community survey on inclusion has generated a tepid response even though the deadline has been extended. Interim results released recently are concerning.

Addressing diversity, equity, and inclusion requires a baseline of current and projected demographic data. Yet it has been difficult to get data owing to conflicting responses from city administrators. Understanding a city’s past also is important.

Unlike Vadnais Heights, neighboring cities have given priority and invested in efforts to pursue racial equity. Whether to pursue racial equity is not an issue of city size or demographic distribution. It should be a priority for all cities. Working to ensure racial equity is hard work. It requires committed leadership dedicated to making it a priority.

League of Minnesota Cities Leaders Highlight Importance of Racial Equity

The importance of race equity is emphasized in a statement by leaders of the League of Minnesota Cities: Brad Wiersum, president, and David Unmacht, executive director.

“In every corner of Minnesota, the issue of race equity is becoming increasingly important for local officials,” Wiersum and Unmacht said. “We hear this from city leaders now more than ever. The need for greater racial equity and justice touches all communities, from the most racially diverse cities to those with very few or no people of color. We’ve seen firsthand how racial inequalities impact our cities in many distinct and different ways.

“The data is clear: racial demographics are continually changing throughout the state. The State Demographer’s Office is a great source of real-time data on population demographics. How cities welcome and integrate all citizens, regardless of race, ethnicity, or color, will be a leading indicator of community success on many levels in the future.”

Wiersum and Unmacht see the League as a valuable and reliable resource.  More than five years ago, the League began its race-equity work to provide members with resources to create safer and more-equitable cities for Minnesotans.

“While much good work has been done, the Covid-19 health pandemic and national reaction to the tragic killing of George Floyd have increased the level of inquiries resulting in the need for us to examine how we perform this work, including new or additional services and support for its members,” Wiersum and Unmacht said.

Residents Criticize City Actions, Leadership, and Communication

Several letters published in the Vadnais Heights Press this fall have been critical of elected leadership. One writer expressed disgust with the “secret resolution” calling for Covid-19 restrictions to be removed (Letters to the Editor, October 7, 2020).

Another letter writer said that current city-council members do not represent the community members’ views on important issues such as inclusivity and sustainability. Proposals have been brought to the city council to form a human-rights commission and to sign up for a Green Step Cities program; these proposals have been rejected or simply not acted on, the letter writer said. The writer noted that awareness of racial and ethnic disparities is at an all-time high and rather than creating an ongoing commission, the current city council formed a temporary task force that has yet to officially meet or draft goals (Letters to the Editor, October 21, 2020).

This spring, the city’s planning commission voted against a proposal by At Home Apartments to build multi-family housing on 13.5 acres next to IC Systems at Highway 36 and McMenemy Street after much opposition by residents who expressed concerns about traffic and density. However, the council quickly overrode the planning commission and approved the proposal. At Home has made several adjustments to its original proposal in response to feedback by residents and city officials, and construction is expected to begin in spring 2021.

On May 5, the city council unanimously approved a resolution urging Governor Walz to lift his Covid-19 executive order and allow all businesses to reopen (“Governor urged to reopen Minnesota,” Debra Neutkens, Vadnais Heights Press, May13, 2020). In a May 11 letter to Mayor Heidi Gunderson, to which she did not reply, I expressed disappointment in both the resolution and her cover letter, noting that many facts were incorrect and the messages were vague and unclear. I concluded that the poor quality of the resolution and letter reflect poorly on Vadnais Heights and its leaders.

At the May 19 council meeting, residents admonished city leaders for denying the opportunity for citizens to comment on the resolution which was not on the public agenda, saying it was passed without  support of the business community or Vadnais citizens (“Residents push back on Reopen Resolution,” Debra Neutkens, Vadnais Heights Press, May 27, 2020).

With Covid-19 cases spiking dramatically this fall, I was surprised to read a letter to the editor of the Vadnais Heights Press noting frustration with council member Greg Urban’s refusal to wear a mask at the November 4, council meeting (“Council member does not wear a mask,” Michael J. Werner, November 11, 2020).

Floyd Killing Leads to Focus on Social Justice, Need for Systemic Reforms; Mayor Issues Statement Lacking Specific Actions

Then, on Memorial Day, a Minneapolis police officer killed George Floyd in south Minneapolis while three officers stood by. The tragedy set off protests and some rioting and looting in cities throughout the United States. Most protesters advocated for systemic reform in criminal justice  to ensure justice and fairness and to end racism. They noted underlying gaps in education, housing, economic opportunity, and health care by racial/ethnic groups.

About this time, further embarrassment to the city came with the resignation of council member Craig Johnson, who admitted to nearly 40 inflammatory social-media posts disparaging Muslims and gay and transgender people (“Vadnais Heights quietly scrubs website of ex-council member’s bio,” Shannon Prather, Startribune, June 4, 2020).

Mayor Gunderson issued a statement on the current social climate condemning racism and discrimination, expressing condolences to the Floyd family, and noting the need for healing.

In a June 5 letter to the mayor, to which she did not respond, I praised her for articulating the goal of making Vadnais Heights an inclusive community but noted my disappointment that she made only passing reference to fighting for systemic change and equity. To that end, I offered several questions:

• What is Vadnais Heights doing now and what can it do in the future to help effect systemic social change?
• What is Vadnais Heights doing now and what can it do in the future to ensure an inclusive community that welcomes residents of all races, genders, religious beliefs, and sexual orientations?
• What specific education and training does the city now provide to oppose all forms of racism and discrimination?
• What diversity training is now offered to the city’s elected officials and city workforce and what additional training and education can be provided to prevent racism and discrimination?
• What efforts are made to recruit, support, and retain more minority-owned businesses?
• What does the city do to recruit and retain a more diverse workforce?
• What does the city do to ensure diversity in the hiring of contractors and to ensure their opposition to racism and discrimination?

I concluded that systemic change will require specific actions at all levels of government—local, state, and federal. I expressed hope that the city of Vadnais Heights will take a proactive approach to developing and implementing specific policies to prevent racism and discrimination in our community.

“Inclusion” Task Force Becomes “Engagement” Committee, Finally Begins Work with Unclear Goals

In late June, while viewing the city website, I read about an inclusion task force. I thought this was a follow-up to the mayor’s statement, but I learned the genesis was not recent social-justice issues but related more specifically to the council goal to improve communication.

 I contacted Tim Sandvik, assistant city administrator, July 2, to inquire about the definition and scope of “inclusion.” I wondered if the term referred to diversity, racism, bias, equity, and intercultural communication. I offered some suggestions on the work of the task force.

On July 14, Sandvik emailed me, saying he was working on a council item for increased inclusivity for the next week’s meeting and was thinking he would like to include resident responses as part of the packet item. He asked if I were okay with him using correspondence I sent to staff as part of that item, and I said yes.

On July 31, I again heard from Sandvik, noting that the council on July 21 had approved forming a community engagement committee and was soliciting interest for potential members. The formal announcement stated that “Vadnais Heights aims to be an inclusive and welcoming community. The City wants to be sure it effectively provides access to the programs and services it provides and offers the opportunity to engage with all people.”

The announcement said that “the goal of this committee will help the city better understand where there might be gaps in engagement and better understand how the city can be a resource to all residents of the community. Working with government entities outside the city’s purview, as well as local community organizations, the Community Engagement Committee will host a series of community conversations over the next several months. Following the series of community conversations, the committee will compile a set of recommendations for the city council to consider in 2021.”

I contacted Sandvik on August 6, saying that I had read the draft minutes of the July 21 council workshop and meeting and was unclear about the purpose of the engagement committee. I found the comments by the mayor and city administrator to be vague, though apparently the focus of the engagement committee was to be on communication issues.

What was missing, I said, was any reference to the issues of utmost importance: systemic and institutional racism, implicit and explicit bias, discrimination, diversity, and equity. It appears the council does not want to address these issues, at least directly, I said. I wondered if “community engagement” is a euphemism for these issues. “Having lived in Vadnais Heights for 31 years, I can assure you that issues like systemic racism and implicit bias exist in our community even though we don’t have residents in the streets protesting,” I wrote.

In his August 7 reply, Sandvik said that “comprehensively, the city is looking to better communicate and engage all residents. Admittedly, there may be gaps in our efforts and we want to address those.”

Sandvik explained that in spring 2019 the council made enhanced communication a priority goal on the city’s 2019-2020 workplan. In summer and fall 2019, the council dedicated money in the upcoming budget for enhanced communication efforts. The money was dedicated for 2020, but the effort stalled when the Covid-19 pandemic hit. Sandvik said that while starting with engagement, additional goals of the committee are to be established by the committee.

I responded to Sandvik on August 9, saying that I support the effort to improve communication, but I was confused with the terminology going from “inclusion” to “engagement.”

Although the two tracks—communication and inclusion—are not mutually exclusive, I said, there is benefit to the city to examine and explore issues of diversity, racism, bias, discrimination, and equity in our community—how we are doing and how we can improve. About three of four Americans say that racial and ethnic discrimination is a big problem in the United States, and there is a big movement for systemic social change, I noted.

During late summer and fall, the city was having difficulty finding members for the engagement committee. At one point, it was reported to the council that six members had signed up but three withdrew. The deadline was extended. At the second deadline of August 27, staff received 10 letters of interest, but some candidates withdrew.

By November, seven members had been appointed, and the first meeting was held November 18. Staff reviewed current communication/engagement strategies, and members discussed what engagement means to them. A second meeting was scheduled for December.

Inclusion Survey Draws Tepid Response; Interim Results Concerning

Meanwhile, city residents were offered the opportunity to provide their views on inclusion in a survey during the summer. The city contracts with Polco, a vendor, that provides a survey tool  to help cities get public input on current ideas, initiatives, and issues. Surveys help to obtain a snapshot of the general opinion of community members.The city signed a three-year contract for $7,650 in 2019, but terms were extended a year into February 2023 at no additional cost, according to Sandvik.

Polco is “one tool” in the toolbox, Sandvik says, intended to be used as a part of several efforts for communications and engagement. The registered Polco audience is just under 400 people, and the city’s Facebook audience is over 1,800 followers. While there is some assumed overlap, the two tools can be used in different ways to engage the community, Sandvik says.

Those who respond to Polco are only a segment of the population, and the generated responses are used as a piece of the puzzle in the decision-making process. How results are reviewed and interpreted would depend on individual decision-makers and the survey/ questions at the time, he said.

Polco’s Community Equity and Inclusion survey became available in early summer and was to end September 7. The purpose of the survey is to get information from all residents to help identify strengths and challenges related to equity and inclusion. When the survey was originally posted, the hope was to bring survey results to the engagement committee in September.

On October 5, Sandvik told me he was unable to compile the Polco survey results. He said that “while we had just over 40 responses and while I was hoping for more, we believe this continues to serve as a good additional platform in a series of several which the city aims to engage the community.”

On November 13, Sandvik told me that the Polco survey has been left open to mid-December since there was little increase in responses. He expressed hope for more responses since the 40 plus responses reflect less than 1 percent of the city population.

Preliminary survey results as of December 9 were released to the community engagement committee recently, and the results are concerning even though participation is low.

Participants were asked to rate the community on several points. Forty-four percent rated the community poor or fair on making all residents feel welcome; 54 percent rated the community poor or fair on valuing residents from diverse backgrounds; 49 percent rated the community poor or fair on demonstrating respect for residents of different cultures and belief systems.

Fifty-seven percent of survey respondents rated local government poor or fair on creating a community welcoming to residents of all backgrounds; 51 percent rated local government poor or fair on treating all residents with respect; and 55 percent rated local government poor or fair on treating all residents fairly.

More than half the survey participants responded that local government should give high priority to creating a diverse, inclusive, and fair community; addressing social, economic, and racial- equity differences in health and education; addressing social, economic, and racial equity differences in the criminal- justice system, and recruiting diverse people into positions of local government leadership. Forty-six percent said local government should give high priority to hiring more-diverse staff.

Understanding Demographics Provides Starting Point

A key step in developing enhanced communication and engagement is to understand city demographics. As of July 1, 2019, Vadnais Heights had a population of 13,607. About 82 percent is white, 4.5 percent Black/African American, 6.5 percent Asian, 3.7 percent two or more races, and 3.1 percent Latino/Hispanic, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

There are 616 male-owned firms, 410 female-owned firms, and 93 minority-owned firms, according to the most recent data available posted on the city website.

Demographics differ for neighboring cities. Roseville has a population of a little over 36,000. The racial/ethnic distribution is approximately 74.5 percent white, 8.7 percent Asian, 8.4 percent Black/African American, 4.8 percent two or more races, 3.8 percent Latino/Hispanic, and 0.6 percent Native Americans.

Shoreview has a population of almost 27,000. The racial/ethnic distribution is 86.7 percent white, 1.9 percent Black/African American, 8.3 percent Asian, 3.3 percent Latino/Hispanic, and 0.13 percent Native American.

White Bear Lake’s population is a little over 25,000. The racial/ethnic distribution is 86.5 percent white, 2.5 percent Black/African American, 4.4 percent Asian, 3.7 percent  Latino/Hispanic  0.6 percent American Indian, and 2.4 percent two or more races.

City Data on Diversity Difficult to Obtain

Since August, I have been seeking information on diversity in the city workforce and in contractor hiring and have had difficulty getting this information, often receiving inconsistent responses to my questions.

On August 7, I asked city administrator Kevin Watson for help in finding the following information: profile of city workforce by racial/ethnic background and gender; current and future plans to recruit and retain a more diverse workforce; city-provided training on diversity for city workers; efforts to recruit, support, and retain minority-owned businesses in the community; percentage of contractors of nonwhite ownership and backgrounds; current or planned efforts to ensure diversity in hiring contractors; training provided to the city workforce on harassment and discrimination based on sex, gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, race, or disability; and diversity training provided to the city’s elected officials.

In his August 9 reply, Watson said, “Candidly I likely don’t have the answers you are looking for. I will say the city, as a small community, works closely with the League of Minnesota Cities and relies on their expertise to provide the most inclusive/fair job posting process. Our contracting process follows best practice and state statute which are always being modified to facilitate inclusion. It is my hope that after the Community Engagement Committee process plays out, we’ve identified new avenues for recruitment, not only job postings, but also contracting opportunities.”

Watson added that the city regularly hosts staff trainings on diversity and discrimination and hosted a training on implicit bias a year ago, which was well received. Also, staff participate in individual trainings. Watson said he cannot provide background on individual staff and council members.

On August 10, I emailed Watson, asking why I couldn’t get a general breakdown that does not identify individuals. I noted that I was pleased to learn about staff training and hoped that the city has a good staff development component so that this type of relevant training continues.

I then consulted with the acting director of the state’s Data Practices Office who helped me reframe my request to Watson.

In an August 17 email to Watson, I noted that as part of my effort to learn about the diversity of our community, I am interested in summary (not identifiable individual) data on the city workforce. I said that I had consulted with the state’s Data Practices Office on what constitutes public and private data under Chapter 13 of Minnesota Statutes.

I said I am requesting data that documents the races/ethnicities and genders of city employees but does not identify specific employees. I suggested a chart or list showing the number and percent.

Further, I noted, based on guidance from the Data Practices Office, that if Watson already has a chart/list with the information that is de-identified, it would be public, and he should be able to provide it. If he does not have a list/chart, I said I would appreciate his creating and providing it to me. I also asked about the total number of city employees, full time and part time.

Later, on August 17, Watson responded by apologizing for the misunderstanding from the previous conversation. “This is not information we collect and do not have readily available,” he said. “We will have to conduct a staff survey. If staff do not wish to answer, that’s within their rights and we need to make a visual guess. Please give us a handful of weeks to get this figured out. I ask for patience here, as you can understand we have many priorities.”

City Provides Limited Information after Five Weeks; Gender Differences Apparent

On September 25, more than five weeks later, I heard from Sandvik, who provided partial information. He attached the city’s most recent (June 2020) submission of the Pay Equity Report filed with Minnesota Management and Budget. The report must be submitted every three years, and the final report is a public document, he said.

From the report, it appears there is a 3:1 male-to-female ratio in employees and a significant pay gap between males and females. I also looked at staff for departments listed on the city’s website and noticed that males hold the key director/manager positions, except for parks; females appear to serve more in support jobs.

Sandvik said that my request for data on racial/ethnic identities of employees “is not something that is available.” Jurisdictions with more than 100 employees are required to file EEO-4 reports periodically, but those with fewer than 100 employees are not. The current number of full-time and ‘equivalent’/pro-rated benefit-earning staff is about 30 in Vadnais Heights, according to Sandvik. Part-time staff varies by time of year and includes firefighters, summer parks, summer maintenance, and winter parks employees.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) provides guidance for state and local government requirements for the EEO-4 report. Under federal law, every political jurisdiction with 15 or more employees must make and keep records and statistics that would be necessary for the EEO-4 report, the guidelines state. Records must be kept for three years.

Sandvik said the city does not collect information for contractors and their staff.

On October 2, I responded to Sandvik, noting that regarding the EEOC information, it appears the city has to have the data necessary for a report but is not required to aggregate it into a report since the city has fewer than 100 employees. The state’s acting director of data practices told me I could ask for a report, but Sandvik’s point is that the numbers are so small that the data could identify individuals.

Nevertheless, I said, I would like to know if there is diversity in the city workforce and asked if Sandvik could give me a general response or percentage of the nonwhite representation in the city workforce.  Given the numbers apparently being so small as to risk identity, I said I assumed there is not much diversity.

City Claims Diversity But Does Not Provide Evidence

On October 5, Sandvik responded, saying that there is diversity within city staff, but he did not provide any supporting information. Sandvik added that the city’s recruitment strategy includes working with organizations and agencies to find the most-qualified candidates who also represent the community we serve. For almost all hires, the city works with the League of Minnesota Cities and benefits from its broader reach to potential candidates.

Sandvik said that depending on the position the city also works with specialized organizations. For example, he said, the city recently hired a new fire chief and that search included sharing the position profile with regional, state, and national organizations (related to the position) to solicit applications. Further, he and Watson engage in conversations/workshops/trainings/conferences to understand new opportunities for the city to recruit and retain staff.

It would be difficult to track contractor hiring both in the number of contractors the city works with and how that would be reported, he said. A general contractor would have its ownership and staff but also may likely have a variety of subcontractors.

In an email to Sandvik on October 22, I said that I still don’t have a good picture of diversity in the city workforce and again wanted to know if he could provide some more information without violating privacy concerns.

The next day, October 23, Sandvik responded, saying that if I am requesting data from the city (that may be public, private, or confidential) I would be required to complete a Data Practices Request form. The form provides the city an opportunity to better track these formal requests, he said.

On November 13, I wrote Sandvik saying that I was puzzled why he had attached a data request form now after I had been pursuing diversity data with him and Watson for more than two months. Sandvik responded, saying it is best practice for the city to maintain records of formal data requests.

Neighboring Cities Demonstrate Commitment to Racial Equity

Other cities have demonstrated a commitment to racial equity in both words and actions. Roseville, for example, has adopted a Racial Equity Narrative and a Racial Equity Action Plan. Roseville states that it is dedicated to an inclusive community where the predictability of success is not based on race or ethnicity.

In 2018, a team of 14 Roseville staff members representing every department at the city participated in a year-long racial-equity training facilitated by the League of Minnesota Cities and the Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE).

GARE is a national network of government working to achieve racial equity and advance opportunities for all. It convenes cohorts of local and regional governmental jurisdictions to provide a structured curriculum for cities, counties, and states. GARE partnered with cohorts of cities in 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019 in a year-long training program with the goal of developing a racial- equity plan to be implemented the following year. Maplewood participated in 2016, Shoreview and White Bear Lake participated in 2017, and Roseville participated in 2018. Cohorts for 2020 were paused because of Covid-19.

In March 2019, Roseville’s GARE team presented a long-term Racial Equity Action Plan to the city council that builds on staff capacity and outlines meaningful and measurable results that will move the city toward racial equity. The detailed plan includes action steps and metrics with indicators and clear outcomes.

The goal of the Racial Equity Action Plan is institutional and structural change developed under the guiding principle that “all people of Roseville are welcomed, included, and respected.” Racial-equity training was provided all city staff in November and December 2019, and new staff receive training

On August 10, 2020, the city council adopted the Racial Equity Narrative and also approved hiring a diversity-and-inclusion consultant to help build staff capacity to provide expertise in diversity and inclusion, to demonstrate that equity is a priority and an investment for the city, and to move the work of equity, diversity, and inclusion forward at a faster and more efficient rate.  The 2021 preliminary city budget includes funds for an equity and inclusion manager in 2021 to help the city advance its equity and inclusion goals.

The city of Roseville states that “race is consistently a primary indicator of a person’s success and wellness in society and government has historically played a role in creating barriers and inequities. These actions have created racial disparities that continue to harm our community. Rectifying these disparities is critical to the development of a vibrant community and a high quality of life for all residents.”

Roseville also has a Human Rights, Inclusion and Engagement Commission, which grew out of separate entities on human rights and engagement. The commission focuses on human rights and inclusion to engage and make the city welcoming for all. Roseville also has an Inclusion and Respect Statement that appears on its website.

The goal is to integrate racial equity throughout all aspects of city government with the result being impactful change, according to assistant city manager Rebecca Olson. The city has a desire to continue and make the focus on racial equity sustainable.

However, as Olson notes, much work must be done to implement the action plan. One challenge is to consider that city’s capacity for the work; another challenge is to consider the level of experience and understanding of the issues. Thus, the city this fall has been interviewing possible consultants.

Shoreview strives to have a diverse and inclusive workforce as well as engage in a diverse view of the community on its boards and commissions, according to Renee Eisenbeisz, assistant city manager.

Because of this commitment to inclusiveness, the city felt it was important for staff to undertake training through the GARE program, Eisenbeisz said. Nine city employees underwent the training.

An internal race-equity plan was adopted; however, the council did not officially adopt it. The plan was postponed in late 2018 owing to several staff-related items (turnover, leave, and short-staffing), Eisenbeisz said. Part of the plan included partnering with the city’s Human Rights Commission on some of the action items.  She believes further discussion on the plan will occur soon.

The Human Rights Commission advises and aids the city by establishing and promoting a community standard of equal opportunity and freedom from discrimination. “We envision a community where all people are welcomed, valued, and respected, where each person feels at home,” the commission says.

In White Bear Lake, Mayor Jo Emerson brought forward the idea of participating in the GARE program when she served as president of the board of the League of Minnesota Cities. Emerson participated in the yearlong cohort that included the city manager, the police chief, a police captain and sergeant, the community development director, code-enforcement officer, and assistant city manager.

“We learned a lot through participation in the program,” said city manager Ellen Hiniker. “We adapted some of the ideas related to hiring and have continued the work through special training programs in the police department.”

Hiniker said that in terms of an official plan, the city council is working toward a broader approach through its recently-adopted Welcoming and Inclusive Community Initiative. The initiative will include community surveys, intentional conversations with a broad cross-section of the community, and an assessment of city services. This phase of the process is expected to conclude in fall 2021.

“Clearly, there will be much more work to do, but this initiative is an effort to listen to our community with intentionality, create a representative community narrative, and present recommendations for next steps,” Hiniker said.

Equity is one of the guiding principles of Maplewood’s 2040 comprehensive plan. The city is working hard to support racial-equity efforts through building a community that embraces and respects diversity to build an inclusive and equitable city for all. Further, the city is striving to identify, reduce, and eliminate racial inequities and barriers that hinder opportunity and prosperity for all citizens.

In the past year, there has been an increased level of interest and actions by cities in addressing racial equity, according to Rachel Walker, manager, policy analysis, for the League of Minnesota Cities.

“Cities are looking for resources and tools for starting conversations about race and race equity,” Walker said. “They are also looking for help finding consultants to do training.”

Most of the Minnesota cities that have participated in GARE have benefitted, Walker said. It is a resource and time-intensive process so is likely not the best fit for small communities; also, it is just one model of the work, she said.

Issues of Race and Racism Can Be Difficult Topics; Vadnais Heights Should Pursue Them

Issues of race and racism can be difficult topics for city leaders, Wiersum and Unmacht say.

 “How to talk about race equity, where to start the conversation, who to involve, are only three questions—of many—our city leaders are facing,” they said. “We believe that promoting and encouraging these conversations is an investment in your residents and the future of your communities. Leadership requires smart-risk taking and willingness to take on tough, difficult-to-discuss subjects like race equity and injustice. The League stands ready to assist and support our members along the way.”

Although Vadnais Heights has moved slowly and passively on issues of diversity, inclusion, and equity, the city still has an opportunity to pursue these three important goals. In the short-term, for example, the city could show its commitment to inclusion and equity by crafting an inclusion and respect statement and post it on its website.

I asked the city administrator, assistant city administrator, and mayor for comment on my reporting. Watson described the blog as “a moment in time from one guy’s biased view.” He added that “I don’t believe any clarification of your misstatements would change how you want to characterize Vadnais Heights. With that, I will decline to help you misrepresent the organization.”

The city council has identified improved communication as a key goal on its work plan. Enhanced communication and enhanced inclusion are not mutually exclusive goals.

The new committee on engagement can provide valuable advice on ways to advance diversity, inclusion, and equity. Watson said that the engagement committee process “will begin to address gaps in our communication efforts, including our diverse populations. With patience, there’s potential for that to translate into more as it relates to diversity and inclusion.” The interim Polco survey results, though alarming, provide a reality check for the committee and the city.

Pursuing diversity, inclusion, and equity in a meaningful and impactful way will require transparency, commitment, hard work, resources and, most importantly, strong leadership by elected officials and top city administrators. These issues should be a priority in 2021.