Q&A
MOERJ's authority and accountability process in racial equity planning
0:49:05
·
177 sec
Council Member Williams inquires about MOERJ's authority to hold agencies accountable for implementing racial equity plans. Commissioner Sherman explains the office's empowerment and the process of working with agencies.
- MOERJ is fully empowered to design, execute, and define the racial equity planning process
- The mayor has issued notice to agency heads emphasizing the importance of the process
- Agencies have enthusiastically participated in the planning process
- MOERJ provides tools, training, and technical assistance to agencies
- The office reviews draft plans and works with agencies to finalize them
Nantasha M. Williams
0:49:05
Okay.
0:49:05
So in terms of, like, the work of your office, these are, like, literally crushed the top of my head as you're responding.
0:49:10
So in terms of the work of your office, is it that, like, you provided that framework to agencies to then do their own analysis?
0:49:19
And is it, like, do you have the proper authority to hold them a accountable for doing said analysis in, like, either reporting back up to you or, like, reporting back to the the public.
0:49:31
Like, I'm just interested in the workflow of that?
0:49:35
Like, is it that you told them this is how you should be looking at the work of your agency?
0:49:40
And then, like, what obligation do they have to, like, turn that stuff over in timely fashion, actually implemented, and then, like, what is that oversight going to look like for the agencies?
0:49:52
Because in other hearings with other agencies that have, like, these oversight like powers.
0:49:59
The agencies sometimes do their own thing and don't necessarily come apply with another agency's request of them.
0:50:08
So just wondering if you feel empowered to do the work you're doing.
0:50:15
And then I think my first original question is, like, what does that work look like?
0:50:18
What have what has those conversations been?
0:50:21
What did you give the agents sees as, like, it you know, was it a document, a framework?
0:50:26
Was it a conversation?
0:50:27
Like, how are they what what tools do they have to do this analysis?
0:50:30
And then how are you
Sideya Sherman
0:50:31
in powered to hold them accountable for said work.
0:50:34
Sure.
0:50:35
So we are empowered to to design, execute, require, and really define how this plan is moving forward.
0:50:43
We're fully empowered to doing that.
0:50:45
There has been support across the administration, including at the very top, right, with the mayor issuing notice to agency heads, ensuring that they understand the importance of this process and the importance of commitment to it.
0:50:57
We've briefed all senior leaders.
0:50:59
We've briefed all agency heads.
0:51:00
And the good news is that agencies have enthusiastically participated in this process.
0:51:05
So to your point, we've we have laid out tools that are, you know, prescriptive, but still offer flexibility.
0:51:14
We don't wanna for innovation.
0:51:16
We've, you know, created training.
0:51:18
We're providing support technical assistance.
0:51:20
We're receiving draft plans, and their draft for a reason because we're gonna work with agencies to bring them the final.
0:51:25
I'm really to your point, I've certainly been through may many other city processes, and I think part of the early planning work that we did, particularly learning from other change management efforts in government, as well as other cities, we did that upfront work so that we could build out a process that really brought agencies to the to the table in a way that they're full partners.
0:51:47
And they've been great partners.
0:51:48
So so I think that, you know, I'm encouraged, and I think that the city will have a really strong plan in.
0:51:55
And I think, you know, the the values and the the priorities across administration seem very aligned as we move forward in this process.