To: Board of Supervisors
From: Monica Nino, County Administrator
Report Title: Reassigning the Positions and Transfer of Appropriations to the Office of Racial Equity and Social Justice (ORESJ)
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
1. ADOPT Position Adjustment Resolution No. 26206 to reassign two FTE Co-Director positions, numbers 19983 for the Co-Director Race Equity and Community Empowerment and 19984 for the Co-Director Race Equity and Inter-Agency Engagement, from the County Administrator’s Office (0003/1231) to the Office of Racial Equity and Social Justice (0136).
1. APPROVE Budget Amendment authorizing the transfer of appropriations in the amount of $1,836,222 from the County Administrator’s Office (0003/1231) to the Office of Racial Equity and Social Justice (0136) following creation of a new Agency within the County finance hierarchy specifically for the Office of Racial Equity and Social Justice.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The ORESJ will be entirely funded by Measure X appropriations that were budgeted in the County Administrator’s Office for the sole purpose of establishing the ORESJ. For FY 23-24, $1,260,000 plus prior year carry-forward from FY 22-23 of $576,222 has been approved by the Board of Supervisors, totaling $1,836,222.
BACKGROUND:
On November 10, 2020, the Board of Supervisors accepted the concept proposal by Supervisors Federal Glover and John Gioia to establish a Contra Costa County Office of Racial Equity and Social Justice (ORESJ). The Board also authorized the immediate launch of a Community Planning Process consistent with the Proposed Community Planning Process Document presented to the Board of Supervisors. This process was funded by foundations and businesses. (D. 4)
On November 16, 2021, the Board of Supervisors allocated $600,000 in Fiscal Year 2022-23 and $1.2 million annually, starting in Fiscal Year 2023-24, to fund an ORESJ. (D. 5) To date, funds have been expended only for the translation of the final community Recommendations report into 12 languages and for the broadcast and interpretation services provided at the Co-Director candidate forum.
On October 25, 2022, the Board of Supervisors authorized the establishment of the Office of Racial Equity and Social Justice as a separate County department with Co-Directors appointed by the Board of Supervisors that report to the County Administrator with regular oversight by the Board of Supervisors’ Equity Committee. (D.1)
On May 23, 2023, the Board of Supervisors adopted Position Resolution No. 26152 to establish the new classifications of Co-Director, Race Equity and Community Empowerment (AJA1) (unrepresented) and Co-Director, Race Equity and Inter-Agency Engagement (AJA2) (unrepresented) and add two (2.0) FTE positions at salary plan grade B85 1016 within the Office of Racial Equity and Social Justice, as recommended by the Equity Committee. (D. 3) Because there was no established Office/department in the County’s personnel and finance systems for these positions at the time, they were created within the County Administrator’s Office.
On October 3, 2023, the Board of Supervisors appointed the Co-Directors, Kendra Carr to the position of Co-Director Race Equity and Inter-Agency Engagement and Peter Kim to the Co-Director Race Equity and Community Empowerment, pending successful completion of the required background and pre-employment screening processes. (D. 3) Position numbers have been established, and these positions and associated budget appropriations will now be transferred to the ORESJ department/organization in the County’s personnel management and finance systems.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If this reassignment and appropriation transfer is not approved, the ORESJ will remain under the County Administrator’s Office for budgetary and personnel functions, which will not appropriately reflect the ORESJ status as an independent County department.