To: Board of Supervisors
From: Monica Nino, County Administrator
Report Title: Introduce Ordinance Amending the County Ordinance Code to Remove Gendered Pronouns and Replace with Gender-Neutral Pronouns
?Recommendation of the County Administrator ? Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
INTRODUCE Ordinance No. 2024-23, amending the County Ordinance Code to remove gendered pronouns and to replace them with gender-neutral pronouns; WAIVE reading; and FIX December 3, 2024 for adoption.
FISCAL IMPACT:
No fiscal impact.
BACKGROUND:
Each year, the County Administrator's Office develops a comprehensive workplan to assist in advancing and implementing policies adopted by the Board of Supervisors (the "Board"). In 2022, the Board adopted a plan to establish the Office of Racial Equity and Social Justice (ORESJ) and set forth a roadmap for the County and its departments in advancing goals around diversity, equity and inclusion.
In 2023, the County Administrator's Office completed, and the Board approved, an update to certain areas of the County Ordinance Code (Code) relating to emergency preparedness and response activities as well as continuity of government in disaster situations. Over the course of this review, several legacy terms, phrases and statutory references required update, including references to certain department titles and job classifications that no longer exist in the County. In addition, it was observed that the use of masculine personal pronouns was prevalent when referring to incumbents of County job functions from line staff to executive leadership. Ultimately, staff recommended and the Board approved updates to these sections, including conversion of masculine pronouns to gender neutral descriptors focusing on the position or role being referenced within the Code.
In January 2024, informed by the Board's policy direction around diversity, equity and inclusion and the experience of updating specific areas of the Code in the previou...
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