Puyallup hires diversity consultant. Firm will review city policies, recommend training
Puyallup has selected a consultant to review and implement diversity, inclusion and equity policies and training.
The Puyallup City Council unanimously approved a contract with Executive Diversity Services at its July 13 meeting.
“We want to bring in a consultant to avoid any unintentional blind spots. Perhaps, unintentionally, there are some things we can improve,” Council member Dean Johnson told the council.
The contract with Executive Diversity Services is for $76,500. Work is expected to be completed in a six month period, City Manager Steve Kirkelie said.
Executive Diversity Services is a Seattle-based “organizational development” company. It has worked with local governments, higher education institutions and companies to provide training and consulting on cultural diversity within organizations.
Company president Elmer Dixon has provided such services for more than 40 years, staff told council.
The contract will start with an assessment to learn about current city culture and include focus groups, surveys and staff interviews, according to a city staff presentation.
The consultant group will then review policies, recruiting and hiring practices and perform analysis. Then the group will recommend training and community outreach and look at any potential next steps for the long term, staff told council.
Any diversity, inclusion and equity changes to policies would be implemented during and beyond the six months, Kirkelie told council.
For almost a year, residents have been commenting in public meetings and sending emails to council members asking for the city to address racism.
The City Council passed a proclamation in November that rejects racial or cultural harassment, discrimination or intolerance.
“We believe our strength as a community depends on the nature of our relationships with one another and our ability to listen to and seek understanding from one another,” the proclamation said.
This story was originally published July 18, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
