Racial Equity ad hoc Committee

The Town Council issued a statement on Tuesday, June 9, 2020, in support of the movement known as “Black Lives Matter.” Town Council officially joined in the national protest of the killing of George Floyd, and urged all citizens of San Anselmo to continue to work to be honest about and rectify our country’s history of racial injustice. In recognition of this pledge, the Town Council formed a Racial Equity ad hoc committee to examine issues of racial equity, social justice, systemic racial bias, and diversity in the Town at its November 10, 2020 meeting (Resolution 4363). 

The goals and objectives of the committee were as follows:

1. Charge:  The charge of the Racial Equity Ad Hoc committee was to examine issues of racial equity, social justice, systemic racial bias, and diversity in the town and make recommendations to the Town Council on how to best address identified issues.

2. Purpose:  The purpose of the committee was to ensure that the Town, its rules, policies, ordinances and staff are free of implicit biases. The committee was also to explore additional opportunities to examine and/or address issues of racial equity, social justice, systemic racial bias, and diversity in the town and develop strategies and tactics to ensure that the Town’s rules, policies and laws are fair, equitably enforced and free of biases of any kind.

3. Goals and Objectives:         The committee had three primary goals:

 a.   Conduct an audit of the Town’s rules, policies, ordinances and other areas to be sure that they are fair, equitable and free of biases of any kind.
 b.   Explore options and implement anti-bias or other appropriate training for staff.
 c.   Explore additional opportunities to examine and/or address racial equity, social justice, systemic racial bias, and diversity issues that are within the Town’s control.

  4.Term:  This committee was to serve for an initial one-year term following the seating of the full committee. Upon completion of the initial term, the committee would submit a report summarizing outcomes of the committee’s efforts, along with a recommendation regarding continuing the committee’s work, to the Town Council.

 The committee was seated in late Winter of 2021 and held its first meeting in May 2021. Members of the committee were Tiffany McElroy (Chair), Navruz Avloni, Heidi Weller, Frank Gomez, Larry Organ, Denise Krawitz and Bailey Bower. 

Resolution establishing Racial Equity ad hoc committee

2021-22 Year-End Report

Town Council voted to establish the Racial Equity Ad Hoc Committee as a standing Committee of the Town at its June 28, 2022 meeting.