DEI Council Data Sub-committee Minutes

Meeting date: 
Monday, March 28, 2022

SIMSBURY DEI COUNCIL
DATA SUB-COMMITTEE MEETING
Minutes

March 28, 2022, 6-8 pm
Simsbury Public Library, Weatogue Room

ROLL CALL & CALL TO ORDER

Meeting was called to order at 6:04pm.

PRESENT: Rick Brush (via Zoom), Meg Evans, Mary-Margaret Girgenti, Tenesha Grant, Rebekah Hatch (Chair), Alex Reger

 

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

 

PUBLIC AUDIENCE/PUBLIC COMMENTS

None.

 

OLD BUSINESS

  1. Followup on priorities/goal
  2. Funding followup – where are we?

$22,000 available, rolled over from 2021-2022 budget cycle.

The town hasn’t received an invoice from DataHaven/Health Equity Solutions for the first phase of work/recommendations.

 

NEW BUSINESS

  1. Let’s Talk calendar & commitments

The group will work to commit to future Let’s Talk events once those become available via the Events Subcommittee.

 

2. Data Subcommittee support of the Public Engagement on Inclusive Housing project, led by Housing Subcommittee and funded by HFPG grant 

In conjunction with work the Housing Subcommittee is doing on this front, the Data Subcommittee has been asked to provide support on the following projects:

  1. Create a note-taking template for use in one-on-ones between members of the Housing Subcommittee and key stakeholders.
  2. Create a set of questions for participant download about education sessions (eg, April 14, Housing Basics, 6:30-8pm).
  3. Create a survey tool that ask a small number of questions around housing perceptions, affordable housing perceptions.
  4. Provide support and visibility for all Housing Subcommittee-sponsored gatherings, activities, initiatives connected to the HFPG-funded project.

A discussion ensued about the reality of “safe space” especially as it pertains to community conversations and focus groups. Observations were highlighted

  • around the importance of quality facilitation for these types of gatherings
  • suggestion to gather information ahead of larger group gatherings from potentially under-represented members of the community to bring into the larger group discussions.
  • Committee member Alex Reger raised the possibility of the Simsbury DEI Council offering Civic Engagement Education, in an attempt to promote DEI in our town-wide civic processes and organizations.

 

3. Review RFP & establish next steps

  • Add language around how this RFP builds on work and recommendations already made by DataHaven/Health Equity Solutions.
  • Based on what we know about the Town’s budget cycle, we should consider moving up the timeline from January 2023 to Fall 2022.

 

4. Next steps

Engage Google doc created by committee member Rick Brush re: the four (4) items list under (2.).

Review draft RFP, circulated via email. Provide thoughts, feedback and additional questions to committee chair Rebekah Hatch. Final RFP will be submitted to the Town/Melissa Appleby before reaching out to consultants for engagement.

 

ADJOURNMENT

The meeting adjourned at 7:24pm.

MOTION: Tenesha Grant; Seconded: Alex Reger. Unanimous vote by committee.

 

NEXT MEETING: Monday, April 25, 6:00pm

                           Location: Simsbury Public Library, Weatogue Room