Naperville plans to create diversity, equity and inclusion position

Aligning with its pledge to emphasize diversity, equity and inclusion in the community, the Naperville City Council has supported creating a full-time staff position dedicated to advancing and expanding those efforts.

The city has taken several steps aimed at celebrating diversity and denouncing acts of racism, intolerance and discrimination, starting with revising its mission statement late last year. The council has since adopted a resolution, approved a set of workforce and community engagement recommendations, and agreed to establish an advisory panel focused on fair and affordable housing and human rights issues.

The new diversity, equity and inclusion manager would oversee those initiatives, "facilitating the program through positive employee relations, community outreach and education," according to a job description unanimously approved Tuesday by the city council.

"This is something that, in my view, is long past due," Mayor Steve Chirico said. "This is going to be important for not just now but in our future."

Responsibilities include managing diversity programs and training, building relationships internally and externally, coordinating civil rights and disabilities-related law compliance, and serving as a liaison to the human rights and fair housing commission, which will be created through the expansion of the existing housing advisory commission.

Additionally, the new manager would help investigate complaints of human rights ordinance violations and make city policy recommendations to enhance diversity and inclusion. Councilwoman Patty Gustin also suggested candidates have some experience handling fair housing issues.

With a potential annual salary of $71,000 to $112,000, depending on qualifications, the new position would be repurposed from a vacancy within the electric utility department, officials said. The recruiting and hiring process is expected to take a couple of months.

Though the position makes sense, Councilman Kevin Coyne said, he questioned whether the city should hold off on a new hire until budgetary issues are resolved in light of the coronavirus pandemic. But many of his colleagues stressed the importance and potential long-term effects of creating the role.

"I do recognize the fact that we're in a COVID crisis financially," Councilman Benny White said, "but there are a lot of other things going on right now that bring emphasis to getting this position in place."

Naperville's steps for advancing diversity, equity and inclusion come after several occasions of reported racist acts at schools, restaurants and gas stations within the past year. Hiring a manager dedicated to those efforts won't solve all the city's problems, Councilwoman Theresa Sullivan said, but it's a step in the right direction.

"The position is a starting point," she said. "We're going to have to keep working at this all the time."