‘Elgin is already an inclusive city’: City council gets update on proposed inclusivity and diversity ordinance

Saying that 75% of what’s in a proposed inclusivity ordinance is already being practiced by the city, Elgin officials this week updated city council members on what’s being done to improve access to municipal services for all residents, including members of the undocumented immigrant community.

The proposed 20-page ordinance would codify existing policies on local cooperation with federal civil immigration enforcement, create an immigrant legal defense fund and a municipal ID program, address language access, and develop an inclusive procurement plan.

Assistant City Manager Cassandra Hiller told the council Wednesday that “Elgin is already an inclusive city” following the staff’s review of departmental practices across the organization.

“Many of the proposed inclusivity initiatives are already integrated into daily operations, and they are embedded in established procedures, staffing approaches and service delivery,” she said. “This is something you should celebrate.”

Of the five primary initiatives, Hiller said several, including federal immigration policy, language access and civil engagement, are already adopted or are in practice. Inclusive procurement practices are in place but require some new implementation.

Hiller said they’d have to start from scratch on the legal defense fund and the municipal ID program.

The legal defense fund would need a defined scope, including what the fund would pay for and what kinds of cases it would cover, before the cost of the program could be determined.

“Each model has a different cost, equity and administrative implication,” Hiller said.

She indicated that city staff couldn’t determine a need for a municipal ID program.

“There is no barrier currently, and we do not anticipate any future barriers to accessing city services that would necessitate the need for a municipal ID,” Hiller said.

She added that homeless providers do not require ID. If the city created a municipal ID, it wouldn’t be an acceptable form of identification for work, and banks wouldn’t accept it as a primary form of identification.

Wednesday’s presentation was the first of two updates that staff members will provide to the council. The next one is scheduled for the end of July.

Council member Diana Alfaro, who, along with Corey Dixon, introduced the initiative in December, said that while the city “has done a really good job” in working to be more inclusive, there’s more to be done to make sure that all demographics have “a voice at the table.”

“Ensuring that they have an opportunity to procurement, civil engagement, language access … and the opportunity to know that their community stands with them, and we're here for them,” she said.

Dixon echoed the sentiment that Elgin has “made some strides” on inclusivity over the past 10 years. “We’ve become a better city for it,” he said.