Arlington Heights hires consultant to examine diversity of village government
Often criticized that they're not moving fast enough on issues of diversity, equity and inclusion, Arlington Heights village officials on Tuesday agreed to take a methodical approach to making village government a more welcoming organization.
Board members endorsed Village Manager Randy Recklaus' recommendation to hire The Kaleidoscope Group, a Chicago firm, to conduct a diversity, equity and inclusion audit and deliver a plan with recommendations in the next two months. It was the winning firm out of four interviewed by the village staff, which favored the company for the strength of its proposal, breadth of experience and past work with municipal governments.
The village board's authorization of an expected $31,000 consultant's fee comes a year after the elected panel adopted a strategic priority to "find new ways to embrace diversity with the community and the village government."
But calls to do so have increased in recent months amid the death of George Floyd and resulting nationwide protests.
"Some members of the community had hoped we would've moved quicker on this," Mayor Tom Hayes said. "Not only do we want to do it, but we want to do it right. That's why we've moved very slowly and efficiently on this."
Added Trustee Jim Tinaglia: "This is marathon. This is not a sprint race."
Kaleidoscope's consultants plan to interview village officials, survey the local government's workforce, hold focus groups and conduct four community listening sessions with about 20 people each.
The consultants will present a final report to the village board and staff, which can decide which of the recommendations to pursue and when and how, Recklaus said.
Among the areas expected to be of particular focus is diversifying the police force.
One of Kaleidoscope's consultants present for Tuesday's virtual village board meeting was Jessie Lee, a former executive director of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives who has "championed diversity and inclusion in public safety, law enforcement and higher education," according to his online biography.
John Allen Boryk, of the Bridging the Black and White Divide group, who for at least a year has called upon village leaders to hire more minority police candidates, on Tuesday praised officials for retaining the consultant and encouraged other Northwest suburbs to do the same.
Some residents in recent weeks have also asked the village to adopt a formal diversity, equity and inclusion statement and form a village committee to address those issues. Hayes said that's "on the table" and something that the consultant's scope of work would address.