The Mountlake Terrace City Council at its Sept. 5 meeting received the results of a city staff survey related to diversity, equity and inclusion issues.

Deputy City Manager Carolyn Hope said the survey results will help the city prioritize the work of staff and the commission to align with the city council’s goals and community needs.

The survey, which was conducted by the Mountlake Terrace Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Commission (DEIC) earlier this year. had 64 staff participants. There was a balanced spread of respondents who were newer to the city and those who were established employees.

Hope said that many employees didn’t answer all the survey questions, even though the survey was anonymous.

“I think we’re still building trust with staff,” she added.

Hope said that the lack of trust is reflected in the responses to in-depth questions asked during interviews. Staff said they were concerned that city leadership positions were not adequately trained in diversity, equity and inclusion-related issues and that policies were inconsistently applied, especially in customer service. Further, some city programs aren’t culturally relevant, and those programs should have stakeholder input, respondents said.

“There have been attempts to improve equity, but that requires follow-through that doesn’t always seem obvious to staff,” Hope said.

Respondents agree that diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) is vital for a healthy workplace and a thriving community, Hope said. They also said they feel their work is meaningful and can contribute toward resolving DEI issues in their workplace.

However, Hope added that respondents don’t feel supported in their work and have few opportunities for advancement. They also don’t feel that those in executive leadership are committed to DEI.

When staff were asked where the city could improve in its DEI work, they responded that public communication and engagement were the top priority, followed by safety, housing, food security and affordability.

Respondents stated that the city could improve its DEI efforts by:

– Sharing information about services with low-income households

– Providing more opportunities to build trust and community

– Helping residents understand how to participate in the civic process

Hope said that the commission held two trainings in spring 2024. The first helped staff and leadership understand key definitions of diversity and inclusion, how humans are socialized and how that impacts our bias or implicit bias. The training also covered race as a social construct and the need to start deconstructing and understanding systematic racism and how it has shaped policies and practices through the years.

The second class reviewed inclusive language and communication and their impact on leadership as individuals and an organization.

The DEIC is speaking with several community groups about conducting workshops and small group discussions with the community.

To give input on the DEIC strategic priorities, click here.

In other business, the city council approved extending thelease to 2050 for the T-Mobile Wireless facility located directly behind the police station.

The council also made two proclamations. DEIC Vice Chair Vonita Francisco presented the proclamation for Hispanic Heritage Month to Edmonds School District Family and Community Engagement Coordinator Dr. Sally Guzman. And DEIC member William Paige Jr. presented the proclamation for Welcoming Week from Sept. 13-22. The city will hold an event from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21 at Terrace Park Elementary School 5409 228th St S.W.

The next council meeting will start at 7 p.m., Sept. 12, at Mountlake Terrace City Hall, 23204 58th Ave. W., Mountlake Terrace.

To attend the meeting online, visit zoom.us/join and enter meeting ID 810 1113 9518; no passcode is needed.

To make a public comment remotely, complete the registration form within 24 hours of the meeting’s start at cityofmlt.com/FormCenter/City-Council-17/Remote-Public-Comment-Request-Form-12.

To listen via telephone, call 1-253-215-8782 and enter the same meeting ID.

You also can view live-streamed meetings and past video recordings at www.youtube.com/cityofmlt.

The agenda can be viewed here.

— By Rick Sinnett