Memorandum

City of Lawrence

City Manager’s Office

TO:	Diane Stoddard, Assistant City Manager
FROM:	Jasmin Moore, Sustainability Director
DATE:	July 11, 2018
RE:	Strategic Plan Update - Effective Performance & Professional Administration

Background

Critical Success Factor- Effective Performance & Professional Administration in the City Strategic Plan identifies diverse community representation on City Advisory Boards and Committees as a measure. Baseline data was not available when the Strategic Plan was adopted. Adopting a policy to encourage diversity in local government appointments to advisory boards and commissions is also an area of opportunity in the STAR Community Rating System in the Equity and Empowerment Goal area.

Progress to Date

Last September the City Commission adopted Resolution No. 7224, which adopts standard policies and procedures relating to Advisory Boards and Committees of the City of Lawrence, Kansas, identifies a goal of the City to have advisory board and committee members reflect the diversity of the community regarding income level, race, sex, religion, color, national origin, ethnicity, age, ancestry, familial status, gender identity and sexual orientation. 

In spring 2018, a voluntary survey was distributed to all advisory board/committee members in an attempt to get a snapshot of the current level of diversity across all boards relating to the facets of diversity outlined in the policy. The aggregated results are published here, and indicate the membership of boards and commissions does not yet reflect community diversity. The demographic questions are now a part of the volunteer application to city boards and commissions.

Recommended Next Steps

Research indicates there are numerous barriers causing women to be underrepresented on boards and commissions, including a lack of knowledge among women about appointment opportunities, practical issues such as the timing of board meetings, and the need to train board leaders to be more inclusive of women and minorities.

In order to increase the diversity of the applicant pool, Lawrence should consider partnering with the Appointments Project, an initiative of the Women’s Foundation based in Kansas City.

Started in 2014, the Appointments Project aims to remove barriers for women to serve in civic leadership positions and increase the number of women serving on boards and commissions so that they are more reflective of the populations they serve. About a dozen local governments in Kansas, including Eudora and Topeka, are participating in the Appointments Project. The Appointments Project serves as a talent bank, advisor, and advocate for women seeking appointed positions in local government. The Women’s Foundation trains women about the application process, provides information about positions available, and helps to match women’s talents and interests with open positions.

The Appointments Project is getting results with over 1,000 applicants with a total of 87 women appointed to Kansas and Missouri boards and commissions. In Kansas City, where the program was piloted, it has helped increase the percentage of women on city boards and commissions from 33-percent to 42-percent in just three years.

There is no cost to the city to participate.