On the heels of several racially charged issues, an initiative aims to improve the work environment at city hall.
By SHANNON TAN
Published March 16, 2004
LARGO - City administrators plan to beef up diversity at city hall, create an employee relations committee and mentoring program and sponsor a diversity week.
In a six-page memo, Human Resources Director Susan Sinz outlined initiatives the city will take to improve the city's work environment and minority recruitment and retention.
About 89 percent of the city's 1,000 employees are white; Largo is more than 92 percent white.
Sinz's analysis of diversity within the city comes on the heels of several controversial racially tinged issues, including the resignation or termination of two fire lieutenants after allegations of inappropriate racial comments at work.
A 2002 Fair Housing study documented bias against minorities trying to rent apartments in the city. And a citywide human rights ordinance that would have prohibited discrimination based on race, gender, sexual orientation and gender identity was defeated last year.
In response, officials shored up the city's internal harassment policy and mandated diversity training.
Now, administrators are actively trying to boost diversity at city hall.
A new employee relations committee comprising department heads, assistant city managers and the city manager will meet Wednesday.
The committee will draft a mission statement stating Largo's commitment to maintaining a diverse workforce and positive employee relations. In the next three months, it will also develop an employee mentoring program and a small outreach group to identify critical employee issues.
Department committees, which include union representatives, would make sure the initiatives are implemented properly.
The city is also considering holding a Diversity Week. During that week, employees could attend events teaching various cultures.
"I would love to see something happen this year, but I don't want to jump the gun," said Sinz, who started her job in July.
Several departments will also be advertising jobs in ethnic media outlets to boost diversity.
While African-Americans make up more than 16 percent of operational management in the Public Works and Environmental Services departments, there are no minorities in executive management. Those departments plan to mentor current employees in the hopes of getting minorities in supervisory positions.
The numbers for the police and fire departments are lower. About 9 percent of Largo police officers are minorities, while 20 percent are female. Around 6 percent of firefighters are minorities and another 6 percent are female.
The Police Department will hold a one-day diversity training session for all field training officers and attend three minority job fairs in fiscal 2004.
Largo Fire Rescue recently hired an Asian-American firefighter. The department is also trying to promote its Fire Explorer program in the Ridgecrest area, a predominantly black community.
Among Sinz's other recommendations are:
Giving the "Fire Explorer of the Year" a scholarship to attend EMT school and the Fire Academy.
Continue focusing on current city employees interested in becoming firefighters. An African-American public works employee is currently being sponsored for firefighter training.
Will these efforts succeed in adding more diversity to a nearly all-white workforce?
Administrators have several hurdles to overcome, including the negative publicity generated by incidents involving city employees making inappropriate comments at work.
"I think a lot of folks are saying, "We are afraid to have open dialogue because we don't want to offend anyone or do the wrong thing,"' City Manager Steven Stanton said.
During diversity training, officials emphasized the city's zero-tolerance policy when it comes to discrimination.
That "creates a hypersensitive workforce that makes people real hesitant in getting involved," Stanton said.
Despite those challenges, administrators realize the importance of diversity.
"When an organization is able to attain diversity awareness and appreciation," Sinz writes, "the ultimate goal of an inclusive work environment can be attained."
