Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Equity Dei topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Chatham County adopts 'Value Chatham' mission, vision and anti‑discrimination statements
Summary
The Board of Commissioners approved a set of mission, vision, values and anti‑discrimination and EEO statements developed by the county Value Chatham project, advancing the county’s internal diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging framework.
Chatham County commissioners voted to adopt a set of statements and definitions developed through the Value Chatham employee engagement initiative, formalizing the county’s mission, vision, core values and anti‑discrimination and equal employment opportunity (EEO) language.
Program lead Brenda Clague told the board the effort engaged more than 60 county staff and 23 department heads in multiple facilitated sessions to draft a mission — “Chatham County is committed to building a thriving community through services and solutions that are innovative, sustainable, and financially responsible” — and a vision that commits the county to “excel in equity and enhance the quality of life … through collaborative leadership, exceptional service, and transparency.”
Clague presented seven chosen core values (integrity, respect, accountability, community, service, collaboration, equity) and proposed definitions and an equity statement, and she said the draft had been reviewed by county counsel before being presented. The adopted anti‑discrimination language prohibits discrimination on specified characteristics and was crafted to be broad and to close potential loopholes, Clague said. Commissioners heard questions about whether the initiative would reach nonprofits and homeowners associations; Clague said plans include outreach and workshops for community partners but that the county’s immediate commitments focus on internal policies and staff training.
Commissioner discussion praised the staff involvement and recommended embedding equity across county policies. The board voted to adopt the statements as presented.
