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Board refines equity feedback form: removes anonymous checkbox, will add open-records disclaimer and contact options
Summary
Staff presented a revised equity feedback form and the board directed staff to add an open-records disclaimer, clarify contact/consent procedures, and return a cleaned version of the form; staff said submissions will be administratively reviewed and redacted for board presentation.
City staff and advisory board members spent substantial time reviewing the proposed city services equity feedback form and agreed to refine how the form handles contact information, anonymity, and public-records implications.
Briana Miller, Special Project Manager in the City Manager's Office, summarized staff edits and next steps: "Submitted forms will be reviewed by city staff to ensure they are complete. City staff will contact the submitter regarding next steps if necessary and all forms will be submitted to the advisory board chair for consideration." Miller said that for an online version staff would place explanatory text on the web landing page and link to the form, while a printed version should retain that context for residents who pick up a paper copy.
Key design changes discussed: neutral wording for problem types (for example, "racial or ethnic equity" instead of "discrimination" and "gender or gender identity equity" instead of "bias"); an added prompt asking what outcome or resolution the submitter would hope to see; and clearer instructions that contact information is optional but becomes a record if provided.
Board members expressed concern about promising anonymity. Staff recommended removing an explicit "anonymous" checkbox because contact information supplied with a submission becomes a public record. "We can't promise anonymity on that front," Miller said, adding staff will redact contact details when possible and consult the records officer for guidance. One member suggested adding an explanatory statement about open-records implications; staff agreed to add a disclaimer indicating submissions are subject to open-records rules and to confirm which fields can be redacted.
The board also debated where an equity-reporting button should live on the city's online "report a problem" landing page or within the GIS platform. Staff said the communications department generally limits the number of visible buttons but can add an option to the landing page; members asked staff to coordinate on an outreach strategy so residents know the tool exists.
Action and next steps: the board agreed to defer final approval of the feedback form and asked staff to return a clean draft with an open-records disclaimer and contact instructions at the board's next meeting.
What remains unresolved: specific determinations about which fields are redactable under public-records law (staff will consult the records officer) and the final placement/visual treatment of an online submission button.
