Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Sponsorship topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Ad hoc committee directs county administrator to seek interim sponsor for Reparations Commission, plans transition to DEI
Summary
The Alameda County Board ad hoc committee voted to direct the county administrator to consult with the library and public health departments about interim sponsorship for the Reparations Commission and to plan for long-term sponsorship by the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion once it can staff the work.
The Alameda County Board of Supervisors ad hoc committee on reparations voted to direct the county administrator to consult with the county librarian and the public health director to identify an interim departmental sponsor for the county’s Reparations Commission and to prepare for a permanent transition to the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) when that office is staffed to assume the role.
Deborah, chair of the Reparations Commission, told the committee that the commission needs a sponsoring department to hold administrative funds, organize community engagement and support research and data gathering. She said the commission is flexible about which department holds sponsorship and referenced other jurisdictions where a human-rights or similar department served that function.
President Miley pushed for DEI as the eventual home for the commission’s sponsorship, saying the office offers the “breadth of overview” necessary to coordinate across county agencies. Several supervisors expressed concern that the new DEI office needs time to hire staff and complete initial plans, so the committee discussed interim options.
Board members identified two county entities with relevant capacity — the county library and the Public Health Department (within the Health Care Services Agency) — and asked the county administrator to consult with those departments about whether one could serve on a temporary basis. The motion recorded the goal of transitioning permanent sponsorship to DEI when appropriate.
The motion was moved and seconded and the clerk recorded the roll call: Supervisor Marquez voted “Aye” and President Miley voted “Yes.” The committee agreed to have the county administrator report back with recommendations.
The committee also emphasized that interim sponsorship should not impede broad community engagement; Deborah said a sponsor would provide central administrative stewardship while partnering with community organizations and academic institutions to conduct research and listening sessions. The committee directed that the administrator explore interim sponsorship options and return with a recommendation to ensure the commission’s work remains on track while DEI continues onboarding.
