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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 05141996 - D4 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS IOC-1 Contra FROM: INTERNAL OPERATIONS COMMITTEE Costa 9 6 - County DATE: May 6, 1 9 YOU T ��~` s SUBJECT: REPORT ON REQUEST FROM THE NEWCOMERS TASK FORCE SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATIONS: 1. REFER Recommendations 1, 4 & 5 from the attached Executive Summary of the report of the Newcomers Task Force to the Human Relations Commission and request the Human Relations Commission to discuss these issues with the members of the former Newcomers Task Force and make further recommendations to the Board of Supervisors. 2. HOLD in abeyance any action on Recommendations # 2, 3 & 6 from the attached Executive Summary of the report of the Newcomers Task Force until Supervisor Bishop has had an opportunity to discuss these recommendations with Pinole Mayor and Newcomers Task Force member Maria Alegria. Supervisor Bishop may be prepared to make an oral report of this conversation on May 14 and make further recommendations at that time. BACKGROUND: On June 27, 1995, the Board of Supervisors referred to the Internal Operations Committee the final report from the Newcomers Task Force. The Task Force sunsetted upon presenting their final report to the Board of Supervisors. The report made six recommendations which are outlined in the attached copy of the Executive Summary from the report. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE: RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE APPROVE HER ILI SIGNATURESVI ACTION OF BOARD ON A A AAPPROVED AS RECOMMENDED X OTHER VOTE OF SUPERVISORS XI HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE UNANIMOUS(ABSENT ------------ ) AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN AYES: NOES: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. County Administrator ATTESTED May 14, 1996 Contact: Mayor Maria Alegria PHIL BATCHELOR,CL K OF THE BOARD OF cc: City of Pinole SUPER4AL4DMINISTRATOR 3781 Brazil Court Pinole, CA 94564 t Mary Rosas, Staff to the Newcomers Task Force (V CAO) IOC-1 Our Committee met with Mary Rosas, staff to the former Newcomers Task Force and Pinole Mayor and member of the former Newcomers Task Force Maria Alegria on May 6, 1996. Supervisor Rogers was present for this meeting. Supervisor Bishop was not present for this meeting. Mayor Alegria summarized the report and asked that our Committee endorse Recommendations# 2 and # 6 in particular, regarding commissioning a county-wide study of the economic contributions of the immigrant population and establishing a Newcomers Advisory Committee to oversee the implementation of the Task Force's recommendations. She noted that the Task Force would like to have the assistance of County staff in the form of a grant writer to assist in writing a grant application for funds to finance the studies and other activities recommended by the Task Force. Supervisor Rogers promised to discuss the matter with Supervisor Bishop and make recommendations to the Board for action. Our Committee had an opportunity to discuss the matter later in the day while the Committee was still in session. We are very reluctant to recommend the formation of yet another advisory body, particularly when it appears that the role of the Human Relations Commission encompasses the concerns voiced by the former Newcomers Task Force. We think that several of the Task Force's recommendations can most appropriately be addressed by asking the Human Relations Commission to form a subcommittee on immigrant issues or taking other action to address these concerns. We have, therefore, asked that the members of the former Newcomers Task Force ask the Human Relations Commission to consider ways in which the Commission can address the concerns outlined in Recommendations # 1, 4 & 5. Our Committee is concerned about the amount of work which would be required to undertake the studies contained in the Task Force's recommendations. Even freeing a grant writer to assist in writing a grant application does not appear to our Committee to be feasible. Therefore, Supervisor Bishop agreed to talk to Mayor Alegria about the work encompassed in Recommendations #2, 4 & 5 and then to make further recommendations to the Board of Supervisors once she has had an opportunity to talk to Mayor Alegria. - 2 - DA 2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY On October 5, 1993, the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors created the Newcomers Task Force to recommend ways the county can improve the coordination and provision of services to immigrants, to identify ways of highlighting contributions by immigrants, and to address current immigrant issues. This final report of the Newcomers Task Force summarizes key findings about demographic trends of the immigrant population in Contra Costa, the principal policy issues related to the county's foreign born, and proposes that the Board of Supervisors adopt the following six recommendations that, taken together, serve as a basis- for establishing "strong cooperative relationships between immigrants and non-immigrants." 1) That the Board of Supervisors affirm its commitment to the full integration of immigrant newcomers in the .work of county boards, commissions, committees and departments. 2) That the Board of Supervisors commission a county-wide study of the economic contributions of the immigrant population. 3) That the Board of Supervisors commission a study of services offered by county departments, community organizations, and the private sector that serve foreign-born newcomers. 4) That the Board of Supervisors monitor immigrant-related state and federal policies and legislation that may restrict or limit county operations and services. 5) That the Board of Supervisors encourage and facilitate naturalization and citizenship efforts. 6) That the Board of Supervisors appoint a Newcomers Advisory Committee to oversee the implementation of task force recommendations.