Quincy Councilors Propose Department of Social Justice and Equity

QUINCY—City councilors are scheduled to present their plan to create a new city department focused on inclusion and diversity at Monday's city council meeting.

The November 9 meeting will include a presentation by city councilors Nina Liang, Brian Palmucci, and Noel DiBona, who will discuss what creating the new Department of Social Justice and Equity would entail and what it will do for the community.

An outline of the plan in the upcoming town meeting schedule states that the department would be led by a Director of the Department of Social Justice and Equity, who would be appointed by the mayor no later than the first Monday in February. The candidate would hold office for one year, until a successor is appointed.

"The Director shall work to create equity and inclusion among all populations in Quincy by providing cohesiveness and serving as a channel for numerous departments, a resource for the school department, and staff programs and activities to promote inclusive excellence and welcoming environments for all," says an ordinance proposing the position.

According the the proposition, the Director of the the Department of Social Justice and Equity would be responsible for developing and implementing policies, programs, and administration that promote diversity and equal opportunities and be in charge of creating and maintaining an "appropriate database for tracking progress of equity and inclusion."

The proposal states that the potential director job would involve many different responsibilities, including conducting public awareness campaigns, developing and conducting an annual survey of residents and city employees, coordinating with other departments regarding policy development and implementation, enhancing the city's presence in the community by partnering with various organization, and identifying areas where the city can improve.

The position would be a full-time job, with preferred qualifications including a bachelor's degree, three years of experience in a similar position, and prior experience working with marginalized populations, prior experience working in or with government agencies, working knowledge of equity and inclusion principles, prior experience in social work, excellent oral and written communication skills, and knowledge of computer programs such as Microsoft Office.

At Monday's meeting, councilors will also discuss municipal aggregation for electricity, review November election results and possible changes to future elections, give a mid-year update to the fiscal 2021 budget, and provide information on legal actions being taken in opposition to the Weymouth compressor station.

Monday's city council meeting will start at 6:30 p.m. via Zoom.