COMMITTEE ON HOUSING, PLANNING & GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS
MINUTES: JUNE 5, 2007, 2:00 pm
IN ATTENDANCE:
Committee Members: Legislator Lois Bronz, Chair, Legislators William Burton, Vito Pinto, Kenneth Jenkins. Staff: Barbara Arrington Dodds, Committee Coordinator
Others: Legislator Judy Myers, CEO’s Office: William Randolph, Meghan Schoeffling (WDOM); Alfred Turnquest (CBAC).
ITEM FOR DISCUSSION:
Westchester County Office of Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action
Guest: Mattie Grady-Smith, Esq., Director
With a quorum present, Leg. Bronz called the meeting to order and welcomed Mattie Grady-Smith, Director of the Office of Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action. Based on handout material also available on the Office website, Ms. Grady-Smith gave an overview presentation of her department.
The department’s vision is to maintain a fair, equitable, safe, and supportive employment environment in Westchester County government and to ensure that accurate and updated information is available and provided thru various means.
Orientation for new employees is offered every two weeks for most departments. The director makes a presentation at the Department of Corrections facility not only for new cadets but also for newly promoted supervisors who have a high level of responsibility when it comes to County policies and liabilities.
The department’s mission is to administer, interpret and enforce County, state and federal statutory requirements, policies and procedures in an impartial, knowledgeable, efficient, timely, and consistent manner. With very few revenue streams, the department must deal with hiring freezes, retirements, and budgetary constraints. They design and print their own materials in-house and all training is done by department staff. Taking the consultant approach to discrimination and harassment issues allows the Office to reduce costs associated with hearings and potential litigation and the use of paralegal attorneys. Talking to people upfront and other preventive maintenance keeps
The Office operates under two policies: equal employment opportunity and anti-discrimination harassment. The complaint process includes employee EEO Counselors within the County departments who act as investigators in departments other than their own--explaining policy and referring complaints to the Office. Complaints are resolved within 180 days so that, if necessary, people can still have open all avenues of outside redress available to them under employee rights.
Decisions are well researched and reasoned to make sure they are in compliance with New York State and supported by the federal level, the state, or the second circuit court. County forms, staff training and investigation processes are set up to simulate state and federal levels. Office staff goes to the training and technical assistance seminars given by the other levels.
Allegations that a person has been harassed or discriminated against have to be based on a protected characteristic being threatened in order for the Office to investigate. Since 2000 the complaints have gone down significantly. Appointments are decreasing but walk-ins are still pretty much substantial because people are allowed to walk in and be seen on the spot.
The Office of EEO & Affirmative Action also processes all County Spanish translation services for signs, flyers and brochures. The official Westchester County Spanish translator, Adelita Davis, translates materials for any department requiring outreach to the Hispanic community. Since last year Ms. Grady-Smith is also liaison to the Westchester County Board of Ethics and she also does all Foil requests for the Department of Human Resources, of which her Office is part.
The Legislators thanked the director and said that her talk had been very informative.
ITEMS RECEIVED AND FILED: 3l, 3m, 3n, 3o, 3p, 7b, 25, 30, 41 & 44
3L thru 3p have to do with HAVA and polling sites and voting law suits.
7b. re Eminent Domain Legislation
25. re County Quadricentennial Committee
30. re Riverwalk and Hudson Greenspace
41. re Legal Services of the Hudson Valley
44. re Yorktown Farms
Leg. Pinto moved the items received and filed, Leg. Burton seconded. All in favor.
There was general discussion regarding current affordable housing issues.
Leg. Bronz motioned for adjournment, moved by Leg. Pinto, seconded by Leg. Burton.
Text: 
Print:
