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<br /> <br /> STAFF REPORT <br /> <br /> <br />TO: Mayor Fischer and Members of City Council <br /> <br />FROM: Laura Linehan, Assistant City Administrator / Community Relations Manager <br /> Members, Little Canada Community Inclusion Team <br /> <br />DATE: February 26, 2025 <br /> <br />RE: City of Little Canada Community Inclusion Report <br /> <br />ACTIONS TO BE CONSIDERED: <br />No action is required. This report is intended to provide data and information as the City Council <br />prepares for the upcoming Strategic Planning Retreat on February 28 and March 1. <br /> <br />BACKGROUND: <br />Strategic Initiative <br />Since 2022, staff has worked to complete initiatives outlined within April 2022 strategic plan update, <br />including a DEI Initiative. Staff engaged the League of Minnesota Cities to introduce Diversity, <br />Equity, and Inclusion training for all staff, City Council members, and leadership team members. <br /> <br />On February 14, 2024, staff presented a DEI Introduction at a City Council Workshop, including an <br />overview of city-wide demographics and a preview for the Introduction to DEI training for the City <br />Council/leadership team (February 28, 2024) and all staff (March 4, 2024). <br /> <br />Following both trainings, on April 10, staff and City Council discussed proposed next steps for the <br />city’s inclusion journey. Staff proposed steps, including the creation of an internal inclusion committee <br />and an external inclusion team, to prepare for the 2025 strategic planning process. The City Council <br />outlined their desire to better understand our community through the lens of welcoming and inclusion. <br />The City Council provided unanimous support to develop both an internal and external inclusion team. <br /> <br />The final report provides supporting data and information for the 2025 Strategic Planning process. <br /> <br />Community Inclusion Team Members <br />Seven community members with diverse backgrounds and two city staff representatives served on the <br />Community Inclusion Team. The Community Inclusion Team played a crucial role in: <br />• Outreach around inclusion <br />• Developing survey questions <br />• Identifying community members and organizations to individually interview <br />• Shaping youth engagement <br />• Providing their lived experiences throughout <br /> <br />