Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutR-2021-057 Resolution deferring and continuing the mentorship and internship program to 2022RESOLUTION NO. R-2021-057 A RESOLUTION deferring and continuing the mentorship and internship program to 2022. WHEREAS, on March 12, 2020, a Mayoral Proclamation of Civil Emergency and Order declared a state of emergency in the City of Yakima due to the coronavirus disease 2019 ("COVID-19"), and subsequent Mayoral Proclamations have extended the emergency; and WHEREAS, Yakima is currently in Phase 3 of the Governor's plan to re -open Washington; and WHEREAS, City Council meetings continue to be held virtually and City Hall remains open by limited appointment only pursuant to the Governor's plan; and WHEREAS, the Yakima School District just recently re -opened high schools for in -person learning; and WHEREAS, vaccines just became widely available for adults in Yakima County; and WHEREAS, the mentorship and internship program for high school students in the Yakima School District is part of the settlement in the case of Montes and Arteaga v. City of Yakima, et al., where the plaintiffs donated part of their fee award back to the City of Yakima for the mentorship and internship program, and as part of the program, in past years students have worked at the City during the summer; and WHEREAS, as a result of COVID-19 and the emergency that exists, the City Council has determined that deferring the 2021 mentorship and internship program to 2022 will best protect the health and safety of the high school student interns as well as City staff; now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF YAKIMA: The mentorship and internship program is deferred and continued to 2022. ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL this 4th day of May, 2021. e „ P tricia Byers, ATTEST: yor LEGAL DEPARTMENT 200 South Third Street Yakima, Washington 98901-2830 March 30, 2021 Mr. John Midgley ACLU of Washington Foundation P.O. Box 2728 Seattle, WA 98111-2728 Re: Montes v. City of Yakima: Settlement Agreement Mentorship-Internship Program Status Dear Mr. Midgley: 4 I hope this letter finds you well. As you know, up until the COVID-19 pandemic, the City was utilizing the $100,000.00 settlement funds set aside as part of the Montes case to fund a yearly program providing mentorships and internships to local high school students interested in government and govemment participation. That program, unfortunately, could not be operated last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The City fully intended to operate the program this year, 2021, however, we are still in the midst of the pandemic, with high rates of positive tests in Yakima County. City Hall remains closed to the public, and meetings are being held via Zoom. Not all City personnel have been vaccinated, and the schools just recently started in -person learning in the Yakima School District. Due to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, the City intends to again postpone the Mentorship- Internship program for one year, and re -start the program in 2022. The City looks forward to again hosting local high school students, providing them with Councilmember mentors, and summer internships in one of the City's divisions or departments. However, we cannot do so this summer based on the current circumstances. Unless I hear from you otherwise, I will assume that the City's plan to postpone is acceptable to the ACLU. If not, please contact me immediately to further discuss the program. Hopefully the pandemic will be far behind us in 2022 and we will be able to provide the mentorship and internship opportunities to students in the Yakima School District as we have in the past. Stay safe, and thank you for your continued coordination on this program. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. Si rely, Sara Watkins City Attorney cc: Connie Mendoza, Human Resources Director Yakima AtAwicartty 4 4 Civil Division :09) -6030 Prosecution Divi,slon (.509) 6033 Fax (509) -6J60 2015 1994 1 BUSINESS OF THE CITY COUNCIL YAKIMA, WASHINGTON AGENDA STATEM ENT Item No. 4.G. For Meeting of: May 4, 2021 ITEM TITLE: Resolution deferring and continuing the mentorship and internship program to 2022 SUBMITTED BY: Sara Watkins, City Attorney SUMMARY EXPLANATION: On March 12, 2020, a Mayoral Proclamation of Civil Emergency and Order declared a state of emergency in the City of Yakima due to the Coronavirus disease 2019 ("COVI D-19"), and subsequently proclamations have extended the civil emergency. The Governor, in collaboration with the Washington State Department of Health, recently issued his phased plan for reopening. Currently Yakima is at Phase 3, but in this phase there is still limited access to City Hall, and City Council meetings remain remote. Yakima School District only recently began having in -person learning in the high schools and vaccinations just recently became widely available to adults. The mentorship and internship program is part of the settlement in the case of Montes v. Arteaga v. City of Yakima et al., where the plaintiffs donated part of their fee award back to the City of Yakima for the mentorship and internship program. There is a balance of $23,696.28 that remains for the internship program in 2021. As a result of the continuing significant increase of COVI D-19 cases, attached for Council's consideration is a resolution deferring and continuing the mentorship and internship program to 2022. Contact with the ACLU has not resulted in any response that objects to an additional deferral of the program due to COVI D-19. ITEM BUDGETED: NA STRATEGIC PRIORITY: Public Trust and Accountability APPROVED FOR SUBMITTAL BY THE CITY MANAGER RECOMMENDATION: Adopt resolution. ATTACHMENTS: Description Upload Date Type es- ferrin ntinuin ent©rship nternship 2 D Program to 2022 41812021 Resolution LtsACLU Mentorship Internship Program-3 30.21 4j8/2021 Backup Matchal