Community Transit Colleagues,
I am sending this on behalf of myself and our entire leadership team.
This past week we have witnessed a passionate response across the nation and within the communities we serve to a pervasive, persistent and destructive pattern of systemic injustice. The death of George Floyd is the most recent tragedy of the injustice of racism and the abuse of power. Intolerance in general, and intolerance toward African Americans in particular, is perpetuating a loathsome practice of racism and inequity for African Americans in this country. Together with the family, friends, and community, we mourn the unjust death of George Floyd.
Many within the communities we serve may be experiencing pain, grief, and mental and emotional fatigue. We want to acknowledge that there is an additional layer of stress, fear, trauma and perhaps a feeling of the need to bury these feelings and go about business as usual for African American people in our community. To those feeling this way, we see you and we acknowledge your pain.
At Community Transit, we are committed to bringing together and supporting employees and community members of every race and background. This commitment is outlined very clearly through our Core Values, most notably Equity & Inclusion and Mutual Respect.
Our goal is to serve all in our community equitably. We respect, value and celebrate our employees and our customers as unique individuals with equal worth. As a service provider, we consistently seek opportunities to better meet the needs of all in our workforce and in our community so they may reach their full potential. As an employer, we are deeply committed to equal opportunity and do not tolerate discrimination in any form in our workplaces.
For all of our employees, please remember that we have Employee Engagement staff ready to listen and an Employee Assistance Program that provides emotional, financial and legal support for all our employees and dependents. Please reach out if you need help.
You have my commitment and that of the entire leadership team that we will continue to work to ensure each and every one of our employees and the community members we serve feels supported and respected at all times. We will use our Core Values to guide us as we seek to listen, to understand, and to do better. We can always do better. We are learning and are always open to feedback. We are here for each and every one of you. As you may engage in discussion and reflection in the coming days, please model our Core Values as we work together to make progress toward an ever more equitable future for all. Thank you.
Emmett Heath
Chief Executive Officer
Posts
I've noticed that (as far as I can find) there is only one person of color on the Community Transit Board of Directors, unless I've missed someone? Our local elections don't seem to be the best place to ensure equity at the top of this organization. What can be done about this?
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comment. State law dictates how Community Transit's board is selected. The transit agency has no say in who is chosen.
ReplyDeleteBy law, our board is made up of nine elected officials from the cities and county that we serve. Every two years, those jurisdictions gather to select who will be board members and alternate board members. The cities themselves decide whom to send, then the 20 representatives select 9 members and 6 alternates.
In other words, to be on our board, you have to be elected mayor, county executive or council member from a jurisdiction in Snohomish County. Then your elected peers in that jurisdiction need to select you as a representative to Community Transit. Then those elected peers from around the county need to select you to serve on the board.
There is also one board member selected by the unions representing our bargaining unit employees. Again, the agency itself is not involved in choosing who sits on our board. I hope this sheds some light on Community Transit's board representation.