Longmeadow Select Board analyzes anti-racism initiatives, debrief town meeting

May 19, 2022 | Matt Conway
mconway@thereminder.com

Longmeadow Anti-Racism Coalition members Zach Verriden and Ryan McCollum discuss suggestions to the Select Board.
Photo Credit: Longmeadow TV

LONGMEADOW – After a presentation from the Longmeadow Anti-Racism Coalition, the Select Board discussed avenues for improving racial equity during their May 16 meeting.

Longmeadow Anti-Racism Coalition

Chair of the Longmeadow Anti-Racism Coalition Zach Verriden and coalition member Ryan McCollum showcased a presentation about the group’s efforts. The Select Board established the coalition after deeming racism as a public health issue in July 2020.

“Clearly the acts we just witnessed in Buffalo showed that the Select Board was correct in [establishing the coalition],” said McCollum.
McCollum shared that the coalition hosted public hearings and researched ways to improve race relations in Longmeadow. During one of the hearings, McCollum said the coalition endured a “Zoom bomb” of racial epithets.

The coalition’s work concluded with a report submitted to the Select Board in May 2021. Since the report’s submission, the Select Board has not implemented the report’s suggestions.

“The ball has been in your court ever since we submitted the report…If it’s truly a health crisis, then we need to act. I understand that budget concerns are an issue, but again, is it truly a public health crisis if we aren’t able to make it a priority,” questioned McCollum.

Verriden highlighted three initiatives from the report that the coalition deemed financially feasible. The recommendations include the hiring of a firm for a town-wide equity audit, the hiring of a firm for racial and diversity training for the Select Board and the creation of a standing committee that can “inform and offer advice” regarding the coalition’s report to the Select Board.

“These recommendations that we provided I think are on the more feasible end of cost in terms of implementation,” said Verriden. Other suggestions the collation made included the implementation of an Equity Officer, but the costs were deemed “significant.”

Select Board member Mark Gold commended the coalition members for highlighting the overlooked issue, but said the board will need to further research how to implement the suggestions.

“Thank you for emphasizing these three items. I think they are important…I think we are going to come back to you, because very frankly, I wouldn’t know where to go about to try to select a firm for an equity audit [and] to select a firm for diversity and racial training for us. It sounds like something that needs to be done,” said Gold.

Select Board Clerk Joshua Levine agreed with the coalition’s sentiments. “I think that were steps taken, but it’s easy to lose track of what’s important, and this is very important. I am glad you brought this back to our attention,” said Levine.

Going forward, Verriden and McCollum shared that they will submit firm suggestions to the town manager. The Select Board will also further consider town issues, like zoning bylaws, that present their own racial connotations.

“It’s not always criminal justice, it’s not always hate crimes. Everything has a lens of racial and social justice,” said McCollum.

Town Meeting Debrief

The Select Board also discussed the May 10 Annual Town Meeting. Gold said the meeting ran “relatively smoothly,” but suggested a few areas for improvement.

“Part of the issue for me is that the proceedings were a little bit tough to follow because of the consent agendas…there were people that said ‘did we approve that already’ instead of going through some logical process.”

Gold continued “If you look at the topics that have caused the most concern and the most discussion…over the last three or four years they’ve all been Community Preservation Articles. I don’t know how to address that.”

Gold also mentioned the last-minute withdrawal of several articles during the meeting.

Select Board member Thomas Lachiusa expressed his appreciation for the community-involvement that occurred during the meeting. Lachiusa said he aspires for the School Committee to be included alongside the Select Board during future annual meetings.

The Select Board will meet again on June 6.

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