Diversity & Inclusion Commission

Meetings

  • 6:30 pm
  • 3rd Tuesday of every month
  • City Hall Council Chambers
    500 W Live Oak Street
    Hutto, TX 78634

Agendas & Minutes

Agendas are available prior to the meetings. Minutes are available following approval.

View Most Recent Agendas and Minutes

Audio of the Diversity & Inclusion Commission meetings

Members

The Commission is composed of seven members and serves three-year terms. As of January 14, 2022, there is 1 vacancy on the Diversity & Inclusion Commission.

  • Brian Thompson, Chair - Term Expires: June 30, 2025
  • Tara Spoons, Member - Term Expires: June 30, 2025
  • Vacant
  • Cory Denena, Member- Term Expires : June 30, 2026
  • Kandice Walker, Member - Term Expires: June 30, 2023
  • Gina Chen, Member - Term Expires: June 30, 2024
  • VACANT
  • Kristi Barnes, Staff Liaison

To apply for a position on the Diversity and Inclusion Commission please complete an application and return to the City Secretary's Office either in person or via email.

Purpose

The City of Hutto acknowledges that the history of discrimination in the United States of America continues to affect the privilege and/or lack of opportunity for people in the City; and the City of Hutto acknowledges that equality occurs when differences such as race, ethnicity, religion, gender, economic status, sexual orientation/gender identification, veteran status, marital status, language, age, disability, etc. do not determine a person's economic, social, or political access.

The Diversity and Inclusion Commission shall, to the extent possible, be broadly representative of economic status, race, color, religion, gender, national origin, ancestry, marital status, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation and gender identity.

Diversity & Inclusion Vision

The Diversity and Inclusion Commission of Hutto envisions an equitable community where all residents and employees can thrive, free of racism, homophobia, xenophobia, ableism, sexism, and all other systems of oppression. Therefore, the Diversity and Inclusion Commission of Hutto shall provide input and guidance for the City of Hutto’s City Council’s strategic objective to prioritize equity and inclusion via

  • fostering a culture of belonging
  • acknowledging and addressing past inequities
  • advocating that all citizens and visitors be treated with dignity and respect

The terms of the charter shall govern the activities of the Diversity and Inclusion Commission.

Diversity & Inclusion Mission

The Diversity and Inclusion Commission has been established and charged with assessing the state of diversity and inclusion in Hutto. The Commission’s objective is to dismantle structural and cultural barriers by making recommendations to the City of Hutto’s City Council that would improve equity and empower underrepresented groups (i.e., racial, ethnic, and religious groups).

Commission Objectives

Calendar & Events  

  • Potentially creating Information boards that will be placed around/near City Hall
  • Developing a social calendar in conjunction with city events that focus on highlighting Hutto's rich diversity

Training 

  • Beginning in November 2021, complete one training a month, focusing on different aspects of Diversity and Inclusion.
  • By the end of January 2022, develop a training plan/schedule that is open to the community members on Diversity and Inclusion topics.

Assessment 

  • By the end of January 2022, complete and launch a City-wide assessment.
  • Based on the assessment results, begin to develop action plans for moving forward with community-wide initiatives (Social/ Mixers, Training topics, etc.)

Survey Data 

The City of Hutto contracted with ETC Institute to conduct a community survey in May-June 2022.  While the bulk of the survey focused on services the City directly provides to residents, there were also several questions focused on the community's indirect perceptions of diversity and inclusion; these questions were requested by the City Council's Diversity & Inclusion Commission and developed with their input. Click here to see the Surveys & Input webpage, which includes the survey results both generally and by demographic group. 

Founding

On July 30, 2020, the City Council established the Diversity and Inclusion Commission via Ordinance Number 0-2020-021 (PDF).