Salt Lake City – The Salt Lake City Human Rights Commission will host its first town-hall discussion in the Dialogue on Discrimination Series tonight, a five-part series of public discussions intended to gather public input on discrimination issues in Salt Lake City to eventually help inform the development of public policy. Joél Arvizo and Karla Padilla will begin the dialogue by discussing personal and expert accounts about the effects of poverty and how it connects to discrimination. The audience will then break into smaller groups to discuss any discrimination concerns within Salt Lake City. The public is welcome and encouraged to attend.
 
Who:               Salt Lake City Human Rights Commission members
 
·        Karla Padilla, community advocate and member of numerous boards including the Salt Lake Civil Service Commission and the Governor’s Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities.
 
·        Joél Arvizo, Partnership Management for Youth Education and Success with University Neighborhood Services.
 
What:              Dialogue on Discrimination Series
 
Where:            Sorenson Multi-Cultural Center 855 W. California Ave. , Salt Lake City, UT
 
When:             Wednesday, November 5 at 6:00 p.m.
 
 
Please Note:   CART captioning for the hearing impaired and a Spanish translation table will be available.
 

Cory Lyman is Salt Lake City’s New Director of Emergency Management
 
SALT LAKE CITY – Salt Lake City has a new Director of Emergency Management. Seasoned SLCPD veteran Cory Lyman has been hired to fill the newly created post and help Salt Lake City design, develop, and effectively carry out its Emergency Management Plan. Lyman brings 26 years of law enforcement experience and an enthusiasm to return to serving Salt Lake City after a five year hiatus.
 
Since 2003, Lyman has served as Police Chief in Ketchum, Idaho. Prior to his work in Ketchum, he was a dedicated member of the Salt Lake City Police Force for 21 years. Lyman’s extensive management experience in the areas of investigations and special operations and his ability to carry out missions successfully in times of crisis made him a top contender for the Emergency Management position.
 
In his duties as Director of Emergency Management, Lyman will work with all city departments, government agencies, and private and volunteer groups to ensure the implementation of emergency preparedness education and exercises.  Lyman’s responsibilities will also include serving as the radio communications director in the event of an emergency. 
 
During his previous work in the SLCPD, Lyman oversaw multiple units and departments. He also served on a wide range of committees, including the 2002 Olympics Communications Committee. Lyman demonstrated his crisis leadership as commander of the Elizabeth Smart Kidnap Task Force. 
 
In making the announcement, Mayor Becker stated, “Helping the community be prepared for an emergency is an important role of City government. I know Cory brings the right combination of expertise and leadership to help our City and its residents be ready to effectively respond in the event of an emergency.”
 
In accepting the new position Lyman commented, “Salt Lake City is a wonderful place to live and work.  I am thrilled to be back and serving the community in this new role.”

Becker Seeks to Increase Public Engagement in Local Government
 
SALT LAKE CITY – Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker will complete individual meetings with the leadership of Salt Lake City’s 24 boards today at 4:00 p.m. in a “speed dating” type format in which he will spend 10-15 minutes with each board leader over a two and a half hour period at the Mayor’s Office.
 
Mayor Becker began the individual meetings last week.  This is the first time a Salt Lake City Mayor has met with every board chair individually in over a decade. The goal of the meetings is to strengthen the relationship between the Mayor’s Office and the City’s constituent boards, which are comprised of volunteer residents, business owners and activists within the City. 
 
In addition to meeting with Mayor Becker, board leaders will meet with the Mayor’s Chief of Staff, Senior Policy Advisor, Assistant Chief of Staff and Policy Analyst to discuss ideas about how each board can operate most effectively. Most of the members of the City’s 24 boards are appointed by the Mayor and approved by the City Council; terms typically run from three to five years.
 
The idea for holding these extensive meetings was an outgrowth of a report recently completed by the Boards and Commissions Review Committee (BCRC). The BCRC’s report reflects Mayor Becker’s commitment to increasing Salt Lake City residents’ accessibility to city government. 
 
“With an eye to increase public engagement in local government, we have been working on ways to improve the overall effectiveness of our boards and commissions. I strongly believe this report is a huge step forward in increasing public involvement in Salt Lake City,” said Mayor Becker.
 
The Mayor believes that by improving the effectiveness of Salt Lake City’s boards and commissions, the city will be better able to respond to the needs of its citizens.  According to the BCRC report, City boards and commissions “provide much needed citizen input, diverse perspective, and added expertise into the organization and operations of the City.”
 
Upon Mayor Becker’s arrival in office, the BCRC was assigned the task of researching how every board and commission functions within City Hall.  The review committee’s purpose was to identify, assess, and make recommendations  to improve the interaction between the Mayor’s Office, the City Council, and the City’s Boards and Commissions.  The comprehensive study examined boards and commissions throughout City government and was conducted by an experienced panel of five people. 
 
The study, determined the various boards and commissions within City Hall are functioning properly, but could improve in several areas. Recommended improvements include clearer appointment procedures, a better understanding of each board’s specific mission and purpose, as well as more intergovernmental communication regarding pertinent issues.  In response to these findings, the Mayor has begun the implementation of the report’s recommendations. 
 
The study also recommended the Mayor personally meet with board and commission chairs to discuss current policy initiatives and the development of a citywide board member database and website.  “I am pleased to report Salt Lake City’s boards and commissions are moving forward,” said the Mayor.
 
For a full copy of the study, go to: www.slcgov.com/mayor

Monday, October 27, 2008
 
8:00 a.m.          Meeting with Police Chief
 
9:30 a.m.          Community Garden Meeting
 
11:45 a.m.        Remarks to BYU Law School Students
 
4:00 p.m.          Meeting with Community and Economic Development Director
 
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
 
8:30 a.m.          Department Director Meeting
 
10:30 a.m.        Travel Wise Press Conference
 
1:30 p.m.          KSL Editorial Board Meeting
 
2:30 p.m.          RDA Retreat
 
5:00 p.m.          University of Utah Humanities Social Hour
 
6:00 p.m.          RDA Retreat Dinner
 
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
 
9:00 a.m.          Eisenhower Fellowship Meeting
 
10:00 a.m.        Meeting with Management Services Director
 
12:00 p.m.        Community Liaison Lunch Meeting
 
3:00 p.m.          Airport Meeting
 
4:00 p.m.          Budget Meeting – Public Services
 
6:00 p.m.          Mayor’s “Road Trip” - Downtown Community Council
 
Thursday, October 30, 2008
 
9:30 a.m.          Policy Direction and Coordination Meeting
 
10:00 a.m.        Northwest Quadrant Meeting
 
1:00 p.m.          Health Care Meeting
 
4:00 p.m.          City Boards and Commissions Chair Individual Meetings
 
Friday, October 31, 2008
 
9:00 a.m.          Non-Departmental Budget Meeting
 
10:00 a.m.        Meeting with Interim Fire Chief
 
11:00 a.m.        Meeting with City Attorney’s Office Director
 
1:15 p.m.          SLCPD Trick or Treat Event
 
2:00 p.m.          Pumpkin Carving at Discovery Gateway
 

Classmates of Gun Violence Victim Will Take Part
 
SALT LAKE CITY – Mayor Ralph Becker will join Riley Elementary School students this morning at 11:00 at the Sorenson Unity Center to plant daffodils in remembrance of Utahns who have suffered from the effects of gun violence.
The event is part of the YWCA’s annual “Week Without Violence” and is sponsored by the Gun Violence Prevention Center of Utah.
 
Mayor Becker will speak briefly and then join Riley Fourth Graders and residents of the Glendale neighborhood to plant over 600 daffodil bulbs. The students, who lost their seven-year-old classmate Maria Del Carmen Manchaca to gun violence in July of this year, will sing selections from the Mosaic Project’s “Children’s Songs for Peace and a Better World” before the planting. 
 

WHO:             Mayor Ralph Becker, Riley Fourth Grade Students, YWCA Chief Program Officer Keri E. Jones, Gun Violence Prevention Center Board Chair Dee Rowland
WHAT:          Daffodil Planting to Commemorate YWCA “Week Without Violence”
 
WHERE:       Sorenson Unity Center (1385 South 900 West)
 
WHEN:          Friday, October 24 at 11:00 a.m.