CERTIFICATION RENEWAL TO BE EYED

Committee to explore whether ‘welcoming city’ designation desired

Should Chula Vista recertify as a “welcoming city?” A newly formed ad hoc committee plans to find out, with input from the public, before a formal decision is made.

The City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved creating the group, which will be composed of Deputy Mayor Jose Preciado and Councilmember Andrea Cardenas.

They will work together outside of council meetings over the course of two to three months to analyze the national Welcoming City program and local policies and gather community feedback.

“This is an important topic to the community,” said Preciado. “This will be the listening phase. We don’t just want to have a meeting where people talk for five minutes and then we (the City Council) vote.”

In November 2019, the South

County municipality became the first city in California to be certified by a national nonprofit as a “welcoming city,” a designation given to local governments committed to the inclusion of immigrants and refugees.

Welcoming America sets a comprehensive road map for municipalities to build more equitable communities and foster connections between residents and immigrants. It also sets benchmarks to keep municipalities accountable. The process is a rigorous one, involving a review of citywide policies and programs in areas like health care, education and public safety.

The three-year designation ended last December without efforts to renew it. Welcoming America had asked the city multiple times last year if it desired to recertify but the nonprofit’s requests went unanswered, according to emails and letters from the organization to the city.

City Manager Maria Kachadoorian and former Mayor Mary Casillas Salas chose not to renew the certification because two other inclu

sion efforts have taken priority, according to the city. No other members of the City Council, the public or the Human Relations Commission, which was charged with implementing the program, were consulted.

Advocates who helped Chula Vista with the certification process had expressed frustration over the city’s internal decision, saying it disregarded extensive community efforts. Advocate Nancy Relaford said she’s appreciative of officials willing to meet with them but said she will underscore that the certification “is more than just symbolic.”

“I’m glad they are looking into this and are inviting the community,” Relaford said. “One way to look at this is that being part of Welcoming America provides outside accountability for the city.”

Preciado said he hopes the committee’s work with the public will clarify “if we have enough policies and if we need to have the certification or do we require the certification as a necessary function of the city.”

He added that he expects to start meeting with Cardenas before hosting meetings next month with members of the community.