⏩ COMMON COUNCIL APPROVES HIRING OF EQUITY CONSULTING FIRM

The hiring of Bridgeport-based consulting firm Led By Us & Associates to work with the city’s newly-formed Equity and Justice For All Commission was approved by the Common Council at Tuesday’s virtual council meeting.

The consulting firm will aid in designing and determining the roles of the Equity and Justice For All Commission, which falls under the Community Services division, and was created in the wake of the death of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer last spring.

“This is just something that needed to be done,” Mayor Harry Rilling said. “I am totally confident in their ability, totally confident in their experience and totally confident we all will be working together to make sure that this commission is able to function, has the resources and has the support.”

The firm will also conduct focus groups with the public, assess the city’s relationship with the Norwalk Police Department, Chief of Community Services Lamond Daniels said at Monday’s Board of Estimate and Taxation special meeting.

Currently, the partnership with the firm has been contracted for one year and the likelihood of an extension is unknown, Daniels said.

“It depends, the process right now is looking at it for one year,” Daniels said. “I think we may have to revisit that during the third quarter. Do we need them or has everything been set and laid out? Can the city take it and move it forward?”

The firm will be paid $150,000 for its work to foster a more inclusive community, $50,000 of which was donated by the Fairfield County Community Foundation.

The remaining $100,000 will be part of a special appropriation from the Board of Estimate and Taxation, city spokesperson Josh Morgan previously said.

—abigail.brone@hearstmediact.com