Sioux City Council dissolves Inclusive Sioux City advisory committee, reclassifies DEI coordinator citing risk to federal funding

The Sioux City Council voted to dissolve the Inclusive Sioux City Advisory Committee, reclassify the city's diversity and inclusion coordinator to a human resources specialist and rescind the city's inclusive language notice during its May 5 meeting, citing warnings that failure to comply with federal guidance could cost the city transportation and housing grants.

Council members and dozens of residents debated the changes for more than an hour, with speakers from local civil-rights groups urging the council to preserve the advisory committee and the city's inclusive-language statement. Supporters of the council's action said the step was intended to protect federal funding the city depends on for transit and housing programs.

The vote followed lengthy public comment from community leaders and residents who said the changes would undermine trust and progress on equity. Monique Scarlet, who identified herself as president of the Sioux City chapter of the NAACP and of Unity in the Community, told the council, "When people see that their voice no longer matters and the city starts to become silent, then that says that we're no longer growing or embracing the true vision in which it was determined to be." Ike Raiford urged the council not to "be bullied into abandoning our moral obligation to serve all citizens equitably," saying removing the initiatives sent a message that marginalized communities' needs are "expendable."

Several council members said they faced a difficult choice between upholding local commitments and protecting federal grants. Councilmember Alex Waters said, "What I think makes Sioux City in this area beautiful is its diversity," and added that recent debate over the acronym "DEI" has turned part of the discussion into political sound bites. Councilmember Dan Moore described the vote as painful but necessary to safeguard funding he said supports transportation and housing programs, and said the work on inclusion should continue in other ways: "We will prevail. We will succeed. We will make a difference." Councilmember Matthew (first name shown in the record) suggested the advisory committee could be reorganized as a subcommittee under the Human Rights Commission rather than be dissolved.

City staff and council members cited guidance from federal agencies. A staff member reported that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development had made it "crystal clear" the city must comply with certain federal requirements or risk receiving no funds. Council members said similar concerns were raised about the U.S. Department of Transportation and that litigation is underway in other jurisdictions attempting to challenge vague federal guidance.

The council approved three related actions: a resolution reclassifying the diversity and inclusion coordinator position to a human resources specialist (tally recorded in the meeting as passing); a resolution dissolving the Inclusive Sioux City Advisory Committee and rescinding two earlier council resolutions establishing committee authority; and a resolution rescinding the city's inclusive language notice. The dissolution resolution was recorded as passing 4-1 (Miss McCain recorded as voting no); the personnel reclassification motion was recorded as passing by a 3-2 margin. The council discussion included a proposal to transfer advisory functions into the Human Rights Commission as a subcommittee. Karen Mackey, representing the Human Rights Commission, told the council she would bring the idea to the commission for consideration: "I will absolutely bring this to the commission as far as finding a way to get the work that inclusive is doing, maybe as a subcommittee or something."

Speakers on both sides urged the council to produce a clear, rapid plan that would preserve community engagement and maintain progress on equity even after the formal changes. Several residents said they expected the council to follow through with concrete next steps rather than leave the work to informal channels.

The council did not adopt new local funding for an external advocacy body during the meeting. Council members said they would pursue options that do not put federal grants at risk and would work with community stakeholders on alternatives, including moving advisory functions into existing commissions or supporting independent community-led organizations.

The action rescinding the inclusive language notice was identified in the meeting record as a rescindment of resolution 2023-0923; the advisory committee dissolution rescinded resolutions 2020-0776 and 2022-0937, all referenced during the vote.