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Hundreds testify after Deschutes County commissioners dissolve DEIA working group; public urges reinstatement
Summary
Hundreds of residents spoke during the March 19 Deschutes County Board of Commissioners meeting, urging the panel to reinstate the county’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) working group after the board voted in February to dissolve it.
Hundreds of residents packed the Deschutes County commissioners’ hearing room March 19 to press the board to reinstate the county’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) working group and to protest its February vote to dissolve it.
Speakers described the committee as a practical tool for improving county services and a forum for community input. “We need accountability, transparency, policies, and active DEIA committees,” said Diane Murray, a Bend resident, adding that “when white people are scared, we get really, really scary.” Several other speakers framed the group’s work as pragmatic and focused on access — citing bilingual outreach, ramps and other accommodations — rather than personnel decisions.
Why it matters: Testimony showed the issue has become a policy and political flash point in Deschutes…
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