Lede: Tribal representatives and community members raised concerns at the Aug. 18 Astoria City Council meeting about a recent library board meeting they said included racial slurs and personal attacks; a tribal member urged the council to suspend further action on naming the library room while dialogue continues.

Nut graf: Commenters said they had come to the library board meeting to present history and proposals for recognition but that the meeting devolved into abusive comments directed at tribal members. They called for a more substantive, mediated process and suggested the issue is now more symbolic and contested following the public remarks.

Body: Todd Lawson, who identified himself as a member of the Clatsop Confederated Tribes, told the council that a recent library board meeting was "horrible for the tribe." Lawson said attendees used racial slurs and personal attacks during public comment and that tribal members who sought to participate were left without a constructive forum to present their perspectives. He asked council members to watch the meeting recording and said several tribal members were deeply upset by comments that labeled them with words such as "cheats," "scammers" and "thieves," as reported in his remarks.

Lawson said the tribe's disenrollment by state and federal authorities in 1953 remains a relevant historical fact and urged a process that could produce a compromise and a prototype for future collaboration. He asked that the library room-naming process not proceed further until stakeholders can negotiate a path forward.

Council response and context: Councilors later referenced ongoing discussion with tribal stakeholders about the library naming and said they hope to continue work sessions to address concerns; Councilor Emily Davis noted ongoing conversations and expressed hope staff could find a better way to work with stakeholder groups.

Ending: The comments were recorded in the public-comment portion of the meeting; council did not take immediate action in response to the remarks but scheduled further engagement on related work-session topics in coming weeks.