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Milwaukie equity staff present new toolkit, steering‑committee work and naming subcommittee to council
Summary
Equity staff described a citywide climate & equity assessment tool for projects, the relaunch of an internal equity committee, a naming‑policy subcommittee and ongoing work with the police department on data transparency; councilors urged simplification and clearer accountability.
Milwaukie — City equity staff briefed council on organizational work to embed equity across project delivery, the Equity Steering Committee’s (ESC) priorities and a new set of practical questions staff propose for projects to assess equity and climate impacts.
Gabriela Sombay Gutierrez, Equity and Inclusion Coordinator, said the tool is designed for internal staff and consultants to use when planning infrastructure, policy or program work. "We can reference this tool and these questions for starting place," Sombay Gutierrez said, describing the checklist as a way to spark conversation and improve outreach and design.
Staff described three implementation tracks: actions led by an internal equity committee (IEC) relaunched in fall 2024; external work through the ESC; and citywide projects where staff and the ESC will collaborate. The IEC will support community engagement practice, equity performance metrics and procurement for training consultants. The ESC is advising on digital accessibility for the city website, youth engagement and outreach, and will continue to vet community event fund applications.
Staff also reported a joint temporary subcommittee of the Parks and Recreation board and the ESC to review the city’s facility naming policies. The subcommittee — three Parks board members and three ESC members — met on Feb. 19 to inventory current naming policy, research other regional policies and identify stakeholders; staff said the group will meet monthly while it develops recommendations.
On policing and transparency, staff said Police Chief Ryan Burdick and equity staff now hold monthly check‑ins to share data and progress on internal accountability work. The city’s public information officer, Mark Inman, coordinated a public statement about immigration enforcement that was published in English and Spanish, staff said. The ESC requested a follow‑up meeting with the chief and flagged possible bias‑awareness and de‑escalation training in the fall.
Councilors provided detailed feedback on the assessment tool. Several praised the concept but said the draft felt long and could be intimidating for staff: one councilor counted 37 questions. Suggestions included grouping questions into a short, five‑step screening with optional deeper prompts, adding “things to consider” sidebars and including links to existing resources. Staff said they plan pilot testing with departments, to tighten language and to work with City Manager Emma Seguer on where the tool could have formal accountability to ensure it does not become a “check‑the‑box” form.
Staff also described a planned request for proposals to assemble a roster of equity and other training consultants so departments can contract quickly for specialized trainings (for example, fair and impartial policing or HR compliance) without redoing procurement each time. Sombay Gutierrez said the RFP will make training options more accessible and reduce burdens on staff.
Council members thanked equity staff and emphasized that the ESC’s engagement and the tool should prioritize accessibility (mobile‑friendly formats, library kiosks) and community partnerships. Staff said they will return with refinements after department pilots and continued ESC review.
