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Residents press council to formally recognize federal holidays; debate over DEI and proclamations surfaces in public comment
Summary
Several residents used the public-comment period to urge the city to adopt a policy publicly declaring federal holidays and questioned the role of the city’s DEI-related proclamations; speakers asked the council to ensure consistent proclamation practices.
Multiple residents used the council’s public comment period to press the City of Ellensburg to adopt a clear policy for publicly declaring federal holidays and to question how the city’s communications highlight certain observances.
William Coleman told the council he believed the city’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) practices had led to diminishing acknowledgement of national holidays in city communications and described the DEI agenda as “insidious.” Candice Comfort, who identified herself as a local resident, said she found it disheartening that President’s Day had not been publicly declared by the city the previous day and urged the city to develop a policy to publicly declare all 11 federal holidays so that the community — including school-age children — could receive educational outreach tied to those days.
Other speakers recounted prior requests for proclamations for Constitution Day and said their groups had experienced permit and venue issues that limited downtown celebrations. Teresa (surname variously recorded) urged a policy to allow groups that care about particular federal holidays to present those events and proclamations to council.
Andy Clemens also spoke, criticizing DEI events and policies and arguing they exclude the majority of residents; his remarks were partisan and contested by other commenters on the question of what constitutes inclusion.
Mayor and staff response: The mayor acknowledged an internal review and earlier remarks by the mayor that proclamations would be signed but not read aloud for the foreseeable future; the mayor apologized for the oversight around Presidents’ Day scheduling and said he was responsible for the practice of signing but not reading proclamations at meetings. Staff and council members did not adopt a new policy during the meeting but said they would consider the request and review how proclamations and city social media posts are handled going forward.
Ending: Several speakers asked for a clear process for requesting proclamations and for better public education tied to federal holidays. Council members indicated they would consider the issue and that staff would follow up on procedural changes for proclamations and social media posting practices.
