Keizer volunteer committee forwards planning, arts and youth nominees to city council; members debate appointment process

The Keizer Volunteer Coordinating Committee on Aug. 14 forwarded nominees for multiple volunteer positions to Keizer City Council and discussed whether the committee should revise how it conducts interviews and votes.

The committee voted to put forward three candidates for the planning commission — Matt Blair, Jaren (Jeremy) Grant and Larry Strut — all for three-year terms effective Oct. 1, 2025, through 2028. It also moved Jesus Escobar forward for a Keizer Public Art Commission seat (term ending June 2028), recommended Felicia Dacto as the city’s youth counselor for the 2025–26 school year (roughly Sept. 1, 2025–May 30, 2026) and recommended Cassidy Turner as the arts commission youth liaison for the 2025–26 school year.

Why it matters: These volunteer panels advise the city on land use, arts programming and youth engagement, and their membership affects which perspectives reach City Council and staff. Committee members also flagged recurring confusion about how the VCC tallies and presents votes when multiple positions are open — a procedural issue the group agreed to revisit at future meetings.

The interviews and votes

- Matt Blair, planning commission chair, spoke about the planning commission’s recent work, public outreach and code changes, and asked the committee to recommend him for another term. Members praised his service and moved him forward to council. The committee’s roll-call-style tally produced a majority and the motion passed; the committee did not record a detailed…