Commission split on making community DEI task force permanent; staff told to return with structure, staffing and budget options

Oregon City – The city commission on July 8 received a report on the Community Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Task Force and debated whether to convert the ad‑hoc task force into a permanent advisory committee, continue contracting a facilitator, or pursue lower‑cost, community‑facing programming instead.

Staff reported that the task force was re‑established for the city’s 2023–25 budget cycle to serve as a community voice on DEI issues, met six times with a contracted facilitator (Lamont Brown, Triangle Consulting Group), and issued recommendations including making the task force a standing advisory committee, continuing professional facilitation, and appointing a dedicated staff liaison. City staff told the commission that the adopted budget does not include funds for ongoing facilitation or a dedicated liaison, and that existing DEI allocations ($125,000 cited for other DEI commitments) are already committed to internal training and organizational culture work.

Staff said: “Staff does not currently have the capacity to support a new standing advisory committee without additional resources or additional direction,” and asked the…