The Keizer Community Diversity Engagement Council on Feb. 6 approved a revised schedule for city proclamations and observance presentations and agreed to forward the calendar to the City Council work session on Feb. 10 for consideration.

The council assigned members to lead or coordinate specific months and events, including Black History Month in February, Asian Pacific American Heritage Month in May, LGBTQ Pride in June and a domestic violence awareness presentation in October. Members also agreed to contact local organizations and speakers — for example, Center 50 Plus (also referred to as Salem-area seniors), Liberty House, CASA of Marion County and a local rabbi — to confirm availability and move flexible proclamations to alternate council meeting dates when necessary. Vice Chair Carrie Brown said, “I already did the February 3, which is a Black History Month,” volunteering to coordinate the February presentation.

Why it matters: The council’s calendar determines which community groups are formally recognized at City Council meetings and who the council expects to invite. The council voted to take the revised calendar to the upcoming work session so councilors can consider exceptions to new rules of procedure (which generally limit proclamations per meeting) and confirm dates.

Most important decisions and logistics

- Assignments: Members volunteered to lead or co-lead particular months: Black History Month (February) — Carrie Brown; Asian Pacific American Heritage Month (May) — Councilor Stephanie Cross and Carrie Brown (coordinating); LGBTQ Pride (June) — Benita Picasso; Juneteenth — Jane Titchenell (assistance offered); Native American Heritage Month (November) — Kathy Clark; Human Rights Day (December) — Stephanie Cross. Several members agreed to contact specific community partners (e.g., Liberty House for child abuse prevention month; CASA of Marion County for foster youth recognition scheduled April 21).

- Scheduling constraints: The council acknowledged the new “rules of procedure” adopted by the council limit proclamations and that any deviation (for example, allowing more than one proclamation at a meeting) requires council approval to suspend the rules. Mayor Mary Clark explained the rules: variations would need council approval. The group agreed to ask the City Council for an exception if an important observance coincides with a date-sensitive national observance (for example, Hispanic Heritage Month and Constitution Week both timed to mid-September).

- Outreach and participation: Members discussed contacting McNary High School and other schools to invite student groups for presentations and asked staff to check scheduling with guest speakers such as Rabbi Pearlstein for the Jewish American Heritage presentation. The council also agreed to explore holding the Older Americans proclamation at Center 50 Plus if the senior center preferred a local celebration.

Quote

“I already did the February 3, which is a Black History Month,” Vice Chair Carrie Brown said when volunteering to lead the February presentation.

Votes and formal action

- Motion to adopt the revised proclamations calendar and forward it to the Monday work session: moved by a council member (motion text recorded as "I make a motion to adopt this revised calendar and to take it to Monday's work session") and seconded; passed by voice vote.

Background and next steps

Council staff agreed to contact proposed speakers (DA’s office and Center for Hope and Safety for domestic violence awareness; Rabbi Pearlstein for Jewish American Heritage Month) and to pencil in dates where possible. The council will present the revised calendar at the Feb. 10 work session for City Council consideration and any required suspension of council rules.

Community impacts and implementation notes

- Geography: City of Keizer.
- Key partner organizations named during discussion: Center 50 Plus / Salem-area seniors; Liberty House; CASA of Marion County; Center for Hope and Safety; McNary High School; local rabbinate (Rabbi Pearlstein). Some dates remain subject to speaker availability.

Provenance

topicintro: "Okay. So it looks like we're moving on to the selection of national observant months for committee presentations to council." (transcript timestamp 529.08)

topfinish: "I make a motion to adopt this revised calendar and to take it to the Monday's work session." (transcript timestamp 2954.48)