Keizer council reshuffles Community Diversity Engagement Committee amid public criticism

The Keizer City Council on April 7 approved a slate of appointments to the Community Diversity Engagement Committee (CDEC) that ties membership to individual council seats, a move that drew several public commenters who said the changes remove experienced volunteers and undermine the group’s independence.

Council action followed council-by-council appointments: Councilor Parsons named Robin Barney; Council President Starr appointed Sarah Ngo; Councilor Duran appointed Larry Porter; Councilor Christopher appointed Fausto Ramos; Councilor Kohler appointed Guillermo Rodriguez; another seat will be filled by Councilor Cross on April 21; and Jane Titchenell was appointed to a remaining seat. The council confirmed that the youth position will be filled through the Volunteer Coordinating Committee (VCC) process, consistent with a prior change the council had approved.

Supporters of the appointments described applicants’ qualifications during the meeting; councilors moved and seconded the appointments in sequence, and the council approved them. Several committee seats were left to be finalized (Councilor Cross said she would make her appointment on April 21).

During the public-comment period, multiple former CDEC members and community leaders criticized the council’s approach to reconstituting the committee. Tammy Kunz and Michael Walsh said the council replaced almost the entire committee without consulting prior members and that the removals risked losing continuity, progress and the relationships the committee had built. Carrie Brown, a CDEC member whose term remains through April 21, said the existing committee had developed goals, outreach plans and a mission and that replacing most members “will be detrimental.” Ryan Hewlett and others urged that youth membership be safeguarded and that young people be given meaningful roles and not token positions.

Councilors and staff defended the appointment process as a council prerogative. Council members who explained their picks cited reasons ranging from availability to specific community ties. The council reiterated that many advisory and volunteer appointments proceed through the VCC, and staff said the youth position will follow that existing VCC process.

The meeting record shows continuing disagreement: public commenters requested better transparency about selection criteria and urged use of the VCC for all committee appointments to reduce perceived bias.

The council did not vote to change the committee’s charter during the meeting; the action was limited to making the listed appointments and scheduling the remaining appointment for April 21. Several public commentators said they will attend future meetings and hold the committee and council accountable for measurable work.

What happens next: the council will finalize the remaining appointment on April 21 and the newly constituted CDEC will begin work under the council’s direction. Community members asked for clearer, documented selection criteria and for the council to consider routing future CDEC appointments through the Volunteer Coordinating Committee.