Estacada council votes 5-2 to dissolve DEI committee, debates replacement approach

The Estacada City Council voted to dissolve the city's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) committee following an extended public comment period and council discussion, approving the motion 5-2. Councilors who voted to dissolve said the committee's name and national controversies around DEI risked harming the city's ability to pursue funding and created a stigma that undercut the council's goals for community outreach. Opponents said the committee performed community-engagement work tied directly to council goals and urged the council to rename or refocus it rather than disband it.

The vote came after more than an hour of public comment from Estacada residents and community members. Tammy Beatty, identified in the meeting as the DEI committee chair, said she was not condoning disruptive behavior and asked the council to answer questions raised during a prior workshop; she told the…