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 council, “This is not who we are in our committee. So I hope you can, forgive whoever's outside because that is not okay.” Several speakers urged the council to keep or reform the DEI committee and to preserve its work on accessibility, naloxone training and youth outreach. Other residents urged dissolution, arguing DEI is a politicized national movement and the local committee should be replaced with a non-ideological ad hoc or outreach group.

Mayor Sean Drinkwine responded to personal criticisms directed at him during public comment, saying, “Number 1, I'm not a racist. Number 2, I come from a very diverse family.” On the council floor, the primary rationale offered for dissolution was that an ad hoc committee or a renamed group could accomplish local goals (community engagement and accessibility) without the national baggage that, council supporters said, could limit grant eligibility.

Councilors debated several alternatives during the meeting: renaming or refocusing the DEI committee, dissolving it and forming short-term ad hoc groups for specific tasks, or keeping it intact while directing it to emphasize community engagement and accessibility. The council ultimately passed a motion to remove the DEI committee in totality (motion carried 5-2). Roll-call votes recorded in the transcript show Councilor Blevins voting yes, Councilor Dolezal yes, Councilor McElroy yes, Councilor Metcalfe yes, Councilor Prokop no, Councilor Tenbush no, and Mayor Drinkwine yes.

Council members instructed staff to bring back options at the next meeting describing how community engagement and accessibility work could continue without the standing DEI committee. Several council members and residents urged the city to present a clear plan for how outreach duties will be reassigned and how volunteers will be recruited for ad hoc efforts.

Why it matters: The DEI committee had been involved in local trainings and outreach and was explicitly tied by supporters to the council's community engagement goal. Dissolving it removes a standing body that had budget and continuity; council members said they wanted alternative mechanisms that avoid perceived political baggage while preserving community-access work. Staff were directed to return with proposals for an alternative structure at the next council meeting.

What's next: Staff will prepare options and an agenda item presenting how the council's community engagement and accessibility goals can be met without the current DEI committee. The council's instructions included consideration of short-term ad hoc groups, expanded recruitment from standing committees, or a publicly advertised pool of volunteers for task-specific work.