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Council split over DEI advisory committee as city attorney says compliance likely won't block federal grants
Summary
Councilors debated whether to keep McMinnville's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Advisory Committee public or move DEI work in-house amid concerns about federal grant scrutiny. City Attorney David Lightenberg said grant language varies and the city can attest to non-discriminatory compliance.
A contested portion of the council's committee review focused on the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Advisory Committee (DEIAC), with councilors sharply divided over whether to retain the committee as a public advisory body or transfer its work inside city staff.
Councilor Chenoweth and others warned that some federal funding programs may apply scrutiny to municipalities with publicly-labeled "DEI" programs and said the city should avoid jeopardizing a potential $26'$27 million Main Street grant for downtown reconstruction. "I'm not willing to risk the need that we desperately have downtown," Councilor Chenoweth said, urging caution about visible committee branding.
City Attorney David Lightenberg told councilors that federal grant language is not uniform and that, in practice, many federal departments simply require a city to attest it complies with all applicable federal anti-discrimination laws. "What they were looking for is that we could attest to the fact that the city is in compliance in all respects with all applicable federal anti discrimination laws," Lightenberg said, adding that the city's DEI programs, as described in their mission statements, focus on accessibility and outreach rather than hiring and contracting practices that the executive order targets.
DEIAC representative Noelle (DEIAC) recounted accomplishments the committee has supported, including the city's PROS plan, organizational assessment work and public events such as Juneteenth celebrations. "This committee played the part of the project advisory committee for the duration of the PROS plan," she said, noting the committee also helped frame the boards and commissions appointment policy and has a voting youth member.
Councilor Peralta argued the committee provides essential community representation and cautioned that dissolving it could reduce accessibility for immigrant and disability constituencies. "We have an unusually large population of people with disabilities ... nearly a quarter of the residents in my ward are immigrants," Peralta said, urging that the council preserve community engagement while considering name or scope adjustments.
Several councilors proposed alternatives: change the committee's name, keep the mission and move operational work inside staff while preserving community advisory roles, or reduce meeting frequency to lower staff burden. Councilors asked staff to return with clear options and a defined purpose for DEI work rather than adopt an immediate structural change.
No formal action was taken; the council agreed to bring the matter back with more detail, including the legal analysis and implications for federal grant applications.
