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Ellensburg council amends DEI ordinance, edits language and renames commission after public debate
Summary
Council amended city code chapter 1.88 governing the DEI commission, struck a sentence referencing the commission's "struggles," inserted "safety" into the purpose language, and changed the commission name in the ordinance to include Access, Advocacy, Engagement and Equity after extended public comment and council amendments.
City Manager Heidi Berenstern summarized staff revisions to chapter 1.88 (the city's DEI commission ordinance) prompted by legal and community feedback. Staff proposed clarifications to the commission's duties and composition and recommended moving to a name that focuses on community engagement and access.
The public comment period included several DEI commissioners and residents. Amber Hofer, identified as a DEI commissioner, urged retaining "equity" in the commission title and cautioned against elevating a small petition over broader community input. "I strongly encourage you to incorporate the term equity," she said. Other commenters expressed support for changing the name to "Access and Engagement," or for including "equity" and "advocacy." Several speakers described the issue as emotional and urged compromise.
Councilmembers proposed and voted on multiple narrowly scoped amendments: they voted to strike the final sentence of a "whereas" clause that said the commission "has struggled"; they inserted the word "safety" in a purpose sentence describing community well-being; and they approved a change to the ordinance's title language resulting in a commission name that included Access, Advocacy, Engagement and Equity (later narrowed in amendment votes to a staff-preferred phrasing). The ordinance, as amended on first reading, was put on the table for final consideration.
One council member urged a future resolution to "formally, visibly, and for the record" express council support for a strong, safe and equitable community; staff said any such request would be docketed as a future agenda item. The council's action amended the ordinance text and advanced it per the legislative process.
