Community Diversity Engagement Committee
Meeting held: April 4
What happened: Daisy Hickman of the Volunteer Coordinating Committee spoke about April being volunteer appreciation month in Keizer, which is important to highlight as Volunteerism is one of the three pillars that composes the spirit of Keizer.
Lisa Brown, the Equity and Civil Rights program manager from the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) joined the meeting via Zoom and discussed the social equity lens utilized by ODOT.
Brown described how the purpose of such a lens is to help better develop organizational goals, long and short term and to help guide how we interact on a daily basis.
An equity lens can be better thought of as a thought process. It is how we take information given, process it and then react. In the case of social equity for ODOT, common questions that inform the thought process here revolve around asking how historically excluded communities will be involved in the process, how will the potential project will affect the needs of those communities, are disparities addressed by this and would this project increase safety and inclusion for these groups.
In order for the Keizer CDEC members to learn more about the city’s increasingly diverse demographics, CDEC chair Thais Rodick discussed having members of the CDEC attending and learning more at the different neighborhood associations in Keizer.
Through having more connection with the different associations, the hope is that it becomes more feasible to gather more community input and extend the amount of data that can be gathered about what Keizerites feel about different projects within the city.
Two different equity lens examples from both the City of Eugene and the Portland Police department were provided in the meeting minutes.
The CDEC discussed having the VCC appoint members of it rather than having members be chosen by city councilors.
Discussion around this determined that potential new candidates to the committee must have some background knowledge diversity, equity and inclusion concepts.
Hickman, speaking as a private citizen, noted that being appointed by the council was better as the CDEC has several “critical social and legal ramifications” so having that oversight by the council is a good thing, though noted that having “one or two volunteers” was also positive so that people who don’t feel represented by the council’s choice of members or disagree with them have the chance to go for those positions.
CDEC and city councilor Shaney Starr described how she made her selection for the CDEC noting that the process she used to pick a committee member was thorough.
Rodick discussed how councilors choosing members was an issue of inequity as it could come down to a matter of connections in that if you know someone getting chosen becomes easier.
She also noted that having a vetting process, as is done by the VCC, can help better determine if someone is a good fit for being a committee member and can overall aid the community.
Parks & Recreation Advisory Board
Meeting held: April 9
What happened: the meeting began with a comment from Volunteer Coordinating Committee member Jane Herb highlighting the hard work by Keizerites as a majority of Keizer city positions, such as committee and council positions, are filled by volunteers.
One public comment was given by Jacquelyn Green of Keizer, who spoke about the addition of small public “libraries” to be put into each of the parks.
Parks Advisory Board Chair Matt Lawyer said that while it is a good idea to include concepts like this, it becomes difficult when trying to find someone to take ownership and responsibility to maintain these small book repositories.
Community Diversity Engagement Committee member Nevaeh Music also came to speak about a project she is working on, specifically about the Carson skate park and a series of priorities Music developed to help increase traffic in the skate park while also making it safer for those who use it.
The committee gave parks reports for each of the city’s parks noting that each of the parks appeared in good shape although graffiti was found in Bob Newton Park.
The committee discussed the possibility of installing a new bus stop at Keizer Rapids Park due to the incoming turf field as well as to help encourage more usage of the area.
According to an email from Cherriots CEO Allan Pollock to Keizertimes, “At this point there is no plan to run transit service to Keizer Rapids Park. There are several logistical issues first being the need to have a bus turn around plan. Also, there isn’t enough time in the Route 14 schedule to extend into the park.”
Pollack continued describing how, to service the park, the route would need to be either extended to add more time, or another part of the trip would need to be cut out.
Volunteer Coordinating Committee
Meeting held: April 11
What happened: The Volunteer Coordinating Committee (VCC) met on April 11, at the Keizer City Hall Council chambers to discuss and vote in several new volunteer positions including the Willamette Water Trail Committee, the Parks Advisory Board and the Traffic Safety/Bikeways and Pedestrian Committee.
The candidates for the Willamette Water Trail Committee were Michael De Blasi and Jerry Nuttbrock. After reviewing each application, the VCC nominated Keizer-resident Jerry Nuttbrock to the position for a term starting March 2 of this year and ending Mar 1, 2027.
The committee reviewed the application of Keizer resident Liam Stitt for a non-voting youth liaison position on the Parks Advisory Board for a term beginning September of this year and ending June 2025. Stitt was nominated for the position unanimously.
Another youth liaison position for the Traffic Safety/Bikeways and Pedestrians Committee was up with Keizer resident Ethan Eggert being the only applicant. Eggert was nominated to the position with one member, Larry Jackson, opposed.
The committee reviewed the nomination of Tammy Saldivar of the Traffic Safety/Bikeways and Pedestrians Committee for Volunteer of the Quarter.
Saldivar was nominated for her work and dedication to helping review and improve the neighborhood traffic safety management plan as well as for her work with the different neighborhood associations and preparing them as they assist Public Works, Keizer Police and others for different community events.
Traffic Safety/Bikeways/ Pedestrian Committee
Meeting held: April 18
What happened: The committee began with a volunteer appreciation announcement given by Dawn Reichle Bailon of the Volunteer Coordinating Committee to appreciate all the volunteers who dedicate their time to the city and helping it function.
A representative from the Keizer Fire District (KFD) Hector Blanco came to speak about the district’s involvement in the committee’s activities.
Engineer Scott Mansur, a representative from DKS, a transportation planning and engineering firm, spoke about a manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD).
Mansur began by explaining that a MUTCD is the national standard for traffic control devices such as signs, signals and pavement markings that help facilitate public travel.
An example given was the change of how STOP and YIELD signs were used in order to slow down or cull traffic in certain areas.
Mansur also discussed recent changes to crosswalks as well, noting that many of the changes, such as line width and formation, were made to make the crosswalk area more visible to pedestrians and drivers.
The presentation covered how speed zones are made and designated, what is required to determine a speed zone as well as how speed settings are created based on road location such as urban roads or rural roads.
TSBPC member Hersch Sangster discussed another bike skills event that himself and TSBPC member David Dempster will be hosting on July 19 at Kennedy Elementary School.
Contact Keizertimes Staff:
[email protected] or 503-390-1051
SUBSCRIBE TO GET KEIZER NEWS — We report on your community with care, depth, fairness, and accuracy. Get local news that matters to you. Subscribe today to get our daily newsletters and more.
