A year ago, an obscure city committee became a political flashpoint in Keizer.
City councilors wanted to change the name of the Community Diversity Engagement Committee.
Some councilors acted because they thought Keizer would lose funding if it stood in the way of President Donald Trump’s moves to erase diversity efforts.
But citizens responded in angry and critical tones, wagging their fingers at councilors.
“If you truly wanted everyone at the table, diversity is not the problem. Your actions are,” said one citizen speaking to councilors.
Then the Keizer City Council essentially fired everyone on the committee and appointed their replacements.
Now, the committee has largely faded from the headlines.
City councilors devoted an entire meeting recently to review the committee’s work. The nitty-gritty of rules and processes was center stage. Little was said of the previous turmoil.
Tammy Kunz, diversity committee chair, and others presented their written report about what they achieved in 2025 and what’s ahead in 2026.
“You guys got a lot done,” said Mayor Cathy Clark.
In the last year, the diversity committee reviewed the city’s process to appoint members, looked over the city’s new website and crafted guidance for selecting guest speakers.
That last action came after a 2025 incident in which a speaker arranged by the committee addressed the council in what some considered rude tones. The speaker addressed the city’s pending Juneteenth proclamation, prompting a later apology from the diversity committee.
Now, the city vets those who will address proclamations.
Hoping for more community participation, the diversity engagement committee is taking some of its meetings out of city hall. The first of those took place April 2 at the Keizer Fire District.
One of eight goals for 2026 is to improve community outreach. The committee intends to “identify barriers to participation and gather community feedback to inform future committee recommendations.”
The committee also plans a video to train volunteers and handouts to build awareness of its work.
Committee members were encouraged by councilors to press ahead with plans for a multicultural community event in the fall.
The reception to the committee’s work was a turnabout from last year, when Councilors Lore Christopher, Dan Kohler and Soraida Cross raised the prospect of changing the committee’s name.
Speakers responded, criticizing the councilors for tampering with diversity.
A month later, the council followed a new process for appointing committee members. Six of the seven were replaced, some getting no explanation for why their volunteer service was being ended.
At the recent council meeting, Christopher endorsed the committee’s 2026 plan.
“I like where you’re going,” she said. “I think it’s a great plan.”
DISCLOSURE: Robin Barney, Keizertimes general manager, is a member of the diversity committee.
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Facing community pressure, Keizer councilors leave diversity committee and its name in place
